Oceanfront Home w/ 14' Boat & Truck Included in Bahamas

Nice getaway!

Adelle P. ()
Review submitted: March 19, 2013   Date of arrival: February 11, 2013

This was our second year staying at this beach house. We returned because we loved the location (very remote and secluded, felt very safe), and it was a perfect family getaway for us. Our two young children absolutely loved playing on the beach, just a few steps outside of the back door. They had a fabulous time (so did we!) exploring the tide pools and seeing all of the wildlife - sea anemones, sea slugs, starfish, sea urchins, conch, hermit crabs - you name it! The beach itself can be rocky but you can walk for many kilometres and feel like you are on your own island. The owners have always been very responsive and quick to address any issues. Please take the advice to heart that they provide - this is a SECLUDED location and therefore you need to bring some "essentials" upon arrival; there are no grocery stores or convenience stores that are nearby. Plan on making a trip as soon as you land (or as soon as possible) to stock up on groceries, toilet paper, etc. We also found this second time more enjoyable by working with the great rental car agency the owners recommended - KSR car rentals - very helpful and courteous staff, pick up and drop off right at the airport, very reasonable rates. We wanted to do some more exploring of the island and felt more comfortable doing so in a different vehicle than the pick up truck at the house (that truck is fine for getting to and from the boat launch but probably not for touring extensively around the island with young children). Thanks again to Annie and Jody for renting their lovely home away from home!

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Beautiful, Secluded, but had Some Issues

Dave W. ()
Review submitted: August 9, 2012   Date of arrival: July 7, 2012

We've been all over the Caribbean & rented many places on Home Away so I wanted to share our experience. It’s a nice home in a secluded village. The water is beautiful & house is practically in the water it’s so close. If you’re looking for a quiet place away from everything, this is for you. Make sure to visit Crabbing Bay Beach, our fav place on Grand Bahama, 10 min east. Annie is easy to work with, responds quickly to email & returned our full deposit.

Unfortunately we had some issues during our stay I wanted to share w/others. The home was nice but far from 5 star. There were plenty of bath towels but few beach. Most had stains or looked old & gross. Don’t count on there being much in the house when you get there. We were asked to start laundry when we left but there was no detergent. There was no hand or dish soap, detergent, papertowels, toiletpaper, etc so bring it from home or plan to spend a lot of $ for it once you get there. It’s in the middle of nowhere so get groceries for the week before going to the house. It takes an hour+ to get to the grocery. Bahama John's was closed & rumor was he went to Canada & isn’t coming back. Takeout from Zelma's 15 min away is good as is Diamond Sunrise/Doris's, 30 min, for a sit down meal. There are no other restaurants nearby. All the food is deep fried so don't expect to find a piece of grilled fish or a salad. The food was ok we just got sick of everything deep fried.

We lost power for 12+ hrs. The caretaker was nonchalant about it & offered no assistance. Bring flashlights b/c we found none in the house & he said it happens frequently. Fortunately, a neighbor from the US brought us some to get through the night.

It was all rock no sand in front of the house. We were told a recent storm washed it all away. It made fun exploring w/kids @low tide but wish we could lay/play on sand w/out having to go elsewhere.

The boat was ok but water was only calm enough to use it once. It is very small so even small waves make it unsafe. There was no fishing gear so make sure to bring some.

The truck was unsafe & should’ve been replaced years ago. One tire had dry rot & wasn’t safe to drive. There was no gas in it, we had to take our rental car to the gas station & fill a can just to have gas to drive the truck to the station. I’d guess it gets < 10 miles/gal. Don’t rely on it as transportation. Don’t use the Rev’s taxi. He charged $150 to the house but we used a different taxi to get back & only paid $80!

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It surely is like finding paradise!!

Norma (Derry, NH)
Review submitted: April 18, 2012   Date of arrival: March 31, 2012

Wow! What a perfect vacation property! The beach was amazing, the house beautiful! We had six adults in our group and the house could not have been set up more perfectly for us, the pictures on the website are beautiful but you must see them in person! Annie and Jody were great to work with, answered every little question I had, and I am a bit of a neurotic planner....it all paid off though! We brought in as much as we could from home, then Walter, our wonderful van driver, took us to the local grocery when he picked us up from the airport, then onto paradise! We had an idyllic week! The snorkelling right off our beach was amazing, the water was perfect. We usually hit Bahama Johns (say hi to John, Symone, and Peaches!) at noon for a cold beer and cracked conch, then back at 5 (be warned, this is when he closes every day) when he would happily fill our pitcher from the house with Bahama Mamas for our evening sunset. The truck worked beautifully for a little exploring, found a great deserted beach and bonefish flat not far away and a few nice little settlements nearby. Everyone we met was so friendly! Walter was the perfect tour guide, Rev. Freddie was very gracious and accomodating, the whole gang at Johns.....everyone on the side of the road had a friendly wave and smile! It took us two long years to plan and execute this vacation, it was over in a blink. I can't wait to go back!

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 6 / 6