Vacation Rentals by Owner

Spectacular View

Guest: Drew (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 12/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/09/12

The panoramic views from this magnificent property were extraordinary, the photos do not do the view justice. The pool offers maximum exposure for the sun which we really appreciate. The property manger and staff are very accommodating and are available whenever you need them. Both the inside and outside are clean and well maintained. Our family of six adults and two young children found the house very spacious, sunny, and comfortable. We stayed two weeks and we spent most of our days in and around the property. Obviously, we would highly recommend the property, Bob the owner and the staff.

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

Uh-Oh, now we're spoiled!

Guest: Couples Trip (Columbus, OH)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 10/02/11

I would agree with a previous guest... I do not know how we could return to St. Maarten and stay anywhere else! The villa was perfect for our tenth anniversary trip, and first ever trip to the island. The views were stunning, the location was perfect, and the villa itself was unbelievable! We were blown away by how well-suited the home is to make your vacation perfect. We didn't need anything but clothes for this trip- the kitchen has everything you would ever need to make all your meals at home. All of the friendly suggestions on where to go and what to do were so very helpful. The owners were a real pleasure to work with, and did all they could to make sure our trip was the special event we would have hoped for! Thank you! We will be back!!! Next time, we will have to bring some more of our friends that we have bragged to, so they can experience it first-hand...

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Beautiful (fully equipped and more) Villa

Guest: The Girls (York, PA)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/19/11

This villa is far and away the best place we have ever stayed on the island (and we've been around). The website was dead on with the views, list of amenities and description of the house. You literally can leave everything behind at home, throw in a bathing suit and couple of dinner outfits and you are good to go. The villa is itself beautiful, very comfortable and roomy enough for 10 people - even if it rains for an entire week. There are plenty of spacious rooms and balconies to accomodate the entire party but yet there is ample space for some individual down time if needed. Dawn Beach estates is a very nice development and this villa is a premier property. Dealing with the owners was a pleasure, they were extremely informative and flexible. If you are debating on renting this villa, debate no longer - do it!!!

Owner response:This is such a nice review, because I know they have stayed at other homes in Dawn Beach Estates, and now they are planning to come back to our home in the Spring! We are proud of our consistent 5 star ratings by guests over a number of years, and the wonderful comments they have made about our home! We think we offer the "finest" home in Dawn Beach Estates!

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

Breathtaking! Can't wait to return!

Guest: ETay (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/05/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

Wow! The pictures do not do this place justice. I have never been to St. Maarten and now I dont know if I can come back and NOT stay here! It was one of the most amazing views I have seen and I loved having all the doors open and feeling the breeze! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

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

First of Many Trips to SXM!

Guest: Cory (Destin, Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/04/11 Review Submitted: 07/13/11

My wife and I purchased this trip through a charity auction and were comfortable overpaying because the monies would benefit Children in Need. However, when we got to the Villa we were blown away by the amenities and appearance. it was extremely clean and well maintained. The photos are accurate but do not do the property justice. James the Property Manager was extremely helpful and navigated us from the airport to the grocery store to the Villa. The Views from the Villa are breathtaking but the location is the best part. you can walk to the Beach, to the Casino, and it is a short drive to the Oyster Pond marina. There a several great restuarants at the Marina such as "Big Fish", "Canoa", and "Daniel's by the Sea". If you charter a boat, I would highly recommend the 52' Power Catamaran named "St. Polly Girl". Our group bounced around the nearby islands and that day was one of the trip's highlights. Make sure to check out the tiny island of Pinel for great food and their famous frozen mojitos! I would also recommend "Aloha Restaurant" at Orient Beach. We plan to go back and stay in the same home as soon as we can arrange schedules.

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

The time of our lives!!!!

Guest: A SOUTHAMERICAN FAMILY (Montevideo, Uruguay)
Date of Stay: 06/03/11 Review Submitted: 06/29/11

we have just returned from 8 days in Sint Maarten where we stayed in the amazing Bob´s villa. As I´m not english native speaker is difficult to find the exact words to describe the beauty, comfort and all the amenities that the Villa offers: the house is so big. the distribution is excellent because the bedrooms are in the second floor and the kitchen, livingrooms, entertaining area and some of the wonderful terraces are in the third floor. the view is breathtaking in the whole villa. each bedroom has it own terrace and space in order to have some privacy when you are in group. it also has a very complete gym, that of course whe only use to take some pictures... and the pool... staying there with Dawn Beach lying under you is absolutely fantastic. Althoung Sint Maarten is amazing, leaving the house to go around was very difficult everyday, because once that we were by the pool, the only thing we want to do, was staying there!!! I took a picture of my feet by the pool, with the view, that is on my facebook profile now (not because my feet are particulary good looking...) the villa also has an elevator which is very helpful with luggage (always remember to check it before leaving the house because we forgot one bag inside it and we have to return from the airport to pick it up!!!). To resume, is the best house I´ve ever rented and thank´s God we have travelled a lot. we were on a family plan (7 adults and 2 kids). we are from Uruguay, south america and we decide to go there in order to celebrate my father´s 73rd birthday. And it was a wonderful decision. Bob was completely helpful and in all the details (there was a present for my father when we arrive to the house). James, the manager is absolutely friendly and very helpful too in order to give us what we need. as a resume of the house, my mother in law says: "it´s like the tv serie Dinasty. we were always waiting that Joan Collins appears from one of the rooms" thanks God it didn´t happen, but it is a good image of the type of home. Many thanks Bob! I wish I return soon, and of course I will go to your house again. I congratulate you for your house, your manner and James. You have an uruguayan friend now!!

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

Family vacation

Guest: Kim (Montreal, Qc. Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/15/11 Review Submitted: 04/25/11

We just came back from our wonderful week of vacation at the Bougainvillea Villa with the utmost satisfaction. The listing and photos do not do this home justice. The home is huge, with so many terraces, eating space,a beautiful pool and all the amenities you can think of. Bob was so nice and easy to deal with. The property Manager, James responded to all our questions and requests in a quick manner. All and all, we were extremely grateful that Bob shared his home with us. We surely would come back again.

Owner response:This family was a real challenge as they had 9 adults and 4 children. We were able to provide childrens air mattresses and a Pack 'n Play to accomodate everyone, and all went well! Their children were so well behaved, and we hope they will come back again soon! What a great family!!

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

Fun for families with young children

Guest: Mom of 2 (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 04/03/11 Review Submitted: 04/12/11

We just returned from a week at the villa for spring break (early April 2011). We were two families with kids aged 7, 5, 4, 3. We rented the house with 4 bedrooms and did not use the attached 5th bedroom. The villa is grand, comfortably furnished and immaculate. The kids loved all of the indoor space in which to play and spent lots of time enjoying the beautiful pool and balconies. The villa was very conveniently located, albeit by a bumpy access road, to the Dawn Beach/Oyster Pond area. We spent our days exploring and relaxing at the many nearby beaches -- Le Gallion, Dawn Beach, Pinel Island -- all of which were accessible without traveling through the busier Phillipsburg and Simpson Bay areas. We drove a little further to take the kids ziplining at Loterie Farm with a break for shopping and dining in Marigot, and also spent a little time at the Dutch lowland beach at Mullet Bay and the boardwalk/Front Street area in Phillipsburg. We tried Orient beach one day but it was too windy to stay; the breeze at the house was also sometimes brisk. The house manual provided terrific restaurant, shopping and excursion recommendations. The housekeeper was delightful and efficient and the house manager attentive and responsive - he even met us at the rental car pickup at the airport upon arrival and guided us back to the house. All in all it was a fantastic vacation and we would definitely return to St. Maarten and the villa.

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

Better than the Westin!

Guest: Lisa (Naperville, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 03/26/11 Review Submitted: 04/11/11

We had to choose between staying here and the Westin and thank goodness we pick VB. Our family of 5 (children aged 18, 16 & 11) rented this beautiful house with another family of 4 (children aged 12 & 13) for spring break and had an amazing time. We had visited SXM previously on a 1 day cruise and knew we wanted to be in the Oyster Pond area and this house was perfect. Beautiful, spectacular views, plenty of space and furnished with everything you could need including vonage phone service which was a nice bonus. As others have mentioned, the layout is great and allows for privacy and larger group gatherings both inside and outside. Bob was great to work with in booking the rental, and answering our questions, and you can rest assured that the pictures on the site are very accurate and current. The houses location is ideal, on the Dutch side but still very close to the French border and it is quite fast to get to wherever you want to go. James, the property manager was a tremendous help and assisted getting us to and from the airport and showed us the shortcuts to minimize our travel time. We spent several days down at Busby's, had excellent dinners at both Big Fish and Floaters where they were more than willing to accommodate our large group and also enjoyed the food and atmosphere at Mama Pizza. Orient Beach was great for people watching and yes, definitely take a boating excursion while you are on the island. We can't wait to come back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A vacation to remember...

Guest: Chris and Deb (Sparks, Maryland, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/18/11 Review Submitted: 03/04/11

My husband rented this house to celebrate my 50th birthday along with 8 of our closest friends. The heading Incredible Views is an understatment. I spent a lot of time on all of the decks overlooking Oyster Pond. It is truly breathtaking. The gentle and sometimes brisk breeze coming into the house was delightful. There was plenty of room for all our guest to socialize or to have some private time. We cooked several meals in and ate on the deck or in the dining area. Having the grill on the side patio was perfect as we enjoy cooking out. It was so relaxing to sit by the pool and gaze out over the ocean. The patio at the master bedroom was the perfect private setting to watch the beautiful sunrise every morning. My husband said Bob was very easy to work with and responded to his emails quickly. We spent a day or two touring the island visiting Orient Beach, Sunset Grill at Maho Beach. This is an amazing place, you have to go and watch the planes land. If you are feeling the need for adventure stand on the beach and watch the plane take off and feel the thurst of the engines. Avoid the larger planes or don't have your camera in your hand..you may just end up in the ocean. Our other days were spent at Busby's on the Beach. Beach chair, and umbrella for $5...Coors lights just $1. What more could you ask. Lunch could be ordered and eaten and the beach or you could go to the tables at the open air restaurant. In the evening Busby's becomes Daniel's by the Sea. Fabulous food breakfast, lunch and dinner. We became regulars. Our recommendation to anyone renting this house...rent the boat as well. We had the time of our lives on the St. Polly GIrl. What a beautiful boat! The captain, Pierre and first mate, Stan couldn't do enough for us to make our trip memorable. They were professional yet lots of fun! I highly recommend the boat. Thanks Bob and Polly for sharing your home and boat with us. This is a birthday celebration I will remember forever. Our group can't wait to come back for another visit.

Owner response:We knew how special the husband wanted to make his wife's 50th birthday surprise vacation, so we tried very hard to help in every way possible. Its never perfect, and things do break, like the icemaker stopped working, and one cable tv tuner croaked, but these things can be fixed. I really appreciate such a kind review, and we do hope they come back (surprise 51st birthday?)

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

away from it all

Guest: ann (leawood, kansas)
Date of Stay: 12/30/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/11

description was somehow accurate. lovely home, nicely decorated, extremely spacious with the exception of the secondary bedrooms that are adecuate for one small child. the property was clean. during our stay there were problems with the sewer and the pool filter. the owner did provide good customer service. the view from the home is fantastic. transportation is a must, not a walk to the beach or anywhere else.

Owner response:We appreciate our guests submitting this review. Our home IS a short drive within the property down to Dawn Beach, and a healthy walk if you're up to it. Unexpected problems do occur, and in this case the septic tanks became unknowingly full and had to be pumped without any repercussions for our guests. Pool filters wear out but are replaced by our pool service manager within a couple of days, again without interruption to our guests. Guests staying anywhere on St. Maarten need transportation to visit all of the beaches, restuarants, and shopping- we agree! We have two twin bedrooms which are smaller than the three master kings, but certainly adequate and nicely furnished, both with balconies and sea views- photos available. Most reviews from our guests are glowing and extremely complimentary! Because these particular guests scammed us and had three additional persons in their party sleeping on sofas that we found about, and because we had to charge them extra, they became disgruntled for the remaining days at our home! Nevertheless, we appreciate their 3 star rating even though our home is a 5 star !!

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway.

Return to Paradise

Guest: Hank (Grayton Beach Florida)
Date of Stay: 11/30/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

We first rented VB with 5 couples in the spring of 09 and we could not wait to gather another group and return to Paradise which we did in Dec 2010 for 10 days with knowledge to make this even a better experience. The house is everything you can ask for with the 5 bedrooms and baths each with private decks or balconies and other areas you can find for privacy. House is ideally located on the Dutch side very near the French Border to allow easy exploration of the entire island. You can easily spend the entire day at the house. The pool and BBQ area are beautiful and very relaxing enjoying refreshing beverages. views of other islands, meals, and rock garden. The property manager and staff were available and a tremendous help when needed and assisted to and from the airport and getting rental car. A rental car or van is suggested because there are so many places to go and see and food to be enjoyed. Working off the calories is made easier with a full self contained gym on the bottom floor next to the very private apartment with a king loft. Stayed in it in 09 and loved it. This year we gave our friends the Master Suite and king rooms and stayed in a twin bed room which exceeded our expectations for comfort. The kitchen, outdoor dining area off the kitchen, dinning room, living area, and TV and Bar are like one huge socializing space on the top floor is where much of the social interaction takes place in first class comfort. The kitchen seemed to have everything and we took advantage of it made some of the best meals with each couples cheffing expertise. The markets are convienant and have exceelent selections and quqlity food. Oyster Pond is below the house and has many restaurants and a small convience store. It also is the dock for the owners boat St. Polly Girl which we rented for a day. The Captain and mate could not do enough for us and helped make the day even more special. Went to St. Baarts early for brunch, shopping, and snorkeling. Ventured back and spent the afternoon exploring Orient Beach and then anchoring at Pinnel Island enjoying Rum Punches and a late afternoon meal. It was a beautiful fun day. On the other side of the island Grand Case is a must for lunch and a shopping day is a must. There are cruise ships on the Dutch side of the island so check on your shopping day to minimize the number of ships in port. Learned that the first trip. If you want St. Martins at it best VB is the HOUSE. We will be back next year.

Owner response:I need this group to write my ads!! Thank you so much for that fine review, and we look forward to having your group come back soon (for the third time!).

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

Best place I have ever been!

Guest: Jane (Santa rosa beach, florida)
Date of Stay: 10/08/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

This house is amazing and we actually had the time of our life! We were there with 3 other couples and had plenty of room. The pool has amazing view of St. Barts and kitchen is over the top! I recommend buying groceries and staying in because I need not see a more beautiful place on the island!

Owner response:I understand these guests may be coming back soon, and I recommended they charter our 52' power catamaran for a day trip to St. Baarts for some serious shopping!!

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

What a Location!

Guest: MJC (Janesville, WI)
Date of Stay: 06/29/10 Review Submitted: 02/17/11

The views at this villa are truly breathtaking! We especially loved the pool and BBQ area. The house is HUGE, perfect for couples or groups. So many separate living areas that you will have plenty of privacy. I love to cook and the kitchen is gorgeous. Top of the line everywhere. Owner, property manager and housekeeper very easy to deal with and helpful. We are cat lovers and fell in love with "Biscuit", one of the "visitors" and there was a litter of kittens that were adorable! A spectacular property, to be sure! July, 2010

Owner response:Thank you so much for your review! Considering that you rented our home for 2 weeks, I consider your response a real compliment! Come back soon!

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

A week in paradise

Guest: Lisa (Landisville, PA)
Date of Stay: 04/16/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

This villa is the perfect rental for groups who like a beautiful home away from home. Top of the line furnishings and very tasteful decor. Kitchen is very well stocked and a pleasure to cook in. Everyone associated with the rental is very professional and courteous. Views from the pool are great. Cooling breezes always...Will definately rent again! The vonage phone service is an unusual and welcome benefit if your cell phones aren't cooperating.

Owner response:Our guests love having the Vonage line, as they can call home, or family and business associates can call them, as much as they like, and it doesn't cost anything. Thanks for this review!

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