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JamaicaFor you, the dream may be called Destiny, and it would be a 10,000-square-foot architecturally striking villa on seven spectacular acres. Not only would a dedicated staff prepare your meals and launder your clothes; you'd have unlimited access to two private swimming pools, a 12-speaker entertainment system and personal exercise equipment.
Dream even larger and you may spend a week at the glamorous, sprawling beachfront villa Whispering Waters. Three or even four generations could cheerfully enjoy a weeklong reunion at this beachfront mansion, where seven air-conditioned bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, give everyone loads of privacy. Spend days on your soft white-sand beach. Sip rum punch in a thatched waterfront gazebo. Play tennis on a private Laykold court, work out in your own airconditioned gym, join the family around the pool, and kayak or snorkel to your heart's content.
While beauty and relaxation are givens, each property offers its own mix of advantages. Some are directly on the warm waters of a bay or on the ocean itself. Others nestle into Jamaica’s lush green mountains. No matter the location, you can count on a vast, breathtaking view of the deep blue Caribbean Sea. No villa is far from |
CARIBBEAN VACATION VILLAS Jamaica St. Barts St. Vincent & the Grenadines -- Spring House Virgin Islands -- Catered To … Vacation Homes -- Suite St. John Luxury Villas Worldwide |
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St. Vincent & the GrenadinesOn the quiet, friendly Grenadine island of Bequia, the welcoming little Bamboo Chute Villas & Spa beckons visitors looking for a relaxing escape. Studios and two- and three-bedroom apartments share space within a gingerbreadstyle building of buttercup yellow with white trim. Each has comfortable bedding with crisp linens, a balcony with loungers and dining furniture, and kitchen facilities. Views of the clear, calm aquamarine Caribbean Sea are unsurpassed. Air conditioning, cable TV and complimentary WiFi are all givens.
When you really want to unwind, head to Bamboo Chute’s spa. Mud baths, infrared sauna treatments and a scrumptious selection of massages are among the services offered. Indulge also in salt scrubs, manicures, pedicures, facials and a romantic couple's massage. The spa uses therapeutic Lotus oils. For refreshment, pick up a freshly squeezed vegetable juice or fruit smoothie at the Health Bar. 800-457-6910, bamboochute.com An interesting recent addition to the villa rental market is Spring House, located on the charming Grenadine island of Bequia. A stone's throw from its more famous neighbor Mustique, Bequia has retained its old-world charm, having escaped the tourism boom while keeping its 1960s feel and small island friendliness. Spring House has recently undergone extensive reconstruction and offers luxury accommodation for up to 16 guests in eight magnificent suites spread over its two landscaped acres. Rebuilt in true colonial style, the house oozes charm and every corner reveals another patio, veranda or private space. Each air-conditioned suite enjoys locally handcrafted furniture, including four-poster beds that flow with lace. Designed, built, staffed and managed by local Vincentians, it is the ideal destination for weddings, family reunions, corporate groups or just a gathering of friends. Choose the all-inclusive plan and really take the work out of enjoying a villa vacation, especially for a large group. If you are the one doing the organizing, you will appreciate the many services that are included. Local flights, airport transfers, rental cars, meals, open bar, and a full staff from chefs to gardeners to maids are just a few of the items that come with the oneprice package. More of a resort than just a villa, Spring House has a wide range of activities, from a 40-foot designer pool to a full-size pool table. Overlooking Spring Bay, Spring House is convenient to everything on the island, while preserving your privacy. Port Elizabeth is just six minutes away and there is easy access to Bequia's many beaches. Couples often choose to have their destination weddings here, alone or even booking the entire scenic and secluded property for friends and family. The staff will plan every element, from the paperwork to the reception menu, upon request. If you are looking for good food, wonderful beaches and a calm and friendly atmosphere, this really is the paradise so often sought but rarely found. Bequia — the island that tourism forgot. springhousebequia.com, 617-275-4820.
St. BartsWendy Carlton trained as an architect, so you can imagine her enthusiasm in working on the renovation and design of Villa Case et Cuisine, the St. Barts home away from home she and her husband, Dennis, own. Located two quick minutes from calm Marigot beach, Villa Case et Cuisine is light, bright and airy, with plenty of indoor and outdoor living space.
The casually sophisticated interior has two bedrooms with queen four-poster beds, pillowtop mattresses and soft linens. Attached to the master is a case-style contemporary bathroom with access to the pool and terrace. Climb a stairway to reach two twin beds in the loft. A computer desk is up there too; yes, there’s Internet and WiFi. The kitchen is equipped with stainless-steel European appliances and the living room has a flat-screen TV and CD/DVD player with Bose speakers. The sound system plays outdoors too, and that’s where you're bound to spend most of your vacation. One terrace, off the living room and master suite, has a teak dining set for alfresco meals beside the swimming pool. Up a level, a broad wooden deck is inviting, with comfy padded lounge chairs and a waterfall cascading into the pool below. A cozy pergola at the very top offers a private escape: a tranquil place to read or enjoy a glass of wine. Ideal for one or two couples or families, Villa Case et Cuisine is near lively St. Jean’s cafés, shops and heavenly beach. 805-969-6323, villa-case-et-cuisine.com
Virgin IslandsYou can have it all. At The Westin St. John Resort & Villas, you will lodge in a spacious suite with a kitchen yet have full access to hotel amenities. The Westin has 146 villas, and these stylish accommodations share a property - and swimming pool, restaurants, beachfront, tennis courts and a spa - with the hotel proper.
The resort itself has everything one looks for in a Virgin Island vacation. Lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas line the coast, where gentle Caribbean waves lap at the shore. A pristine swimming pool invites cooling off of another sort. Right on site, guests can rent powerboats, kayaks and Hobie cats, and sign up for sunset cruises. Snorkeling and diving are popular pastimes. You can indulge in a restorative massage (how about the Island Cabana, performed by the pool or on the beach?) or enjoy a gourmet creative-Caribbean meal at Chloe & Bernard's. Yet nothing might beat relaxing afternoons at Snorkel's, where barbecue and rum punches are served on the sand, under palm trees. 866-716-8108, westinresortstjohn.com Relish a magnificent week at your exclusive Suite St. John Luxury Villa amid the awe-inspiring St. John panoramas that enchanted the explorer Christopher Columbus and captivated the conservationist Laurance Rockefeller. Suite St. John Luxury Villas owns and manages lavish villas on the few North Shore parcels of land not deeded to the Virgin Islands National Park.
Whether luxuriating poolside or dining alfresco, rejuvenate your soul as the azure blue Caribbean bay waters gently wash onto worldfamous white-sand beaches. Framed by lush, green tropical hills under bright blue skies and puffy white clouds, the Caribbean majesty of your luxury villa is simply breathtaking. “The views are literally too beautifully intense to verbally express,” wrote a guest. With over 25 years of experience, Suite St. John Luxury Villas offers a full portfolio of villa and condo choices for sophisticated travelers seeking upscale accommodations. For couples, honeymooners and small families, Suite St. John Luxury Villas offers premium oceanfront suites with a pristine, private snorkeling beach at the Gallows Point Resort. The Suite St. John Luxury Villas portfolio can be viewed online with high-definition photo tours. An experienced villa rep available by phone or e-mail will assist you with all your requirements, from excursions to private chefs. 800-348-8444, suitestjohn.com When you call Destination St. John about renting a villa on the island of St. John, you’ll have the personal attention of Laura and John Brego and their team of vacation specialists. This respected firm has been helping travelers make the perfect choice from among more than 30 luxury homes, villas and condominiums for more than 18 years. Each hideaway is luxuriously furnished with a full kitchen, and has incredible ocean views and easy access to beaches. You can pick and choose amenities such as swimming pool, hot tub, television and air conditioning. Mountaintop, cliffside or waterfront, the choice is yours.
The Destination St. John portfolio is diverse, offering hideaways for visitors of every budget. Perhaps you’d like Ambiance, with four spacious master bedrooms in a lush garden setting, complete with an infinity-edge pool, a unique bridge feature and gorgeous sunset views. Or maybe the whimsical Calypso Cove is more for you; it's a dreamy Caribbean cottage with pastel colors and gingerbread trim nestled on the shoreline with a private pool. And check out Great Escape, tucked within the National Park above Cinnamon Bay, with a 60-foot infinity-edge pool. With two king beds, two queens, a media room and TVs in every bedroom, this spacious villa is a great choice for two families looking to spread out while enjoying views that go on forever. So many choice for your perfect USVI getaway. 800-562-1901, destinationstjohn.com Whether you prefer the lush, hilly terrain of St. John or the nautical setting of Tortola, whether you seek a value-priced condo or an ultraluxurious villa, Caribbean Villas & Resorts Management Co. has the place for you. Simply call up and let the villa consultants know what you're looking for. All four are based in Maine and travel to St. John and Tortola regularly. They relate to your concerns and they know the islands, and the rental properties, intimately. They'll make you a heavenly match. Want more? Upon request, the same villa consultant will buy your plane ticket, rent you a Jeep and charter a boat. Chefs? Nannies? Say the word. Caribbean Villas & Resorts Management Co. has been renting villas on St. John since 1985, and added Tortola homes to its portfolio in 2003. It represents dozens of rental properties. In other words, these folks have experience. They also offer a great deal to choose from. On the budget end, the firm offers 70 one-bedroom, one-bathroom condominiums in lovely complexes a short walk to charming Cruz Bay. Share a pool with other visitors and have access to barbecue grills in addition to your fully equipped kitchen.
Throw a bathing suit in your suitcase along with a change of clothes and you’re fully prepared for a Catered To … Vacation Homes getaway. Rent any of Catered To's 41 villas and you'll need few supplies. Beach towels and chairs will be waiting for you, along with beach bags to carry the smaller gear. Want to bring drinks and sandwiches to the shore? Large and small coolers await in every home. TVs, DVD players, linens, shampoo, even bedroom safes are standard in Catered To homes. All you'll need to pick up is the food, and that’s only if you plan to cook in your fully equipped kitchen. You always have the options of dining out or asking the Catered To pros to hire you a chef (or, for that matter, to have your provisions delivered).
Whether you want to settle into a St. Thomas villa for a week or forever, Calypso Realty will find you the right home. This boutique realestate firm has an established reputation on the island of St. Thomas for managing and renting out vacation villas, as well as for matching visitors and residents with long-term rental homes and listing and selling real estate. After being in the real-estate business for many years, Sharon E. A. Hupprich, a Boston native and St. Thomas resident, started the firm in 1996. She has a solid reputation as a savvy entrepreneur with a knack for pairing clients with just the right homes. Six distinctive villas are in Calypso Realty's portfolio today, each ideal for a St. Thomas getaway.
Even more luxurious - and on the shore - is the perfectly named Beach House, a sprawling three-bedroom, 4-1/2-bath hideaway just steps across a lush lawn to the white sand and your own private dock. Villamar is a waterfront twobedroom condo that’s luxuriously furnished. It has a private patio overlooking yachts. 800-747- 4858, calypsorealty.com
CARIBBEANWhy lock yourself into a single destination? Call the knowledgeable reservations specialists at Villas of Distinction and they'll help you select not just a villa but also a tropical island. This American-owned villa rental firm has been pairing vacationers with lovely homes since 1989 and today represents more than 30 destinations including the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas.
Based on your budget and your preferences - golf, tennis, beach, spa, romance, family fun - you'll find the best villa, with from one to 20 bedrooms, in the most appropriate locale. Add on extras before leaving home, such as a stocked pantry, a rental car or a personal chef. What's on the menu? How about Azul Villa Carola, an indulgent getaway a quick 20 minutes from Cancún’s airport. With six bedrooms within 10,700 square feet, this Mexican-Caribbean sanctuary has two dining areas indoors and two in the fresh air, as well as a pool, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis in both master bedrooms, ocean views, an outdoor brick pizza oven, and a 24-hour majordomo to tend to your needs. Its granite gourmet kitchen features a six-burner stove and a Nespresso coffee machine. You can even opt to hire a chef or take your meals at the nearby Azul Beach Hotel. Darts, a Wii console, ping-pong, badminton, water guns and eight LCDscreen TVs are all part of the package. Need more rooms? How about the 11-bedroom La Belle Helene, a St. Lucia escape on 2.2 acres with rolling hills and a pebble beach. From a cappuccino maker in the kitchen to hisand- hers rain showers in the master bedroom, luxury is at every turn. Splash in the expansive swimming pool while a waterfall cascades in, and enjoy the services of a cook, housekeeper, gardener and villa manager who lives in a separate cottage at the property's entrance. Five bedrooms sound cozy in comparison, yet Anguilla's Villa Amarilla is just as grand. In fact, this spacious structure a short stroll from a private beach is a generous 9,000 square feet. Turquoise shutters and a seashell chandelier meld the villa with the nearby sea. Satellite TV, an outdoor shower, a swimming pool, a wine cooler and a gas grill are among the extras. 800-289-0900, villasofdistinction.com On the beach, in the hills or within a resort, vacation villas boast a magnificent array of extras. Make your next getaway a villa stay. |
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Indulge in a sunset massage and an outdoor shower before a home-cooked dinner. These are only two of 70 luxury Jamaica homes handpicked by 
For a boutique villa complex, Bamboo Chute offers far more than one would expect. Its restaurant is open for three meals a day, and breakfast is included in many pricing packages. Wake up to a morning meal of made-to-order omelets, waffles or grilled fish. For dinner, feast on bounty from the surrounding waters, such as bourbonglazed lobster with rice and steamed vegetables. A swimming pool invites guests to cool off, the beach is nearby, and villas are cleaned daily. Laundry services are available.
That means you can whip up breakfast in your kitchen and even have the kids sleep upstairs, yet you can call the concierge when you want to book scuba lessons or plan a fishing expedition. Part of a 47-acre waterfront tropical escape near the lush and lovely Virgin Islands National Park, the Westin villas climb up green hills or look over Great Cruz Bay. Villas rage from studios with full kitchens, dining areas and sleeper sofas to three-bedroom accommodations that might have their own pool, grill and enclosed patio. Whichever you choose, expect to sleep well in a Westin Heavenly Bed, offering 10 layers of luxurious comfort including a 13-inch pillow-top mattress. To make your stay stressfree, the Westin will deliver groceries when you arrive. Simply request them by fax before you leave home.
The villas are perched hillside, literally surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty of protected park land. With state-of-the-art entertainment systems, Internet connection, formal and alfresco dining areas, chef's kitchens, private pools, hot tubs and sunning decks, the 
You'll find homes perfect for group vacations with other adults, and others that are ideal for a family escape. A 
For large groups, consider sprawling fivebedroom villas tucked into hillsides. Delfina, for instance, has beach views, is surrounded on three sides by national park, and is filled with Mediterranean-style archways, terraces and fine furnishings. More traditional villas include Tortola's Arundel, a three-bedroom wonder with three separate structures giving lodgers plenty of space. A baby grand piano, a Japanese reading room and a massage area are unusual features. Consider too the cliffside Sea Spirit in St. John's Coral Bay, a cozy space with modern comforts and remarkable views. 800-338-0987, caribbeanvilla.com
But why leave? The villas all have swimming pools and/or spas, along with inspiring sea views. Take the Villa Maria, which even has an iPod dock. Set on a bluff with expansive vistas from every room and deck, Villa Maria's contemporary architecture allows the sun to shine in brightly while you gather in the dining room and great room. Families enjoy Water Cliff, a secluded cliffside villa with shaded decks off each of the four bedrooms. Live the good life at La Bella Vita, where the garden hammock rivals the sea-view pool as the most relaxing spot in the four-bedroom house. How about snuggling into Esprit, a gingerbread cottage with two bedrooms? Sunny hues, charming nooks and a porch screen offer a taste of the old-fashioned, yet the home office keeps guests up to date. 800-424-6641, cateredto.com
Groups or families of up to five can't do better than Longview, a two-bedroom villa with so much outdoor living space that it feels twice as large. Oversize wicker chairs and loungers with deep cushions set out on terraces overlook the scenic waters of the Atlantic Ocean and cays leading to the British Virgin Islands. This newly renovated home on a quiet cul de sac, minutes from Magen's Bay beach, is equipped with plasma-screen TVs, a Bose home theater system with speakers by the pool, and timeless furnishings from companies like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel.
