Our Week in Paradise!

Guest: Ro (Cumming, Georgia, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

Our family recently spent the most wonderful week at The Palms. Truly, the photos do not do the house and views justice. It is the most beautiful spot to either just sit and watch the spectacular sunsets, listen to the lapping of the sea almost at your doorstep or use as an ideal central location to discover this very special island. Being in the centre of the 110 mile long island, there is much to discover, whether it be walking a deserted beach on the rougher Atlantic side or swimming in the clear turquoise sea on the Caribbean side. But being an island, that too can change and the winds shift to the opposite side. There is never a shortage of beautiful beaches to walk or swim at. The Farm Shop close by is an absolute must to visit, We went there daily to buy the freshest vegetables and bread you could find anywhere. i.e. we watched them being picked and baked there and then! The Palms itself was very comfortable and delightfully decorated and the owners could not have been more helpful with arrangements prior to our visit. The kayak was a wondrful addition to the activities we could do around the house and gave us a completely different perspective of the house and bay. I know that we will back. It was a magical week that we will not forget in a long time.

Owner response:It's so nice to hear people enjoy The Palms and the beautiful and friendly island of Eleuthera. I think you described the beach exploring and central location part perfectly. Thank you for your kind, encouraging words and look forward to your next visit. Tim

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

Loved our perfect sunset house

Guest: Escaping adventurous parents (Annandale)
Date of Stay: 08/05/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

This was just our speed. Casual, elegant, simple, with everything you need. We even had a tropical storm during our stay and STILL thoroughly enjoyed it. We met sunset on the tiki bar every night. There is not a beach off your door but the water access, ramp, dock cut out of the coral sea wall was perfect for taking a dip anytime. We explored a different beach everyday so not having to combat sand at sunset was better. We will bring our kids next time. Tim and Joan are super nice as all of the island folk.

Owner response:We're so glad you had a good time and look forward to meeting the boys when you return. See you soon! T & J

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Amazing

Guest: Amy (Chapel Hill, NC)
Date of Stay: 03/04/11 Review Submitted: 06/09/11

Myself, my husband and another couple stayed here for a week in March, The photos do not do it justice. We snorkeled right in front of the house, fished in front of the house and at the Marina (a three minute walk). I did catch a couple of bonefish and my husband caught several nice grouper and snapper. We went in town a couple of times to get the fresh catch and lobster. A car isdefinitely reccomended if you want to "experience" the Island. If you want to just get away from it all, then just stay at the cottage. It has beautiful sunsets and the tiki just added to the experience. We thank you so much for allowing us to stay. It was a wonderful week!!!!

Owner response:We're so glad you had a good time on Eleuthera and enjoyed your stay at the Palms. Your conch shell remains in it's special place and awaits your return! So far, you win the Palms fishing award. Thanks for coming and we hope to see you soon! T & J

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Ditto etc

Guest: Pat & Nora (NYC)
Date of Stay: 04/07/11 Review Submitted: 04/24/11

We stayed April 7-14. First, I want to confirm that first three reviews were very accurate and there are no stunt photographs on the site. We still need to emphasize and elaborate on a few things. An earlier review made us more comfortable with the prospect of having the landlords next door. Turns out Tim and Joan have an uncanny ability to be there for their guests without the least trace of intrusion on privacy. Moreover, they are naturally gracious. It's spontaneous, not schtick, so I won't offer examples. Their advice, e.g. Sunset Inn cracked conch, stands up to reality and they know the island well. The house is one floor with a high cathedral ceiling. Palm trees that predate its construction are nicely framed in the two sky lights. A large flowering bush behind it is frequented by hummingbirds. The clear, calm Caribbean is a few steps from the front porch, just to the left of the tikki hut. The snorkeling starts knee-deep and the marine eye candy is about as abundant as you'll get in central Eleuthera. The island peeking under the palm leaf in above tikki hut picture is where the sun sets most every night like a leaking red egg yolk. It's irresistable, but apply your bug spray first. Locals recommend skin-so -soft to keep the no-see-ums and mosquitos off and they recommend the abundant aloe leaves if you are dined on. The next door neighbor is a fine new restaurant, French Chateau. The best local alternative - should you need one - to the spicy seafood offered by most Bahamian restaurants. A dirt road to the left of French Chateau (4WD is not essential for this island but you won't regret it) is a shortcut to Island Farm, the local green market with an abundance of fresh produce. The rest you can discover yourselves. Enjoy Cheers, Pat & Nora

Owner response:Wow! You make The Palms sound so nice I want to stay there... and I live next door! Seriously though, we thank you for your nice review and we're glad you had a good time. We enjoyed sharing a 'sunset' bottle of wine with you (or was it two?... ) and hope you come back soon. Now for the bad news. Chateau France closed the day after you ate there. In fact you were some of the last customers. Thanks again, Tim and Joan

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Modern convenience and comfort in a quiet, relaxing setting

Guest: danamack (Lachute, Quebec, Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/03/10 Review Submitted: 12/17/10

The listing description was more than accurate - we had a wonderful week at The Palms. It's a charming little cottage right on the ocean. It was clean, and obviously well-maintained with everything we needed (and more!) to pass the time - from wi-fi and board games, right down to chairs and an umbrella to take to the beach with us! The temperature in December was just perfect for my taste - warm and sunny during the day, and cool in the evenings, so we never needed the air conditioning. We snorkeled and swam right in front of the cottage and went bone fishing and shelling just down the road. We found fresh vegetables at the local Island Farm, and fresh fish daily from the dock in Tarpum Bay. Eleuthera itself is quaint and quiet and friendly, and without the touristy trappings of other island destinations. We loved discovering the beaches at the end of long bumpy trails that seemed to lead nowhere, and we loved the fact that all these beaches were empty once we got there. All the locals were very friendly and helpful. This was a wonderful vacation - thank you to Tim and Joan for opening their home. We loved every second of it.

Owner response:And we loved having you! You should write for a travel magazine. Your kind words are great motivation for us to make the Palms the best value on Eleuthera. Please come back and see us! Tim

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

A great vacation at The Palms.

Guest: Joe & Doreen (Bushkill.PA)
Date of Stay: 07/05/10 Review Submitted: 07/30/10

We have just returned home after spending 16 glorious days at this great seaside cottage. The Palms was perfect right down to the smallest detail, we had everything we needed to make our vacation fantastic. The rooms are well maintained, clean cool & spacious & the kitchen was well equipped for all our needs, we couldn’t ask for anything better. The view from all the rooms were beautiful, this truly is a place to relax & enjoy. A few steps from the cottage & you have your own private part of the Caribbean to swim & snorkel; the photos do not really do it justice. After exploring this wonderful Island all day, we loved to relax in the Tikki Hut with a cool pina colada & watch the sunset…Magic! The owners Tim & Joan who live next door were the best host & hostess we have ever had on the many vacation villas we have stayed at around the world. They were so helpful & made sure we had everything we needed but at the same time respected our privacy as we respected theirs. The Palms is so easy to get to down a nice paved road (no bumpy dirt roads) & is near to grocery stores, gas station, pizza etc. & only a short drive from Governor’s Harbour. Being situated in the middle of the Island makes it ideal for exploring all the wonderful beaches. We would like to recommend Edgar Gardiner whom we rented a jeep for the sixteen days we were there, he picked us up at the airport & also dropped us off which made everything run smoothly. We would definitely recommend this beautiful cottage to our friends & anyone visiting this lovely Island. We had such a fantastic time here & would definitely like to make a return visit. Thank you so much Tim & Joan for being so great!

Owner response:Wow! Thank you for your kind words. We try to make 'The Palms' a great value and place people will want to return to. It's a pleasure to see guests enjoy our little island as much as we do. Thanks Doreen and Joe. We look forward to seeing you again! Joan and Tim

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/05/09 Review Submitted: 12/05/09

My husband and I had the opportunity to spend 4 nights in this lovely cottage at the end of November. First of all, the photos do not do it justice! you could see the water from the bed and there are glass doors from which you can see the ocean on two sided of the living/dining area!! and it is just a few steps to the ocean!! the place is adorable and not a detail was missed as far as decorating! more importantly, everything we could have wanted from a coffee pot to insect repellant to cold water were provided! i also used my wireless laptop with no problems! i would whole-heartedly recommend this place to anyone - especially my close friends - with no reservation!! thank you!!

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