Castara Retreats

This is a high end small resort for discerning travellers who enjoy nature and lovely views in a beautiful village. The beach is a stone throw away. You can never get bored of the incredible views of the ocean, beach and rainforest from the lodges. We loved every minute of it!

Warm friendly place, run by people who really want you to enjoy your time and who have a business model that supports many local people. Smart in the important ways, simple and uncomplicated in the ways that lead to a relaxed holiday - whether on the beach, reading books, extending your yoga positions, or getting physical with boats, kayaks, diving, horses, swimming, or cocktails/local beers on the beach.

The Castara Resort is a beautiful, quiet, comfortable resort with a friendly staff. The rooms are self contained with a lovely view of Castara Beach. The food was tasty, and filling. The restaurant were a joy and constantly checked on us to make sure we were ok and satisfied. Will definitely be returning.

W'eve had a wonderfull vacation at Castara Retreats. The welcome was personal, the view from rainforrest lodge was great. From our balcony, we could see stingrays swimming . Bed's and bathroom, etc was in good shape, nothing to complain about. Jeanelle and Porridge did everything to make our stay comfortable. If I ever go back to Tobage, Castara is the place where I will go.

Where do I start? I stayed in Birdsong in Castara Retreats for two glorious weeks with my husband & our 3 children, aged between 13 & 21. The accommodation was fantastic, with an amazing view straight over the beach. We arrived at night so to wake up the next morning & walk out to that view and hearing the birds singing literally took my breath away. The treehouse had everything we could need, air con & fans and a fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen is open so sealing everything up in bags or in the fridge is a must though. Porridge, Janelle & the team were OUTSTANDING. The service they provided was second to none. Nothing was a problem & they were always happy to help. We went during rainy season so getting clothes & towels dry was a big problem when the humidity is so high but Janelle or one of the ladies would take our washing & return it washed, dried & folded within hours. When you have three kids with you this service was priceless to us & well worth the 150tt per load. We did two trips with Newton George during our stay, the island tour & a trek in the rainforest. Both I’d highly recommend, especially if like us you love animals. Newton is passionate about the island & its birds and animals. There is so much to see, from the birds that come to feed to the Agouti, geckos, bats, toads & lizards. Porridge also arranged a boat trip for us which included fishing for our lunch, snorkelling & a gorgeous bbq on Coral bay beach which was stunning. I will never have banana cake like that again & I’m still hoping to get the recipe! My guys also did a snorkelling trip off the beach with Judah and Leah. They all raved about it and how calm & positive the girls were. I think at some point they were invited to come visit us & snorkel! My daughter & I loved the morning yoga sessions with Judah and Leah. As Judah said to be practicing in a rainforest looking at that view was such an incredible blessing and experience. I will carry that memory and her words with me forever. The food in the restaurant was delicious, as were the cocktails! Everything was so fresh and beautifully seasoned. I had worried that my youngest might struggle with the food but she had no problems at all. Service was excellent and so relaxed and pleasant. The village restaurants could be a little unpredictable with the days they opened. The best thing to do is go & ask someone in the village or call to make sure they were opening that night. The ice cream shop by the beach is definitely worth a trip or 5! Anyone we met was so welcoming & seemed happy to see or help us. There were many fist pumps & hugs and offers of lifts. I dont think we’ve ever stayed somewhere where we received the welcome we did in Castara. We also rented a car as we were there for two weeks. Driving there is scary. The roads which are already narrow tight bends were pretty torn up after the hurricane but having a car meant we could drive to the other beaches, villages and supermarkets when needed. Englishman

Enjoyed Tobago and Castara Retreats - however the exellent reviews (hyperbole) are completely over the top. It's an ok average 'resort' with a very good restaurant and execellent staff - it's is not 5 star or even near it and the village itself make no concessions whatsoever for tourists. Yes I enjoyed my stay but a bit of honesty and realism from Tripadvisor would have softened the disappointment! would I return - not a chance! Sorry but this is an honest review.