Vacation Rentals by Owner

Veselka - Beachfront Cottage at Double Bay, Eleuthera [#137707] | View Property

Double Bay
House, 3 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 2 Baths (Sleeps 6)
$1300/wk
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Traveler Reviews (12)

• Stunning house and location

  Stunning house and location

  • Guest Familyof4
  • Date of stay 03/24/12
  • Review Submitted 04/05/12
  This is an enchanting house in a stunning location. The listing description is accurate but the reality surpasses the description since one has to actually see the turquoise blue of the sea and the panoramic view of the long, palm-studded coastline to believe it. The house is beautifully sited and designed. It is perched on a dune above the beach, and the coast unfurls for miles. In fact, each window frames a gorgeous view. One can lie in bed at night and look up at the stars and the tops of the palms; in the kitchen, one can cook and do dishes while gazing at the beach and the sea. The house has an open, airy, sunny feeling, but at the same time affords as much privacy as one needs. My husband and I were travelling with three teenagers: my daughter and her boyfriend, commandeered the top deck, while the rest of us spent many happy hours in the hammocks on the lower deck. With two bathrooms and three bedrooms, the the house felt spacious for all five of us. We cooked many delicious meals in the comfortable kitchen area, and served them on the wonderful, long, sturdy, welcoming dining room table that anchors the living room area. We were coming from Manhattan (New York City) and were seeking to reconnect with nature, but in a setting that was not too isolated or too rustic, and Veselka provided the perfect balance: there are homes nearby, but not too many, and Veselka's owners have lovingly preserved the beautiful, tall palm trees that were there before the home was built. Looking out at the palms out back one feels a million miles away from civilization, while the few, elegant, neighboring houses provide the discrete reassurance one needs when travelleing with children. The owners, Kingsley and Marta, were AMAZINGLY responsive the few times we called with minor questions. They were eager to help and did all possible to make sure that we would have a wonderful time. Eleuthera is beautiful, with beaches such as I have never seen or imagined, although we have travelled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South America. Veselka is located in a great area of the island, a short drive from the somewhat upscale but well priced vegetable stand called Island Farm. Two absolutely stunning, picture-perfect beaches are also minutes away by car: the Club Med Beach, and Tippy's Beach. The beach immediately in front of Veselka has a grandeur that is all its own. All in all: absolutely fabulous! (and affordable too)

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Great House great location what a view what a great beach, will stay again,

  Great House great location what a view what a great beach, will stay again,

  • Guest andrew
  • Date of stay 02/05/12
  • Review Submitted 03/04/12
  We stayed for 10 days, 4 of us, mother in law wife myself and our 31/2 year old daughter, we flew in to rock sound rented a car for $60 a day, got to the house sunday night super bowl night settled in quickly, the house has 3 good sized bedrooms 2 bathrooms and nice closets. nice kitchen great lounge great dinning table as the view is stunning, There is a large deck around the house, the bad.... hard to get up and down to the beach, no tv no internet but we kind of liked that, i got internet from a neighboring house so we had email and news, the beach has rock pools great snorkeling and 100 feet to the south no rocks but just a perfect pink sand beach.all in all clean newish great view stunning beach cool no air con needed sea breeze washing machine was great

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• A Lovely, Secluded Location

  A Lovely, Secluded Location

  • Guest One-Week-a-Year Beach Bum
  • Date of stay 03/06/11
  • Review Submitted 03/27/11
  My husband and I were joined by another couple, long-time friends from college, for a lovely week at Veselka House in early March, 2011. We had never visited the Bahamas before, and were pleasantly surprised by Eleuthera: its beaches are gorgeous and deserted, its people charming and polite, its seascapes unbelievable! If you prefer a laid-back, quiet location with fantastic views, and are willing to enjoy a house with its own unique personality, Veselka House is a great choice. It is clean, fully-appointed, with a modern kitchen, two baths, and even a washing machine. Its ambiance is rural and remote. A rental car is a necessity and a 4-wheel drive would be advisable to get to some of the more distant beaches. We all thoroughly enjoyed our stay and I have already recommended Veselka House to my friends.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/4

• Home Away from Home

  Home Away from Home

  • Guest stixhippie
  • Date of stay 01/18/11
  • Review Submitted 03/18/11
  The owner, Kinsley, was very helpful with all of our questions. Considering how 'off the beaten path' the location is, his directions were easy to follow. He even suggesting a place to rent a car, His description of the house did not do it justice, WOW! Perfectly located away from noise, cars, etc., and yet close enough to pop in to the local grocery store for any last minute supplies. The house is enormous, well layed out, and stocked with every amenity anyone could ask for. Everything was clean and neat, plenty of linen and towels. Whether you're enjoying breakfast out on the wrap around porch watching the sun rise, or having cocktails on the upper deck watching the sun set, it's a marvelous, relaxing oasis. One of the best features for us was the grill which we used for some lovely bluefish and lobster caught that day! Right at the bottom of the porch there's a short path that leads down to a beach with honest to goodness 'pink' sand. A short distance out in the beautiful crystal clear waters it's shallow enough for snorkeling which we did everyday. We have traveled extensively throughout the Bahamas and have never felt so at ease. We loved it so much, we've already booked for next year!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/5

• Veselka Bahamas

  Veselka Bahamas

  • Guest Lukifamily
  • Date of stay 03/19/10
  • Review Submitted 04/29/10
  "We actually checked this place out before we rented it. We thought then it was pretty bad but we had already made the deposit so we decided to go with it. What a mistake that was. Before moving in we stopped at the grocery store with a few days supplies only to find a MINI fridge in the supposed well eqiuipped kitchen that held about half of what we needed to have refridgerated. After a day at the beach we returned to take showers only to find there was close to zero water pressure. 8 days of beaching with a family and two showers that dribble. Not my idea of a great time. Everything in the house was cheap cheap cheap. The outside furniture was plastic dime store variety and broken to boot. The oven did not work (saves fuel). The toilets got clogged and I plunged them both because the toilet tanks were only filling halfway (saving water). The showers barely ran (saves water). Double light fixtures had one bulb (saves energy). NO DRYER (saves energy). Get the picture? The beds are worn out. Sagging in the middle making for 8 terrible nights of sleep. There are still roofing shingles lying around in the driveway and building materials that were never picked from the constuction. And a huge pile of palm frawns next to the house. Perfect breeding ground for black widow spiders. I have stayed in two other houses within one mile from Veselka on the beach as well and they were great. The bedrooms were small without dressers. The front double door only works on one side. Ect ect ect. The owner of Veselka is a very nice man. I don't think he knows how bad this place is.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers

  Owner response: I am sorry that Phil did not enjoy his stay at Veselka. The house has the best view in Double Bay and is the least expensive. Its features are carefully and accurately described on the house website (which you can find under the further details section) and it is unfortunate that Phil did not consult this before booking. The house is not luxurious, but everything is new and functional. The main living/dining area has a high roof and sweeping views, and there is a unique shady wraparound porch. Our website clearly states that the property is “ecofriendly”, and we try to conserve water and electricity on an island where both are in short supply. If you want luxurious furnishings, comprehensive appliances, unlimited water and a second mortgage, Veselka may not be for you, but we believe our website description is considerably more accurate than Phil’s dyspeptic review. For someone who actually went to the house at least a month before renting, it is amazing that he did not see that there was a small under counter fridge, and no dryer (also detailed on the website). There is usually a nice trade wind blowing at Veselka, and clothes dry quickly outside. In fact he went over the whole house yet still decided to stay when he could have contacted me to discuss canceling the booking if he felt strongly enough about it. The water pressure is lower than in the US, but it is perfectly adequate and there have been no previous complaints. Water is a precious commodity in Eleuthera and renters usually understand this. The toilets are modern efficient ones that use less water per flush saving water. Nobody has had a clogging problem before and perhaps Phil was profligate in his use of toilet tissue. Lighting: two bulbs in the deck lights (fluorescent undimmable) were too bright and had nothing to do with saving electricity. There are indeed hundreds of palms at Veselka, and they do shed “frawns”. To criticize the house because these fronds “may provide” breeding grounds for black widows (which have never been spotted at Veselka, are extremely rare on Eleuthera) seems somewhat unfair, and typical of the tone of this review. Veselka has one of the best views in Double Bay and is very reasonably priced for its location (please take the time to look at the other reviews, and websites of other available houses). There are houses in the area with more luxurious amenities but the rentals are naturally much more (double). It seems to me that Phil’s tastes exceed his budget.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 10/12

• Great Location

  Great Location

  • Guest vdv
  • Date of stay 02/24/10
  • Review Submitted 03/10/10
  We were looking for a place in Eleuthera , right at the beach, with good snorkling possibillities, with excellent see view from the house, with a natural surrounding (please no lawn!!!), quiet and unpretentious. We found it ! Thanks to a wifi in the house we could communicate with the outside world and the owner was therefore always easily reachable. Whether we would recommend it our friends? To the part of our friend who look for a club med ambiente consitsing of a luxurious setting with a huge lawn, certainly not. For the part of my friends who look more for a great private location in a natural enviroment, certainly yes.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/4

• A slice of Paradise

  A slice of Paradise

  • Guest Darlene and Scott
  • Date of stay 02/13/10
  • Review Submitted 03/08/10
  This was our second visit to Veselka. We stayed there two years ago and were able to visit again this February. There is nowhere else in Eleuthera that I would wish to stay. The house is situated on a beautiful beach with a wrap-around deck; you can watch the sunrise on the ocean side, and the sunset on, what we call, the jungle side. While sitting on the beach you may meet a friendly neighbour from time to time, but the majority of the time the beach is empty. This past visit, the weather was cooler and the water choppier, so we were unable to snorkel. However two years ago, in warmer weather, we were able to snorkel right in front of the house. Beautiful! The house is comfortably equipped. There is an open kitchen, living room, and dining room area with three bedrooms, two of which have their own bathroom. The kitchen is well equipped and meals are made with ease. It is definitely smaller than the multimillion dollar houses which share the beach, but the rental price is also smaller. The pictures posted are a perfect representation of the house. If you like to walk, there are two beautiful walks along the beach and road. A car rental is a necessity. With a car there are unlimited deserted beaches to find and explore. Just pack up the beach chairs and beach towels that come with the house, and away you go. Don’t expect a lot of road signs, there are a couple of well marked beaches, but many are simply found by an adventurous spirit. There are also great restaurants which range from charming and quaint to upscale. If you are looking for great nightlife, keep looking; Eleuthera is a place to unwind and relax it is not a party Mecca. Finally, Kingsley is a helpful and attentive owner. All our questions were answered and he even checked to see if all was well during our stay via email (if you bring your computer or mobile device, the house is equipped with wireless internet).

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/5

• If privacy is your priority...

  If privacy is your priority...

  • Guest DiveFreak
  • Date of stay 01/02/10
  • Review Submitted 03/26/10
  Stay here! My husband and I rented Veselka for a week in January and we had an incredible stay. Eleuthera is a wonderful island with friendly people and just enough comforts. The house was clean, spacious and in a very special spot. There are other houses around, but no one was staying in them when we were there and had the entire area to ourselves. The beach in front of Veselka has lots of coral and very soft sand. The house wifi allowed us to research the island's beaches and find diving vendors. Veselka's owner checked in with us via email when we were experiencing some cooler than normal temperatures to ensure we had enough blankets. We dove with the team at Cape Eleuthera (http://www.capeeleuthera.com/). Their equipment was top notch and their staff was friendly and experienced. Veselka is a special house which exudes an aura of relaxation. Come here to reconnect, recharge and explore.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/5

• great stay

  great stay

  • Guest Ratna
  • Date of stay 11/20/09
  • Review Submitted 12/14/09
  we had one of the best Bahamas vacations that we have ever had. beautiful view of the ocean from the deck, miles of beach to walk on, with almost no other people around, the sound of waves to listen to while falling asleep and upon arising, beautiful weather. Clean and well furnished facilities. recommend renting a car for at least part of the stay as it is definitely not within walking distance of shops or restaurants. we got a good deal/discount when we rented for several days, and left the car at the airport when we were leaving. lots of interesting and beautiful places to explore with a rental car. the Veselka Handbook was very helpful and interesting also.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/6

• I would recommend Veselka and hope to visit again.

  I would recommend Veselka and hope to visit again.

  • Guest heidi
  • Date of stay 02/28/09
  • Review Submitted 03/27/09
  My husband and I rented Veselka for 2 weeks in March and had a wonderful time. The house was open, spacious, clean and bright with incredible views all around. We took long walks on the beach every morning, tested out the hammocks, enjoyed the outdoor shower and cocktails at sunset on the back deck. If it was a cool or windy day we would pack up the beach chairs and head to a beach on the Caribbean side. I highly recommend getting a copy of The Elusive Beaches of Eleuthera as we were able to discover several beautiful, deserted and hard to find beaches. We liked that the house is in the middle of Eleuthera as it made it easy to explore more of the island. I also recommend getting out and meeting Eleutherans... they are some of the friendliest people on earth. Don't forget to wave at every car that you pass on the road and pick up hitchhikers. We bought lots of produce, home made pesto and fresh baked bread from Island Farm, which is right down the road from the house. We had great meals at Cocodimamma's, Tippy's, Pammy's and Sammy's. We had fantastic conch salad from roadside stands. Bought lobsters and grouper a few times from the fishermen in Governor's Harbour. Rented our car from Clinton Knowles, who also took great care of us when we visited Eleuthera 2 years ago. All in all a great vacation! I would recommend Veselka and hope to visit again.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/6

• Not as Promised

  Not as Promised

  • Guest Snorkle Lady
  • Date of stay 01/09/09
  • Review Submitted 02/05/09
  WE went in January and had to leave a week early because the house had no heat or HOT water and it was a cold snap,the bathrooms were dirty and we were advised not to drink the houses water ,we were running out of drinking water and we never saw the caretaker that was supposed to help us.The "Veselka Handbook" that we received AFTER we paid read "the upstairs is closed off at the moment' when in fact the house is still under construction.Now I know why it was cheaper then the rest: there are houses on either side of this one that are multi million dollar homes .It was a total disappointment & the owner refused to refund our money he gave us a meager "partial refund'

  Owner response: Sheila and Larry rented Veselka for two weeks in January, following on from a long series of very happy renters. They unfortunately had issues with their stay which I address below. The assertion from Sheila and Larry that there was no hot water is completely untrue. The house does have hot water. The house is not still 'under construction' but does have an unconverted loft space (they received the Veselka handbook immediately after paying the deposit and could have cancelled without penalty if they had a problem with the unconverted loft). I would disagree that the bathrooms were dirty since I have never had any complaints before and I know that my caretaker is meticulous. The handbook says that 5 gallons of drinking water is provided but that after that renters need to replenish it (available at all local shops at $5 for 5 gallons). Their unhappiness with the house was part of a series of other disappointments that happened to them that included losing their luggage (they phoned me on the day they arrived explaining their lost luggage situation which I attempted to sort out myself as a courtesy to them), not having the complete privacy they expected (the house website does not say that complete privacy is guaranteed), colder weather than usual and finally, Sheila injuring herself and thus compromising her ability to enjoy the sea. In the light of these problems I thought a fair refund was half of the second week's rent, since they could have alerted me to any concerns they had and I could have easily remedied them. The week that they were not there (for which I gave a partial refund) I could have rented to someone else.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 9/10

• Veselka visit April 2010

  Veselka visit April 2010

  • Guest Julia Brock
  • Date of stay 04/09/08
  • Review Submitted 05/18/10
  We stayed at Veselka beach house during April 2010. We loved it. The views are breathtaking and the beach must me amongst the best in the Caribbean. The house has a lovely cottage feel to it. More of a home than a hotel, well appointed and comfortable. We snorkelled on the reef just a few feet off shore virtually everyday, found a bat cave about a mile away, and a bakery that sold the world's best chicken patties. The owner provided excellent mosquito nets for the bedrooms. In the evenings we took to sitting out on the upper deck in the last off the sea breeze. We are already planning our return stay! Julia.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/6