Vacation Rentals by Owner

Very comfortable stay at Jolly Harbour

Guest: j&j (Tacoma WA)
Date of Stay: 01/24/11 Review Submitted: 02/14/11

Our 5 night stay at Jolly Harbour Villa was all we could have asked for a base from which to explore the western side of the island. Everything we could have needed was available, even down to the beach tote cooler bag. I appreciated the note book with local info. The new italian restaurant was very good, Castaways, though on the right beach was a bit overpriced. We enjoyed the deck for breakfast in the morning, and all the Johnny Depp pirate movies with some local rum in the evening. Thank You j&j

Owner response:Thank you for your comments. We really appreciated the opportunity to host you during your vacation.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Perfect

Guest: Len (Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/13/11 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

Perfect I agree with everything that has been said below and I would like to add my thanks to you for the opportunity to make myself at home in your villa. (The shower head was repaired, by the way.) The fact that the patio faces east was a bonus for me as sunrise is my favourite time of the day. I was there during a full moon and was blessed with the opportunity of sitting on the patio and watching it rise over the hills as the tree frogs chirped pleasantly all around. I thank you for recommending a car rental as there is so much to see on the island. It also allows one to meet the locals when one gets lost. I met many polite and friendly Antiguans in this manner. Aside from the Sunday fun-filled evening barbecue at Shirley Heights and the fascinating history of Nelson's Dockyard your guests must visit little-known Valley Church Beach which is about a five minute drive south of Jolly Harbour. The beach is pristine, there are plenty of shady palm trees nearby and the Nest Bar & Restaurant serves a deep fried coconut shrimp dish with a home made sauce that is to die for. I would also recommend any one of the Adventure Antigua boat tours. I took the full day eXtreme tour which circumnavigates the whole island with several stops that you cannot get to by car, including a swim in Rendezvous Bay, snorkelling near English Harbour and feeding the fish at Stingray City. A tasty hot lunch and refreshments are served on a quiet secluded beach. The crew will also provide you with a wealth of unique information about the island. My ten days were not enough and I would gladly return at your villa. It's perfect.

Owner response:Thank you for your comments. Antigua is a wonderful island that offers a variety of activities to take advantage of. Jolly Harbour is central to all the choices, which makes our villa location ideal in taking advantage of those opportunities.

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

Great Location

Guest: Trisha (Ft Collins, CO)
Date of Stay: 01/06/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

Hi Elton – we just got back and wanted to send a thank you for letting us use your villa at Jolly Harbor. That is the place to stay on Antigua – the location is perfect with some of the best beaches readily accessible. We drove all around the island – not an easy venture with the narrow roads, animals and pot holes !! and feel that we got a good sense of the beauty of the island. The villa is very comfortable and spacious. The new bathrooms are very nice – JoAnn said that she is still waiting on new mirrors to finish it out but it looked good. The shower head in the master bath was leaking so we told Joann so that she could get it fixed. Not bad but you don’t want to have a problem down the road. Joann was able to let our friend Margaret in when she arrived so that was very lucky – we appreciate it. Thanks again – if you every get to Colorado and want to rent our condo in Breckenridge just let us know. T & T

Owner response:We are very happy that you were able to explore much of what Antigua has to offer. The island is made up of much more than beaches. The history, art galleries and museums along with other sites and activities such as Harmony Hall, Betty's Hope and the Ft James fortifications make for a memorable vacation.

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

Awesome Time

Guest: Wpg MB (Manitoba, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/15/10

Just wanted to thank you sooooo much – we had an awesome time. Your villa is perfect and everything is in the area. Did the Barbuda day trip (absolutely wonderful) and the Shirley Heights Sunday barbeque (what a blast). Just a lot of R & R and some touring. Wonderful time. Have certainly recommended your place to some people at work as well as Craig has done the same. Definitely looking forward to a return trip some time in the future. Thanks again!

Owner response:The great thing about a vacation is being sure to enjoy the local flavour. Way to go!

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

Antigua was Awesome!

Guest: TG - Lee, IL (Lee, IL)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 04/11/10

Hi Elton. Just getting to my personal e-mail as I was swamped getting back to work this week. Antigua was awesome! We are definitely going back! Your place was well appointed and comfortable. I especially enjoyed sitting on your patio drinking tea in the mornings. Jolly Harbour was perfect for us and I found it great to run in the morning on the island just across from your Villa. We toured the island by jeep and had a lot of fun. As you suggested, we made it to English and Falmouth Harbours as well as Shirley Heights. How beautiful! This is a must for any visitor. We did not make the barbeque on Sunday night as we were not sure we wanted to do that drive at night. There were so many beaches to explore. We did some snorkeling off Long Bay , made the Zip Line Tour, and enjoyed cocktails at sundown at Castaways. Thank you so much for allowing us to stay at your home. We had a fabulous time and can not wait to return! Warm Regards,

Owner response:Great to hear you are back and well rested. The great thing about a vacation using a private residence is that you really can live to your own pace and lifestyle. While at the same time enjoy the sites and functions you feel comfortable about.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Raha (Waunakee, WI, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/12/10 Review Submitted: 01/12/10

Hi Elton, We had a really nice time in Antigua. JoAnn took good care of us. We really enjoyed having breakfast each morning on the deck. Thanks for you recommendation on Shirley Heights. It was really a good time and the food was excellent. We also really enjoyed dining at Al Porto and having drinks at the Foredeck. Mike and I would definitely come back to Antigua in the future. Best regards, Carmen

Owner response:Our on site manager JoAnn is always there to assist in any way. We are very happy to hear you had a great time.

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Guest: Jennifer and Mark
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 08/02/09

Just a quick note to let you know that we are back home safely. Thank you SO much for the use of your villa. We had a wonderful vacation. Claudette and Joanne were wonderful. Claudette cooked a huge meal for us on Friday evening and it was just fabulous.

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Guest: Matt & Lindsay (Calgary, AB)
Date of Stay: 07/21/09 Review Submitted: 07/21/09

Hi Elton & Jayne, Thank you very much for letting us enjoy your villa, it was everything we needed and more! The villa itself was clean and well equipped as your other guests have mentioned. The washing machine was definitely a bonus. We cooked most of our meals in the villa and enjoyed them overlooking the water from the patio. We actually did not rent a golf cart and found all the walking to be very enjoyable. It was around 20 minutes to the Epicurean and 25 to Castaways and South Beach. We went swimming every day at the North beach, which was beautiful and even ventured down the beach around the point to find more secluded beaches. We tried to fit in as many activities as we could while we were there. The catamaran trip around the island was beautiful and well worth the $120. Although the snorkeling spot they chose wasn't the best, we still would recommend the trip. For great snorkeling we went to Cades Reef where we saw an abundance of beautiful fish and even a stingray! Thank you for letting us have the use of your golf clubs. We played a round of golf at the Jolly Harbour course which was beautiful as well. Also, we were able to pay a small fee to use the gym facilities at Jolly Harbour Golf Course. We did rent a car for three days from the Hertz in Jolly Harbour for $35/ day plus a $20 driver’s license. The car allowed us the freedom to explore the island. We went to the Saturday morning food market in St. John to stock up on fresh produce and ventured from Devil's bridge to Nelson's Dockyard, all worth visiting. The two weeks we spent at Jolly Harbour was the most relaxing holiday we have had yet. Thanks again.

Owner response:Antigua is a beautiful island with as many activities as you want to take advantage of. The most beneficial is total relaxation! Thank you for your comments.

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Guest: Nancy Brown2 (Ketchikan, Alaska)
Date of Stay: 05/15/09 Review Submitted: 05/15/09

Thank you for making the process, from reservation to check in, run so smoothly. It was a wonderful surprise to arrive to a stocked refrigerator. The villa was very comfortable and the new furniture very nice. Breakfast on the patio is a must. Thanks again!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/26/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/09

Hi Elton,Really sorry I haven’t emailed you before now, it was easy to soon get into real life again unfortunately! Your villa was great - we really enjoyed it and found it had everything we needed. The kitchen was the best equipped for a holiday let that we have ever had. Stewart cooked a lot of meals in there and made full use of the facilities! We went to Antigua primarily for the cricket. If you have not heard what happened at the Sir Viv Richards stadium, there were only 10 balls bowled before the match was abandoned due to an unfit playing surface. Fortunately for us, the match was rearranged and held at the Antigua Recreation Ground instead. What an atmosphere! We enjoyed 5 excellent days of test cricket which ended in the West Indies holding on for a well earned draw. The experience of the cricket allowed us to mix with some great local people and to try local food which we really enjoyed. Stewart's favourites included red snapper, the local steamed fish, the roti and the macaroni pie. I had lots of variations of chicken and we both sampled the Wadadli beer! Aside from the cricket, we explored St Johns, English Harbour, Betty's Hope, Darkwood beach, Half Moon Bay, Nelson's dockyard and Pigeon Beach so we certainly packed a lot in! The beach at Jolly Harbour was lovely, I enjoyed swimming in the sea and we loved the sunsets. The cars we hired were from a man called Benji who we found through the lady who hired us the bikes from Paradise rentals. She was very helpful and friendly.All in all it was a really good holiday.Thank you for letting us stay there and we will have no hesitation to recommend your villa to family and friends. Kind Regards Anna and Stewart

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/25/09

Hi Elton, Really sorry I haven’t emailed you before now, it was easy to soon get into real life again unfortunately! Your villa was great - we really enjoyed it and found it had everything we needed. The kitchen was the best equipped for a holiday let that we have ever had. Stewart cooked a lot of meals in there and made full use of the facilities! We went to Antigua primarily for the cricket. If you have not heard what happened at the Sir Viv Richards stadium, there were only 10 balls bowled before the match was abandoned due to an unfit playing surface. Fortunately for us, the match was rearranged and held at the Antigua Recreation Ground instead. What an atmosphere! We enjoyed 5 excellent days of test cricket which ended in the West Indies holding on for a well earned draw. The experience of the cricket allowed us to mix with some great local people and to try local food which we really enjoyed. Stewart's favourites included red snapper, the local steamed fish, the roti and the macaroni pie. I had lots of variations of chicken and we both sampled the Wadadli beer! Aside from the cricket, we explored St Johns, English Harbour, Betty's Hope, Darkwood beach, Half Moon Bay, Nelson's dockyard and Pigeon Beach so we certainly packed a lot in! The beach at Jolly Harbour was lovely, I enjoyed swimming in the sea and we loved the sunsets. The cars we hired were from a man called Benji who we found through the lady who hired us the bikes from Paradise rentals. She was very helpful and friendly. All in all it was a really good holiday. Thank you for letting us stay there and we will have no hesitation to recommend your villa to family and friends. Kind Regards Anna and Stewart

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Guest: Louis & Lois (Catonsville, MD)
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/14/09

Dear Elton, Our vacation is over and we are sad to be back in the real world again. We had a great time. Everything about your villa was great. The kitchen was well equipped with utensils, pans, etc. and we enjoyed eating most of our meals outside on the porch. The new furniture was very comfortable as were the beds. We were pleased you had a picture of your family on the cover of one of the booklets. What a beautiful group! We certainly relaxed and got a lot of reading in. It is nice and quiet in your area. Thank you for renting your home away from home to us. Fondly, Lois

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Guest: Mike & Theresa (Seattle WA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/31/09

We had a great time. Being self employed, my wife and I do not get away that often. So we really value the time we do get. We rented a car and drove the whole island. We saw all of the sights. The only thing we did not do was take a catamaran tour, but we have to save something for next time.

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Guest: travelingbears (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 12/04/08 Review Submitted: 12/04/08

Dear Elton and Jayne!Thank you for the opportunity to rent your villa! We loved it and we are coming back!We spent a wonderful time in Antigua and would like to share our thoughts with your next happy guests.We’ve booked our stay almost a year in advance because that was the most reasonably priced villa at Jolly Harbour. The booking process was very smooth handled in a extremely professional way. Tremendous help was the meticulously accurate directions from the airport to the villa Elton e-mailed us along with tons of useful information before the start of our vacation. He even called to check if we would need anything else a week before our travel. We found the villa exactly as the pictures on the website. Even better: the furniture was very elegant and brain new. The fridge was stock with all so needed refreshments, milk and butter.. The villa had everything you might need: plenty of towels, appliances even grill to be used at the nice waterfront patio, tons of information on the island and books for you to read. You do not even need the A/C , the breeze from the patio was enough to cool you off. We loved the location. Jolly Harbour is easy 15 minutes drive to the capital of St.Jones, 35 minutes at the most to the beautiful English Harbour and the gorgeous beaches along the way. It is extremely safe, gated marina. One big plus was the Epicurean Grocery Store at the entrance open 7 days from 8am till 8 pm. The store is very big and has everything you might want to stock your fridge even Deli section with hot cooked meals, alcohol and produce. Something we found out from the book Elton and Jayne had in the villa is that we could use the nice swimming pool at the Marina. It is free for the residents and guests; you only have to sign with your villa number. There are also tennis court, and squash and a huge gym along with a nice sports bar. We’ve rented a car but you could rent a golf cart to get up and down the resort. We’ve checked the price .It is aprox.$39 for 1 or 2 days.The beach at the Jolly Harbour is fantastic! If you walk down towards the little hill (you could also drive) you will have the beach for yourself. If you hike up the hill, or drive up you will see the whole Jolly Harbour Complex from a bird’s point of view! And that view is to die for! Do not miss the sunsets. And skip the part of the beach which is in front of Jolly Beach Resort. They charge you to enter their beach.Enjoy your stay and yes do rent a car.The

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/04/08

Alton- Sorry this has taken me so long to post on here! My wife and I enjoyed your Jolly Habour Villa very much. Thanks for all of the local info....and the golf cart was a must. There were a couple of small beaches just to the west of us that we watched the sun set from. We also did quite a bit of of hiking to the west and north. Thanks again- Chris

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Guest: travelingbears (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/03/08

Dear Elton and Jayne! Thank you for the opportunity to rent your villa! We loved it and we are coming back! We spent a wonderful time in Antigua and would like to share our thoughts with your next happy guests. We’ve booked our stay almost a year in advance because that was the most reasonably priced villa at Jolly Harbour. The booking process was very smooth handled in a extremely professional way. Tremendous help was the meticulously accurate directions from the airport to the villa Elton e-mailed us along with tons of useful information before the start of our vacation. He even called to check if we would need anything else a week before our travel. We found the villa exactly as the pictures on the website. Even better: the furniture was very elegant and brain new. The fridge was stock with all so needed refreshments, milk and butter.. The villa had everything you might need: plenty of towels, appliances even grill to be used at the nice waterfront patio, tons of information on the island and books for you to read. You do not even need the A/C , the breeze from the patio was enough to cool you off. We loved the location. Jolly Harbour is easy 15 minutes drive to the capital of St.Jones, 35 minutes at the most to the beautiful English Harbour and the gorgeous beaches along the way. It is extremely safe, gated marina. One big plus was the Epicurean Grocery Store at the entrance open 7 days from 8am till 8 pm. The store is very big and has everything you might want to stock your fridge even Deli section with hot cooked meals, alcohol and produce. Something we found out from the book Elton and Jayne had in the villa is that we could use the nice swimming pool at the Marina. It is free for the residents and guests; you only have to sign with your villa number. There are also tennis court, and squash and a huge gym along with a nice sports bar. We’ve rented a car but you could rent a golf cart to get up and down the resort. We’ve checked the price .It is aprox.$39 for 1 or 2 days. The beach at the Jolly Harbour is fantastic! If you walk down towards the little hill (you could also drive) you will have the beach for yourself. If you hike up the hill, or drive up you will see the whole Jolly Harbour Complex from a bird’s point of view! And that view is to die for! Do not miss the sunsets. And skip the part of the beach which is in front of Jolly Beach Resort. They charge you to enter their beach. Enjoy your stay and yes do rent a car.The island is very diverse full of history and the nature is fantastic!

Owner response:Thank you for your comments Silva. As you mention; Jolly Harbour Resort and the islands of Antigua and Barbuda provide a wide range of available activities and options to enjoy. We look forward to having you come back!

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Guest: manchester sun seekers (Manchester)
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/16/08

The villa has everything you could wish for in a home from home, a nice addition to the villa that i never saw advertised was a washing machine never before have i gone away and returned with a full suitcase of clean clothes smelling better than when they arrived, also there is an Ironing Board and 2 steam irons as well as a fully equiped kitchen large fridge/freezer, microwave and oven with a 4 ring stove, the living arrangments were extremely comfortable and the views from either balcony were stunning (please remember to feed odie the Garfish as he will pop his head up when you are on the patio and chase any other fish away for that tiny bit of bread you will throw him.. If you dont explore the Island then shame on you, you can get a boat around the island they will charge on average $120.00 per person or you can take a cab (mini bus air conditioned) for a flat fee of $120.00 and believe me these taxi drivers know their stuff and you will have an excellent day ours started at 9am and finished at 6:30pm they ket you take as much time as you need with no rushthe best Taxi you can find as he was the only guy we called due to his friendly personality and knowledge of the island was a guy named TYRONE his number is 12687841070 you can dial that number from the villa phone, do the island trip you wont regret it, also take the bus in to St Johns it costs 3 carribean dollars each way per person and is so quick & easy cheaper than the cab at 20 US dollars the bus pulls in right out side the resort entrance number 20 bus.. As much as the villa is comfy once again i will say shame on you if you dont get out and enjoy the island the beaches are wonderfull and unlike Barbados not once did i get hassled to buy a coconut, aloe vera a sea shell or Drugs the place is so laid back i ended up Horizontal! Enjoy paradise i know we did!! Thankyou so much Elton and family. you made my 40th birthday the best birthday yet. Chris

Owner response:Thank you Chris, Your comments on the sites to see and the hints on how to tour the island are very good. We look forward to having you stay with us again. Elton & Jayne

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/05/08

We had a very nice stay here - everything was clean, nice linens and towels and a great bed. We really appreciated the basic groceries and the cold beer! Nice new furniture and a TV, which was a bonus.

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Guest: 726Rosie (Widnes, England)
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/16/08

"We had a wonderful holiday at this property. From the first contact with the owner the whole process of booking was so straightforward - Elton is extremely helpful answering all my questions on a range of topics. I was especially grateful to Elton for phoning me in the week before our trip to let me know new furniture had been put in the villa and to reassure me regarding security of the property and the resort. The villa is in a lovely location, very easy to find and with great views. There are patio doors from both the living area and the master bedroom - lovely to sit with a coffee and watch the sun rise. There is a sun lounger and chairs provided so you can sit and enjoy the sunshine all morning. The villa was spotless and well cared for with everything you would need in a home from home. An especially nice touch was finding the fridge stocked with a few basic necessities- bread, butter, milk, water, beer! Just what you need after a long trip. The manager popped by to make sure we had everything we needed and came by in the week to change the linen and towels and clean the villa. There are lots of towels provided and extra bedding/pillows if needed. The area around the villa is well kept and a lovely 5 minute walk to the nearest (small and quiet beach). We hired a golf buggy which was ideal for getting us around the resort as it is about a 20 minute walk to the commercial centre, supermarket and restaurants. Saffrons is a nice restaurant (lovely views of the harbour from the first floor balcony) and Castaways bar at the Jolly Beach is great for casual dining. We only ventured out once - to St Johns using the local bus. Very inexpensive and great way to see some of the island and meet the locals. I would certainly recommend this villa to anyone looking for a relaxing, 'do as you please' holiday - at the end of the day it's what you make of it!"

Owner response:It was our pleasure to have stay in our vacation home. Jayne and I love Antigua and enjoy having the opportunity to share it. Elton and Jayne

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Guest: R and C (Richmond, VA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/21/08

Hey Elton. Antigua was wonderful. Our favorite thing was the sunsets on the beach. We did make it to the market and that was great. You were right about traveling there, quite an experience but we managed. Your place was lovely. We had a very relaxing time. My only suggestion would be to advise your future guest against playing the 'rainbow game' in the casino. It is a huge scam and it will attract unsuspecting people, especially those that don't gamble. Some of the locals warned us of the game later in the week. Antigua makes our 11th island and we have never experienced a casino like the Grand Princess Casino, in terms of the scam factor of the games. Aside from that our trip was great. We enjoyed visiting Barbuda as well. Thanks for letting us stay at your place! Rhonda Burch

Owner response:Thank you Rhonda for your comments. We will make sure to warn future guests to be careful when playing at the casino. We would love to have you stay in our vacation home again. Best wishes, Elton and Jayne

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Guest: Bob B (Burlington, ON Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/18/08

Elton, Just wanted to tell you that we enjoyed the villa and Jolly Harbour. Played a little golf and walked the beach for hours soaking in the sun. Bob

Owner response:We are glad to hear you had a relaxing time and enjoyed yourselves. Elton and Jayne

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Guest: Tony & Jo (London, England)
Date of Stay: 02/21/08 Review Submitted: 02/21/08

Thanks, we had a great time. We loved staying at your villa and Jolly Harbour was a great place to be for us – the BBR pool was great for our kids, wasn’t crowded and we used the Mosquito Cove beach (given that it was so close), as well as Jolly Beach frequently. We may be back sometime and will recommend to friends. Everything worked well with the kids. The orange netting worked well on the patio and I think we needed it. As you said, the cot was a bit tricky to put up and down but we got there in the end. Claudeth (the cleaner) was particularly helpful and we had her babysit one night.Thanks,Tony and Jo

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Guest: M & S (New Providence, NJ)
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 02/28/08

Hi Elton, Got back last night...everything was terrific! The villa worked perfectly for us....weather was sunny and warm, beaches were beautiful - what more could you ask for. Susan/Marty

Owner response:It was our pleasure and we look forward to having you stay again. Elton and Jayne

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Guest: Tony & Jo (London, England)
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 02/20/08

Thanks, we had a great time. We loved staying at your villa and Jolly Harbour was a great place to be for us – the BBR pool was great for our kids, wasn’t crowded and we used the Mosquito Cove beach (given that it was so close), as well as Jolly Beach frequently. We may be back sometime and will recommend to friends. Everything worked well with the kids. The orange netting worked well on the patio and I think we needed it. As you said, the cot was a bit tricky to put up and down but we got there in the end. Claudeth (the cleaner) was particularly helpful and we had her babysit one night. Thanks, Tony and Jo

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Guest: Willie_g2 (Kissimmee, FL)
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/31/08

Hi Elton We would like to thank you very much for the beautiful villa and the wonderful bed. We had a great time setting on the deck, watching the sky, and would really like to thank you for all the refreshments you left for our use. Thank you again for the use of your villa Howard & Donna Willenberg

Owner response:It was great to hear you had a relaxing time and enjoyed the Wadadli. Elton and Jayne

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