When it was founded in 1982, Kariwak Development Company Ltd was a pioneer in Tobago’s accommodation sector.

The cosy, 24-room hotel on Store Bay Local Road, Crown Point, quickly developed a reputation for its rootsy ambience, top-quality service and sumptuous cuisine.

It was also known for its yoga classes and night-time entertainment, particularly on weekends.

In fact, Kariwak was the first hotel in Trinidad and Tobago to enter the Tripadvisor Hall of Fame. Tripadvisor is an American online travel company, which, in part, offers online hotel reservations and bookings for transport, lodging, travel experiences and restaurants.

Today, some 40 years later, the hotel is positioning itself to be the epicentre of wellness in the region.

During Kariwak’s relaunch on April 30, the company’s vice-chairman Dr Lennox Sealey said the hotel, like many of its counterparts in the island’s accommodation sector, was severely affected by the covid19 pandemic over the past two years.

[caption id="attachment_954213" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dr Lennox Sealey, vice chairman of Kariwak Development Co. -[/caption]

But he said covid19 provided an opportunity for the hotel to reinvent itself to meet the needs of its clientele and attract potential new clients.

Sealey said the management team reasoned that visitors and locals, wary of the pandemic, will be seeking a different type of experience when planning their vacations.

“During the pandemic, everything went down, and we said the most critical thing coming out of the pandemic is that people are going to be looking for a safe place – a place where they can feel comfortable to come back to for their holiday,” he told guests, who included Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, tourism stakeholders, credit union officials and close to 20 exhibitors.

Sealey said the team settled on wellness in its totality.

“We see ourselves as the epicentre of wellness, and we are willing to work and be leaders in the thrust of the Tobago tourism concept as it stands now so that at the end of the day, the entire island of Tobago can benefit.”

Interestingly, Sealey said Kariwak has always had the makings of a wellness facility. Its garden, bearing fresh herbs and produce, has long been a favourite with clients.

In fact, he said at one time, a doctor often brought his patients to Kariwak for therapy in an around its gardens.

Kariwak's cabanas, situated around its pool and garden, adds to the hotel's inviting appeal.

Saying it has already established “a certain amount of contact” with professionals in the field, Sealey said when Kariwak’s wellness village becomes fully operational in the not-too-distant future, there are plans to introduce a wellness calendar outlining activities for guests throughout the year.

“We would like to feel that wellness begins right here.”

Kariwak founder and chairman Allan Clovis said the hotel’s wellness packages will no