Entire home
Shirley's Retreat, serenity and charm in a rural setting, 15 mins from airport.
Cottage in Piarco with kitchen
Photo gallery for Shirley's Retreat, serenity and charm in a rural setting, 15 mins from airport.





Reviews
10 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4
Popular amenities
Explore the area
- Place, Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority
- Place, Eco Park
- Place, Trincity Mall
- Airport, Port of Spain (POS-Piarco Intl.)
Rooms & beds
1 bedroom (sleeps 4)
Bedroom 1
1 Queen Bed
Common area 1
1 Double Futon
1 bathroom
Bathroom 1
Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer
Spaces
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
About this property
Shirley's Retreat, serenity and charm in a rural setting, 15 mins from airport.
Experience full immersion into the life of an islander while staying at Shirley’s Retreat in Centeno. At the cottage, unplug, relax and unwind in the soothing island vibe. Of special note, our sheets are 800 thread count for your added comfort. It’s a smoke-free space. You can travel to local eco-tourism and cultural attractions such as the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and Mount St. Benedict Abbey in 25 mins, Maracas Bay beach and nearby waterfalls in an hour. Shirley's Retreat is 15 mins from Piarco International Airport, 12 mins from Trincity Mall and 7 mins from Price Smart shopping. You can order freshly baked muffins for breakfast delivered to you at the cottage and there are lots of local restaurants and food outlets in nearby St. Helena Village and Arima.
The one-bedroom cottage retreat, is part of a country home on a private terrace of 4 generations of Joseph family members.
Create memories while lazing at the sunlight filled cottage with all your modern conveniences; air conditioning, high-speed internet, a hot shower, and on request your host arranged trips to local attractions such as Maracas Beach, Lopinot Caves, rainforest hikes, waterfalls, and more.
Watch and listen to local birds or take eco-tourism trips to La Brea Pitch Lake or Caroni Bird Sanctuary. Visit Queens Park Savannah for site-seeing in the capital of Port-of-Spain, drink freshly picked coconuts, taste local cuisine and enjoy locally grown fruits. You can explore the sister island with a quick flight to Tobago for a day of crystal-clear waters with white, pink or black sandy beaches. Be sure to try Tobago’s famous curried crabs, simmered in rich Indian spices and coconut milk served over a bed of dumplings.
At the cottage, order freshly prepared baked goods such as bread and muffins infused with seasonal Trinidadian fruits and flavors, from our local host and baker, Mr. Reginald. You will have a complimentary batch of his freshly baked muffins waiting for you at the cottage when you arrive, along with a variety of local fruits, refreshments and breakfast items to start your first morning before you've made it to the grocery. On booking do let us know of any dietary restrictions so we can better meet your needs. If your stay is 10 nights or longer, on request, our driver Paul will greet you at the airport to take you to Shirley's cottage, a short 15 min drive. For stays less than 10 nights, pick up from and to the airport is at an added fee of USD25 each way, please pay in cash directly to our driver Paul. If you request airport pick up and drop off, do share your flight details with us a few days ahead. For stays of 10 nights or more, your return trip to the airport and the first grocery trip is also complimentary. You can shop at the local grocery store to prepare your own meals or experience the creole or Indian-inspired dishes of Trinidad’s multicultural heritage from surrounding eateries. There is also gated parking for a compact vehicle at the cottage.
We welcome you to a genuinely homey and memorable Trinbagonian experience. When booking please let us know if you would like to have us pick you up from the airport, just share your flight arrival details a few days ahead of time.
At Shirley’s Retreat, we help you to Collect Memories not Things, and it's our pleasure to help make your stay memorable.
The one-bedroom cottage retreat, is part of a country home on a private terrace of 4 generations of Joseph family members.
Create memories while lazing at the sunlight filled cottage with all your modern conveniences; air conditioning, high-speed internet, a hot shower, and on request your host arranged trips to local attractions such as Maracas Beach, Lopinot Caves, rainforest hikes, waterfalls, and more.
Watch and listen to local birds or take eco-tourism trips to La Brea Pitch Lake or Caroni Bird Sanctuary. Visit Queens Park Savannah for site-seeing in the capital of Port-of-Spain, drink freshly picked coconuts, taste local cuisine and enjoy locally grown fruits. You can explore the sister island with a quick flight to Tobago for a day of crystal-clear waters with white, pink or black sandy beaches. Be sure to try Tobago’s famous curried crabs, simmered in rich Indian spices and coconut milk served over a bed of dumplings.
At the cottage, order freshly prepared baked goods such as bread and muffins infused with seasonal Trinidadian fruits and flavors, from our local host and baker, Mr. Reginald. You will have a complimentary batch of his freshly baked muffins waiting for you at the cottage when you arrive, along with a variety of local fruits, refreshments and breakfast items to start your first morning before you've made it to the grocery. On booking do let us know of any dietary restrictions so we can better meet your needs. If your stay is 10 nights or longer, on request, our driver Paul will greet you at the airport to take you to Shirley's cottage, a short 15 min drive. For stays less than 10 nights, pick up from and to the airport is at an added fee of USD25 each way, please pay in cash directly to our driver Paul. If you request airport pick up and drop off, do share your flight details with us a few days ahead. For stays of 10 nights or more, your return trip to the airport and the first grocery trip is also complimentary. You can shop at the local grocery store to prepare your own meals or experience the creole or Indian-inspired dishes of Trinidad’s multicultural heritage from surrounding eateries. There is also gated parking for a compact vehicle at the cottage.
We welcome you to a genuinely homey and memorable Trinbagonian experience. When booking please let us know if you would like to have us pick you up from the airport, just share your flight arrival details a few days ahead of time.
At Shirley’s Retreat, we help you to Collect Memories not Things, and it's our pleasure to help make your stay memorable.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Mountain view
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House Rules
Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Children to age 7 are included in nightly rate
Events
No events allowed
Pets
No pets allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Piarco
Located in Piarco, this cottage is in a rural area. Mount St. Benedict Monastery and Hanuman Murti Statue are local landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Trincity Mall and Tunapuna Market. Yerette - Home of the Hummingbird and Nariva Swamp are also worth visiting. Swimming offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and ecotours nearby.
Centeno, Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation
What's nearby
- Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority - 7 min drive - 4.2 km
- Eco Park - 8 min drive - 3.9 km
- Trincity Mall - 11 min drive - 9.6 km
- University of the West Indies - 16 min drive - 16.8 km
- Asa Wright Nature Centre - 31 min drive - 20.3 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- Royal Castle - 14 min drive
- Church's Chicken - 11 min drive
- Buzz Bar - 13 min drive
- Grillz Gone Wild - 14 min drive
- Heroes Sports Bar - 13 min drive
Frequently asked questions
About the host
Hosted by Bev Olson
Owen and I love nature and it's a joy to share all the natural sites and our Trinidad cottage with you, so you can make memories too. Our photo shows us enjoying a local waterfall before COVID times. Our cottage was built by Shirley, Bev's mom, in the 80's. Shirley was generous and giving, she was known for helping any who asked. We felt it fit to name the cottage in her honor and share her special brand of hospitality with you.
Why they chose this property
Our cottage is in a rural area that has in the past 10 years seen many new residents but we still enjoy the country feel, all the chirping birds, the laid back vibe, view of the Northern Range mountains and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. It's a great homestead location from which to enjoy all the eco-sites in north Trinidad. The nearby highway has stalls selling all seasonal local fruits such as mangoes and pineapples, including coconut water, ask the driver to take you by to grab some on your grocery trip.
What makes this property unique
We are sharing our Trinidad home with you and hope you enjoy the retreat it creates for us when we visit. You are surrounded by relatives all descended from a brother and sister, hence the name Joseph Terrace. You are in a historical place right opposite the Centeno Experimental Station created by the British where many new fruits were engineered. This academic pursuit led to the birth place of the University of the West Indies in St Augustine. My great grandfather Milan Joseph, worked in the estate and my great grandmother Nuelin Joseph, had the only local parlor in the area for decades when all the families knew each other by name and spoke a local creole language called patois.
Languages:
English
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