Rex Turtle Beach Resort Reviews

The Rex Turtle Beach hotel is what we expected from a 3 star hotel, we stopped for 17 nights and glad we went All Inclusive as there are no restaurants to be found near the hotel and if we were not all inclusive we would have spent a fortune on food and drink at the hotel as it worked out very expensive. I would recommend you up grade to the all-inclusive option if you have chosen room only and you can do this when you are at the hotel.

The hotel is not the best but it is defiantly not the worst, but it is a bargain to be in such a fantastic location. The rooms were cleaned every day and sheets changed daily the rooms are well furnished we had a TV which we did not expect and had loads of channels to watch. We stopped in room 213 which was the perfect location upstairs and not to far away from hotel reception, bar and restaurant and just far enough away from the pool. The room has new air conditioning with remote control, which is very much needed after being in the intense heat all day.

The gardens around the hotel are well maintained but the tennis courts that are across the road are a death trap if you played you are sure to slip on the green slime and the mesh around the court is rusty and holes have been cut by locals to get into them. As for the floodlit tennis it must be the moonlight as I did not see any flood lights.

The pool was large and was clean and was the same depth all the way round 3ft 6"; so it is good for all ages and stopped people jumping into the pool soaking everybody around it.

The food was good but a little repetitive if you have the buffet at lunch and dinner, as it was the same sort of things. Breakfast was good but bacon was not very edible but there is a lot of choice and fresh fruit was served at every mealtime.

If you are all inclusive make sure you ask for the menu as you do not have to have the buffet, a lot of people we spoke to did not know you could have the menu on the all inclusive but you can and most lunch times we did and then had the buffet on the evening.

The bar is good but after a couple of weeks you run out of things to try as selection isn't the greatest and the cocktail list is very short and most tasted the same.

The beach is good considering it is a conservation beach and can't be racked and it was nice to see the sea turtles, on one evening a lone we had at least 8 come up to lay the eggs. On arrival you just need to tell reception to give you a wake up call when a turtle is reported on the beach and they tell you where it is.

The worst thing about the shop is the shop girl she has now been suspended as she was over charging customers. One lady was charged TT$700 for 7 post cards which is £70 just because she didn't understand the money, she never realised until talking to us and we told her she had overcharged us by about £5 that her husband asked her how much she had been charged for a packet of skittles sweets and she said TT$70 thinking it was 70p but it actual was £7 then she realised how much she had paid for the post cards. SO BEWARE OF THE SHOP!!

The hotel has just had a new manager and he seems really good and he is from St Lucia and he is very friendly.

Overall we thought the hotel, the beach and Tobago was very good for the money £1200 each just remember that if you go in our summer it is there rainy season and as they have a rainforest they are going to have rain so don't moan if it rains as I was sick of people moaning about rain showers and not having a white sandy beach, I wish more people would research where they are going on holiday.

We would go back but not for a number of years as it will be ideal when we are in our 50s -60s as it is very quiet and very relaxing, but it was a place I always wanted to visit so I did and now many more places are waiting for me to visit.

Just to let you know if you are going with virgin you need to go and find the rep to get any info on departure and trips they do not find you or leave messages if trips are cancelled the leave you sitting waiting or you find out things from other guests such as when to get forms for the check in chill out service. ( you need to get these 3 or 4 days before you leave Tobago off Nadia the resort Rep).

We had cliff to start with but didn't tell us had left and Nadia was the rep so I was looking out for him. The reps are not very good at communicating things to the guests and make sure they book the trips on the days you want.

The hotel is going to be refurbished in the very near future according to the new manager so visit before the prices go up. :-)
Have a good holiday!

We spent a lot of time choosing our honeymoon, and we were both so glad that we chose to come here.

The moment we got to the hotel we were greeted with cold rum punch and a cooling mint towel for your face and hands, what a lovely touch. We then reached our room and found that as a honeymoon couple we had received an upgrade, a bottle of champagne, and a plate of wonderful fresh fruit we totally enjoyed.

Although the hotel is a bit older, it was well kept, with the rooms cleaned every day, the towels and bed linen changed. The staff were all friendly, enjoying a laugh and a joke with you. If you are nice to them, theyll be nicer back.

We had the most fantastic views over the beach and sea from our balcony and although the beach isn't the whitest sand it was still wonderful.

We saw many of the large leatherback turtles coming on to the beach at night laying their eggs which was the most wonderful sight. We were also very lucky in that we saw some of the eggs layed early in the season hatch in to the most gorgeous baby turtles.

Some people were quite negative about the food, but you have a choice of breakfasts, and either a buffet or you can choose from a menu for lunch and dinner.

We went on a few tours organised by Virgin, and as wonderful as the catamaran tour was, it did work out expensive, and one morning for a tour the coach just didn't turn up, and when we finally tracked down cliff our rep, he was ";too busy"; to even look into it for half an hour. We had to go the next day instead and wasted a morning.

We also went on a snorkelling trip with Stumpy the Tuna man, who's usually on the beach. This was great value, he picked us up from the beach and took us wherever we wanted to go, away from all the organised tours. The snorkelling here is out of this world.

One thing to remember is that June in Tobago is in the rainy season, and guess what? It will rain sometimes. There was nothing worse than the people who knew they were away in rainy season yet moaned constantly about the weather.

However we really enjoyed our stay, and everyone made us feel so welcome everywhere we went. We can't think of anywhere else we'd rather have gone, and we can't wait to return.

This was our second visit to RTB. We went in June 2003 and decided to return again in May this year as we had loved it so much. We still love it!!

I have read a number of mixed reviews about this hotel and to be honest, yes, it is dated, but it is also set in paradise.

Our ground floor room had the new remote control A/C which was quiet. The bedding was changed daily, towels changed twice a day, the maids turned the bed back at night for us and the room and patio was cleaned every day. What more can you ask for when you are only sleeping in your room??

It was nice to see the same staff and faces there after two years. And they remembered us from our previous visit! We were able to keep our room on the last day for no extra charge - note - if you are pleasant to the staff they are pleasant and look after you.

Frankies Tours are good value with a personal service. Michael can often be found on the beach or around the pool area.

The pool is great. However, during our second week we were inundated by kids shrieking and dive-bombing off the jacuzzi - even though diving is not allowed (3'6''). While the pool is good it has somewhat spoilt the atmosphere as people do tend to stick around the pool area and don't go on the beach anymore.

We hired a car for a day from Frankies (about £30) and went to Castara, Englishmans Bay and the Rain Forest. Tobago is beautiful. If you go to Tobago, don't just sit around the pool - afterall all pools are the same and you could be anywhere - get out and about and see this beautiful island. You can drive around it in one day!!

All in all, we love Tobago and the people and would not hesitate to return to RTB again.

Virgin holidays absolutely fantastic will definitely travel with them again.

We arrived at the RTB in Tobago expecting a romantic, exotic and truly Caribbean experience - what did we get? unfriendly bar staff, repetitive entertainment, basic accommodation, dirty black sand, countless dogs wandering and fighting on the beach, dog muck, filthy scum floating on the swimming pool, screaming kids ignoring pool rules and English food.

No wonder it was cheap!!

On a better note Pigeon Point is out of this world and a must see.

Had a fantastic time here. The hotel is fine - not luxurious but it's got everything you need and is in a beautiful location. Tobago is surprisingly cheap (much cheaper than other Caribbean islands) but the food in the hotel itself, although good, is really expensive. 17.00 pounds for an evening buffet, as opposed to 1 pound at the local Roti King! We went Room Only and we're glad we did, there are lots of places to eat, although you might have to get on a bus (which stops right outside the hotel).

we had to beg to have the sheets changed after 7 days! Staff very rude and we went out of our way to be friendly, Paul the security guard was a godsend. We went off on trips to get away from the place. Stumpy was very good a local fisherman. The week before we arrived someone had fouled the pool and it was had only just re opended so very clean but by the end of our second week scum was forming.

I'd say its a very basic hotel and you get what you pay for we thought it was cheap when we booked, we would have had better accommodation in Blackpool and had a nicer time. Beware of this hotel. Sea very rough, dogs and dog poo on the beach also rotting fish. We made the best of a bad job and saw the funny side of things. Made some nice new friends though and at least our toliet worked... other rooms flooded when we arrived.
Hopefully they may have improved since we last went.

We have just returned from the RTB and having travelled extensively, would say this is definitely the worst hotel we have ever stayed in.

It is right on a dark sandy beach where we hoped our son would be able to play safely but the tide and undertow are so strong it was difficult even to paddle. The beach vendors are a downright nuisance and will not take a polite no thank you for an answer. The hotel employ security to stop them coming around the pool but they were very intimidating.

The pool was large but by the end of our week it was very cloudy. We saw chemicals being added once and a member of staff using a fishing net on another occasion to clean it! Two children had ear infections whilst we were there which the doctor implied may have been caused by the pool water.

The rooms were very dated and the bathrooms grubby. The air conditioning was so noisy it was impossible to sleep with it on. As for the matresses - don't look! Our friends had cockroaches, ants and a rat on their terrace.
The food was mediocre and there was nowhere to eat other than at meal times. We relied on the burgers! There was no opportunity to try Caribbean cuisine at the hotel and no fresh fruit or salad at all.

The staff were in general, disinterested and at times downright rude with the exeption of one or two.

On a positive note, visit Englishman's Bay - beautiful- and go on the catamaran trip. We swam with sting rays and had a great day. Also visit The Sea Horse Inn, a £4 taxi ride away for lovely food in pretty surroundings.
Nadia the Virgin rep was knowledgeable without being pushy and cheerful at all times!

I was glad we only had a week there and we would have moved if we could have afforded to. Good luck!

Rex Turtle Beach, Tobago

Very disappointed with this hotel.

Booked holiday with Virgin. Excellent service from Virgin; would definitely travel with them again.

All the rooms at the RTB are in need of refurbishment. The air-conditioning units in each room are very noisy; so much so you have to raise your voice to be heard.

The pool is cleaned thoroughly once a week only; and floating debris moved each morning. This is not enough. Scum forms in the most shallow part of the pool daily and sand from the beach settles on all the steps.

The restaurant staff at the hotel are, in my experience, very moody, disinterested and downright rude at times. This also extended to the bar staff and some of the reception staff. The only time we got a reasonable service at the pool bar was when a manager was stood watching the staff.

Don't go to this hotel expecting to sample carribean cuisine - you get roast beef, lasagne, chips etc...

The most friendly people you meet are the peddlers on the beach - Don't be frightened of them, if you don't want to buy anything, just politely say no and they move on. Sometimes they only want to chat to you.

BTW - topless sunbathing is illegal in Tobago.

From my point of view, the only good thing about this hotel is it's position. The fact that you get to see leatherback turtles laying their eggs in the evening on the beach in front of the hotel.

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone who likes 'service with a smile'; or to anyone who considers cleanliness to be paramount.

If we do go back to Tobago (not for a number of years though!) I would stay at the Coco Reef Hotel.

This review is based solely on MY experience at the RTB. I'm not hard to please, but, as a paying guest, would expect a bit of courtesy from staff.

First, let me say that we were not impressed with the RTB, PLUS we had a two day travel delay on our return journey. I'm delighted to say that Hayes and Jarvis carried out a comprehensive investigation into our problems and kept us fully informed throughout. As a result I would have NO qualms about travelling with them again. I was very impressed by their concern and customer care!

Although the carrier, Excell Airways, were very quick to sort out compensation and adjustments to the fares I would never travel with them again!....but more about that later.

The RTB was once the premier hotel in Tobago. It was one of the first on the island and is in a prime location.

The beach is one of the last remaining nesting sites for leatherback turtles which are on the edge of extinction, so there are strict rules about your conduct nearthe nesting sites and hatchlings. Being so close to the turtles and witnessing part of their extraordinary lifecycle is a rare privilage.

Sadly, the hotel has seen its heyday. In fact its seen it - gone past it and probably forgotten it!!

Your immediate impression is very good but when you start to look closer, the place is getting very shabby. The rooms are huge and ours had TWO queen-size beds, but as others have stated here, the aircon is very noisy. It is almost impossible to sleep with it on.

Items such as a tv for the room, now have to be hired whereas I understand they were once included.

The brochures all state that there are TWO resturants - there isnt! There is an inside dining area and an outside area, but both served by the same kitchen.

Food was buffet-style and I was very concerned to note that dishes containing chicken and fish were kept just lukewarm - which presented a potential health hazard. I mentioned this to a rep from the Tobago Tourist Board and he confirmed -or should that be ";alleged"; - that there had been food poisoning outbreaks at the RTB in 2003. - (Please note that I have no other proof about that).

The staff were helpful but it was hard work sometimes to build up any rapport with them. They could do with some ";Charm Training"; I can only think of two who were communicative and seemed happy in their work. One was a barman and the other was the girl who cooked the omelettes at breakfast!

The hotel taxis are good value and their drivers are chatty, helpful and very obliging. Plus, tipping is not mandatory - although we did!

Tobago is stunning and you must go on the Rainforest excursion. Frankies Tours have a rep at the RTB who seems to be there all the time. If you travel with Hayes and Jarvis, ignore what their Rep says about the other island tour guides. Our excursions were a bit of a rip off and poor value, but we didnt hear one complaint about Frankies Tours.

Although we were all-inclusive, we ate out a couple of time asn can highly reccommend The Seahorse Inn, just down the road. For an unusual dining experience, try Jemima's Tree House.

Finally let me quickly tell you about Excell Airways. If you book your Tobago holiday through HandJ, you will have no choice but to fly with them. If you do, then pay extra to upgrade to Premier or 2st class.

We had read nothing but poor reviews of Excell's trans-atlantic flights, particularly for ecconomy class, so we upgraded to Premier. To be honest, apart from a fast track check-in and a welcoming drink of sparkling wine, their Premier Class is just about on a par with economy with BA or Virgin. I don't know how the economy passengers survived the flight. I witnessed rude, surly and unhelpful crew and few very smiling passengers in that section.

I won't go into all the flight delay problems, suffice to say the return flight, two days late, on a hurridly chartered and sub-standard aircraft was a nightmare!

Would we go back to Tobago? Probably, but we'd stay somewhere else and we would certainly not fly with Excell Airways!

I knew that this was going to be a basic hotel, but to be honest it was below basic.. yes they need to refurbish the whole hotel complex. I was told that they spent millions on the pool, which was lovely and was led to believe the largest on the island..

Tobago is a touch of paradise, very untouched. The beach at the resort was not the white sand due to it being a volcanic island, though saying that it was still lovely with some gorgeous sunsets.

We went room only which was great though no nearby restaurants within walking disant. We thought that the seahorse inn was great owned by an english couple by the grafton beach hotel. Also pelican reef at crown point.
for the best beach on the island go to pelican point, white sands and there is a little snorkelling to be done round the rocks there, it is a private beach and you'll have to pay to get on, about £1.80..
The staff at this hotel were very rude, and service with a smile is very rare, espcially a barmaid called maria

i would go again though staying at a hotel nearer to crown point so you can walk easily to bars and restaurants and the lovely beaches there..