Caribbean eco-resort
Tobago self-catering accommodation
Castara Retreats is a family-run eco resort with 15 Tobago self-catering accommodations superbly located overlooking the Bay of Castara with its two sandy beaches and the deep green of the rainforest as its backdrop. With choices from Japanese-style wooden haiku lodges to beautifully furnished, air-conditioned apartments, there is something to suit a range of tastes and budgets.
Our Tobago self-catering accommodations offer a ‘living in the landscape’ experience and are sensitively designed to sit harmoniously within the natural environment, and offer a balance between the services of a hotel, and the freedoms of self-catering. Comfort is paramount, with spacious living areas, luxurious beds, and hammocks for relaxation.
Guests of Castara Retreats receive friendly support from our local management team, and services include daily contact with our managers Porridge and his wife Jeanell. They are repositories of local knowledge, and are well-known for their attentiveness and charm. The friendly village of Castara is a five minute walk away, with its selection of eateries and bars.
We are delighted to offer yoga and massage and have three wellness practitioners whose work complements the harmonious and restorative environment we endeavour to create at Castara Retreats, offering Kundalini yoga sessions overlooking the ocean and relaxing deep tissue massage.
The beach below Castara Retreats is just a 3-4 minute walk down a winding footpath and down some steps onto the sand. The beach is ideal for swimming, body surfing, sunbathing, and wandering along the sand to buy a drink, buy some freshly caught fish for dinner, or have a chat with the friendly locals.
At night, be awed by the magic of fireflies, and wake in the morning to dawn chorus. Over 70 species of birds can be spotted from the lodges’ balconies, from hummingbirds to tanagers, banana quits to mot mots. This is a place alive with nature and buzzing with life.
The views are amazing. Stayed at Birdsong with friends who enjoyed walking down to the beach, buying a 10lb king fish and returning to the apartment to have freshly caught fish for dinner. Imagine falling asleep to the sound of the waves, or waking next morning to the sound of birds chirping or watching the boats bobbing in the water. The view of the bay from your window is to die for and the apartment was exceptionally clean. The only drawback is that you would wish you spent more time there no matter how long you stay.
If you are looking for a taste of the "real" Caribbean then this is definitely the place to find it. Castara Retreats is situated on the hillside overlooking the small village of Castara. From our perch in the trees we could watch the boats going out to fish, the ladies baking the bread in the clay oven twice a week and spot when the fish was being sold in the market. We hired a car for two days, which enabled us to see a bit more of Tobago, but nowhere else that we visited had the kind of lively but laid-back ambience we found in Castara.
But by the moments that take your breath away”
Our restaurant – Caribbean Kitchen, offers open-air dining with fabulous views to the ocean, beach and rainforest. Watch the hummingbirds displaying over your light lunch, enjoy our cocktails whilst watching the sunset, or eat your candle-lit dinner listening to the sounds of the sea.
Our chefs prepare fresh food, made to order, which celebrates the spices of the Caribbean. Our varied menu includes dishes such as jerk fish, Caribbean meatballs, and griddled prawns in a coconut and lime dressing. Keisha heads up our bar and is known for her excellent cocktail mixing.
Each of our accommodations in Tobago is self-catering, with well-equipped kitchens and spots for dining. In the village, there are a number of restaurant and bars for you to explore, serving local delicacies such as crab ‘n dumplings.