Beautiful place!

Guest: Jarek B (NYC)
Date of Stay: 02/04/10 Review Submitted: 02/11/10

That was very nice and relaxing stay in Paradise Island. The villa is perfect option for families, it is very well equiped, very good located. Small swimming pool is very nice and most important neighbourhood is quiet if you are not in love with "tourist place" called Atlantis ! There are stores and restaurants within 5-7 min. walk, Starbucks is near by if you are coffee lover ! There is a good hand crafts market with a nice choice of Bahamian souvenirs. I will recomend it definitely to my friends.

Owner response:Best of both worlds! Can enjoy hectic pace of Atlantis and retreat to an enclave of peace and quiet.Thank you for your comments.

Recommended for:Families with young children.

Living in Paradise and loving it!

Guest: Tina (Philadelphia)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/20/11

This property is beautiful and centrally located on Paradise Island. Very well kept and safe. This was a great romantic getaway for me and my husband for his birthday. The villa had all the necessary amenities along with central air, washer and dryer, water cooler and a swimming pool which was only a few feet away from the front door. The only thing we needed to do was buy our own food which was easy to do as there is a convenient store around the corner and a supermarket just across the bridge with decent selection. No need to call a taxi as they were everywhere - you don't even need to flag them down. We had the same access to the marinas, beaches, all of the great restaurants, shops and casinos as those who stayed in the hotels. Just about everything is a 5-10 minute walk away and the natives are wonderful as we were greeted us with a warm smile at every turn. The Aquaventure waterpark in Atlantis was a ball of fun. I recommend staying here over the Atlantis hotels which are incredibly expensive. The public beach is full of natives trying to sell you things but this isn't abnormal as this happens on many of the islands in the carribean. The owner is awsome. Excellent communication from the start and there wasn't a time when he couldn't be reached via phone or email. We were provided with a detailed information packet about the villa and paradise island and every single word was true to form. I loved every single minute of our stay. I highly recommend. We plan on returning next Summer.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children.

Holiday Living in Paradise

Guest: john and val (london england)
Date of Stay: 05/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

Absolutely deiighted.The accommodation was spotless on arrival and contained all the appliances required. Centrally located, Cabbage Beach, Atlantis Marine Village and shops were within easy walking distance.The pool and gardens are beautifully maintained providing a very pleasant and peaceful area to relax in. The owner is a delight to deal with and we certainly recommend Living in Paradise to anyone.

Owner response:Great location on Paradise Island- convenient , affordable and comfortable. We look forward to providing the ideal vacation properties on Paradise Island.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Holiday at Paradise Island

Guest: john and val (london england)
Date of Stay: 05/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

Absolutely delighted with the accommodation at Living in Paradise.The house which was spotless on our arrival contained all the facilities required for a comfortable stay.Centrally located it is just a pleasant stroll to Cabbage Beach,Atlantis Marine Village and shops.The pool and gardens were very well maintained offering an alternative peaceful atmosphere in which to relax.The owner was a delight to deal with and certainly helped to make an enjoyable holiday to recommend to anyone.

Owner response:this is one of several places advertised with VRBO we have on Paradise Island -for peaceful locations, no need to rent a car and to be able to have the comforts of home at an affordable price. Please review all locations we have on Paradise Island

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Clean and convenient

Guest: Lindsey (Snoqualmie)
Date of Stay: 05/08/11 Review Submitted: 05/16/11

We just came back from our Bahamas vacation Sunrise Villas. We decided to go the condo route so we'd have a kitchen and more space. I was a little apprehensive at first sending money to a foreign country via Paypal. But the lure of staying on Paradise Island was big, so we went ahead. John sent us a big 10+ page document with all kinds of tips, including where to go grocery shopping and how to save money on getting into Atlantis. We arrived at the condo and got in with no problem. We were happy with the amenities and thrilled there was a barbeque. After hitting the suggested supermarket, we spent the week fixing meals, bbqing food and relaxing. My daughter loved "our pool" and we hit that first thing each morning. Atlantis was absolutely awesome. It was a 5 minute walk down the beach and we ended up using the secret way of getting a 2 day pass. We had a blast! Paradise Island, on the whole, was very clean and well kept. The locals offered services (hair weaves, souveniers, etc), but did not pester. They were respectful, kind, and helpful. Since we had our young daughter (3 years) with us, it certainly put us at ease. This was literally our best vacation yet. We are so thrilled we rented the condo, loved the location, loved that it was right on the beach, loved the property and the fact we had a kitchen and bbq. I highly recommend this place!

Owner response:For future guests this comment refers to Sunrise 9A another of our listings on VRBO We value all comments and this ensures we meet expectations.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children.

Stay in Paradise (3/28/11 to 4/2/11)

Guest: BBBEEEEEEE (Northeast USA)
Date of Stay: 03/28/11 Review Submitted: 04/02/11

A family of 4 adults (~34 yrs old), 1 older gentleman (~72 yrs old), and 2 kids (~18 months). We had a wonderful time on Paradise Island. Living in Paradise was an ideal location. Quiet. Plenty of space for all in our party. Easy access to nearby stores, Atlantis, restaurants, marina village, small grocery story and pharmacy, etc. The main grocery store (City Market or Supervalue) is a 7 minute taxi ride across the bridge. The property has everything you need for your stay, except for personal essentials. We bought toiletries & stuff for breakfast. We went out for lunch and dinner. The pool is 5 steps from your front door. It feels like you have your own private pool. It was a lot of fun for the family. We did the aquarium pass for Atlantis ($39 for each adult). We did not do the aquaventure pass, since kids were too young to enjoy it. Overall I would rate it as Good --> Excellent. John Fitzsimons is a good man. He communicated instantly with us....via email or phone. Very easy person to work with regarding our vacation at Living in Paradise. It was a slice of Paradise for us from good ole USA.

Owner response:Thank you for your comments. This location is ideal for family gatherings. With no need to rent a car it is very convenient to all the attractions of Paradise Island. We have added a lot of new furniture and this home has great artwork. We have 2 locations at Living in Paradise, a 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, pet owners, sightseeing, families with young children.

North Carolina visitor-contractor-

Guest: North Carolina contractor (-)
Date of Stay: 08/25/10 Review Submitted: 08/28/10

I have a recent visitor who is a general contractor and I asked for his opinion on the any outstanding issues. He loved the place and did not comment on the prior visitors observations. There was no door hanging in the kitchen and there was one screw missing-yes on that door handle and I looked for it and found it- we thank the visitors for pointing this out.This is the first negative complaint in 12 years and we find the issues of a missing screw and a door at the time of the visit that was not anchored in perfect alignment as minor. The pot was bought -we offered to reimburse. There are a lot of supplies and we simply respond to requests of a maintenance nature in a prompt manner.We just had new furniture shipped from Pier One in Florida and had brand new furniture added last year in the dining and living area. We take pride in our family home- where a family of six have visited for a dozen years and I was impressed on a small island a dryer could be replaced in 4 days- I have waited longer back home. We have 2 phones -one for North America and one local. If you pick the right phone -nobody has a problem in 12 years- you can call local or to North America. If someone has difficulty navigating an issue my manager is there to help promptly. We take all comments as important feedback and would offer to remedy a situation when it is identified by a visitor when present. We have completed our furniture updating as well as a new barbecue- and new dryer and fresh painting is on our next list-which is not overdue. As this general contractor commented he was impressed at the state of affairs and I asked him openly to comment on any deficiencies he observed- as I met him in person and I was concerned that I needed an objective set of eyes. He reassured me we are on target as we consistently have been to provide a wonderful family friendly environment and I would advise visitors who are concerned with grocery prices to bring their favourite snack foods down. Because it is a small island it is more expensive. We welcome all feedback and thank this one negative feedback for keeping us alert to any concerns and to correct them promptly. Typically any minor issues are addressed when identified, like in any home. The Bahamas is a very relaxing place to visit and that is the tempo to tune into.

Recommended for:

Family vacation

Guest: Fred (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/11/10 Review Submitted: 08/26/10

My family loved the beach and all other activities. The condo is nice. It is a good exercise to walk every day to the beach or Atlantis. About 10-15 min walk We have a few problem with the condo. the main issue is the dryer. It makes a horrible scatchy noise and it needs to be replaced. Also it ruins your cloth as some of them stuck on the dryer door. you don't want to be in the room when you start the dryer. the bathrooms rugs are felty and they need to be changed. no enough hot water on the 2nd bathroom Bahamas is a very expensive place. the cost of eveything is 3 times higher than US.

Owner response:We thank objective balanced reviews. The dryer had become a monster and has been replaced, not repaired!! The bath mats are history! There is a temperature regulator which can be dialed up, just like in any home. We try to avoid harm to young visitors and keep it low. We turn it up for one of our teens who takes a 20minute shower as a minimum. Keep those balanced comments coming as it keeps us on our toes, obliterates complacency and gets us to become a more focused team and ensure you as our guest is well satisfied. We advise all guests to let us know of the smallest problem, however trivial when observed-so we can rectify it and regain pristine comments we had taken for granted! We want our guests to comment on issues, so we can correct promptly with their request, rather than stay silent and post their concerns later.When we are made aware of issues we would love to correct. We have observed more quiescent guests tend to have the negative comments. We want you to be vocal when you are visiting and shock you by rectifying issues. A dryer broke in another unit and we were informed -so the maid service at no cost did the washing and drying for the guests. This is of course if we know of the problem. Our current focus is improving AC costs of operation. We have kept our rates the same for 12 years and some locations have had a bill of over $1000 for electricity. We are moving to higher SEER units as well as adding attic insulation ( which for a warm climate is equally important as a cold one).This means we can provide good cooling comfort and keep a lid on rates. This location has had a lot of new furniture and now has 2 queen beds, 1 double and 1 twin. We have ongoing lists of items we target to do, just like at home to ensure all 5 properties are in great shape. If you carefully select where you eat and buy food the costs are 50% higher than at home and if you need guidance on this aspect please ask! We are a 5minute walk to the beach via a shortcut and 5 mins walk to Marina Village at Atlantis. closer than the Reef or the Cove, where visitors take a shuttle to get to the waterpark!

Recommended for:

Small Family Reunion

Guest: Linda (Marietta, GA)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/30/10

After reading previous reviews, my family was very excited to rent this villa for a most anticipated vacation in the Bahamas. Paradise Island was great. It was beautiful and clean and Cabbage Beach was wanderful. The condo, on the other hand, was very disappointing. I don't understand the high ratings that were posted on this site. The maintenance on this condo is terrible. It needs to be painted, the doors on the cabinets in the kitchen are hanging, the kitchen is NOT stocked with all the items you need to cook, (we had to go and buy a large pot and disposable casserole pans) the handle on the downstairs bathroom door is attached with one screw, the hot water runs out when you're trying to take a shower, there are two lamps in the 2nd bedroom, but one can't be plugged in because there isn't an outlet within reach, there is NO free North America calling on the phone (as listed by the owner in the description), the pool looked like it hadn't been cleaned recently (my nephew finally cleaned it on the second day we were there), the clothes dryer didn't work and was not replaced until we had been there for FOUR days. Also, the supermarket that is only 2 minutes away is unbelievably expensive. ($7.95 for a pound of bacon, $5.95 for a dozen eggs) You have to go over to Nassau to shop, and it is still VERY EXPENSIVE!!! ($7.59 FOR A FAMILY SIZED BAG OF POTATO CHIPS!!!) I WOULD NOT recommend this rental to anyone unless the current managment is replaced with someone who is reliable and will make sure the condo is in better condition.

Owner response:All comments are helpful. If issues are identified they are rectified. A new dryer is in place in a quick response time. A missing screw has not impaired function, but 2 locks are being replaced. A door "hanging off" was slightly off alignment. The pool is cleaned by Caribbean pools on a regular basis and the condo association management (different from mine) will rectify concerns when alerted promptly. There is a water temperature regulator and in the interest in safety it is not positioned in the highest level. If warmer water is required then it can be dialed up-it is a tankless water system, so hot water does not "run out- it continuosly flows warm. Phones work perfectly, just happens to be 2 different phones, one local and one for North America! Nobody has had a problem calling back home. New furniture was recently added from Pier One to the bedroom mentioned and the second lamp plug in has been rectified-thanks for the alert on this! Food is expensive, as it is a small island and most items have to be imported. Painting is in good shape and we paint regularily. This location is our pride and joy. We have personally been staying here for 12 years and it has all the comforts of home and more. We have fed a family of 6 here with all the dishes provided. including pots. If a visitor observes something when visiting they want help with we are delighted to assist and all the items in the above can be rectified easily and my local manager takes pride in responding to issues in a diligent manner, when they are presented. Naturally if you are a visitor and you complain after leaving we have not been provided with an opportunity to correct anything for your stay. When visiting most visitors let us know of concerns and they are quickly corrected. This is why our reviews are positive, because we are responsive and caring to ensure a relaxing vacation. We have travelled to private rentals ourselves and we believe reviews are important decision makers and can assure viewers of these reviews that some negative ones represent a balance that visitors like to see and how the owner and manager responds is important. You can observe we take all comments very seriously and know sincerely visitors will be very happy with the quality and attention they will receive. We welcome your to Living in Paradise!

Recommended for:

living in paradise

Guest: TK (Newport, RI)
Date of Stay: 06/21/10 Review Submitted: 06/29/10

Very nice two story condo, great beds, three bedroom, everything worked well. Great value for Paradise island. Close to Atlantis and public beach.

Owner response:Thank you for your comments and we have added more decoration to make the presentation home like and relaxing. We thank all visitors for taking the time to add their comments.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+, tourists without a car, families with young children.