PLEASE READ OUR ENTIRE LISTING DESCRIPTION SO YOU UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE RENTING...THANK YOU.
CRIME AND SAFETY CLARIFICATION;
***As you may have read the USA put out a safety advisory on travel to the Bahamas. Please know that is ONLY for the two heavily populated large islands; New Providence and Grand Bahama. It is NOT for our island which is extremely safe with zero violent crime against tourists. It is similar to thinking the entire state of Michigan is dangerous because parts of the city of Detroit are dangerous. You can book your stay knowing you will be in a safe area on a safe island even for single women travelers.
GENERAL INFORMATION;
***Sea Spray Cottage was totally gutted, completely renovated and doubled in size in late 2022. While nearly all the reviews are 5 stars some of the reviews for this cottage we have were 4 stars and those guests stated they thought the cottage was a bit small and needed some updating. The owners certainly listened and shut it down for three months and did an utterly amazing job transforming it into an incredible rental it is today. Since the renovation we have never had less than 5 star reviews.
***We charge a very low $65 cleaning fee and no other host fees so there are no surprises when you go to pay for your booking. The only other fee you will see is the VRBO/HomeAway booking fee which they charge and keep.
***We also offer 10% off weekly stays and HUGE discounts off monthly stays which is automatically built into the pricing.
***We have an incredible 15+ page Trip Planner document that gives tips on everything from; SUV rentals and travel tips to the best restaurants and beaches and everything in between. Most guests find that document to be invaluable for a great trip.
***We have a great SUV rental guy who gives all of our guests $50 off their rental. We also have the best tour/fishing guide in the Bahamas. He specializes in the swimming pigs, all sorts of fishing and spearfishing trips, lobstering, sea turtles, sand bars, rope swings, etc. He also gives our guests $50 off a half day trip and $100 off a full day trip. We have been using both guys exclusively since since 2016 and they treat our guests like gold.
***We take all of our own photographs while on vacation on the island. Each photograph has a very detailed caption so you exactly what you are looking at and where it is located. Some hosts post a stunning beach for example, but fail to write in the description that beach is a 30 minute drive from their property. We don't do that.
***Bahamian owned - we do the booking for them. So the cool thing is that your funds go right into the local economy, not in the pockets of a foreign investor. Eleuthera is generally a fairly poor island and that is a BIG deal for their economy. Owner rents kayaks, body boards, snorkel gear, etc, to guests at a great price also.
***Please note we do not accept any pets, emotional, support or therapy animals due to extreme allergies/health related issues in our family.
WHO WE ARE AS HOSTS;
We have been VRBO/HomeAway Premier Hosts since 2016 and have many thousands of reviews for our 20+ properties in multiple locations and countries. Our average review rating is 4.95 stars average out of 5.0 stars. We always respond to any guests concerns immediately and have a well seasoned staff in every location. For example this cottage, the Bahamian owner lives right next door so if you need anything they are right there.
LOCATION;
We are located in the settlement known as Hatchet Bay (also called Alice Town). That puts us between the settlements of Rainbow Bay to the south and Gregory Town to the north. Our town is safe and you can walk around day or night securely. It is a local Bahamian settlement which is really cool since you will be mingling with the friendly locations instead of the visiting tourists. The locals are warm and friendly and wave and chat. You will experience the real Bahamas which most guests love - the unique cultural experience. We are located about 90 minutes from Rock Sound Airport, 18 minutes from Governor's Harbor Airport and 35 minutes from North Eleuthera Airport. Eleuthera ia 110 miles long and half a mile wide and being in the right location is very important for a great trip, otherwise you are in for a lot of driving on bad roads with $6-$7 per gallon gas prices. Our location is centrally located and perfect for exploring both north and south and many of our guests comment just that. Please see our listing photos and see image #2 for a map of the island and our property location and the proximity to the island's best attractions, bars, restaurants and of course beaches. Our cottage is also right in town so you can actually walk to everything you need. We are just a 2 - 5 minute walk to beaches, snorkeling, food stores, ice cream shops, bars and restaurants, etc. The 4 best Tripadvisor ranked restaurants on the entire island are half a mile, three quarters of a mile, 3 miles and 8 miles from us respectively. We strongly advise renting a vehicle to explore the island, but it is nice to know from our location you can walk to anything you need which is very rare for a rental home on Eleuthera.
OUR 2 ACRE PROPERTY;
Sea Spray Cottage is part of a larger property called 7 Gables. It sits was out on the tip of the peninsula with extraordinary views and oceanfront water on all sides. There a few cottages and a main house. Everyone has their own space and privacy and a free safe and secure parking spot inside the compound. The family that owns it all live right there locally and can assist with anything you need. The grounds have cool walking trails snaking through the jungle canopy and nice flowering shrubs and grassy areas along with colorful flowering Bougainvilla and Hibiscus shrubs along with an outside stone island made charcoal grill. This grill is shared by all, but you also have your own grill which is located at your cottage for your own private use. The property has roughly 500 feet of oceanfront. Some of it is cliff and not accessible, but other parts are gently sloping rock and coral and any able bodied person can easily walk down and get into the ocean to snorkel and swim in those areas. You can walk to two beaches in 3 minutes or less as well for easy ocean access.
COTTAGE DESCRIPTION;
We will talk about the exterior first. The cottage is totally fenced in with mature foliage for excellent privacy. It has a huge wrap around deck with 2 chaise lounge chairs and 2 sets of exterior tables and chairs. The views are extraordinary and there is water all around both sides of the peninsula. Inside it is a large studio style fully air conditioned open space concept. There are ceiling fans and lots of windows to see the ocean from inside. The sleeping area has a king size bed with a high quality mattress. Listening to the ocean each night as you fall asleep along with the gentle trade winds provides for some real peace and tranquility. There is a full kitchen complete with a 4 burner gas stove and oven, a full size fridge, a microwave, a toaster and a drip coffee maker along with all the normal kitchen gadgets and supplies for cooking full meals. There is a small table and chairs for inside dining as well, in addition to the two on the exterior deck. We changed our minimum capacity from 2 people people to 3 people because we upgraded to a king size bed so it is 2 adults maximum and 1 child, ***not 3 adults. Free Wi-Fi both inside the cottage and on the property grounds. Cell phones work with data roaming for internet also inside the cottage for most carriers such as mine which is T-Mobile. There is a 36" flat screen TV with cable TV also. ***Safety note; if you are traveling with small children, the deck railings run horizontal and not vertical so a small child could fit through the slats just so you are aware. See photos to see what we mean. Overall this is one of the most stunning rentals on the island with the insanely dramatic deck views all at an affordable price.
ELEUTHERA IS NOT FOR EVERYONE;
If Miami Beach or Montego Bay is your thing we respectfully suggest you pick a different destination. Eleuthera is a sleepy island with some flaws; bad roads, dated infrastructure, more frequent than back home power / water / internet outages, geckos sometimes will be in a home and painfully slow service at certain places. We say this because every year we get a guest that complains about the island and that is clearly the case of a guest going to the wrong destination for their vacation. Eleuthera is not a 5 star resort island where fake people wait on you hand and foot just for a big tip. In Eleuthera people are genuine, helpful and kind. The crime is very low unlike the rest of the Caribbean. It is unspoiled and gorgeous and mostly empty going back back 75 years in time. We know it well and have been there over 100 times and have many long-term Bahamian relationships. You will explore the most stunning beaches you have ever seen and have them usually all to yourself. We love what it has to offer, but we are not the Miami Beach or Las Vegas type of the traveler either.
Thank you - Marielbys