Canboulay

In Depth

Canboulay is an extremely elegant-looking villa designed in the style of the old plantation great houses, with numerous traditional shutters and a sweeping double stairway leading down to the pool terrace below. Set overlooking the 8th Fairway of the Mt Irvine Golf Course, which can be accessed through a gate at the foot of the sloping lawned gardens, it has glimpses of the Caribbean sea in the distance. Mt Irvine Estate is a well established residential area with villas scattered around the golf course and the hillside above the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel. Many luxury villas have been built over the years, some of them homes rather than rental properties, through recently the number of rental properties has increased in number.

Though traditional in design on the outside, the interior of Canboulay is more contemporary, very tropical and with a strong Caribbean flavour. Bold splashes of colour leap out from an eclectic choice of soft furnishings and vibrant local artwork that is set against a cool backdrop of white walls, ceilings and pale tiled floors. The centrally located, open-plan living room has a high exposed ceiling, gables inset with skylights to create a bright and airy ambiance. Comfortably furnished with locally crafted chunky bamboo furniture it has a sitting area with cable TV, DVD player and CD music system, and a dining area for more formal meals. Outside on the spacious covered veranda is another more casual sitting and dining area with sweeping views across the golf course. And off the side of the central living area is a very well equipped, modern kitchen with adjoining laundry room.

A further dining option is outside on the tiled pool terrace, which is well furnished for soaking up the sun. The well landscaped lawns are dotted with mature trees, palms and tropical plants. Canboulay is the perfect spot for keen golfers. Those keen on nature will appreciate the placement of birdfeeders on the surrounding trees which attract a variety of species, especially the yellow breasted bananaquits.

Canboulay has four air-conditioned bedrooms with ceiling fans (there are ceiling fans in all rooms throughout the villa) and en suite bathrooms with tub/showers (the garden room has a shower only) and hairdryers. Three bedrooms are accessed by way of a shuttered corridor which runs either side of the central living room. There is a master bedroom with a king-size bed, a twin room with two double beds and a twin with two singles plus two single pullout beds. A fourth bedroom is located downstairs on the south side of the villa and only has access from the gardens outside. It has a king-size bed, cable TV, walk-in dressing area, an en suite bathroom with shower and small kitchenette with fridge and kettle.

Beach/Swimming

The Mt Irvine Bay Hotel's beach facilities and the public beach facilities, known as Surfer's Beach, are located on Mt Irvine Bay, a three minute drive from Canboulay. The swimming and the snorkeling there are good and during the winter season it is a popular spot for surfers. Canboulay has beach chairs, umbrellas and coolers available to take down to the beach. The villa itself has a good sized oblong swimming pool surrounded by a tiled sun deck. It measures 36ft by 16ft and has depths of 3ft to 5ft, with steps at the shallow end and a ladder towards the deep end. At the shallow end of the pool is a small semi-circle paddling pool.

Sports & Recreation

Tennis and an 18 hole golf course are available at Mt Irvine Bay Hotel and watersports from the beach across the road to the hotel, a three minute drive away. The Tobago Plantations Golf & Country Club with an 18 hole 72 par PGA championship course is approximately ten minutes by car.

Locality

Most things are within relatively easy reach in the area, and the facilities of the hotel are just a short drive away. Just around the corner in Bethany, about four minutes by car, is Gourmet Foods, also known as Morshead's where you can find groceries. Otherwise there is a mini-mart called Marie's Place on the way to Stonehaven Bay, as well as a fast food outlet. The main supermarket is Pennysavers, about ten minutes by car on the way to the airport. There are a number of good restaurants within a ten minute drive, including MeShells, Melange, La Terrase, La Tartaruga, The Pavilion at Stonehaven Villas and Seahorse Inn.

Useful Hints

Complimentary, initial food supplies (breakfast items, soft drinks, beers and rum) are placed in your villa for your arrival, however should you require the villa to be fully stocked or you require specific items, you should ask your travel organiser or the management company directly to make the necessary arrangements. You will be billed for these items by the villa management company on arrival. If your villa has a cook, a simple welcome meal can be prepared on request, again food items will be charged for. Cooks can be arranged at a cost of US$15 per meal. If you require staff to shop for you during your stay and they are able to do so, a US$15 service charge for each trip, will be added to all shopping bills. Rental rates for villas in Tobago do not include 'tips', about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa.

The housekeeper will also provide babysitting services for an additional fee which is settled directly with her.

Canboulay will sleep 6 adults plus 2 children using rollaway beds.

Airport Meet & Greet

If you are booking direct ask the villa management company to send their representative and a taxi to meet you at the airport. Your airport transfers are paid for locally and take approximately 15 minutes. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport until the time that you leave, with a range of services that can include a personalised Concierge Service and transfers, please click here for Yes! Tourism.

If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking.

Getting Around

Although most things are relatively close at hand, a hired car is strongly recommended for all private villa holidays, unless you prefer staff to call taxis for you as required. Public transport is sporadic and not a convenient option. A car will be useful if you want to dine out at night or do lots of sightseeing and particularly when it comes to shopping for groceries. Book car hire via your travel organiser or direct with Thrifty Car Rentals and ask for your vehicle(s) to be delivered to the property approximately 2-3 hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Tobago or, if preferred, the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day.