PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE LISTING DESCRIPTION SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL PROPERTY AND THE INDIVIDUAL UNIT YOU ARE RENTING.
ELEUTHERA IS VERY SAFE;
***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.
WHO WE ARE AS HOSTS;
You can book with confidence as we have been Premier Hosts on VRBO/HomeAway since 2016 and have thousands of great reviews for all of our 20+ listings.
GENERAL INFORMATION;
Villa Allamanda was born from the vision of prominent local Bahamian John McCardy one of the island’s most respected architects. He designed and built the 5000 square foot property in 2013 and still continues making improvements on a regular basis…as he says, “the passion for perfection will never end.” He wanted to create a very unique vacation rental experience like no other on the island that takes in the amazing and dramatic dual ocean views, but a space that also envelops the guest in soothing garden oasis all while offering top of the line accommodations. Around every nook and cranny there is something special to find with little sitting areas, gorgeous bromeliades and flowers, palm trees and birds. He pours his heart and soul into the property and he greets every guest personally on check in and is there is a flash if you have any issues. There are a total of 8 air conditioned units in the 3 story villa, plus one free standing cottage called Mel’s Manor which is your rental. ***So if you have a large group and all want to be together, yet have your own space and privacy this is the perfect place for that also!!! Each unit comes with their own space and all have smart TVs with cable TV and free high speed fiber internet. There is even a back-up generator if the power goes out which in Eleuthera happens quite often! There is both city water and a 33,000 gallon rain tank so if the power goes out you will always have water. There are no shared bathrooms or kitchens and being an architect everything was designed with privacy in mind and with a noise reducing design. The only shared spaces are outside on the 3rd floor wrap around exterior deck overlooking both oceans and the jungle like property grounds on the main floor outside. Free and safe parking on the property is provided. We provide a ton of photos and caption each one so you know exactly what you are looking at and so you are informed on what to expect before you book your stay. John provides himself on offering all guests a first class experience!
YOUR UNIT;
Note – the unit you are renting is called Mel’s Manor which is named after John’s daughter. It is free standing one bed room air conditioned cottage away from the main building and is in fact the most private unit available. It has its own little pathway to the entry door and it set among the gardens and trees. There is a covered front porch at the entry which is a lovely place to hang out. The unit is bright and airy and allows the nature outside to be part of the experience. There are cypress wood tongue and groove vaulted pickled stain ceilings and terracotta tile floors along with a ceiling fan above the bed. It sleeps 4 people, but let us explain the sleeping arrangements; There is a very high quality and comfy queen bed with top of the line linens for 2 adults and then there is a loft which has ladder that can sleep 2 kids upstairs on two twin mattresses. It is not set up for 4 adults. The unit is bright and airy with vaulted ceilings and is painted like all of the units with fun Caribbean colors. There is a very nice mini split high efficiency AC unit for fast cooling, a small kitchenette and a custom bathroom with walk in shower. The kitchenette has a small sink, microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker and assorted kitchen items for preparing and eating some basic meals, making breakfast or warming left overs. Note this is not set up to cook full meals and sit at a dining room table for a formal dinner. There are USB phone chargers and a hairdryer provided also. Of course you have the basics such as; seasonings, soap and shampoo, linens, towels, beach and bath towels, kitchen towels, toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, kitchen sponge and dish soap, etc. There is a small library of books for your reading pleasure. Beach chairs and beach umbrella is also provided. You can see the photos section for a better visualization of the interior and exterior of your unit.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION;
We are located in Cigatoo Estates in central Eleuthera which is less than a 5 minute drive from Governor’s Harbor. The location is fantastic for exploring all the way to the southern and northern island tips as you are right in the middle. Some of the island’s best restaurants, bars, beaches and attractions are less than a 5 – 15 minute drive. Just to name a few you have Twin Coves Beach, French Leave Beach, Allabaster and Receivers Beach and Sky Beach Club all very close. ***Note Twin Coves Beach and French Leave Beach are two of the very top rated beaches on the entire island and that is saying a lot. You can walk to Twin Coves Beach which is 15 minutes or drive at 3 minutes. French Leave Beach is about a 5 minute drive. As for restaurants you have 1648 Restaurant, Tippy’s, Pascal’s, and Buccaneer Club, all 5 minutes away, to name a few. Those restaurants are some of the most sought after eateries on the whole island. You have the world famous Friday Night Fish Fry street festival just 5 minutes away and also Ronnie’s the only real nightclub on the island. We are very close to many attractions also like the Haynes Library, Leon Levy Preserve, Edwin’s Sea Turtle Lake, etc. Important things such as health clinics, the main police station, churches, food stores, liquor stores, shops, banking and ATM, gas stations, etc. are all 5 minutes away. The island is 110 miles long with one road going tip to tip with some very bad pot holes, so it is very important to pick a good home base location otherwise be prepared to do a lot of driving with $6 per gallon gas prices!
EXTRA PERKS STAYING WITH US;
We offer a discounted SUV rental as an option during your stay directly from John the owner. He can arrange you ride from the airport also. The vehicles are in excellent condition and very nice comparatively speaking on the island (see photo), reliable and always spotless and he is always there is you ever had an issue. If you want tours for fishing, swimming with the pigs, snorkeling etc. we have the best captain in all of the Bahamas and have been using him for years. Our guests always get first dibs on any trip with him even if he’s busy. There is an outdoor gas grill with free gas and a charcoal grill with free charcoal you can use in the garden grounds area. The snorkeling and spearfishing is some of the very best on the island right near our property both on the Atlantic and Caribbean sides. There are USB charging stations in every unit. John the owner lives on site and knows everyone and everything about Eleuthera. So you really have a personal concierge on site during your stay. Don’t worry about privacy as he leaves all guests alone unless they require his assistance. You may do your laundry onsite, but that is for longer stays and you can talk to John directly about laundry usage. For island hoppers or short stays there is a laundromat just 5 minutes away. We offer an awesome 20+ page trip planner document that tells tons of very helpful information about renting vehicles, planning tours, swimming with the pigs, how to get to the island, etc. and that is only for our guests.
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.
IN SUMMARY;
Mel's Manor at Villa Allamanda is an exceptional choice for any traveler that wants top of the line accommodations in a great location at a very reasonable price. Thank you for your consideration and we wish you a wonderful trip to beautiful Eleuthera no matter where you choose to stay!
Marielbys – your property manager when booking your stay
John – owner and your on island host
