News
Thank You, Porridge & Jeanelle!
Celebrating 25 Years of Island Hospitality & Heart
Your warmth, laughter, and love for Castara will always be part of our story

After 25 years of heartfelt service and hospitality, Castara Retreats announces the departure of two extraordinary individuals who have been central to our journey since the beginning –  Porridge and Jeanelle.

From the earliest days, Porridge and Jeanelle have been the faces of Castara Retreats’ warm local welcome. Their natural charm, openness, and deep love for Castara brought thousands of visitors into connection with the rhythms of island life. For many guests, Porridge’s morning greetings and Jeanelle’s nurturing presence became synonymous with the Castara experience.

Their story with us is woven into the fabric of the resort – from fish cooked on the beach to evenings under the stars, community cricket matches, and the sound of friendly laughter on the veranda. Together, they helped shape the unique soul of our retreat and the enduring friendships that grew here.

Now, as our owner Steve steps back from day-to-day operations and Castara Retreats transitions to its next chapter, Porridge and Jeanelle have chosen to pursue a long-held dream: establishing their own hospitality venture. Castara Retreats is proud to support them in this next step, providing assistance with the setup of their new property, including start-up support and a generous farewell gratuity in recognition of their contribution.

We want to reassure our guests and partners that this change is being handled with care, gratitude, and respect for all involved, their legacy will live on in the warmth, authenticity, and sense of community that remains at the heart of Castara Retreats.

A New Chapter for Castara Retreats

As we celebrate Porridge and Jeanelle’s contribution, we also look ahead. Castara Retreats now enters an exciting new phase under the guidance of a refreshed leadership team — committed to maintaining the values that have made the property so beloved.

Led by our newly appointed General Manager, Maisha Oben, and Marketing & Regenerative Tourism Manager, Sheena Des Vignes — both deeply rooted in the community and experienced in sustainable hospitality — our focus remains on meaningful guest experiences, strong local partnerships, and regenerative practices.

Guests can continue to expect the same intimate, eco-conscious charm, enriched by a renewed commitment to quality, innovation, and the people of Castara.

To Our Guests and Community

We invite all who have been touched by Porridge and Jeanelle’s spirit to celebrate their legacy with us. Share your memories or messages via our social media channels, or by emailing the Castara Retreats team. We’ll make sure your words reach them as they begin this next exciting chapter.

This is not goodbye – it’s a shared new beginning, grounded in the same love for Castara that brought us all together

April 2025

 

  • OUR NEW-LOOK AND NEW WEBSITE

    We are hugely excited to be launching our new website, and re-branded ‘look’. This project began in autumn 2015, when we consulted with guests, staff and service providers – getting insights into what Castara Retreats represents to them. Since then, we have been working to develop these ideas into our revitalised new brand, and designing this new website. We are delighted with the outcome, and hope you find our new website enjoyable and easy to explore.

    Feedback from our guests last autumn also gave us the clear message that they would like to see more Caribbean-style food on our menu. Over the past few months, we have been working with our restaurant team to create a new menu which celebrates the spices and flavours of the Caribbean, and sizzling new dishes now include the Trinidad and Tobago speciality shark ‘n bake, along with griddled prawns with coconut and lime dressing, passionfruit cheesecake, and Jamaican jerk chicken, to name just a few!

    As part of the re-branding project, last month we invited our talented sign-writer friend Jesse Watkins to paint all of the new signage for Castara Retreats at Caribbean Kitchen. She brought fabulous creativity to the project and has done a beautiful job hand-painting bright, colourful and unique new signs all around the property.

    July 2016
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