OCTOBER 2005
Recent ReturnsSee What Our Clients Have to Say About Their Recent Trips I loved Clairmont Mill - the accommodations are spectacular, the views breathtaking! Renting this house makes me feel like a move star! Maryellen J., PA "Our vacation to St. Lucia and our stay at La Paloma villa was one of the best all-time vacations we have ever been on. It was incredible. Everything was perfect - from the booking experience, to the beautiful villa, to the very caring and helpful Annette and Suzie... Nothing could have been more perfect!" Claire S., TX "Staff made the trip a great experience." LB from MD "Jeanette, thank you so much for all of your assistance. The villa was beautiful and we had a wonderful time in St. Croix" From a client in DC "The staff at Island Hideaways did absolutely everything right. From answering all of our questions before leaving to securing our rental car and providing us with tips on where to eat after we arrived, you guys looked after us at every turn, and we can't tell you how much we appreciated that. The villa was magnificent, the snorkeling superb, and the local people could not have been nicer. Thank you, thank you for helping us to create amazing memories we will carry with us forever. Thanks again, Paul. You guys ROCK. " Michael M. from VA "Thanks. It was an awesome time." Brian M. from IN "Everything was great for the third year. Thanks Island Hideaways till next year!" Bruce M., NJ "Wonderful family vacation site. I spent much time on the patio enjoying the view! Great location and accommodations very spacious. We made the house the focal point of the vacation. " Jack S., IN "We had such a wonderful time at Golden Clouds Villa. We appreciate all the help Jeanette gave us to make our wedding perfect! We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful setting. All of our family had such a great time. Thank you for all of our hard work!" Kendra M. from CA "We had a wonderful time. Thank you so much! " Crystal K., OR "Blue Passion was great. Rated Island Hideaways services A+ and Blue Passion setting, cleanliness, Household personnel and value excellent." Anup B., CT "Thank you very much. We had an awesome time in Barbados. The villa was beautiful and we really enjoyed Nicole and Onita. We are planning a trip to St. Martin next March. We will need 5-6 bedrooms. I will check your website. Thanks again!" Dale G. from CT 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. |
Welcome to the October 2005 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 19 years. It would be our pleasure to assist you with your next Villa Vacation! Whim Plantation, St. Croix, USVI
Today visitors can tour the 12-acre plantation and its buildings. The restored great house illustrates what life was like for the plantation owners. This oval great house features three rooms elegantly furnished with period furniture, china, paintings, and silver. The great house is an architectural and engineering gem with its high ceilings, three-foot thick walls of stone and coral, and waterless moat--features built to take advantage of the island breezes to cool both the building and its occupants. In addition to the great house, there are a number of other period buildings on the grounds including the watchhouse, carriage house, and cookhouse. On display in the cookhouse are sugar and rum making equipment as well as household and military articles. Visitors can see the ruins of the workers houses and the sugar factory. The plantation also has three types of sugarcane processing mills on the grounds: one operated by animals, one by steam, and another by wind. The fully restored windmill is typical of those seen throughout this former Danish colony. Whim Plantation, established about 1742, is the oldest sugar plantation in the Virgin Islands and one of the best preserved. Visitors to Whim Plantation can learn much about everyday life on a sugar plantation including how sugar cane was cultivated and processed, what it was like to live on a sugar plantation, and the economics of running a sugar plantation. A visit to Whim Plantation offers a rare glimpse of eighteenth-century plantation life. Villa of the Month: Blue Vista, St. Croix, USVI
Serenity rules in this hideaway decorated in neutral colors accented with warm West Indian style furnishings. Guests can gather in the great room to play games, visit with each other, or watch the satellite TV. The large dining room accommodates 12 for meals and offers commanding views of the sparkling waters and Buck Island. French doors lead from the dining room to the verandah and pool with Jacuzzi. Meals can be grilled on the barbecue and enjoyed al fresco poolside or indoors in the lovely dining room. Each of the four bedrooms has air conditioning, ensuite bath, and a private balcony or patio. Two bedrooms are furnished with king-size beds: one with a romantic carved four-poster bed and the other with a sleigh-style bed. The other two bedrooms each have two twin sleigh beds. Guests appreciate the weekly maid service. Those needing to stay in touch with the business world can use the fully equipped office. The office has a computer with Internet, fax, and printer. With its tremendous views, beautifully landscaped gardens, and wonderful amenities, Blue Vista is the perfect St. Croix vacation villa. For more information, please see the listing on our web site 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: Kendricks, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVIThis well-known Christiansted restaurant is located in the Quin House complex at King Cross and Company streets. Since Kendricks opened in 1985, it has been featured in Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines and on the Discovery Channel's Great Chefs of the World. The restaurant's Sponge Cake with Sauteed Bananas and Spiced Rum Butter appears in the Great Chefs of the World cookbook, a companion to the Discovery Channel television series of the same name, and other recipes have graced the pages of Bon Appetit magazine. Guests can enjoy their meal indoors in Kendricks' dining room or al fresco in the courtyard or on the verandah. The restaurant's Continental menu spotlights seasonal ingredients as well as fresh fish and seafood. Start off with the Caesar Roquefort salad with anchovies or the spring rolls with soy ginger. Kendricks offers some interesting soup selections such as warm chipolte pepper, garlic, and onion soup. The restaurant features great fish dishes, homemade pastas, and classics such as veal scallopini, roast duck, filet mignon, and rack of lamb. One favorite of diners is the roasted pecan crusted pork loin with ginger mayonnaise. Homemade pasta dishes include fettuccine with shrimp, pappardelle with roasted vegetables, linguine with grilled chicken, and eggplant ravioli with tomato butter. The restaurant runs daily fresh fish specials like wahoo, yellow fin tuna, or salmon. The shrimp saltimbocca with artichokes, sundried tomatoes, capers, and prosciutto draws rave reviews from diners. Try one of the restaurants wonderful desserts. Choose its famous sponge cake with sauteed bananas, warm apple crisp, or one of its homemade ice cream flavors like white chocolate. Kendricks serves dinner only, and reservations are required. Please contact us at 1-800-832-2302 and we would be happy to make a reservation for your next trip to St. Croix. Airfare SpecialsGreat air rates can be found for travel in October! Check aa.com and USAir.com. Don't forget to ask us for discount air rates when you are ready to book your next holiday! St. John - St. Thomas UpdateThe USVI islands of St. John and St. Thomas have issued several travel alerts of interest to visitors: The U.S. Coast Guard has increased its Marine Security (MARSEC) alert level from ""MARSEC 1" to "MARSEC 2" because of increased security concerns. Anyone traveling by ferry to or from the island of St. John must now show a picture identification card. The increases in fuel costs have had an impact on the ferry companies. Keep in mind when carrying luggage that ferry companies charge $2 per bag for luggage to and from St. John. The Red Hook ferry dock upgrade has begun and will continue through August 2005. As a result, the ferry parking lot is closed. However parking is available in the parking lot across the street and in another parking lot, located a 1/2 mile away, that has been opened across from the National Park entrance. A shuttle runs between the ferry and this parking lot. Parking is $5 per day; the shuttle fee is $1- $2. Keep in mind that cars parking illegally in commercial lots or in front of businesses will be ticketed or booted. There is also no parking along the road from Smith Bay to Red Hook (Route 32) as construction begins across from the salt pond. Please allow plenty of time to get to the ferry. During rush hour, the drive between Sapphire and Red Hook can take up to 20 minutes, so plan accordingly. To avoid the delays at Red Hook, visitors can also choose to take the ferry from Charlotte Amalie harbor. 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. Copyright © 2005 |
Once a Danish sugar plantation, Whim Plantation is now a cultural landmark that offers a glimpse of 18th-century life on St. Croix. The plantation is typical of the agricultural plantations laid out by the Danish West Indian Company in the 1700s. Whim Plantation originally cultivated cotton but soon switched to sugar as demand for this staple grew. 
Brand New! This hilltop aerie overlooks the sparkling blue waters of the Caribbean, the spot where Christopher Columbus landed, and nearby Buck Island. Blue Vista is the ideal villa for families or couples. This 4-bedroom, 4-bath retreat accommodates up to 8 guests.