Acajou Hotel Review

Paria Main Road, Grand Riviere, Trinidad

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The Acajou Hotel sign directs you to turn right off the main road down a short and maintained dirt driveway that leads to the parking area. I think just the layout and appearance of the hotel's front property sets the tone for your stay. It is not a super posh and shiny slick hotel but it is well looked after, with the landscaping displaying beautiful tropical flora, the gravel paths levelled and weedless, and the beautiful woodwork, that features prominently in the architecture, promising a cosy and not-too-rustic stay.

It took us a little under two hours to get there by car from Sangre Grande driving at around 60km/hr. We were driven by someone familiar with the winding, narrow road, so I recommend giving yourself more time to arrive for the 3:00 p.m. check-in, depending on your starting point and the 50km/hr speed limit in place as you leave Sangre Grande on the Toco Main Road.

Our check-in was handled by the gracious Kim who catered to us and another couple, who had booked their current stay as they checked out of their last (which speaks to the pullback power of this local getaway). Our dinner order and preferred dining time were taken in advance, with a choice of two starches and about five to six meat dishes with vegetables. I appreciated this approach as it cuts down on kitchen wastage if everyone knows what, when and even where they’ll be eating, as you can choose to eat in your cabin or the restaurant.

There are six cabins on the property, in addition to the Limin Restaurant and Bar (not open at the time of writing this review) and the Reception and Staff Quarters. The cabins are lined up to create a division of the property and they are backed onto a shared backyard of sorts. The land is not overly cultivated and thus allows for views and sounds from the nearby sea and river but you never feel as if you are on display. There is enough plant cover for privacy, even between cabins, where clear delineations have been planted in ginger lilies, croton, fig and palms trees and rubber plants, thus allowing you to avoid being drawn into your neighbour’s stay, once everyone practices some consideration.

Each cabin has a short, railed, gangway leading to the front door, beyond which is a shorter entryway that opens into an approximately 10m x 12m room, featuring a small curtained closet for extended stays, a built-in sofa, ceiling fan and light in the vaulted ceiling with exposed rafters, a firm queen size mattress, and simple, lovely wooden accents and accessories. Now the bathroom was a very pleasant surprise, mostly in part due to its size. It’s not one that you have to make tight circles in but instead is quite spacious with an elevated solid surface sink, wooden countertop and an ample mirror, the shower sits at the same level as the rest of the bathroom with the shower curtain acting as the only barrier. The back of the cabin ends in sliding doors that open onto a small deck, the floor of which has been worn buttery smooth by the elements and previous guests. It also houses a hammock and two canvas chairs, signalling the start of kicking back, letting go and general vacation vibes.

I have to emphasize here, the day we arrived had a beautiful golden hour and all that foliage I mentioned earlier, includes several Ylang Ylang trees. So as the sun is gently warming and lighting the evening, the surroundings are growing quiet as the day ends and the grounds are scented by heady, rich floral notes - here is where I saw the romance Acajou can provide for couples. There are no televisions in the cabins, so you are quietly ushered to focus on your partner and the natural surroundings you’ve travelled far to be part of. Alternatively, if you’ve been craving some solitude to work on a passion project or to simply just be, I think this hotel can provide that escape as well. You are never bombarded with passersby or unchecked revelry or (at the time of my stay) children. You are left to your own machinations and the knowledge that you can ask for any extras or explanations should you want them.

That first night we chose to have dinner in our room and we both went for the grilled kingfish in coconut milk and lime sauce, paired with buttered cassava and garlic sauteed veggies. And they don’t skimp on the portions. In fact, it was so scrumptious, I ordered the same dish the next night and the cassava was switched out for mashed potatoes. My husband was able to go off-menu and request fried fish and coconut bake paired with traditional West Indian hot cocoa for dinner on the second night. The breakfast menu (non-buffet) offers the regulars hits: eggs any style, saltfish buljol, toast, bacon and sausage, pancakes with maple syrup etc. We sampled the cheese omelette, buljol and coconut bake and they were all delicious.

One point of contention, was when it came to time to sleep. Almost as soon as we got in bed, there was a conspicuous squeaking coming from the shingled and raftered roof. Not just squeaking but scampering too – there was definitely something moving above our heads and while, for whatever reason, my partner was not concerned, I was concretely worried about some small creature falling onto my head while in a very dark room. It turns out that the noises were caused by large little lizards, who revealed themselves the next morning. Large mosquito nets are provided in the cabins, which we did not put down because there weren’t many biting insects that night, but you are free to do so before going to bed if you don’t want to chance a midnight close encounter.

Finally, the extracurriculars –

Acajou Hotel offers to arrange a viewing of the nesting leatherback turtles that begin to visit Trinidad’s shores from around March each year. The hatchlings come up from around May to August, so that’s six months’ opportunity of getting an up-close look at this ecologically vulnerable species. The hotel can put you in touch with a guide that will chaperone your viewing of the turtles – because the large nesting adults only come ashore at night and because of predators, two-legged and four-legged, I recommend getting a guide and not trying to view the turtles on your own.

The beach itself is made up of soft, coarse sand that is split by a river mouth on the eastern end of the stretch. The estuary houses a fishing harbour, a freshwater bathing pool, a launching point for kayakers and a couple dozen Corbeau, who, though ever present, never got in the way or overwhelmed the scene.

This time of year, the weather was amazing, orchestrating a high, bright blue sky and tall sand dunes. It was as I crested the dune right at the hotel's entrance to the beach, that the wide and rough water crashed back me. In case you didn’t know, as local, I’m saying the beach is not bather/swimmer friendly and there are no lifeguards even posted to the location.

However, there is a shipwreck! Now, that’s cool to me because I geek a little for history that’s been frozen in time – this hunk of metal that’s been beaten by the elements, left behind by its crew and cargo and is now sunken into the sand to be slowly eroded and absorbed by the sea. For me, artefacts like these, up close, make me feel like I can touch all that history, all those stories tied to a place or a thing. Now the shipwreck is at the other end of the beach, so as you’re walking, you’re going to pass a row of guesthouses, their patrons enjoying the beach and, perhaps as we did, quite a few fishing enthusiasts or sand planted fishing poles.

Now Grande Riviere may not be a bathing beach but the rough breaks are good for modest surfing or boogie boarding. I have no idea about surfing in Trinidad but I’ll leave this link for you to learn a little more. There is also the option to take a nature walk on your own or have a guide to take you down slightly more advanced trails but we passed on both these activities.

Acajou was a pleasure - if you look closely at the seams you can see some age-related wear and tear coming through but the property and cabins are kept neat and clean to a degree that allowed me to feel comfortable and relaxed. The staff stay friendly and ready to help but generally, they and the other guests are typically out of sight and out of mind. Our short visit mostly consisted of eating and sleeping but if we had an extended stay, I would have loved to take part in the nature-immersive activities provided. It was all of the birds, the turtles, the squeaky geckos, the fragrant, wild and manicured botanicals, the sound of the rolling waves, day and night, providing a constant score to your getaway experience, that I definitely recommend you have a stay at Acajou if you're looking for a serene and secluded staycation.