Perferct Place in Clarence Town Long Ialand Bahamas

Guest: romantic bonefish (Boise Idaho)
Date of Stay: 01/18/12 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

My wife and infant son just returned from our stay at this rental house (1-18-2012). VRBO listing 102189. We are well traveled and have been to a bunch of places in the Caribbean including Cat Island. I can say this place is nearly perfect in every way. The house is very well maintained, in excellent shape and is fully set up for whatever you need. The grounds are well kept with beautiful flowers and the setting is absolutely stunning. The deck that looks out to Lochabar beach is perfect as it is a nice mix of sun and shade and always has a nice breeze. The screened in leni is perfect for reading and relaxing in a screened in environment if that is needed. The no see ums were very minimal during our stay but as with any place in the Caribbean they are not to be trifled with at sun up and at dusk. Virtually no mosquitoes to speak of. The kayaks are in excellent shape and are of above average quality as well as the life jacket’s and paddles. The house is set off the beach a very short distance which I found to be of an advantage. All of the amenities in the house were in perfect condition and spotlessly clean. The owners are very gracious, extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the island. The beach in front of the house is amazing and will likely have your prints only on it most of the time. If you venture out to the keys across the bay you will be beachcombing by yourself in an untouched and pristine setting. I would absolutely recommend this place for families, couples fishermen and anybody who is looking for a place in Long Island. I am an avid bone fisherman. I was able to find Permit in front of the house crusing the shore and Bonefish in the flat east-southeast of the blue hole. The road to Galloway is absolutely chocked full of more flats that could be fished in lifetime and hold lots of big bonefish. I never saw another fisherman the entire 10 days I was there. I can’t say enough good things about this place. We looked at the other places we considered renting and were overjoyed we chose this one. Trust me you won’t be disappointed. Also the neighbor to the house is a friend of the owner and is wonderful as well and willing to help if need be. This location and house are extremely safe and allow for a fantastic relaxing environment to really enjoy the best of long Island. Don’t consider staying anywhere else if this is the location you are targeting.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

again wonderfull place for a family beach vacation

Guest: Diederik, Stephanie and kids (upstate New York)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 08/03/11

We returned to Harbor Villa for 3 weeks this July. Our review from last year is right below this one. Everything we said then is still valid. This year we did a little less exploring and spend even more time at the house and the beach in front of it. And we had a great time again. It is just amazing to be on the beach or in the water and have Turtles and Sting Rays swim right by you. The Turtles are a little skittish, but we have been able to get within 2 feet from them. The Sting Rays were not at all concerned about us, they just swam around us. Our oldest followed them very closely while snorkeling and they were not afraid at all. We will still recommend this house as the best one we know of on Long Island for a family with kids, whether small or teenagers.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

wonderfull place for a family beach vacation

Guest: Diederik, Stephanie and kids (upstate New York)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 08/29/10

We rented Harbor Villa for the month of August. We traveled with 2 children, one 17 year old and one 8 years old. The house itself is wonderful. It is well designed, well placed, and very nicely build. It is also well maintained. It has all the necessary appliances in good working order. It has AC and countless ceiling fans. We were there in the hottest month of the year and were very comfortable without using the AC in the main part of the house. We have looked around the island while we were there, but if you need a 3 bedroom house, you cannot do any better than this one. The beach before the house is also one of the best. It is long enough for walks, the water is shallow enough for small children, and there is enough to do for older kids, especially with the various kayaks around. We have seen many turtles by the beach and a few stingrays, but not many people. Our kids swam, played on the beach, took the kayaks on snorkeling and fishing trips in the bay, past the blue hole or to the cays. No time to be bored, giving mom and dad lots of quiet time. There are the typical Bahamian restaurants on the island including a few near by. There is a great bakery within a few miles where you can get lots of good stuff if you order it. Grocery stores are typical for the Out Islands and you can get fresh seafood. We bought more fresh lobsters (less than $5 per tail) than we eat normally in a year. We made a few trips around the Island. Cape Santa Maria Resort is a nice day trip. Their restaurant is great (best Conch salad and Conch fritters of the island). Then of course you have to visit (and if you are a teenager jump into) Dean’s Blue hole. If you want an Atlantic Beach with big waves, there is one by Miley (3 miles). A good beachcombing beach by Dunmores (6 miles), and a few miles of very very nice Caribbean beach at South End (17 miles).

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Swept away

Guest: Larodo (Montreal, Canada)
Date of Stay: 07/10/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

My wife and I spent 16 days at this gorgeous location from july 24th to august 9th 2009. As soon as we decided on renting this property, the owners sent us info, maps, tips on everything and anything there is to do around the house. They were extremely helpful. First, I have to say that upon arriving at the house our breaths were taken away by the actual beauty of the spot. Something the pictures don't quite render. The second you step on that huge balcony facing the beautiful bay ... And once you actually step on that pink-white pristine and secluded beach, well, you feel like you stole a piece of paradise ! . The house itself lacks nothing; kitchen is fully equipped and we made frequent use of the ice maker to keep those drinks cold ! Even in the middle of summer, the breeze on top of that hill would keep us cool. As for nights; very comfy since the rooms are air conditionned. We rented Ron & Deb's car which is a must to get around. We went out to shop for groceries and sometimes ate out. The forest restaurant very close to the house, is a family affair that you have to try (Crack Lobster - the best !!) A must is also Max's Conch & Grill bar. A fresh conch salad with a chat with Max is great experience. Towards the middle of our stay, we took the car all the way to the Santa Maria Beach resort. Wow ! We couldn't believe the beach there so we ended up staying one night. Incredibly romantic. We also stopped at The Stella Maris Resort for lunch and strolled on the spectacular Atlantic facing beach. We also explored the other beach spots around Clarence Town. When we first arrived, we were picked up by Ernest a real PR machine, who showed us to a bunch of nice places as we drove to the house. Make sure he does the same with you ! Long Island was amazing. We will return for sure ! Thank you Ron & Deb for having built this amazing little garden of Eden !

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, romantic getaway.

BEST VACATION EVER!!

Guest: lisa74 (ABACO)
Date of Stay: 06/01/09 Review Submitted: 06/16/09

My 2ND Year RentungThis Beautiful House,It Was Amazing I Will Rent It Again Next Year IFf Available.The View Was Fantastic ,The House Had Everything We Needed And More ........Perfect Location!! IN A NUT SHELL We had an amazing time. The house is well furnished, there's everything you need. The House is right on a super quiet and beautiful beach.thank you to the care taker for all her help & to the owners for being so nice!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Guest: Bob & Sherry (Greensboro NC)
Date of Stay: 05/25/09 Review Submitted: 05/25/09

Ron & Deb, thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us. Your caretaker, Nancy was wonderful. We were picked up at the airport and stopped at the grocery store for food, beverages, and spirits. Upon arriving at the house we were instantly pleased. You never know what you rented until you are there. We love the house. I think our favorite during the day was the huge deck, followed by the sunroom in the evenings. It was so nice to end the day falling asleep watching a DVD from your collection in the sunroom. We enjoyed renting the Kia too. We drove the entire island. Up at Stella Maris we found an entire ship on the beach. The restaurants were wonderful. The chef at Roudy Boyz, Bo was great. Max's conch stand lived up to it's reputation. The flying fish marina had great grouper sandwiches and conch chouder. We even stopped by the drive by conch stand and I got to clean a conch. We left you the shell! We did cook in two nights, we had crawfish! AKA, lobster, we got two 1 pd tails for only $18. that was a wonderful meal! I feel bad for people that go to Nassua, or grand Bahamas island to stay. That's not the Bahamas. A whole different and great world lies in the out islands. Incredible desserted beaches and very friendly people. We had a ball catching land crabs too. We've been to so many carribean islands, but never seen land crabs like Long Island has. On our second day we always had a bucket and dustpan in the car to scoop them up. Very good baked with rice! My only regret on our stay was we never used the kiyaks to go across the bay to one of the islands. The beach was beautiful and the water was so clear and warm. I see you have some openings in July and I may be in touch. Life is about creating wonderful memories and we would love to add to these. On a humorous note, we shipped 10 conch shells back using the mail boat. Everyday my wife looks for the two Kalik boxes we shipped them in. I keep telling her it could take up to three months. It's fun anticipating when the boxes will show up. Kind of like everyday is the lottery! I added a bottle of rum to the bar. We left some other stuff too for the pantry. Hope to visit your place again soon. Bob & Sherry

Recommended for:

Lochabar Paradise

Guest: judy fay (Redmond, OR)
Date of Stay: 05/02/09 Review Submitted: 05/20/09

We loved it!! The house was fantastic, the people were so friendly, the weather was great, and we were with our family. What's not to like! Can't wait to go back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Wonderful Bahamian Rental

Guest: Dan & Randy (Kodiak, Alaska, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/08/09

We just returned from a month long stay in this wonderful home. The house was very comfortable and well appointed. The large screened in second living/dining room was a real plus. The kayaks, life vests and bicycles were all in good shape. The place was very clean. The caretaker is very helpful, and the owners keep in contact, too. Long Island really requires a car, and Deb & Ron’s car worked well for us. It is not a touristy place, and the residents are friendly and welcoming. You can easily buy local seafood, and the government warehouse is a great place to purchase local produce on Tuesdays before it is sent out on the weekly freight boat. The key thing to remember for either a restaurant or the bakery is to call or stop by in advance to make an order. If you just drop in, they do not always have everything available, and it can be a long wait for your meal. We special ordered from the bakery and enjoyed whole lemon meringue, coconut cream and key lime pies, whole wheat bread, raisin bread, baguettes and a fabulous guava duff. We went to the museum, did the cave tour, hiked, went to the beach, watched the world record holder free dive in the blue hole, shopped for straw items and local jams/jellies, met local people, kayaked and beach combed just to name a few. Long Island has beautiful beaches on both sides, so it was easy to drive to a calm beach if the wind was blowing on our side. There are probably more beaches to explore than you can even find time to see on one trip, and just a thirty minute drive to the south, we were able to watch flamingos in the wild. We have rented multiple houses and cottages on seven different Bahamian Out Islands over the last fifteen years, and we thought that this house was pretty luxurious! For more luxury than this, you would need to spend quite a bit more money, and the out islands can present unexpected challenges no matter how much money you spend. To truly enjoy the out islands of the Bahamas, be prepared to do a little research, then relax, be flexible and be open to new experiences.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Lochabar Beach House Review

Guest: Rohan (Louisville, KY USA)
Date of Stay: 07/07/08 Review Submitted: 07/29/08

The house was adequate for our needs. It is not luxurious, but the scenery makes it fantastic. There is a definiite lack of options for dining out, so cooking in is the way to go. We were here for 10 days and ate at practically every restaurant around. The car was a definite plus! The caretaker (Nancy) was a real help and checked on us and was able to take care of any problems that we had. There are only unit air conditioners in the bedrooms. The rest of the house is not air conditioned, but there are ceiling fans placed throughout the house. There was a problem with fluctuations in the electrical current while we were there and the fridge didn't stay very cold. We also had several power outages during our stay which caused the loss of most of our pictures (from the vacation...our fault, tho) from the computer. There is high speed internet service available if you bring a laptop, but not cable tv or any radio service...not that you will need it. Having a washer and dryer was a big plus. There are kayaks available as well as beach chairs and a beach umbrella which proved very handy. The beach is about 200yards from the house, which was not very evident from the pictures in the ad. Overall, the communication with the owner was excellent and the house was adequate. The house is elevated above the tree line, providing a lovely unobstructed view of the water. The kitchen is well provisioned for cooking, but you may want to bring some frozen meat in case you don't catch any fish right away! The grill that was provided was used many nights! There was a definite lack of fresh vegetables at the grocery stores. If you can get away with bringing those, you'll be glad you did. Especially salad. The breadmaker turned out to be useful, and there was a jar of yeast in the fridge.Bring trash bags, laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent...it's very expensive at the local shops. You are expected to replace what you use according to Nancy. There are also spices and some staples in the pantry. The wine selection is spotty, so you may want to bring some, but the Kalik beer is superb! There is a liquor store by the Sea Winds Grocery. There is a great place to buy conch and fish behind the Sea Winds Grocery! Overall, the pace of this little island is pretty slow, so get ready to have a very relaxing time! The people are very friendly too!

Owner response:There are 6 restaurants within 2 miles of our house, although they do have similar Bahamian menus . Bahamas Electricity Corporation told us that the problem that they had with the electricity has been corrected. We built the house approximately 115 yards from the beach to take advantage of the 40 foot elevation above sea level that gives you fantastic views and the breeze off the ocean. .

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.