Vacation Rentals by Owner

Top notch beach vacation

Guest: PatsyT (Calgary, Alberta)
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 04/01/12

My husband and I and our 2 teenagers loved our stay in this lovely condo. It is comfortable and well kept and the beach out front was perfect. We walked down the beach to the resorts and noted that the beach in front of this condo in Riviera Towers is much better than the resort beach, and not overrun with bodies. We rented a car and drove to Lucaya Nation Park and enjoyed the beach there, and also drove to Deadman's Reef for a day of snorkeling. We recommend Red Beard's for a casual dinner and Luciano's for a special night out. Make sure you drive to Pier One restaurant in Freeport Harbour to eat a nice meal and watch them feed the sharks off the balcony at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. It is fascinating. Diana who owns the condo is most helpful and responded to all questions promptly. The only problem we had was that we could not connect to her wifi and had to "borrow" the wifi service from someone else who did not protect it with a security code. Overall, an excellent vacation because of the condo and the use of a car. We rented from KSR.

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

Lovely Vacation Condo

Guest: Maureen & Steve (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 02/01/12 Review Submitted: 03/01/12

We recently returned from three great weeks at the Riviera Towers. This condo was exactly as it appears in the photos and video. The unit was tastefully decorated, and the furniture and beds were very comfortable. We prepared many meals and really appreciated the ample counter space. The view of the sea and beach below was absolutely stunning, and we watched cruise ships (and the occasional stingray) sail by. The beach is wonderful for taking long walks, building sand castles, or just lazing in the sun. The Lucaya Marketplace is a 15-20 minute stroll from the condo, has cafes, restaurants and some great ice cream shops! Diana was very easy to work with and readily answered our questions. The entire Riviera Towers facility and grounds are well-maintained and very attractive. We heartily recommend this condo.

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

Maurizio & Francesca, Venice, Italy

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/19/11 Review Submitted: 02/25/12

We just came back from a one month vacation in Diana's apartment. The vacation has been perfect, we wanted to relax in a paradise and that is exactly what we found. The apartment is located in the best location of the splendid Lucaya beach.You are just a 15 min walk to the Lucaya market so you don't really need a car if you like to walk. Only the Supermarkets are a little far so you need to have a way of tranportation (we rented a scooter for the month). The apartment is spacious and very bright but the best feature is the view of the beach from the living room and bedroom windows. It is just beautiful to wake up and look at the beach and the ocean. This apartment is perfect for one couple or for up 3/4 people. The kitchen is well equipped and perfect to cook any type of meal at home but if you don't feel like cooking, you can just take the elevator and have a great lunch or dinner at the coral reef restaurant just below the house. Grand Bahamas is wonderful, beautiful beaches (Pelican Point was our favoured) and the most friendly people we ever met. I would love to beback one day and spend another vacation here.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway.

A WEEK TO REMEMBER

Guest: BIBI (FRANCE)
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 11/08/11

THIS CONDO WAS MUCH MORE THAN WE EXPECTED. THE VIEW, THE LOCATION, THE AMENITIES. IT IS VERY WELL EQUIPPED AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING. THE BEACH IN FRONT THE PROPERTY IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOU FEEL IT IS YOURS. THE WATER IS CLEAR AND THE COLOR CHANGING FROM THE BLUE TO THE TURQUOISE. DIANA IS VERY EASY TO WORK WITH AND VERY QUICK TO ANSWER YOUR E MAILS. IT IS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER. YOU CAN FIND AT LUCAYA, WHICH IS ABOUT 15 MINUTES WALK FROM THE CONDO ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF RESTAURANTS, BUT FOR US THE BEST FOOD IS AT LUCIANO'S ( OPEN ONLY DOR DINNER). YOU FIND ON THE ISLAND , BESIDES SNORKELING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CONDO, ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES FROM HORSEBACK RIDING ON THE BEACH, TO TOUR OF THE ISLAND IN JEEPS OR BICYCLING, DEEP SEA FISHING, BOOZE CRUISES, GOLFING OR JUST WALKING THE UNBELIEVABLE BEACHES OF THE ISLANDS.

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

Great rental!

Guest: family adventure (Charlottesville, VA)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/19/11

The spectacular views say it all! Our stay at Diana’s condo was wonderful. It is newly decorated, comfortable, tiled, very clean and supplied with anything you need. The pictures are accurate. The ocean/pool views are lovely, plus the view from the front gives you a panoramic view of Freeport. Riviera Towers is well kept by Leroy, the all-around nice handy man. We loved the location, walking distance down the beach to the Lucayan market place which is the hub of activity, including restaurants, shops, a central stage with live bands/dancing, and sign-ups for our favorite “booze cruise”. The Greek restaurant is a “must” for lunch – surprise for us, but excellent. We rented a car for the week ahead of time, and were glad we did mainly because we could plan our own excursions. But public transportation is close, and can be used for most things. We went to Paradise Cove on the west end of the island to snorkel, and enjoyed seeing that end of the island. Dinner watching the hourly feeding of the sharks at Pier One Restaurant (great food too) on the west side is a MUST…numerous 10 ft. bull sharks feeding right below the outdoor balcony ( request the 2nd floor), followed by a tropical sunset and ships leaving port. Beautiful. The beach at Lucaya National Park is worth a visit – wide beach with shallow tide pools, different shades of blue/green water better than any photograph. On Thurs evening during the summer there is a Junkanoo Festival at Taino beach with numerous booths of food and an insight into local culture. Adult beverages served in a fresh coconut and Bahamas’ Kalik beer were a plus at the end of the day anywhere we went! I highly recommend renting this unit as Diana was so easy to work with, responded quickly to emails, and was very helpful – much different than renting from a real estate company. Plus the rates were more reasonable than renting on the east coast of the US, even factoring in airfare.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Great condo....great vacation!

Guest: Steve and Jill (Brentwood, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/05/11 Review Submitted: 06/21/11

Thank you again, Diana, for sharing your home with us. It was very clean and comfortable and had everything we needed for our family of four. I definitely watched the ocean for hours from both the bedroom and the sitting area. We saw huge rays swimming by, and one day even saw dolphins. The beach out front is perfect. We snorkeled right off the beach numerous times, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We took day trips to Paradise Cove and Lucayan National Park. The walk down to the Port Lucaya Marketplace was easy (and beautiful). We really appreciated your quick response to emails, and all the advice about the island. Thank you again for everything!

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

magnificent views

Guest: Pippen (Bainbridge, Ohio USA)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 05/23/11

The condo was everything pictured and advertised. It was a pleasure dealing with Diana for the rental of the condo. She was very helpful and patient working with our schedule. The views are splendid and the sea breeze was wonderful. I was traveling with my 69 year old Mother who has had double knee replacement and she had no trouble walking the beach to Port Lucaya. The staff at the building was very helpful and friendly. This is the perfect place to stay for the most relaxing vacation you will ever have!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

A lovely home away from home

Guest: Andrew (New York City)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 04/27/11

We loved Diana's clean, nicely decorated condo with those gorgeous views of the ocean. We were lulled to sleep every night with the sounds of the ocean and found her cozy but still spacious two-bedroom a perfect place as a base to explore the rest of Grand Bahama Island. We went to the fish fry at Smith's Point, Lucayan Park twice (a beach to die for) and my wife and I sort of crashed a bonfire at Smith's Point later in the week. Loved having the pool/beach combo for our kids to mix up the experience. Overall a great place to relax and leave the world behind. Thank you, Diana!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

A Home Away From Home

Guest: Brian & Eve (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/02/11 Review Submitted: 04/09/11

My family and I have just returned from a week at this lovely location. The property was found to be exactly as described in both photo and text formats. Dealing with the owner (Diana) was extremely easy and she was very helpful, patient and considerate in responding to all our questions and concerns. I would highly recommend this property even at the risk of jeopardizing its availability to us for future adventures. Visits to the local Port Lucaya Market, the National Park and Paradise Cove are a must. Even though it may be somewhat of a challenge (for most) adjusting to driving on the opposite side of the road, I strongly suggest renting a vehicle for a portion, if not all, of your stay. We found that it paid for itself in a short period of time versus using the local transit systems. (We used Millie's!) Thank you Diana for a memorable Caribbean get-a-way!

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

Wedding Anniversary Trip (March 2011)

Guest: Pam and Bob (Illinois)
Date of Stay: 03/18/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

Diana's place is the best kept secret in the Carribean! Everything about this vacation spot was perfect! The condo was clean and comfortable, with so many wonderful updates! The pictures don't do it justice! The view was amazing from the sitting area and the bedroom, both overlooking the pool and beach! We had the windows open all night long, listening to the sound of the waves as we slept! We have never stayed on a more beautiful stretch of beach. You can walk for a mile in either direction, and it is unspoiled, white, powder sand against the turquoise blue water! Breath taking! The location of the Riviera Towers is perfect. Just a 10-15 minute walk to the Market Place for food, shopping, and entertainment. The Coral Beach bar and grill is right next door and offered good food and entertainment as well. We rented a scooter for 3 days so we could explore more of the island, but otherwise we enjoyed every minute spent at this amazing beachfront paradise! We will definitely be going back!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

As Advertised!

Guest: Terry and M.J. (Nova Scotia)
Date of Stay: 02/15/11 Review Submitted: 02/28/11

We were pleased in every way with our stay here. You could not ask for a better beach, to start with. The sand was fine and white, the water warm and clear. We snorkeled here every day. The condo was even more than we hoped for. Our livingroom overlooked the beach and the rhythm of the crashing waves put us to sleep each night and greeted us each morning. The kitchen has everything you need for dining in, if you don't feel like making the stroll down the beach or road to the outdoor market, which has several nice restaurants. Our bedroom was great: king size bed and ensuite bath. The boys bedroom had two twins and a bathroom right across the hall. Dining area was nicely located between kitchen and livingroom with a convenient desk which served as a central spot for our laptop. It didn't take long for this place to feel very much like home. If you're coming for a week, I would recommend pre booking a rental car. The rates are as low as $35- 40 dollars a day this way. We rented twice for day trips, once to the west end for a snorkel at Paradise Cove and once to the east end to Gold Rock beach. I'd recommend both. The rate for a single day rental was $75, including insurance, from Mr. Bowe, the scooter guy at the market. He has a few cars and the rental is 24 hours, so you can get a lot of things done, if you time your rental right. Everyone on this island is friendly, helpful and full of interesting information which they are eager to share. This is a wonderful place to relax.

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

Very Peaceful and Relaxing!

Guest: Mandy (Jacksonville, FL)
Date of Stay: 07/30/10 Review Submitted: 08/12/10

We had such a great time! Normally, our vacations are crowded with lots of people and we feel rushed during the vacation. Boy, was this a contrast! We had the pool to ourselves almost every day. There were only a handful of people on the beach, so we really felt as if we were the only ones there! I have two small children that came along with us, so it was nice to have lots of room in the condo! Diana's pictures are "what you see, is what you get," and exactly as described. Beautiful condo, overlooking the pool and beach. So many positive attributes! To give a fair review, the only downfall was that the condo did not have central heat & air. The air unit felt great while in the main room, but the master bedroom stayed a little warm. However, we did stay in July. Other than that, the property manager on the location was extremely nice, even offering to drive us to Port Lucaya one day while we were waiting for a taxi! We sincerely enjoyed our stay, and would recommend it to everyone! Thanks Diana ;)

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

Guest: Al Neuser (Somers CT)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/13/10

Feb 2-9, 2010 – We’re frequent vacationers at the Riviera Towers. The towers are very well maintained and clean. We’ve always enjoyed our stay there. Had a larger group this trip and needed to expand. We were very lucky to find Diana’s condo and very impressed with the remodeling that she did. Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining area really makes a big difference in the layout.As usual, we did our daily trip to Lucaya for food, fun, shopping and entertainment. Used the bus system on the island to get around. It's great, $1.25 and they pretty much take you anywhere. The bus stop is on the corner, right down the street. The drivers were all very nice and every time dropped us off at the door instead of the bus stop when we returned with our hands full from shopping. Did the fish fry one night, I think it's Wednesday (always the same night each week), and met some nice people, both local and non-local. Good food and entertainment.Diana, your condo is very nice and very accommodating. You really did a nice job decorating and our friends who stayed in another unit along with a couple of ladies we met this trip were all were very impressed. I know one of the ladies took your contact information from the message board.Again, can't say enough; great condo, location, people and a lot of fun. Can't wait to get back again and hopefully stay even longer next time.

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Guest: joan C. (Smithtown, New york)
Date of Stay: 08/28/09 Review Submitted: 08/28/09

My Husband, brother and wife stayed for one week. August 8th thru aug. 15th. Riviera condos were lovely, Diana was great, Leroy the building manager was very helpful. The beach and pool were clean and beautiful, and a short walk or swim down the beach took you directly to Port Lucaya where it was all "happening". The best part were the friendly, lovely people who owned or rented at the riviera, we truly felt like we were at our home away!

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Guest: Jim Woltman (Plainfield, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/04/09

My family of five spent 3 wonderful weeks in The Riviera Towers condo in July. The unit is very clean and everything that you could possibly think of is provided in the unit. The beach was like fine flour and the pool was excellent and deep enough for diving. If you snorkel, there is a head of coral the size of a small boulder 200 yds right in front of the property that had at least 12 different species of vividly colored fish. The location is amazing and very easy to get to and from. You are no more than 15 minutes from all shopping, most restaurants, and even the airport. Our Lucaya, the harbor, numerous shops, and many restaurants are literally a 3 minute drive from the property. Diana, the owner was very easy to work with and her prices were quite fair and reasonable. The owners even provided us with a link to their own personal photo album to help us really see what it was really like. We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again, the property was peaceful, safe, and relaxing. We would be more than happy to answer any questions about our stay, just send us an e-mail. Jim and Melissa Woltman

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Guest: Aprille1 (Iowa City, IA)
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 06/06/09

We had a wonderful stay in the Riviera Towers condo. The owner was very easy to work with and helpful; she even accommodated a last-minute date change when our flights unexpectedly changed. The condo itself was lovely--very modern kitchen, nice furnishings, and lots of little "extras" (like a hair dryer, beach towels, plenty of cookware and dishes). The beach was lovely, not crowded, and couldn't possibly be any closer. The pool was really nice too. I would without hesitation rent this unit again.

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Guest: Philip Nestor (Accord,N.Y.)
Date of Stay: 03/03/09 Review Submitted: 03/03/09

Our family stayed at this beautiful beach front apatment during the Christmas holiday.What a great vacation home!The master bedroom and living room face the ocean.Everyday we would walk 15 minutes on the beach [with the clear turquiose waters] down to where there are a few hotels.Here the kids could ride the banana boat,ride a jet ski or do para sailing while my wife and I sat on the beach with out conch salad and Bahama Mama! There is also a very nice pool at the apartment just before the beach.We also had a great time snorkeling among the coral reefs at Paradise cove and the kids went swimming with Dolphins at the Unexsco diving school a Port Lucaya.The apartment was tastefully furnished and the beds were very comfortable.The kitchen was modern and had everything we needed when we decided on some nights to eat in.The food market is a short bus or taxi ride from the apartment.At Port Lucaya there are a number of good restuarants that we all enjoyed.I would recommend this apartment to anyone looking for a romantic getaway and/or a great place to bring the whole family.The owner of this apartment was very friendly and accomodating too.We hope to go back again in the future.

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Guest: Cindy Seigel (Mifflinburg, PA)
Date of Stay: 02/27/09 Review Submitted: 02/27/09

My husband and I stayed Feb 20 through Feb 24, 2009. The condo is as described. The ninth floor gives you a beautiful view of the ocean and beach and we were able to see the sun setting. Just a 15 min walk on the beach to the Sheraton/Weston resort and the straw bars and a few more minutes to the market place and casino. Friendly and helpful neighbors. The weather was cooler when we were there, so we didn't use the swimming pool, but it is all nicely kept and maintained. The interior is new and nicely maintained and all the comforts of home. We rented a car because we wanted to see the other parts of the island, however if you planned on stayed local, buses and taxis are available. I highly recommend this property and will use it again if we get back to GBI. The owner has been upfront, helpful with info and communicated with us. Thank you

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Guest: Pam Green1 (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/24/08 Review Submitted: 11/24/08

This is the most relaxing place! The condo is perfectly clean and tidy with wonderful views of the Caribbean and beaches right in front of the condo. You can walk along the white sand beach and calm blue ocean to (about 15 minute walk) or taxi/drive to the Port Lucaya area for many different dinner/lunch choices and activities. We loved our walks on the beach to Port Lucaya each day, swimming right in front of the condo in the clear waters, eating at so many great restaurants (fancy to very very casual), swimming with dolphins, snorkeling, and deep-sea fishing. This condo was located just far enough away from the busy hotels but close enough to walk to whatever we needed!

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