Pax Guest House

The view is nice, but the location leaves you stuck at the top of the mountain. Going into town briefly to shop or get food doesn't feel safe, so take a taxi. They also don't supply soap or shampoo, so bring your own. Food was okay, though much too salty. Dessert was cheap ice cream each day, with no non-dairy choice or anything special from Trinidad and Tobago like pie or cake. Breakfast and coffee start at 7:30 AM, which was too late for our conference schedule. We kept checking through our last day, and they could only offer it a little earlier. They didn't accommodate us. Most hotels start breakfast at 6 AM. At dinner, a staff member complained when one of our friends chose a seat while attending a remote live meeting. We couldn't move dinner to 7:30 PM.

It took ages to get something as basic as tea, and the waitress seemed unfamiliar with the very limited tea choices. After serving us, she disappeared, so we had to look for her when it was time to pay. Her customer service was very poor, and she seems completely unsuitable for this business. 👎

This is still one of my favourite places to visit when I want to feel centered, find some calm, and connect with nature. The lovely people there deserve blessings. I first stayed here about 15 years ago and usually come for afternoon tea a couple of times a year. I went again yesterday, and it still had that same homely feel. Few places in Trinidad have remained so much the same over the years. It's beautiful, and its history has been well preserved.

The chapel is up the hill, and you can walk there for an inspiring early morning Catholic mass. Afterwards, the stroll back down leads to a lovely breakfast at PAX. Evenings are special too: an iced rum punch is brought to you before dinner, then a resonant gong calls everyone to the dining room. The sitting room and dining room have eclectic antiques that add to the feel of the place. Birdlife is everywhere around the dining veranda, with lots of colorful hummingbirds visiting from the valley and mountainside. From the front terrace, you get a bird's eye view of Trinidad's central plains, and at night the lights below dazzle. The nature trail up the mount is steep but manageable, with rewarding views, and the paved paths around the monastery offer breathtaking scenery as well. It's a monastery, so the rooms are modest, but comfortable and have what you need for a restful stay surrounded by nature. Breakfast is included, and both it and dinner are tastefully prepared. The hosts are wonderful and welcoming. Oda greets you and makes delicious meals, especially the soups, while Gerard serves dinner and shares Trinidadian and St. Benedict history, along with birding information. A blessed place wrapped in nature.