If I begin to talk about Monique's Guest House, I probably won't finish because of how disgusted I am of the place, and how I feel like I was cheated by the owner.
I stayed at Monique's in October 2008 because I had a family funeral to attend. The first night, there were roaches in the bathtub. They switched our room, my mom and I that is, for it was almost midnight.
By the next day, I decided to boil some water in their kettle for some tea. As I opened the electric kettle, I almost vomited it was so filthy and dirty. It looked as if it had not been washed for months.
Before we reported this, they called saying we had to leave the room as they said someone had reserved the room (although we were told it was low season). We had already unpacked everything, so we had to repack (and they showed no sympathy).
We brought the kettle to the manager's attention. She said it was because of the weather, and that it must have happened in a couple days or so. It was nasty, gross, unsanitary - you name it. She offered nothing, and we were easy going as we were only in town for a funeral.
To make a long story short - I wish I had called the health department. Monique's Guest House was not the place for me. In addition, she told us to have breakfast on the house. I realized when we got back to Toronto, our Visa has been charged $30 for that.
I am furious, and advise no one to stay here.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
During my stay at this hotel, I found out very early that the food was not prepared properly and clean. The cutlery at the hotel was dirty, and clearly not cleaned properly. I ended up buying food from a fast food outlet near by and took it back to my room.
Afterward, I went to the pool. It is very small - like a hot tub. When I went up to my room after, I found that someone had eaten out of my food in my room. The only people who had access to my room were housekeeping staff. When I reported it to the front desk, they did not seem to care and they told me that they could not do anything about that.
Both elevators in the hotel were out of service for my entire stay. Apparently, they had no intentions to fix it either.
This was the worst hotel I ever stayed at.
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
I have stayed here several times with my husband, and we keep going back. The staff is very pleasant, and the rooms are very comfortable.
Courtyard will see me again soon.
0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
This was almost the perfect place to stay.Visited: April 2008
Posted by thetraveller
I stayed here in late spring for almost two weeks. The breakfast was great, and I had a great view out into the gardens while eating in the dining room. The gardens were great - except for the odd piles of debris in the corners.
The staff was great and friendly. It was an almost perfect place.
The four problems I noted were: a noisy air conditioning; the beds were a bit hard; the Jacuzzi was out of order; and the water issues (that only occured the last three day I was here). Otherwise, the rooms were very clean and large; they offered full amenities; and had cable TV, a fridge, phone, and air conditioning.
I would like to give it at least 3.5 out of 5.
1 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful.
They need to update their accommodations.Visited: August 2007
Posted by lucky
The house was very stuffy, and needed cleaning. The bed linens were dirty when we arrived, and we had to request to have them changed. We also had to have the fridge cleaned up.
There were too many old furnishings in the house, and no clean place to hang up clothes.
After paying $500 for us to stay a week, we expected more.
9 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
The Palms offers great location and service.Visited: May 2008
Posted by triniinflorida
We recently stayed at the Palms Hotel, and found that they are on par with hotels here in the USA.
They have a great location, offer good service, and provide comfy beds and an ample breakfast. Shuttle service to the airport is reasonably priced, and on time.
This is now our "home away from home" whenever we visit Trinidad! It is highly recommended.
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We loved it - brilliant location!Visited: May 2008
Posted by anitac
Having stayed previously in 2003, we wondered if it was as nice as we remembered. Well, this place was lovely!
Our room at the back of the house was bright and airy. The bed was large and comfortable, and the bathroom was clean and spacious. We stayed in the front room previously - it was larger and more private with its own outside entrance. It was probably the more preferable of the two, but this last room was still also very comfortable.
The house has been beautifully restored/renovated, obviously with a lot of sympathy for the character of its era. It was a charming and gracious place. The small pool and deck at the back were welcome additions since our last trip. They were too small for swimming, but perfect for cooling down after some very hot days.
Rosemary, the owner, was a gem. She was unobtrusive, but extremely helpful and welcoming. Bernadette, her helper, was also a delight with her friendly and helpful personality. They really proved that it’s the people who make an establishment. These two lovely ladies certainly helped make our stay the pleasure it was.
The location was brilliant. It was a very short walk to the bank/ATM around the corner, and to many fabulous restaurants and bars. We walked each night for dinner/drinks without any hassles. If you’re there for the cricket, it’s also only a short walk to the Queens Park oval. Downtown Port of Spain was also within walking distance.
I can really recommend the Gingerbread House if you’re after something much more special than the usual ‘run-of –the-mill’ hotel.
5 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
The Trinidad Hilton is run down!Visited: June 2008
Posted by aac_28
I stayed at the Hilton for romantic weekend getaway. What I expected of the big name "Hilton" ended up being a huge disappointment!
There was mildew, broken bar doors, and the hotel needs a paint job badly, as the exterior was full of mildew! It was an embrassing memory.
For how many decades has the Hilton been in Trinidad? Don't they even care to re-model it? They should re-check the five-star rating that was given to this hotel!
9 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We stayed here in April, but will definitely not be visiting again.
The room was claustrophobic in that the only sunlight the room got was if the front door was left open - not the best idea!
Also, the restaurant left a lot to be desired. Breakfast was from 7 am to 10 am. However, when we asked for fruit (which was advertised on the menu), we were told by a rather surly young woman that there was none left, and we should have "come down earlier." We were at the table at 8: 50 am!
On another day, when serving us, the waitress had on an apron that was filthy - and enough for an environmental officer to close the kitchen down. Not to worry, we looked forward to Saturday's breakfast menu which boasted "local food" consisting of saltfish and ackee with bakes. We arrived down for breakfast, and when we ordered this we were told that the cook "forgot" to buy the ingredients for this meal so it was not on offer.
Also, the crockery was chipped, cutlery was stained, and tables were not laid adequately with me having to 'steal' crockery from other tables! The astounding thing was that the owner was sitting in the same dining room having breakfast herself, and appeared oblivious to the goings on in her establishment.
When we approached her to complain, she said she was "hard of hearing." How convenient!
To cite this guest house as one of the better ones, and to advertise it in the Trinidad Tourist brochure as one of the better ones, is a travesty of the truth.
12 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
My girlfriends and I stayed here for Carnival 2008. We booked our rooms through a third party, and were overcharged and misinformed. Nonetheless, we were moderately happy with the rooms and the overall service of the hotel.
The front desk agents were well informed and eager to help. The hotel only had two taxi drivers, so this could be a deterrent for business travlers.
The security was extreme. At sunset, they locked the front gate to the driveway of the hotel and had guards there asking for room keys and numbers. Also, at midnight the hotel doors were locked and you had to buzz the front desk. It was a bit peculiar.
In addition, the pool was dirty, so we didn't use it. The breakfast was great, though.
We are looking into other accommodations for next year.
6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
The Palms provided great rooms and service.Visited: May 2008
Posted by nevob
We booked a night here based on online reviews. We found the room was very nice, comfortable, and clean - with a great shower, full cable, and free Wi-Fi!
They also had comfortable beds and nice furniture - it was very refreshing!
Hotels in Port of Spain can be pricy, but the Palms was definitely the best way to go. It was about half of what the Holiday Inn Express charged - which was nearby. They also arranged shuttles to the airport for a small fee...something like $15 TT, which was just a few dollars.
4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
I transferred to Aurthers after spending one (unpleasant) night at another hotel. After my first stay here (Arthurs), I would stay nowhere else the next time around.
They have clean rooms, reasonable rates, courteous staff, and a convenient location. It is a home away from home - a comfortable environment.
3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
It was good until we saw the nasty side.Visited: February 2008
Posted by blaque_anese
When my friend and I returned to our room, we noticed that one of our suitcase locks had been tampered with. We saw something stuck inside the lock, which had now collapsed in. We immediately went to reception to tell them about the incident.
This is where things turned nasty, and I have to say we were utterly disgusted with how we were treated. When the manager of Monique's came to the room, she immediately concluded without even listening to us properly that the lock had broken itself. She said it was an old lock! She also said her staff would never do such a thing.
I tried to explain that I'd never had a problem with the lock before, but she kept talking over me. She wasn't interested, and dismissed it.
Two other members of staff came into the room, and they confirmed what we told the manager originally - that the lock had in fact been tampered with.
Nothing has been done about the lock. I am truly disappointed with Monique's, and definitely will not stay here again. If the manager had apologized (yes, we did not even get an apology), I probably wouldn't be writing this review about Monique's.
17 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We spent four excellent days in the Port of Spain last Christmas. I wished I could say the same about Alicia's House.
Okay, they had a pool - which was nice; and they had a garden, which was nice, too (if you didn't look at the rubbish piled up in the corners).
The cleaning lady was very friendy, but those were about the nicest things we can tell about the hotel.
Our room was extremely dark and ugly, and only had a very small window. The staff was unfriendly, if not rude, and inefficient. We ordered a taxi to the airport, and he never showed up.
Also, we paid for our bill, but they had to bother us several times for the mistakes they made.
Breakfast was not too bad, but nothing special either. It took a lot of patience before we had it.
So, we did have a nice stay in town, thanks to some very nice people we met here. However, Alicia's House is a place we won't go to again.
We later stayed one night in The Courtyard Marriot before flying back to Europe. I'm not that particular fond on big American Hotels, but their staff was well trained, efficient and very friendly, and isn't that what hospitality is all about?
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
It was a lovely location, but a shame about the rooms.
Posted by ptlclaire
What a shame that such a lovely hotel had so many flaws.
The hotel is in a great setting with lovely views. The pool, the bars, the food were all excellent.
However, do not put anything in the safes in your room as these are not safe. I had money stolen from mine when I went for a swim, so I didn't use it after this.
I stayed in a twin room with my son. The room was fine, but my two daughters who shared twin rooms with a friend and a cousin had awful rooms. They were moved umpteen times after we complained. Their rooms were full of mildew, and one was actually flooded when they returned to it after a day out. The roof leaked, and the door fell off the mini bar!
The staff was always polite, but were very slow to deal with problems.
3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Palm's Hotel is a pleasant getaway from the U.S.Visited: October 2007
Posted by ods383
Palm's Hotel Trinidad is only minutes away from Piarco's busy airport, and is one of the most inviting hotel's in the area. I found my hotel stay here to be the nicest of the Caribbean islands.
From front desk staff, all the way up to house keeping, all the staff here at The Palm's Hotel will go out of their way to see that your stay is most pleasant.
A shopping mall and nice eateries are located within a three-minute drive or walking distance of the hotel.
If you are looking for the comfort of your own home - away from home, I highly recommend The Palm's Hotel. It will provide you with convenience and a sound sleep!
4 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful.
Caribbean 
It was disgusting. 
This is a great place. 
This is a cool place to stay. 
It was wonderful. 
The Trinidad Hilton is run down! 
