Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful House

Guest: matt in atlanta (atlanta)
Date of Stay: 04/29/12 Review Submitted: 04/29/12

My family of 4 (two adults and two children aged 11 and 12) just spent a wonderful week at the Magic Castle. We are ardent caribbean travelers and can say the house provided us with a great backdrop for a wonderful trip. The house is beautiful and private and great for those looking to get away from the busy areas of the island. It is great for those who value seclusion and beauty as the price to pay for having to make a short drive to restaurants and a short walk to the beach. The beach at little bay is beautiful and private but is a steep (yet short) walk. (our last day a giant turtle came onto the beach to lay her eggs). In addition, Eva, who owns the home and lives on premise is a spectacular tour guide and enabled us to enjoy the island as if we were "locals". Getting to excursions and ferries is easy to do as well. Strongly recommended for those who like to get away from it all and don't mind a little effort to get there in order to truly relax. Not for super young children. also, Stanley and Rocket (her dogs) provide for fun times too.

Owner response:Ah, yes, the 10 minute walk up from the beach is a little steep, so most people drive the short distance. It IS good exercise for those that want that! I limit the age of small children to over 8 years because of the unprotected pool and the drop from the elevated deck railing. Older kids can understand and have plenty of room to run around in the yard as well as the pool and deck area. And the dogs love kids. (Stanley is my neighbor's dog and good friend with my Rocket.) Loved having your family!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

A Superb Family Holiday

Guest: Mike (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/10/12 Review Submitted: 03/22/12

I would, as well, like to place on record the wonderful time my family had during our stay at the Magic Castle. My wife, teenage daughter and myself thoroughly enjoyed ourselves from the minute we arrived until the moment we reluctantly closed the door behind on on our way to the Roadtown Ferry terminal. Eva was simply outstanding in doing everything she possibly could to make our visit a success. We arrived very late in the evening but, regardless, she was awake and eager to be of assistance. She had stocked the fridge and there was sushi and a bottle of wine waiting on the counter - sustenance for three weary travellers. Eva was a wealth of information and gave (literally) pages of information on things to do and places to see - and in doing so, made our vacation a huge success. The house and location are amazing and the pictures provided only give a small sense of the beauty of this piece of paradise. The Little Bay beach was outstanding and we saw, perhaps, ten people on it over the space of a week. This was our "home base" but we took care to visit all parts of the island from Trellis Bay and Marina Cay to Soper's Hole - and, as an aside, a car is essential. A visit to Virgin Gorda is a must as well. There is good dining across the island however we did, in particular, enjoy our evening at the Red Rock marina. In the weeks and months before you actually arrive on Tortola, Eva will ensure a rapid and comprehensive response to any questions or concerns - and her advice was, without exception, excellent and to the point. Simply put, her care and concern was instrumental in making our vacation a great success and you should have no hesitation in seeking her advice. In summary, we are delighted to provide Eva and the Magic Castle our highest recommendation. Thank you, Eva!

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

A Magical Honeymoon

Guest: Amy P.
Date of Stay: 02/28/12 Review Submitted: 04/01/12

We had the absolute pleasure of staying at the Magic Castle in February/March for our honeymoon. We originally booked our stay for nine days, but on our last day we were so sad at the thought of leaving our magical paradise that we ended up buying brand new plane tickets just so we could extend our stay a few more days. We loved this place. Having seen the photos and other reviews of the Magic Castle, I was pretty hopeful that we had selected a good spot for such a special occasion. However, I wasn’t prepared for just how stunningly beautiful the property would be. Upon seeing the exquisite view from the master bedroom deck for the first time, I started crying with pure happiness. You will not be disappointed. Most days we found ourselves perfectly content luxuriating at our home-away-from-home at the Magic Castle. Our Castle had everything we could ask for. Eva, our warm and welcoming hostess, had thought of so many extra little details that really enhanced our stay. We really enjoyed stocking up at the large and lovely Road Town grocery store and making fabulous meals on the grill while sipping cocktails on the deck. Life doesn’t get much better. When we did venture out, it was hard to top the private beach right at the bottom of the hill. Of the many beaches to visit, it was our clear favorite. We also enjoyed our visits to Trellis Bay and had a fun evening enjoying the revelry at the full moon party there. We’ve been back for less than a month and can’t stop talking about when we’ll be able to get back. I keep encouraging all our family and friends to go. The Magic Castle is a jewel.

Owner response:Dear Ones, In this business there is no greater pleasure than providing the experience you describe! We got this marriage off to a great start! I hope you will be able to return for an anniversary, but any celebration will do! Hugs, Eva

Recommended for:

Magic Castle Villa, Tortola BVIs

Guest: Ginny (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware)
Date of Stay: 01/07/12 Review Submitted: 02/04/12

To put "magic" in your name you'd better deliver in spades. The Magic Castle delivers bigtime!! Magic. Enchantment. Delight. Beauty. Charm. Tranquility. All amenities. From the moment we arrived and saw the "Magic Castle" sign and watched the gate swing slowly to let us enter, the enchantment began. We were met by Rocket whose faux-fierce bark made us feel right at home, followed quickly by lovely Eva who welcomed us warmly and showed us gracious hospitality from the moment we met. The Villa has a transforming calm that quickly and quietly relaxes the international traveler in a heartbeat, even as the glorious view sends the soal soaring. An interesting conundrum. We felt right at home, deeply at peace, right away. Magic! A quick tour of the whistle-clean, beautiful and comfy home made us feel as if we'd never left a place we had never even been to before. Another conundrum. Magic! The Villa offers a gourmet kitchen where we whipped up less-than-gourmet meals to dine alternative evenings in the enchanted setting, sometimes lucky enough to entice fascinating Eva to join us. The perfectly positioned hammock overlooking those gin-clear waters beckoned nearly every afternoon for reading and napping, or was it the other way 'round? More magic! The bedroom felt like a honeymoon suite with it's fabulous view of exquisite turquoise and sapphire waters. A memory that will long remain is of doing yoga looking at that spectacular view through outstretched toes and fingers. Magic! The beach below is so utterly private you start to feel as if you own the beach, the island, the world. Magic! The pictures of the Magic Castle truly do represent the Villa. But what neither pictures nor a thousand words can capture is the atmosphere, the feeling of being totally at home, yet of being whisked away to a place of enchantment, of well being, of, well, of magical living. The Magic Castle gave us a home base for a magical week in Paradise.

Owner response:Wow, Wow, Wow! What a Magical review! The best part of this business is meeting new friends like you!

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

Honeymoon Heaven

Guest: Tim (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 12/31/11 Review Submitted: 01/28/12

My wife and I recently stayed at Magic Castle for our honeymoon over the new year and we had the best time! The property and views far exceeded our expectations. The house was clean, very comfortable and felt very private. Our favorite beaches: - Little Bay: a short walk down the hill, very private and quiet - Smuggler's Cove: our favorite beach on Tortola on the north west end - Long Bay on East End by airport: Very close to the house, very fine sand and great swimming/snorkeling spot - Virgin Guorda day trip: explore the national park with snorkeling and the Baths (above ground caves) Favorite hang-outs: - Charlie T's Lobster house: delicious food at reasonable prices - Bananakeet cafe: sweeping views of the north end of the island. Great for happy hour and sunset! - Myette's: great happy hour and atmosphere, live music - Nancy next door to Eva has excellent sushi she makes fresh daily Favorite part about the house: - hammock! An amazing place to read, nap and take in the view of Little Bay and Guana Island Eva was a very gracious host. Her attention to detail was outstanding and her openness for our questions was much appreciated. We would stay here again in a heartbeat! Tim & Christine Seattle, WA

Owner response:Tim and Christine, Thank you so much for your wonderful review with appreciation and support! It was a delight to have you here for your honeymoon. I hope you will make it back another time. Perhaps for the anniversary! Wishing you the best year ever! Eva

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

Sally, Steve, and Rebecca enjoyed a relaxing vacation at Magic Castle

Guest: Sally (Alabama)
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/02/12

Magic Castle, was just that! A delightful place to spend our first ever "away from home at Christmas." Mornings spent in the hammock or chairs reading, watching sailboats, and the ever changing skies and usually welcomed visits from furry friends Rocket and Stanley...then to the beach, sometimes we had it all to ourselves, at Little Bay for more lounging and swimming... then a refreshing dip in the pool...evenings in the hot tub watching the stars... great sleeping with ocean breezes and the sound of surf. May sound boring to some, but we found it heavenly! The roads on Tortola require your full attention. We explored some, ate a couple of meals out but our favorite times were at the house and on the beach at Little Bay! Eva was a quiet, kind and delightful host with good suggestions on car rental, excursions, places to visit, grocery stores, etc. The best ideas were to have a sushi meal awaiting us on our arrival and a massage at Magic Castle, on the deck, the day after arrival. It is a beautiful, quiet spot on the island and we would recommend it to others and hopefully we will be lucky enough to return!

Owner response:Dear Ones, It was a delight to have you here! Next time I hope you will be able to enjoy some garden greens besides the string beans, lemon grass and Surinam cherries that were available then. The current guests are a young honeymoon couple enjoying the peacefulness. Thanks so much for the lovely review! Hope to see you again! Cheers, Eva

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

Outstanding vacation

Guest: Kim and Jake (Cleveland, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 01/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/31/11

We cannot speak highly enough about Magic Castle. Every detail and need that one could have for an unforgettable vacation on Tortola has been attended to! Beach towels (and chairs and body boards!) are provided… as well as coolers, etc. for a trip to any of the breathtaking beaches. Poolside, floats and plenty more towels. Thick, comfy robes are even made available – and are perfect to slip into after using the hot tub (loved the wonderful star gazing!) Every possible appliance is available in the kitchen – and the washer and dryer, while we didn’t use them, allowed for light packing! The fresh flowers throughout the villa were another wonderful touch! The master bedroom has a delightful breeze sweeping through that made for incredible sleeping! We are very well rested upon our return home. Staying at Magic Castle truly feels as if you are staying at the villa of a good friend who wants to ensure that your stay is a magnificent one! Eva is a wonderful hostess and there was no doubt in our minds if we had any questions or were in need of anything she would be there for us! Rocket, her dog, was such a sweetheart, and would occasionally stop in to soothe our hearts when we were missing our beloved pet back home in snowy Cleveland! Our three favorite locations: Little Bay Beach, (astonishingly beautiful – and quite often we were the only people there! Crystal clear water – heaven!) poolside catching sunshine and in that glorious hot tub in the evening! Bliss! We’d gladly stay with Eva and Rocket again! Cheers to you Eva! Thank you!

Owner response:Nothing makes me happier than to have thoroughly satisfied guests!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beyond Words

Guest: One Happy Family (Burlington, CT)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 10/11/10

We recently spent a week at the Magic Castle to celebrate our twins 21st birthday. There are no words to describe what a wonderful week we had. The location is ideal for a true escape. A little out of the way, with breathtaking views everywhere you look. The villa is very comfortable and well equipped. Eva has thought of everything. I have never felt more relaxed. Thank you Eva for helping us make this a memorable birthday for the “kids”. We all hope to return to this truly magical place.

Recommended for:

Space for the Soul

Guest: Aquaman (Central Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/24/10

The photos don't do justice to the Magic Castle, and the photos are pretty amazing. The numerous amenities listed on the property description are accurate. The grounds are extremely well kept and very clean as you enter this tropical paradise. As you drive up the driveway, you drive under a tropical canopy that protected our rental car from the sun. Eva parks her car in the sun so that guests have the benefit of the canopy covered parking. Magic Castle is extremely clean and well maintained inside and outside. The tropical flora setting adds to the ultimate beauty of the property. There are spectacular views from every spot on the property. Magic Castle sits atop Lambert Hill which provides the property with wonderful breezes to keep you cool day and night. The large ceiling fans and multiple screened doors and windows provide for a very comfortable atmosphere in which to relax and appreciate this natural setting. You actually live above the tropical canopy looking out over Little Bay across to Guana Island. Little Bay and its soft sand beach is located at the bottom of the hill from the property and is a beautiful secluded beach. My wife and I spent 2 hours snorkeling in Little Bay on one day alone. The gourmet kitchen is well appointed with all the major and even minor appliances. We loved using the huge kitchen island to prepare and eat our meals. All the appliances worked great. An added bonus was that the KitchenAid side by side refrigerator has a top of the line water filtration system attached to it; my wife and I drink copious amounts of water. This limited our expenses significantly so that we didn’t have to go out and buy bottled water. The Master Bedroom building is a place you must experience because words cannot adequately describe the beauty of this part of the property. Spectacular sunsets can be seen from the Master Bedroom toward Lambert Beach. Waking up in the morning to the beautiful turquoise waters below us was too good to be true. Eva is a wonderful property owner with a beautiful spirit; an authority on the island who provides a wealth of information whenever you need it. Eva is always available to help in any way you need with great advice and always with a warm smile. One of Eva’s best tips was for us to drive into Road Town and experience La Dolce Vida; the BEST Gelato we’ve ever eaten. Thank you Eva for a truly wonderful tropical vacation that we will cherish for years to come.

Owner response:Thank you, Aquaman, for the wonderful review. You covered it all! Eva

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

By far the best vacation

Guest: Helena & Michele (Toms River, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 04/03/10

My sister and I took our parents on a surprise 50th wedding anniversary and stayed at the Magic Castle. This was by far the best vacation and island we have ever visited. The home is amazing with the best beach right below us. The island has so much to see and the people are so friendly. Eva, the owner and manager is an angel. She gave us a number of recommendations for car rentals, we used Dede's Car Rental they met us at the airport and we followed him to the house. We ate at The Last Resort twice since the food was so good and the sites to see are just breathtaking. After driving the entire island we all concluded that "Little Bay" which is right below our house was by far the best beach. Eva, we have been told by people on the island that you are a legend, well respected and truly a great person and we must agree. We thank you for making this trip a special memory with our parents and the trip of a lifetime.

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

By far the best vacation

Guest: Helena & Michele (Toms River, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 04/02/10

My sister and I took our parents on a surprise 50th wedding anniversary and stayed at the Magic Castle. This was by far the best vacation and island we have ever visited. The home is amazing with the best beach right below us. The island has so much to see and the people are so friendly. Eva, the owner and manager is an angel. She gave us a number of recommendations for car rentals, we used Dede's Car Rental they met us at the airport and we followed him to the house. We ate at The Last Resort twice since the food was so good and the sites to see are just breathtaking. After driving the entire island we all concluded that "Little Bay" which is right below our house was by far the best beach. Eva, we have been told by people on the island that you are a legend, well respected and truly a great person and we must agree. We thank you for making this trip a special memory with our parents and the trip of a lifetime.

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

Guest: Mitch & Beth Harris (Boise, ID)
Date of Stay: 03/21/10 Review Submitted: 03/21/10

We spent the first week of March 2010 at Magic Castle. The house has a very peaceful feeling which made relaxing easy. We enjoyed the pool and hot tub daily as well as the incredible views with our morning coffee. Eva is a wonderful hostess who went above and beyond to make our stay a special one and her recommendations were spot on. We thank her for sharing her piece of paradise with us.

Recommended for:

Guest: Chris Kennedy (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 01/17/10 Review Submitted: 01/17/10

My husband and I and another couple stayed at the Magic Castle for the first week in December 09. We couldn't have been happier with our choice. Eva is a very gracious and knowledgeable hostess. The home has everything could possibly want including awesome views, a fully equipped kitchen, lovely outdoor dining area and brand new outdoor grill. My favorite was the master bedroom shower. The outer wall is fully screened so you have an amazing view. We were so happy there that we decided to eat in 4 of our 8 nights. Eva gave us great recommendations for the nights we dined out. We loved relaxing by pool with Eva's dogs, Brutus and Rocket. While Rocket may bark when you arrive, she is a sweetheart. The beach below is only a couple minutes away by car and truly seemed like it was private since every time we went we had it all to ourselves. There is good snorkeling on the left and cool caves to explore on the right. We absolutely plan to return!

Recommended for:

Guest: Joe McDonald (Glenwood, MD)
Date of Stay: 11/03/09 Review Submitted: 11/02/09

Magic Castle was absolutely amazing, the pictures don't even do it justice. We visited just prior to the start of the season and we had the entire bay to ourselves! The house, the pool, the hot tub, the view, I have never had a vacaction so relaxing in my life. I hope I am fortunate to visit again soon. Thanks for everything!

Recommended for:

Guest: joan martelli (New York City )
Date of Stay: 07/06/09 Review Submitted: 07/06/09

Staying at the Magic Castle is like a dream come true. The gorgeous and airy master bedroom, large kitchen with soaring ceilings, the wrap around deck with hot tub and the amazing array of flowers and trees around the property could not be more beautiful. The owner of the home, Eva, is an island treasure in her own right, a wonderful hostess, helpful and kind. My husband and I will never forget our wondrous week there.

Recommended for:

Guest: Elle and Rick (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 06/25/09

We stayed at Magic Castle on our honeymoon / babymoon in May 2009. The property is beautiful, the pictures are spot on. The views are wonderful and it's extremely quiet on this side of the island. The master bedroom was our favorite... the cross-breeze was cool and completely relaxing at night. Bruno, the super sweet dog that lives on the property, was actually a very good security system because the bedroom was unlocked. The kitchen had everything we needed to make breakfast daily. As Eva, the owner recommended, we packed light and did a load of laundry a couple of times during our 9 day stay, it was nice not having to pay the airlines for checking luggage. We brought our own snorkle masks, but used the flippers from the house - very good selection to choose from. The electricity, hot water and high speed internet worked perfect the entire time we were there. It was truly hard to come back to "reality" after our vacation.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/13/09

Magic Castle is truly Magical! The property is beautiful and the scenery spectacular. It was the most relaxing vacation I have ever had. Sitting in the hot tub watching the stars over the Carribean was an amazing experience. Eva was a wonderful! And Brutis and Splash made us feel right at home. We can't wait to go back!!!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/13/09

My husband and I enjoyed a lovely 10 days at the Magic Castle. Eva was a wonderful host. She was waiting for us at the airport when we arrived, arrnaged for a very honest car rental company and even fed my hungry husband upon our late arrival. Fresh flowers, a bottle of wine, beer and tonic were cold and waiting for us. Eva pointed us to good restaurants, diving shop and sailboat company. She was most gracious and kind. The house is just perfect. In fact the only pictures of our vacation that I actually printed were those of the house. We also loved the East End of the island. The gorcery store was just down the hill. The provate beach just down the driveway was just that - private. We look forward to visiting again. We enjoyed our hostess so much we took her to lunch the very last day.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/21/08

The Magic Castle and its mistress, Eva, are extraordinary. Even though we had of course checked the photos before renting, we were unprepared for just how beautiful the property actually is! The view is nothing short of breathtaking. We were sorry that we'd left so little time in our schedule to just "veg" at the house. The elevation provided not only wonderful vistas, but cooling breezes. We were able to comofortably sleep with the sliding doors surrounding the master bedroom open each night listening to the surf and tropical showers...incredibly refreshing. Eva was the perfect hostess...very gracious and accomodating but totally inconspicuous. I have to admit I was apprehensive about staying in a place while the owner was also on the property. My fears were unfounded. Plus, Eva is an engaging character with great local knowledge. We will stay here again!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

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

We stayed at the Magic Castle for our October 2008 honeymoon. Our stay was absoloutely perfect. The house is amazing on its own but also has beautiful postcard views from every room. It is well equipped for travelers. We had the beach to ourselves every day. The location of the house is also great because it is off the beaten path from the rest of the island. Eva was a kind and knowledgeable host and you would never even know she was there if you require a lot of privacy. The dogs were well behaved and were great company. I have rented homes on many islands and this was by far, my favorite. We could not have chosen a better place for our honeymoon. Jim and Kim Peace.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/29/08

The Magic Castle is the most romantic and beautiful spot on our planet! You could never find a more comfortable, private spot to run away to.The view from every room is spectacular. The Hostess was most wonderful. Thanks for my 3 weeks of heaven this year.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/02/08

We got married at magic castle. It was MAGIC ! Every thing was as promised and described, Eva gave us full privacy but was always there for us when needed. The beach below is just great (we had it for our self). The house is bigger than on the pictures, it is even more beautiful also ! I could keep gooing for pages and pages, but my english is not good enough. You'll have to go and try yourself !

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/21/08

We have stayed at Magic Castle for the last 3 years for our 2 week stay in the BVI. It is an amazing place. Gorgeous views, very private, comfortable, everything you could imagine for that perfect Caribbean getaway. Pool, beach, tropical breezes - everything is just right! Eva is a most gracious host and takes great pride in making sure you have the best vacation. You'll love it!

Recommended for: