Colleen Reese review 6 May 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved the great hiking trails on Saba and the cooking at the ecolodge where was stayed was absolutely fabulous!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring hiking shoes, a flashlight, and an appetite.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. The ecolodge is completely "off the grid" so we weren't contributing to environmental harm in that sense. The ecolodge, as well as a restaurant in Windwardside (The Brigadoon) have slide shows about the local environment and culture and enjoying and protecting it, so that visitors can be well-informed travelers. There are only local restaurants and shops, so all tourism purchase money goes right in to the Saban economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fabulous.
Katherine Lippel review 26 Feb 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting Tom and the others at the lodge. Their depth of knowledge and willingness to share about Saba were very engaging and endearing.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to go totally solar - hot water, and lights.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, divers, drivers and restraunteurs.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Linda Hesh review 8 Jan 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The flora and fauna in and out of the water are spectacular. We went snorkeling and saw sharks, sea turtles, spiny lobster, sea urchin, sponges, coral, and at least 20 types of fish. Just flying to the island was an adventure as you almost brush up against the mountain side and lower down to the miniscule landing strip that seems to be the only flat spot on the island.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
There is a lot of walking up and down, even if you don't go on hikes, because the whole island is mountain peaks. Bring hiking shoes that you won't mind getting muddy since the trails can be quite wet. When you don't have the energy to walk, or it's too far, the taxis are expensive. So allow extra cash for these trips. To go to the beach (that's only there some months) from the Eco Lodge was $50 round trip. If you snorkel, but don't dive, you still have to take a boat out because there is really no place to go into water that's not lava rocks or steep inclines.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The local people seem completely unconcerned with the environment. They agreed to have the Marine Park around the island only as a money maker. They benefit by the divers taking taxis and eating in the restaurants. There are no hotels near the harbor so you can't walk to the boats to go out diving. I felt a bit strange driving to get to trail heads. More healthy people might not have this issue as they might be able to walk all day to get someplace and back.
4. Any other comments?
I am very happy I stayed at this ecolodge on Saba. The owner is one of the Marine Biologists who developed the Marine Park that surrounds the entire island. Every day we asked him questions about what we had seen in the sea and in the jungle and he was happy to explain and elucidate.
It was fun to live in a solar powered cottage in the jungle, going to sleep at night to the chirping of the tree frogs. I won't forget this place. I am telling my more adventuresome friends about it. ****
Ty Coxston review 28 Dec 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Snorkelling with the jelly fish and turtles - especially on my birthday.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be warned if you have knee problems or are on a budget. The restaurant is very fancy food - but they will cater for vegetarians and vegans but it is very expensive - maybe the best on the island but it is the most expensive on the island too. Take a warm light weight top like a sweatshirt and a water or shower proof jacket. A sun had if you are trail walking and the most important of all thing a torch - always take it with you there are no lights on the road or the trail or the path from the trail / road to your cottages, which are no longer new, although current renovation work is being done. Be prepared - it is not all fluffy with hot water like people say it is. You only get hot shower is the Sun shines, people left the eco lodge to go else where as there was no hot water. There is no electricity, your mobiles will not work. You have to pay extra for a hot tub, and extra again for the sweat lodge - this was not told to us before we went. We were also informed of the lovely wells bay beach - a farce you can only get to it by taxi - the sand is washed away three (various) months of the year - and if you do get there - there is no guarantee it is safe to go in and swim or snorkel - it can get very rough. Heleen may be lovely - but we never saw hide nor hair of her and thought that very rude. The eco loge does not have a very good reputation on the island or amidst the locals - sorry to say - we 'talk' to people - real people and there seems to be a history - although Tom is an amazing chap and has worked had for the island and the environment. Be warned there is zero re-cycling and zero biodegradable products on Saba - nothing is as environmentally friendly as is made out. On your hikes take plenty of water and sun protection and a phone or a whistle - try not to go long distance alone - tell someone you're going and when you hope to be back and where on the trail you're going.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
No absolutely not - see above, apparently the workers were volunteers and only one lady seemed like a local. There is no biodegradable products no re-cycle facilities, you have to ask tom for a compost bin.
4. Any other comments?
Amazing people excellent island - no crime - well virtually none - a very safe place to be, the best walking. The local pubs and bars and restaurants are all awesome. The flora and fauna fantastic. I can’t wait to go back but sadly I would not return to the eco-lodge. For the same money I can stay in a 4* hotel with hot showers, a pool, tv cable a phone and complete access to all amenities and shops and people, with equal impact on the environment.
Read the operator's response here:
Our restaurant is certainly not the most expensive on the island, it is in the mid-upper section. But one needs to bear in mind that everything is expensive on the island because almost everything has to be imported. Middlemen and shipping costs add considerably to the cost of any produce. In addition many of the vegetables and all of the herbs served in the restaurant are organically grown in our garden.
Yes, a torch or flashlight is essential. It is listed as one of the items to bring in every confirmation e-mail. Should our guests forget to bring a flashlight, we will gladly provide them with one.
The solar showers indeed provide hot water only if the sun shines for 4-5 hours per day. However, in a tropical climate the water is never really cold. Also, if guests are dying for a hot shower on really cloudy days, we give them a thermos with hot water. Guests who are staying in a cottage with kitchenette can heat some water for their showerbags. Furthermore, as some cottages are shaded by vegetation, we advise our guests to place their showerbags on the pooldeck for maximum benefit of the sunshine.
The Ecolodge has no electricity off the grid, but solar panels with a 12V output for lights. We always provide for overnight charging of cell phone or camera batteries. While it is not mentioned on the website that there is a charge for the hot tub and sweat lodge, a poster in the restaurant clearly lists the prices: $ 35.00 for sweat lodge and hot tub, and $ 15.00 for hot tub alone.
Saba is definitely not an island of beaches, which is clear from any website about the island. The seasonal beach at Wells Bay is usually there from the end of May until the end October and conditions can be rough indeed at times. So the beach is a bonus and it can be lovely when the conditions are right, but it should not be seen as one of the main attractions of Saba. There are many beach destinations in the Caribbean and Saba is not one of them.
Heleen takes care of reservations from the home office and she is also an artist. She spends very little time at the Ecolodge indeed. But that is not much different from most hotels, as the person doing reservations is not the same person you will meet at the reception.
We are not aware of a not-so-good reputation among the local people. There has been some opposition against the Ecolodge during the planning phase, which was due to fear of competition and lack of understanding. The Saba people found it hard to comprehend that visitors would want to sacrifice some comfort in exchange for an experience that brings them in close contact with nature. Most people have seen now that the formula works. Local people come and show the Ecolodge when they have family of friends visiting and they rave about the restaurant.
It is true that there is no recycling on the island (as on most of the small islands in the Caribbean), but this certainly no fault of the Ecolodge. Ecolodge co-owner Tom van't Hof was one of the people to propose garbage separation, compacting and crushing back in 1990. But the Government opted for a landfill. The Ecolodge makes a small contribution by only serving two brands of beer of which the bottles are being re-used. The Ecolodge also composts all vegetable organic kitchen waste, uses egg shells for calcium in the garden and coffee grindings to dispel biting ants.
We feel that visitors do minimize their impact on the environment. They mostly access the Ecolodge on foot, they don't use electricity produced by burning oil, their waste is composted, and they minimize water usage due to the showerbags and spring faucets. On an island like Saba, the extent to which vacationers benefit the local community needs to be viewed in the proper context. The standard of living on the island is relatively high, there is no unemployment, and advertising for local personnel has sometimes resulted in zero response. Vacationers contribute to the local economy by buying in the grocery stores, using taxis and buying souvenirs. But an island like Saba does not have local communities which are being displaced by tourism without any benefits. Essentially everybody benefits one way or the other.
Finally, the rates at the Ecolodge are quite reasonable (in the lower-mid range compared to the other hotels on Saba). We seriously doubt it that one can find a room in a 4* hotel in the Eastern Caribbean in high season for $ 85.00 per night double occupancy.
