FEBRUARY 2007
Recent ReturnsSee What Our Guests Have to Say About Their Recent Trips "I can't wait to rent another villa from you again soon!" Tm N., GA "This was our 3rd trip to St Thomas and the best villa yet. The pool and view are gorgeous...we were embarrassed by how much \'lizard watching\' we did. The hot tub was better than any we've been in... Even the maids were wonderful and personable...all a+ amenities. Top of the line throughout the house. Highly recommended." Tracia K., OH "Thanks, we had a great time. The house and view were beautiful. Thank you." Randall G., FL "Most importantly, the Villa was beautiful, the weather perfect and the location terrific" Barbara G., NY "St. Thomas was awesome and Stone Cottage was perfect. Thanks for all your help. The massage therapist, Elizabeth, was fantastic. We actually ran into her at a beach later in the trip and we all hung out for awhile. We're definitely sold on the villa experience overall. Thanks again." Erin W., NJ "Much nicer than we thought from the internet." Kip P., CO "It was a wonderful trip and a delightful house. We loved it... it was Paradise." Laurel H., CA "Thank you. The trip was great! The villa worked out perfect. The suggestion to rent a car was key. We were able to hit several of the beaches and got back and forth to town easily once we learned the roads and got used to staying on the left. We took a day sail (on Rumbaba Charters) to St John one day which was incredible. They fixed us food and drinks all day and dropped us off to snorkel for a while at one of the St John bays. Definitely hope to make it back down there at some point." Michael I., DC "I thought Island Hideaways was excellent. Amy did a great job." Toni F., OH "We just got back late last night and I'm happy to say all went well. Thanks again for your help; you guys run a fantastic operation." Steve H., NJ "We had a wonderful time on Virgin Gorda. Mikaya was prettier in person than the photos on line; the views from every room were truly spectacular. Thanks for making the planning go so smoothly." Nancy T., PA "The trip was great! The Merlin Bay villas were wonderful and the view was amazing! The Tides was so good, and while we were eating we saw a school of flying fish come up out of the air and 2 stingrays! The Cliff-the best food hands down with very romantic atmosphere. My husband and I were so impressed. You guys were great and I have already told a few friends about using your company if they plan to be in any of the areas you cover (one of them passed on the info to someone going to the Caribbean soon). Thanks again for all your help. You and Stephanie were great and easy to work with." Rebekah S., AZ "We did have a wonderful stay in Barbados and would have loved for some additional days there. Perhaps we will have another opportunity to come down - it was a truly great vacation for us. Many thanks for getting us set up and we hope to use your services again soon." Natasha Z., NY "It was amazing, the villa was spectacular everything was top notch, and I look forward to doing it all over again next year. Thanks again" Dave B., "We did have great weather and Falaise des Oiseaux is a very nice house." Kay S., NC "We had a great, great time... The villa was superb. The pictures don't do it justice. And it's in the most beautiful, isolated setting. I appreciate all of your help. We will definitely consider doing another rental through Island Hideaways." Daniel V., NY "Our time at Sea Forever was great- you have put together a great service and everything went very smoothly." Barbara S., MA "We had a wonderful time relaxing and enjoying the island again for the fourth time! Everything was fine at the house and the staff was, as usual, fantastic in accommodating our needs and requests. We didn't have any problems with the house at all. Thank you again for doing a superb job of finding a house and for making our trip there fantastic. Best regards and we look forward to working with you next year." Dana H., UK "We had a great time in the Cayman's and were very pleased with Barefoot Kai. It was even better than the pictures. I have already recommended Island Hideaways to several friends and would definitely use your service again. Again, we had a great time and enjoyed working with you." Jan C., WI "Stone Cottage was great and our honeymoon was too! We loved the villa. Having our kitchen stocked before hand was a great suggestion, and the necessity of having our own vehicle was made clearly obvious to us as well. I'm not sure if you can emphasize that even more than you already do... but if you can...do so! Thanks for everything!" Lezlie F., OH "West Shore is a great small house with a location that is hard to beat. I know, because I have walked the beaches from Speightstown to Holetown many times and there are many multi-million dollar mansions that don't have as good a beach on their doorstep. It isn't handy for the nightlife, which makes it much better for us with two kids. We've been before and will certainly return if we can. Juliana and Liana, the staff is great and the food is excellent. Couldn't recommend it more highly." Graham C., UK "I would like to say we were EXTREMELY impressed by villas on the beach 303 it was absolutely perfect. The Condo was amazing and so were all the staff, we will definitely be going back next year!" S. S., NY "Good Morning, We just returned from your villa on the 29th and I have to say how awesome our stay was. The staff was so wonderful!! I am a travel agent so I do get a chance to see some different places, but this vacation was the best I have ever experienced. I have been to Jamaica a few times and was a little hesitant to stay right in Montego Bay, but it was perfect. I will make sure to offer your place to some of my clients; your website is very easy to use and informational. I am going to also inform the staff of my entire company regarding this as an option for anyone wishing to travel to Jamaica. Sometimes resorts can be so crazy, but this was not the case for us. I had to inspect a few resorts while I was there and nothing compared to my stay at the villa. I actually could not wait to get back to skylark. The staff made us feel right at home and everything they did for us made us feel special. The cook is amazing; Miss D served up some great Jamaican cuisine. Howard was so pleasant to talk to and my daughter loved all the special attention. Howard gave her a wonderful tour of the yard and then cleaned off her muddy shoes (they almost looked new again:) Sonya was very attentive to our rooms and the entire house. We enjoyed all the beautiful artwork you have displayed throughout the house. We will be coming back next year for sure! We LOVED it! Shelly C., VT "Are trip was great. We had beautiful weather. We really liked Open deck. The lady who met us was very nice and checked on us while we were there. Island Hideaways were great. Everyone in your office was very helpful." Toni F., OH "We truly enjoyed St. Croix. The weather was great and the island beautiful. It was a pleasure to stay at Coyaba. I have found that when traveling it is a successful trip if there are no surprises concerning lodging, car rental etc., and everything on this trip went as planned. I would say you have a great team on this island and I would not hesitate to recommend your services. Thanks for your assistance." Linda J., CO "We had a great time in Barbados. Windward villa exceeded our expectations the staff treated us like Royalty! I highly recommend it and would definitely return. Thank you very much for organizing our holiday I am very impressed with Island Hideaways organization and look forward to booking with you again." Vincent E., UK "Everything was great, thanks." Evan H., NJ |
Welcome to the February 2007 Edition of Island Hideaways' Caribbean Villa Newsletter!Thank you for visiting our web site at www.islandhideaways.com, which Forbes Magazine featured in its "Best of the Web" Issue. We have represented Luxury Villas and Private Islands for rent in Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mustique, St. Croix, St. John, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda for more than 21 years. It would be our pleasure to assist you with your next Villa Vacation! Orient Beach, St. Martin
Water lovers can choose from a variety of watersports including sailing windsurfing, paragliding, parasailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Various watersport vendors are located along the beach for those wanting to try a new sport or to stick with a more familiar sport. The action on the beach is just as lively as the action on the water. In the middle of this public beach, you'll find a number of tiki huts, beach bars and restaurants, offering drinks, food, music, and fun. Baywatch and Bikini Beach are two popular spots, but there are many others to choose from serving all manner of food. Lounge chairs are available for those wishing to sunbathe, and umbrellas for those wishing to escape the sun's rays. French St. Martin follows many of the customs of Europe and its beaches. Topless sunbathing is common on Orient Beach as well as the other beaches on the French side of the island. Orient Beach also has a naturist (clothing optional section) on the southern end of the beach in front of Club Orient, the naturist resort. Considered one of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches, Orient Beach offers something for everyone. Villa of the Month: Green Cay, St. Martin
Green Cay Villas has a reputation for offering luxurious accommodations near St. Martin's most famous beach. Situated on the hillside above well-known Orient Beach, Green Cay is only a 5-minute walk to the beach or 2-minute drive. Because of the steep climb from the beach to the villas, most guests choose to drive to the white sand beach along Orient Bay. French architect Jean-Paul Goergler designed the villas in the style of the island's West Indian Creole cottages. Each of the villas in this secure gated community offers guests 4, 500 square feet of living area, a garden or ocean view, and a private pool. The lush landscaped gardens afford privacy for the stand-alone villas. While the villas are privately owned and decorated to the owners' taste, Green Cay does offer its guests hotel services such as a reception desk, daily maid service, and concierge services. Daily continental breakfast is served at your private villa. Beach chairs and umbrellas on Orient Beach are included in the rate. Chef service, laundry service, valet service and babysitting services are also available for an additional fee. The reception desk can also make arrangements for those wishing to play tennis on the nearby courts free of charge. The villas have a spacious and comfortably furnished living room with cable TV, VCR, tape and CD player. A bathroom for guests is adjacent to the living room. There are two dining areas-one overlooking the pool and the other overlooking the garden. The European style kitchens are fully equipped with microwave, coffeemaker, toaster, and blender. Each villa has three air conditioned bedrooms, each with a television and private bath. Two bedrooms have king-size beds while the third has two double beds. If just one or two couples are staying at the villa the additional bedrooms are locked off and the rates are discounted. All of the villas offer high speed wi-fi internet service.
A large pool terrace surrounds the private semicircular freshwater pool. Another terrace has a grill and is a lovely spot for a meal from the barbeque. Green Cay is only 5 minutes from the fishing village of Grand Case, known for its gourmet restaurants and 20 minutes from Marigot, St. Martin's capital and a great shopping area. The villas are perfect for a family getaway, honeymoon, or romantic vacation overlooking one of St. Martin's best beaches. Green Cay has been one of our most popular rental sites for many years. Our returning guests rave about this property! For more information, please see the listing on our web site: islandhideaways.com or see greencay.com. It would be our pleasure to personally describe this exquisite property to you, please call us at 800.832.2302 for more information. Restaurant of the Month: L'Auberge Gourmande, Grand Case, St. MartinThis Grand Case establishment is located in one of Grand Case's oldest buildings, a more than 120-year-old Creole house. Diners can choose to dine inside this beautiful home or outside on the terrace. The restaurant has received rave reviews for its fine French cuisine and well-stocked wine cellar. Readers of Caribbean Travel and Life magazine put L'Auberge Gourmande on the list of Best Restaurants in the magazine's Best of the Caribbean 2007 poll. Start your meal with cream of asparagus soup, garlic escargot, frog legs, or the fabulous foie gras with roasted pears. The baked goat cheese and Roquefort in phyllo is another popular appetizer. The restaurant is known for its well-prepared meat and seafood dishes. Those preferring a meat entree can't go wrong with the beef filet with either morels or blue cheese sauce or the roasted rack of lamb. Diners have also been impressed with the pork stuffed with walnuts and apricots and the duck tenderloin. Another interesting offering is the saddle of rabbit with polenta and the veal tenderloin in mustard sauce. Seafood lovers will enjoy the grilled sea scallops, mahi mahi with citrus butter and ratatouille, or the scallop fricassee with bacon, curry, and a sour apple sauce. Another good choice is the red snapper with eggplant, preserved tomatoes, and basil. Some of the restaurant's popular dishes are the French sea bass grilled with fennel and the grilled whole sole in almond butter meunier. For dessert try the mini-chocolate cake with its soft, chocolate center, the puff pastry napoleon with hazelnut sauce and white chocolate sauce, or the vanilla cream brulee. The restaurant has a well-stocked wine cellar, and is known for its wonderful service and great atmosphere. L'Auberge Gourmande is open for dinner only and reservations are recommended at this intimate restaurant. Please contact us at 1-800-832-2302 and we would be happy to make a reservation for your next trip to St. Martin. Airfare SpecialsOur associate Kathy Estes has access to "bulk" discounted air fares on American, US Air, Air Jamaica and other air carriers. Please let us know if you are searching for discounted air rates. Passport ReminderEffective January 23, 2007 all travelers traveling by air must present a passport to enter the United States. This includes U.S. citizens returning from the Caribbean. Obtaining a passport can take a month or more so plan ahead. About Island HideawaysIsland Hideaways has specialized in Caribbean villa vacations since 1986. We represent hundreds of luxury vacation villa rentals throughout the Caribbean islands. Island Hideaways was named "A first-rate agency that specializes in Caribbean properties" by Business Week Magazine and our web site received the prestigious "Best of the Web" award by Forbes magazine each summer from 2000 - 2005. Please call us toll-free at 800.832.2302 or e-mail us at villas@islandhideaways.com with any questions, suggestions or comments. We have been receiving some calls and e-mails from clients commenting that they are no longer receiving our monthly newsletters. Please let us know if you change e-mail addresses so that we may keep the newsletters coming your way. This communication is a special deals notification only. Island Hideaways shall not be liable for any clients' failure to receive such e-mails. Should you wish to stop receiving this newsletter, please click here to unsubscribe. Copyright © 2007 |
Often compared to the French Riviera, Orient Beach is St. Martin's most popular and most developed beach. The lively scene is played out on miles of powdery white sands along the calm waters of stunning Orient Bay. The gentle turquoise waters are wonderful for swimming and snorkeling. In fact, the calm waters here are part of an underwater preserve.
