Exceptional Rental

Guest: jcbouche (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 12/27/08 Review Submitted: 04/21/09

I have stayed at Pura Vida a couple of times already, and for many reasons. The most obvious is the island of Eleuthera itself. All you have to do is look at pictures of the island to see its natural beauty and appeal. What sets Pura Vida apart is the quality of the home and amenities provided. The house sits overlooking beautiful reefs on the atlantic side of the island. Double Bay is by far my favorite stretch of beach on Eleuthera. Being on the atlantic provides a steady breeze in the summer, while the caribbean side gets much hotter. The small keys a ways out from the beach break water to create one of the few places you can get a nice breeze and calm water rich with coral reefs. The house itself is unusually well built and maintained for a rental. It was impeccably clean every time I arrived. All of the appliances are top notch, and there's a nice standing BBQ overlooking the beach perfect for grilling the day's catch (there's excellent fishing on the reefs, just check what's in season.) Plus they've got books on local marine life so you know what your catching. There's a nice TV and sound system with lots of channels, although I have a feeling it doesn't get used much in a place with so many better things to do. High-speed internet is a big plus as well. If you get tired of fishing, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and laying on the beach you can always tour the island, there's lots of great info and maps they leave for you to help with your exploring. They really make it easy to feel at home and relaxed, the ultimate stress-free vacation. You can really tell Cindy and Steve love this home, it shows in every aspect. This is not a typical rental house, but I will continue to go back as long as it remains one. Writing this is just making me ache to return! I hope it won't be long. Clark

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

A lovely home

Guest: Happy Aruba traveler (Baltimore, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

We had a wonderful week at Pura Vida. The home itself is extremely comfortable and the view is spectacular. We're already daydreaming about a return trip.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Romantic Get Away

Guest: beach bums (Boone, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/15/11

My husband and I stayed at Pura Vida to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. It was the most romantic trip of our marriage. We felt at home as soon as we opened the door. The home and gardens were all that was promised and more.

Owner response:We are glad you had a such a special experience at Pura Vida! It certainly touches our hearts and really is what Pura Vida is all about. Welcome back again sometime! Steve and Cindy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Great house/Great vacation April 2-9 2011

Guest: Wheels (michigan)
Date of Stay: 04/02/11 Review Submitted: 04/14/11

Just got back from Eluethera and Pura Vida, it was awesome! House is fantastic, makes you feel very comfortable and at home immediately. Owners gave great guidance and it was as easy and stress free as it gets! A true get away,top notch decore and kitchen, in fact the owers added a huge great new gas BBQ while we where there! Beach was great and most days saw only a couple people and this was spring break Never used A/C as perfect breeze of ocean was fantastic.and when it got breezy on Atlantic we went 1 mile to Ten Bay beach on Carribean side for calm warm waters and great shelling. Starfish, Sand Dollars etc.. Waters are beautiful and setting cant be better. Thanks so much for sharing the beautiful home with us we will dream about it until we return next year! Best of the best!

Owner response:Thanks so much for coming to Pura Vida and we do welcome you back again! I think we should put out a "warning" that Pura Vida and Eleuthera are addictive! Whenever we leave we start thinking about when we can return. All the best!

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

Top Notch

Guest: David Sugarman (Ontario )
Date of Stay: 01/21/11 Review Submitted: 02/09/11

Our family of four, two boys aged 8 and 11, had the perfect 10 day January vacation at Pura Vida. The beach and house were better than described. . We had the ocean to ourselves 99% of the time. The villa was beautifully decorated and completely and thoughtfully outfitted. A tropical paradise yet 10 minutes from Island Farms and their great bread and fresh produce and another 5 minutes from Governors Harbour where you can get anything else you could possibly need all without a stop light in sight.

Owner response:David So nice to hear of your great time at Pura Vida and Eleuthera. It is so special that we always can't wait to go back again. We are glad you shared this wonderful laid back island experience together as a family. All the best! Steve and Cindy DuBose

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

"Beautiful Carribean with Great Fishing!"

Guest: Adam Hahn (Hot Springs, North Carolina, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/06/10 Review Submitted: 09/29/10

My wife and I stayed at Pura Vida for our honeymoon in May. Our stay was perfect. Very private, and ultra comfortable house with one of the best views I have ever seen. The house had all the convienences of home, and the kitchen was very well appointed with nothing lacking. The view to the two keys and over the reef was phenomenal. We particuarly enjoyed the kayaks that come with the home. I did some fishing while there and managed to catch hamlet grouper, yellowtail snapper, triggerfish, and barracuda all right off the reef in front of the house from the kayak. We caught bonefish down in Tarpum Bay. Squid and land crabs work well! We enjoyed several meals and meeting with the locals at Tippys's. We had great service and excellent stories from the housekeeper. If you are considering a trip to the Bahamas I can't think of a better place to stay than Pura Vida! (As submitted by Guest to Tripadvisor")

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Can't Say Enough about Pura Vida, Eleuthera

Guest: Angela Smith (Hot Springs, North Carolina, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/27/10 Review Submitted: 09/29/10

Can't say enough about Pura Vida, Eleuthera!" Pura Vida was everything we could have hoped for in a rental property on Eleuthera. The villa was spectacular, a real paradise on Earth. Everything was in perfect working order, it was very clean, and the grounds were absolutely stunning. The local property manager was very friendly and fun to talk to (he has a contagious laugh)! We shared the property with my husband's family and cooked the best fresh grouper we've ever had (bought from the fishermen at Tarpum Bay) in the beautiful Pura Vida kitchen. One of our top criteria in choosing a rental property was the beach. I truly think we couldn't have selected a better location. We snorkeled right off the secluded beach (only saw a handful of people the entire trip) outside the property nearly every day (lot's of coral heads right there!). We saw so much spectacular wildlife: countless fish including lionfish, stingrays, a sea turtle, barracuda and even a couple sharks (only harmless nurse sharks!)! If you have an underwater video camera, bring it. Then, just across the island, about 5 minutes away, is Ten Bay beach. It's one of those bathtub beaches that are so incredibly still and beautiful it's surreal. It's shallow for quite a ways out, so it's great for complete relaxation and for small children trying out their snorkel gear. There are some great rock walls along the far edges that provide excellent snorkeling as well. These are just a few of the wonderful memories we have from our trip to Pura Vida. The only complaint, or course, is there was not enough time! It's obvious that the place is superbly managed by both the property owners and the local management team. When we return to Eleuthera, we will absolutely be staying at Pura Vida, so long as the owners see fit to continue sharing their little piece of paradise with people fortunate enough to visit the island. I feel that we were very lucky to discover this wonderful gem and would recommend it to anyone thinking about a trip to the Out Islands. (As submitted by guest to Tripadvisor)

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Pura Vida

Guest: Timothy M (Omaha, Nebraska U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 04/09/10 Review Submitted: 04/24/10

Steve and Cindy: We have a group that loves to travel and stay in nice homes. Your home is one of the best rental properties, and you can immediately tell its a well appointed home not a rental house. The property was immaculate, the kitchen had everything one could need and the Master Suite was exceptional.Your pictures of the ocean views do not do it justice. The island has an endless choice of beaches, the people are friendly, and it felt very safe. Right off your back porch are two beautiful beaches, the pinkest sand, great snorkling and shelling. We will be back! Thank you.

Owner response:Timothy: Thanks so much for coming to Pura Vida! We have taken great care to provide a special experience in such an amazing tropical location and continue to plan and work to make it even better. We are not your typical rental, we want our guests to enjoy a first quality vacation in paradise! Steve and Cindy

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

My Fantasy

Guest: Margret (Hot Springs, North Carolina, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/16/10

If you have not been, Eleuthera is the ultimate island paradise: beautiful beaches and friendly people not on a time clock. If you have been, you should know that Pura Vida is one of the loveliest properties on the island; you feel secluded but not remote. I have stayed at Pura Vida on two occasions, and hope to relax on the double chaise overlooking the Atlantic many more times. After an afternoon on the chaise, it is a five minute ride to see the sunset on the Caribbean side. A couple of the best restaurants I have ever been to are close by, but the gourmet kitchen at Pura Vida makes it easy and tempting to just dine in on the fresh fish and lobster that can be obtained right off the boat at Governors Harbor. The house is immacculate and has all the amenities one could desire. The fact the owner is a contractor shows through in the construction and craftsmanship. The gardens are lovely, private and brimming with flowers and fresh herbs. If you wish to stay wired to the "real" world it can be done here, but why? If you want to engage in outdoor activities, there is plenty to occupy. But, you may find yourself just wanting to pretend you are a permanent resident of this lovely island and welcoming home. I could not be more pleased with the island, the location, the house or the service of the owners and people who care for the property.

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No Place like Home

Guest: Migrator (Hot Springs, North Carolina, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/15/09 Review Submitted: 02/16/10

I have been to Pura Vida three times. The first time I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the wide, pinkish white, long and totally private beach, the finely crafted and constructed house, which is also well appointed, and the beautifully groomed grounds, which only a proprietor of a thoughtful, peaceful type could have designed. It was a great exploration trip of the whole island from that point on with peaceful Pura Vida at its base. It felt good to come back after a long day of curiosity seeking travels. The second time the exploration was limited to areas near Pura Vida, an intensified search for the feel of our neighborhood. Notice I am using the word “our”. The third time was pure Pura Vida. I did not want to stray far from the house or our beach. Pura Vida had become our home away from home. First class accommodations, and after exploring the whole island...finally simply saying “there is no place like home”.

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