The fishing village of Castara is undoubtedly the best location in Tobago and renting one of the six lodges at Castara Retreats is a superb way to enjoy the best of this unspoilt Caribbean island.

The philosophy behind Castara Retreats was to create a small eco resort to reflect principles of beauty, balance and respect and to reflect these aspirations in the buildings, the gardens, in the relationships with the local people involved, and with the clients.

The principle of sustainable tourism is having a positive impact on the local economy in the village of Castara, the community and the environment.

For those tourists who are interested in responsible travel and offsetting carbon emissions from flying, staying in Castara Retreats most certainly supports conservation and the local communities.

We stayed in Coasthanger Lodge for 12 nights (not long enough) and absolutely loved everything about it.

The lodge is thoughtfully and tastefully designed, and blends in sensitively with the landscape and the surrounding area.

The moment we arrived we felt instantly relaxed and we will never forget stepping into the lodge for the first time and looking out at the stunning views towards the turquoise sea and the beach.

Coasthanger is perfect for daily living, and the deck, which is just off the bedroom, is a perfect spot to relax at any time of day. The deck has full sun throughout most of the day but also benefits from a cooling breeze from the sea, so it was very tempting to spend all day there, relaxing and reading and generally delighting in the wildlife around us.

However we didn’t, and we had some wonderful experiences in Castara and some very happy memories to bring home with us.

We left Castara Retreats thinking that we had been part of something very special and feeling very privileged to have had the opportunity to share the local culture and the life of many of the people that we met.

There is no doubt that we will return to Castara and to Castara Retreats in the near future.

Check out the website which is very extensive and you will get a wonderful picture of what you can expect.

www.castararetreats.com

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If you are planning a visit to Venice look no further than Palazzo Odoni. You can book online at www.palazzoodoni.com.

We have stayed in several places in Venice but this has been the best yet and we would definitely stay there again. There is no better recommendation than that!

It is a charming place to stay in, the quiet area of Santa Croce, we love this area away from the tourist trail. The palazzo is situated on Fondamenta Minotto just a few minutes walk from Piazzale Roma, the bus station, but if you want to take the more expensive option from the airport, the water taxi will take you more or less to the door. The double doors take you into a delightful courtyard and up some stone steps to another door followed by steps into the palazzo.

As you walk into the palazzo you get a real feeling that you are entering into a bit of Venetian history. Alessandro and Alessandra are the hosts and they will give you a warm welcome.

We stayed in a double superior room with beautiful furnishings and a lovely en-suite bathroom with a jacuzzi bath. The room looked onto a church and the rooftops and was very quiet and tranquil.

Book it now and go, you won’t regret it and once you have visited Palazzo Odoni you will want to go again.

Santa Croce, 151
Fondamenta Minotto
30135 Venezia
Tel +39 041 2759454
Fax +39 041 0993073
info@palazzoodoni.com

www.palazzoodoni.com

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Al Sole Hotel is a delightful hotel in the San Croce area of Venice away from the crowds of San Marco. We discovered it by accident one evening on our first visit to Venice in October 2004. We were so enchanted by it we decided that if we were to return to Venice we would definitively stay there, and that is what we did. We stayed for three nights recently and we were not disappointed – so much so, that we have booked another visit in January 2006!

Al Sole Hotel is housed in a charming XV century palace and faces on to the Tolentini Canal, with a very open aspect, and with a garden at the back. The surrounding area is quiet and attracts locals and tourists alike. It is only a five minute walk from Piazzale Roma bus station so it is very conveniently situated for a transfer from the airport. On our recent visit we booked a water taxi which took us straight to the hotel but on our next visit we intend to take the less expensive bus and walk the short distance to the hotel.

From Al Sole, it is only a few minutes walk to several good and inexpensive restaurants as well as to the famous Campo San Margherita with a wealth of lively bars and restaurants.

We would definitely recommend this charming hotel, with its friendly and helpful staff, to anyone who wants to stay in a perfect location in the heart of old Venice. We can’t wait to return.

Fondamenta Minotto 134 - 30135 Venice
Tel. (+39) 041 2440328 Fax. (+39) 041 722287
www.alsolehotels.com info@alsolehotels.com

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