The Gingerbread House
- Category
- B&Bs & Guest Houses
- Island
- Trinidad
- Location
- Port of Spain, St George
- Prices from:
- US $110.00/ room/night ? view all rates
At a glance
The Gingerbread House is a wonderful old Edwardian house in the prime suburban location of Woodbrook in central Port of Spain. Authentic and architecturally arresting Trinidad Guest House from the outside, while the attention to detail within ensures this will always be a place to recall with affection.
- Best for:
- Single travel, Culture & Heritage, Music, Cricket
- Who for:
- Good for anyone looking for a great city location
- Not for:
- Beach holidays, children
- How to get there:
- Direct flights from the UK and USA/Canada
Key features
Friendly Trinidad guest house, 3 en suite rooms, cable television, fridge, high speed internet (wireless and cable), in-room safe and in-room phone, plunge pool.
Style:
Traditional gingerbread fretwork and ornate turnings are a welcome throwback to a distant urban streetscape of the 1920's. Portico entrance and pyramidal-roofed corner gallery on the wrap-around veranda enhance the overall ambience
Client Profile:
Generally an interesting mix of people from North America or the UK, a third of which would be pursuing business interests. Others could even be returning Trinidadians in their eighties, reliving childhood memories and bygone times
Journalist’s Review
In Depth
While the location is excellent - between the main social drag of Ariapita Avenue and its restaurants and Tragarete Road to the north, near the Queen’s Park Oval cricket ground - it is the atmosphere within that sets Gingerbread apart.
All rooms are superbly finished, with intricate internal fretwork, warm earthy decorated bedrooms, wispy linen drapes and immaculately maintained bathrooms and fittings, with the recent restoration a classic testimony to loving care and an appreciation of the country’s vernacular buildings and craftsmen.
The warmth and engaging character of proprietor, Rosemary Mackay should not be underestimated either, and her thoughtful, personal attention - or the part-time support staff of wiry old Mr James, who sings hymns while going about his duties, and Sandra, both of whom are welcoming friendly souls. Indeed, visitors here are treated more like house guests than clients, which is not surprising since the owners live in an adjacent part of the property.
Excellent fresh fruit based breakfasts are served and the garden deck is always a good spot to cool out after a hot day in the city.
Gingerbread is the sort of place you wished you’d discovered several trips before, a splendidly authentic alternative to the larger business orientated hotels around the Savannah and waterfront.
Beach & Swimming
Guests gain immeasurably from the added benefit of a small decked plunge pool in the rear garden, with distinctive shrubbery and planter surrounds. For beaches, the grand sweep of Maracas Bay on the north coast and its bake and shark snackettes, is a half hour taxi ride away.
Locality
Gingerbreads position on Carlos Street, in the pleasant centrally located suburb of Woodbrook, makes it ideal for a whole range of activities. The celebrated venue of Queens Park Oval, the international cricket ground, is a stones throw away and the social hub of Ariapita Avenue is just a short stroll round the corner - a great base for Carnival too with the Savannah not too far to the north-east. The three day Muslim Hosay festival takes place in St James, about a ten minute walk westwards.
Meet & Greet
The proprietor, Mrs Rosemary Mackay has contacts with a number of reliable local ground handlers and specialist guides and can arrange airport pick-ups and drop-offs too for which you would pay locally.
