Vacation Rentals by Owner

Lovely Stay

Guest: AY j. (2741 Westchester Dr., East Point, GA 30344)
Date of Stay: 04/24/12 Review Submitted: 05/07/12

We made our reservations late but the property manager was able to book us. We had been before. We had a lovely stay, everthing was clean and perfect for our stay. We were told before hand that there was construction going on around the house by the city but that did not cause any problems.This house is great because it sits directly on the beach and easy to get to other places.The house was clean and the maid service we received was great. We spent alot of time in the home and really think it is a very good place to stay. We are planning to visit again this November.. We had a party of 14 and all enjoyed the stay..... we love the Sandpiper

Recommended for:

Good, Bad and Ugly

Guest: Colleen T.
Date of Stay: 03/31/12 Review Submitted: 05/06/12

The Good, location was as described and worked out for us as we were a large group of adults all over the age of 56 and had also rented another house next door. The Bad, when we arrived at 3:00PM per agreement, cleaning lady was still working, while her daughter sat on couch in living room watching TV, by 7:00 we finally helped her finish making the beds and laundry just so she would leave. The house was still filthy, rugs stained, appliances old, kitchen cabinets dirty, water dispenser not working, pool not in working condition. Power went out for several hours one day, cleaning lady finally came after issue had been resolved, no contact with owner all week. Luckily we only had to use this house to sleep in, we spent all our time next door The Ugly, large hole in wall of bathtub in upstairs bathroom, cockroach found in second floor masterbath (we understand bugs in the Caribbean but not cockroaches ) furniture in such rough condition we didn't even sit on it, phone call from IRS at 7:00 AM looking for owner. When we tried to get our security deposit back, the owner claimed that she was missing 6 beach towels and saw the tenants next door using them. After much back and forth w/ owner of Shangri La no towels were found. Just an excuse to keep security deposit. So if you rent this house be aware that security will probably be part of rent. That it looks like a house that is rented by college kids, certainly not a luxury rental as described and is not being maintained. Check dates on reviews, most good reviews are from awhile ago, property has gone downhill since. We were very lucky to have rented next door otherwise trip would have been a disaster

Owner response:This family rented the house next door and while renting both houses they remove many of the Sandpiper items and took to the house next door. The housekeeper noted that they had removed all the beach towels, the housekeeper asked them to ensure they returned, however they left all the towels somewhere. We have never been able to get the towels back. When we asked the renter to speak to the people at the other house she failed to do so. Again they had no complaints until I requested the towels or payment for the towels. These are very large towels and were designer towels. The lights went out from the city and I had no control of the city working on a generator. They called around the Island telling people they were in the dark, but never called the numbers they were given to call. I sent the housekeeper there to advise them that it was a city problem, also a local realtor who had been called by this group called me to state that he went by the house to check on them but he never got any sense from them because they were drinking.I spoke to someone in the house and she was not clear what the problem was.I left several messages but never called back.If the place was so bad why didn't we hear from them while they were there or after they got home. We hear the negatives after I requested payment for the towels they lost..... this is called accountability. I had never told this person her entire deposit would be taken, I stated that I would adjust by amount equal to the depreciation of the towels.

Recommended for:

Excellent Home

Guest: AY j. (2741 Westchester Dr., East Point, GA 30344)
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 05/07/12

I wrote the owner a letter thanking for our nice stay at the vacation home, however, I failed to write a review sharing our enjoyment of our stay. We had a lovely time while there, the house is on the beach, the house was exceptionally clean and was as shown in the ad.We travelled with our 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren, we are a well travelled family and have this as a stay again. Upon our arrival there were workers on the property but we requested them to leave and the owner was great about having them to leave.We also lost the remote to the gate and a set of keys, they were replaced immediately and we were not charged from our deposit .Before our arrival we requested grocery shopping and we were not charged a fee for the shopping, all the food was put up wating for us, cold beverages etc. We had the housekeeper there frequently to clean and wash. The house is a great place for vacation and very peaceful and clean.......we had a great time and will go again.

Recommended for:

Excellent Home

Guest: AY j. (2741 Westchester Dr., East Point, GA 30344)
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 05/07/12

I wrote the owner a letter after our stay thanking for our stay, however failed to share our enjoyment of the home. We had a good time while there and the home was exceptionally clean. The house was having some repairs but the owner was kind enough to have the workers to leave at our request. We walked the lovely beach everyday and the kitchen was nicely equipped. We were able to have all of our food items purchased for us before we arrived at no fees, the staff was able to purchase all the items and put away.The house sits on the beach We are well travelled and this home stands out as a place we will visit again. Matter of fact my son lost the remote and keys, but we were not charged for the replacement.The stay included myself and spouse and our adult children and our grandchildren who all had a great time. We select a place each year to visit and we all voted to add this house for a revisit..... thanks to the housekeeper and her kindness showed my grandchildrens while we were there.....

Recommended for:

Great Place clean house!!

Guest: AY j. (2741 Westchester Dr., East Point, GA 30344)
Date of Stay: 03/21/12 Review Submitted: 05/07/12

We stayed at the Sandpiper in March,2012 and had a lovely time. This was our third stay and had a great time. The house was exceptional clean and the staff as alway good people. We are a family of 12 and this house is good for big families. The beach is directly behind the house and there is a large patio that makes for great lounging. The kitchen was well equipped. The beach towels are great and very larger than hotel type towels.... we enjoyed ourselves and plan a visit in November 2012.

Recommended for:Families with young children

LOVE this beachhouse!

Guest: Sal B.
Date of Stay: 02/27/12 Review Submitted: 05/23/12

My family and I loved this home! The location could not be better, we pretty much walked everywhere! When we weren't out exploring we enjoyed this great home and the beautiful beach behind. The beach is even more beautiful than the pictures. The house was clean and the staff was very helpful during our stay. We experienced a power outage, but there is a lot of construction going on there so it was no big deal, it was just another excuse to enjoy the beach! We had realistic expectations going to the Bahamas - we researched and we knew that it was not going to be like what we have at home, but when we got there we were pleasantly surprised. We also read the ratings on this home before arriving and to be honest we were hesitant, however when we got there everything was better than expected - so I am not sure if a lot has changed since the other ratings but this house definitely doesn't deserve a negative rating - it was great and we hope to go back soon! Thank you for sharing your wonderful home!

Recommended for:

Bad, Bad, Bad Experience

Guest: David L. (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 01/09/12 Review Submitted: 04/11/12

We visited Sandpiper in early Jan. 2012. We called the house the morning of check-in to see if we could drop our bags off early. The woman answered promptly and said to wait 1 hour, and then go to the house, where the cleaning lady would be there to let us drop off the bags. We waited over 1 hour – and 2 of us took a cab to the house with luggage for 9 people. When we got there, the gate was locked, and there was no one around. We ended up dropping our bags over the front wall, then left, because we did not have a rental car and did not want to lug everything back to the hotel in an expensive cab ride. When we got into the house, we noticed many things wrong: - A lot of the furniture in the house is worn and in disrepair – our daughter sat on one chair and it completely fell apart underneath her, dropping her to the ground; the arm of another chair in the dining room came off as we were eating dinner -The support beam outside the patio sliding door was completely torn off at the top – the first night when it was windy the beam kept hitting the house -Wiring going into the air conditioners and in the laundry room is exposed -One of the upstairs bathrooms had a large hole in the wall – no one wanted to use it -The bathroom in the cottage was dirty -The kitchen faucet was loose -The lounge chairs outside on the patio were old and ripped - there were 2 usable lounge chairs -DVD player didn't work -Some of the patio tiles by the pool were cracked -The balcony outside 1 of the upstairs bedrooms was filthy, right after we checked in and the cleaning lady had left -The carpet in the master bedroom had large stains, we put a runner over 1 of them to cover it so we wouldn’t step on the stain -The kitchen appliances were old -Broken dishes/coffee mugs in the kitchen -Many of the pots and pans are rusted This house is very old and not kept up. The owner lives in the U.S. and does not seem to want to acknowledge there are many problems. If you do choose stay there, take the time to document all of the damaged items on day 1, take pictures of it and discuss it with the owner before you leave. We found this out the hard way when the owner refused to return our security deposit, stating that we broke a chair (the one that fell apart when our 120-pound daughter sat on it). We tried to dispute it, but the owner (an attorney in Atlanta) kept all of the deposit - no receipt given as to the cost of the chair repairs. When we told the owne

Owner response:This group's negative evaluation is based upon something other than the property.They stayed at the Sandpiper with no complaints until I asked about a broken chair that happen during their stay. The rental agreement clearly states if you find anything broken while staying at Sandpiper to notify the Property Manager. They notified no one of such, furthermore, the chair was a main chair from the dining room. They hid the chair and covered with blankets. I was informed by the housekeeper the chair was used in a confrontation in the house.Not only was the chair broken in many parts it had many splinters not just from a break.The person who attempted to repair the chair stated he thought the chair had been hit against something, like a wall because all of the splinters.Once I brought this to their attention I was told I would receive a letter from their attorney. I received a threaten letter from a lady with a different last name stating she was representing this person. She held herself out as his attorney.When I read the letter I knew she was not an attorney. I checked and found she was a secretary in a law firm. She had written on their letterhead to threaten. While her husband was writing letters caling me --- head and that I was like his ex wife, a b----. The couple was unaware that we have a law firm. Because his wife held herself out as an attorney I informed her I was reporting her for such. They called their mastercharge card and disputed the charge that they stayed at the Sandpiper and disputed the entire amount. The card company honored their request. They are anger because of the statement I made to the wife about her holding herself out as an attorney. The house is not as they described.

Recommended for:

Toes in the Water

Guest: Anita K.
Date of Stay: 12/27/11 Review Submitted: 01/19/12

We had a wonderful week in the Bahamas and at the Sandpiper. We had some complaints about the house, especially for the amount of money we had to pay between Christmas and New Year. So I will get those out of the way first: The inside of the house was not clean, the pool was not clean or usable and was not fixed until Friday (we arrived Tuesday), we paid for but never received a day of cleaning and changing linens, we asked for burned out lightbulbs to be replaced and they were not, there were many weeds on the beach, our calls with questions or for assistance were not returned and the kitchen appliances have seen better days. Despite these complaints, we had a great time. The location of the house is perfect with a bus right outside the door. The veranda and Sea view is amazing. Swimming right off our veranda was very pleasant. We were pleasantly surprised with a spectacular fireworks display at midnight on December 31st. The barge shooting the fireworks was right out from our veranda. The Junkanoo parades that began at midnight on January 1 and lasted until 11:00 am the 2nd were fabulous. (Some of us were there at night and some the next morning.) The people of the Bahamas are delightful, friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the casinos, a day of snorkeling on the other side of the island, eating out, taking long walks and just hanging out at the Sandpiper. It was a very memorable vacation with dear friends in paradise!

Recommended for:

Great family getaway!

Guest: Charlene (Barrie, ON, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 03/24/11

We had an amazing time at the Sandpiper! It was the most relaxing vacation ever. We had 8 kids and 8 adults in our group. Being on the beach was great. The kids loved being able to go play on the beach and then go for a swim in the pool whenever they wanted, without any hassle! We enjoyed going for walks along the beach and snorkeling right out front of the house! Many eagle rays and stingrays came in the bay around sunset which was a beautiftul sight! The bay was calm and shallow enough, that we never worried about the kids playing in the water! We had a problem with one of the ceiling fans when we first got there and within an hour someone had come and totally fixed it! We have already talked about going back to the Sandpiper again!!!

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

Beachfront Bliss

Guest: Alexis (Beverly Hills, California)
Date of Stay: 11/15/10 Review Submitted: 11/28/10

We love the Sandpiper! My girlfriends and I took a trip to the Bahamas to get away for a long weekend and it was the best weekend we have had in a long time. We pretty much stayed on the beach the whole time, relaxing with our Bahama Mamas and laptops (wireless internet) :) !! The house had everything that we needed, we brought way too much stuff - next time we will literally only bring clothes, everything else was there! Dishes, pots/pans, washer and dryer, linens, towels, cable, wireless internet, and vonage! Everything was clean and in working order! The listing/website was accurate and it was everything and MORE than what was described. We used their grocery pick up service so all of our groceries were delivered right to the house! It's close to everything, we jet skied everyday right down the beach from the house. We were close to the Cable Beach hotels so we ate at their restaurants (Black Angus Grille and went to Starbucks all the time!) it was only about a 10 minute walk. There was also a great daiquiri shop in walking distance too! We also caught the bus everywhere we went and the best part is it's only $1.25 to ride and we got on it right outside the gate of the house! We took it downtown, to the zoo, the fish fry and everywhere else! We also snorkeled right outside the house and saw conch's, star fish, and awesome coral! I have recommended this house to all of my friends and asked the property manager for more business cards so that I could pass them out to friends! We will definitely be back! Highly recommend!!!!!

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Absolutely Amazing!

Guest: Julianna (Jupiter Island, FL)
Date of Stay: 10/19/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/10

My family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children) stayed at the Sandpiper. The house was very clean (linens, towels, kitchen, everything), fresh, bright, well maintained & the staff was friendly and helpful! It was wonderfully situated right on a beautiful beach, we sat out there all day and sat out by the pool at night. My kids played in the water and swam in the pool every day and my husband and I walked on the beach every morning! The water is calm and clear and I could see the kids right from the patio while they played on the beach.We walked to the Cable Beach hotels and gambled in the casino, ate at the restaurants, went jet skiing and got out hair braided right on the beach! We enjoyed the house so much (All Clad cookware for cooking, wireless internet and Maytag washers and dryers); we even canceled a day of activities because we wanted to stay around the house. We didn't need a car because of the central location, which saved us a lot. We cooked out on the beach side patio every night and even cooked the conch we caught while snorkeling right behind the house! We enjoyed every minute of our stay and have already reserved for our next trip in 2011. We love the Sandpiper and can't wait to get back!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

No AC, Bugs, Dirty Towels/Linens

Guest: Lee (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 11/12/10

In general, we found the owners unresponsive and difficult to work with. We had a less than enjoyable stay and would not recommend others to use this property. Below are the on-site problems we encountered: * No working AC * Foul smelling bathrooms * Dirty towels and linens * Bugs in the bedrooms * Broken water filter

Owner response:This guest unfortunately rented the home under false intentions; we are geared toward family vacations, gatherings, adult gatherings, not college students looking for a "spring break" location. This guest signed a lease under the false pretense that they were visiting for a school trip and come to find out they were a group of college students, there for inappropriate and out of control partying. The person who signed the lease indicated that she never stayed at the Sandpiper, but rented it for other people to stay in. Nassau police were called numerous times with the alarm being intentionally set off, ladies underwear were found stuffed in strange places - it appears that this was a group a pranksters. The AC worked fine in the house until this party admittedly turned all 4 units down to 45 degrees. So, yes turning is on 45 caused it to freeze up and become dysfunctional. We spoke to this guest numerous times during their stay (addressing the police being called, pranks being played, alarm being intentionally set off, and the AC not working) and at no time were any of the allegations stated above mentioned. We correct any problem promptly, but are unable to do so if we are not made aware. The home is cleaned thoroughly before and after each stay by our staff of two housekeepers and we call each guest upon arrival to ensure that all things are in order and corrected before their stay even starts. The home does not even have a water filter, as the water in the Bahamas is filtered and purified by the city and is safe for drinking. As I stated before we knew of non of the above issues until this rating. She was not upset until the owner contacted her after the police had been called so many times because of the alarm continuously being set off purposely. When the police got involved, the owner was contacted and she then contacted the guest and that is when the owner found out that she was not staying at the Sandpiper. We are committed to keeping this property a place for professionals, families and those who truly want to vacation on the beach in the Bahamas. We cannot allow one party to come and destroy and ruin what we have worked so hard to keep maintained for future and past guest who come and enjoy the property. We continue to maintain a high standard of cleanliness, quality and enjoyability for all guest.

Recommended for:Sightseeing

Sandpiper House

Guest: Stanley (Hollywood, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

The house was all that we had hoped for. Right on the beach with just a few steps to the ocean. Access to downtown Nassau with a 15-20 minute ride on a Jitney. Kitchen was fully equipped with everything necessary for cooking. We would like to make this the destination for future family reunions!

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

great place for a large group

Guest: Chris (Indiana)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

We stayed at the Sandpiper in July of this year. We enjoyed the house, beach and pool. We had 12 people from 3yrs-59yrs old. We did have a water problem but it was addressed the same day. If we had any issues, they were addressed promptly. The property was clean and suited our needs. The beach is nice but public. There was no filtered water and the tap water did not taste very good, so be prepared. The jitney is very handy and there are taxis everywhere. Overall, we had a great time and would return to the Sandpiper!

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

Sandpiper

Guest: Mike and Elaine (Flower Mound, Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/29/10

The property was everything it was described to be. We had our family of 8 which included my mother in law (91) who enjoyed the downstairs bedroom and our grandson (1) who enjoyed the beach. The water is calm and shallow in front of the house making it ideal for enjoyment.

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

Don't waste your money!!!

Guest: elvisuede (Fort Luderdale, Florida)
Date of Stay: 05/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/03/10

Whem we arrived owner tried to charge extra for use of rollaway bed for a guest. (she said beds were available on property and house slept 16, only 14 spots to sleep. Electric metal hurricane shutters would not open so you could not see the view outside from inside the home. We were told that someone would be out to fix right away but this never happened the entire trip.The propane grill we were told was there had no tank and was full of old used charcoal making it useless the entire trip. (we had bought 780$ worth of food to grill and had to bake everything instead. The next day the septic system overflowed and the main floor bathrooms had back up water and human feces all over the bath floors. We could not go in the house all day do to the smell, not to mention the septic truck in front of the house making the most loud unpleasant sound for hours. The third day of our 3 bight stay the water in the entire house was off so no showers or bath or dishwasher. Water was still off when we left. Outside the beach is covered with rocks and seaweed and ocean bottom was nothing but mud noy sand. Pool only has sun om it for half the day. Last and most important, owner will not return any calls to get deposit back. We still have no idea when this if at alll will happen. We regret staying at this property.

Owner response:Unfortunately, this party has chosen to respond negatively after being notified about major damages done to the Sandpiper and its contents. The rental contract signed by the parties was for 14 people. However, they falsified their guest list and brought 16 which was over the limit and instead of notifying the property manager they propositioned the housekeeper to pay her $50 to allow the guest to stay without telling the owner, this is when they were charged for additional roll away beds. Rental agreement clearly states no parties, however these guest celebrated a 40th birthday for 3 nights, whereby they played loud music up to 3am causing the neighbors and other renters to call the police. Not only that, it was reported that they smell of illegal drugs came from inside the house.The housekeeper also reported finding illegal drugs in the guest house, in which the local police were notified. The tenants from next door reported the noise was very loud and that someone in the party falsely identified herself as the owner of the Sandpiper & gave away items from the house. In addition, this is a family oriented beach, however it was reported by other renters that these guest walked around partly nude. House keys were lost and later found on the beach. Over 20 glasses were found broken in the trash, beach towels were missing, a crystal glass tray was broken, they purchased charcoal to use in the gas grill and then gave it to the housekeeper upon departure. There were so many liquor and beer bottles that a special service had to be used to remove them from the property. In addition, the property manager was called numerous times and confronted with incoherence, slurred speech, and was invited to come to the party and when spoken to the next day the guest was unable to remember the depth of the conversation. It is true that the septic tank was being emptied, but different staff members were at the house during that time and saw no such thing as human feces and they were there for no more than 1 hour, which can be validated by the receipt. In addition, the water was never turned off, which can be validated by the water company. As for the beach, there is seaweed, it is the ocean. As for rocks, there are no rocks directly behind this house and they do not effect the beach and the ability to enjoy and swim in it. We are geared toward family oriented vacations & we have zero tolerance for illegal drugs, excessive loud partying & destruction of property.

Recommended for:

Beautiful, Clean and Amazing!

Guest: Chrissy S. (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 02/23/10 Review Submitted: 02/27/10

We absolutely loved this house and the beach and the location. It was immaculate inside and out. The beach is literally right outside of the house. We played on the beach and laid on the beach right behind the house, every single day. We grilled out on the great patio and walked up and down the beach every morning! Also we could walk to a lot of places and it is close to so many things.This is really a great house, they have wireless internet and a phone so we could call home for free! There is also a gourmet kitchen with All Clad cookware, we cooked every night and ate in the formal dining room as a family. My only complaint is that we didn't get to stay longer because it was already booked for the next week! :(

Owner response:Thank you so much for choosing the Sandpiper! We look forward to seeing you again real soon!

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

Spacious Home!!

Guest: Gene Jr. (Plano, TX)
Date of Stay: 01/30/10 Review Submitted: 02/24/10

The property was very clean and well organized. Ocean view, each room has its own patio, jet skis was in walking distance, private beach as your back yard, relaxing ocean sounds and minutes away from downtown to do some shopping and site seeing. Also romantic view of the stars on the rooftop (2nd floor bedroom). Great getaway for families, friends, and couples.

Owner response:Thank you for choosing the Sandpiper! We look forward to seeing you soon!

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

Fabulous Sandpiper!!

Guest: Tasia (Lewisville, Texas)
Date of Stay: 01/30/10 Review Submitted: 02/23/10

My stay at the Sandpiper was truly amazing. Very spacious, clean and fully equipped to meet all of my needs. It was definitely home away from home. The location was perfect, overlooking the ocean was breathtaking. Just minutes away from downtown where we enjoyed a nice meal at Senor Frog. The airport was only 10 minutes a way which is a plus. Having the beach and ocean as our backyard was very relaxing and memorable. I recommend this property to families, newlyweds, and anyone who is looking for a beautiful home away from home.

Owner response:Thank you for choosing the Sandpiper! We look forward to seeing you back again soon!

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

Highly Recommended

Guest: Wesley D. (Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/04/09 Review Submitted: 09/14/09

I just wanted to write a quick letter to say how much I enjoyed my stay at you Sandpiper property in the Bahamas. The home was everything I could ask for and more. Specious, clean and had breath-taking views of the ocean. My family enjoyed the immediate beach access most of all. It was so convenient. Thank you for making our vacation more enjoyable!

Owner response:Thank you! We look forward to seeing you again on your next vacation to Nassau, Bahamas!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

The location on the beach was just wonderfully.

Guest: AY j. (2741 Westchester Dr., East Point, GA 30344)
Date of Stay: 07/22/06 Review Submitted: 09/23/09

The Sandpiper was more than what we anticipated. It was everything and more. My granddaughter and I were there in July, 2009 for a week and we had a great time. We plan to go again in 2010. The accessibility to everything was just what we needed and more. We felt secure and safe. The property and house was clean. The view of the beach was just awesome. Thanks for a wonderful stay at the Sandpiper.

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