Fourth time back to the Round House in Eleuthera

Guest: Sonya S. (Edmonton, Alberta)
Date of Stay: 10/29/11 Review Submitted: 11/23/11

Once again, as this will have been our 4th time back to the Round House in Eleuthera , it has exceeded our expecations. Hurricane Irene attempted to slow down Doon ( the owner) however both new beach cabinas were completed upon our arrival! We spend two glorious weeks walking the endless beaches with Kaya ( the owner's every faithfull dog) to finding incrediable beach treasures...to our wonderment we had a Message in a bottle wash up on shore ( messages 4 years old) ...swimming /snorkeling every day in the remarkable waters directly infront of the House . Cooking up fantastic gourmet meals with all the fresh lobster/grouper/snapper we'd purchase from the fishing wharfs in GH or Tarpun Bay....dancing @ the Beach House...fasinating conversations with Doon. We love every aspect of this vacation paradise...would I classify it as 4 star resort...no as it has so much more appeal...we come here to get away from our fast paced lives ... to unplug ..and to reconnect with each other...we have never been disappointed. Thank you Doon for your wonderful hospitality ...wish we would have had more time...and Taja thank you for your updates! Shall see you in 2012 Sonya and Derek Edmonton Alberta Canada

Owner response:We are so pleased that you had such a wonderful time at the Round house again. We look forward to seeing you back on Eleuthera soon.

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Not quite what I expected

Guest: Richard, beach lover (USA Midwest)
Date of Stay: 10/20/11 Review Submitted: 11/02/11

First, I have to say that I've become a bit of a travel snob. With that said, the house isn't quite up to what is shown in the pictures. The house is not secluded, nor is it a private beach. While we were there, carpenters worked most every day on a new cabana, and Doon, the owner was staying next door as well. So, don't count on being "secluded". There was always someone around. The house needed re-painting, and the windows didn't shut completely. In fact, there was no window on the bathroom, just a screen. The tiny bugs that are in the bahamas got right through that, and we couldn't escape lots of bug bits, even spraying Off on ourselves. The washer and dryer are in the house next door, although we did get a key to the washroom. We loved Eleuthera and the people. Everyone was incredibly nice to us. At first we were even a little shocked by how nice everyone was. It was fantastic. The food was great, especially Tippy's and The Bistro. If you need a sack lunch to take to the beach, try Pammy's Take-away in Governour's Harbor. Doon (the owner) was very nice to us, and we saw her around town often, and she always made sure she answered all our questions, and offered suggestions. Overall, we loved our trip, and will go back to Eleuthera, just not the Roundhouse.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

A Fantastic time at the Round House

Guest: Raylene G.
Date of Stay: 08/02/11 Review Submitted: 09/19/11

My husband, 9 year old daughter and myself had the pleasure of staying at the Round House for 10 days in August. The Round House was rustic, beautiful, wild and fun. If you are not a fan of lizards and various other small visitors then this is not the place for you but for us it was an exciting treat. Taja and her family were so very warm and welcoming from the moment that we arrived including giving us coconut opening lessons and introducing us to the local types of fish which they speared right off of the beach in front of the house. The beach right outside the door is beautiful and took our breath away every morning when we woke up and realized that, yes, we were in paradise! Just around the corner from the "home" beach is Club Med beach which was completely deserted most of the time and truly the most beautiful beach that we have ever seen. Governors Harbor was the perfect location for us to stay with the beautiful beaches right outside of our door or the option of taking a car ride (we rented one for the entire trip), to any one of the stunning and almost empty beaches on the island. The friday night Fish Fry is well worth a visit and JJ's Conch Salad, made right on the beach, is delicious. The bakery has incredible donuts and patties and Sunset Inn has the BEST fried Grouper. The Round House and Eleuthera is the place to stay for anyone who wants to get away from it all. It is not a resort but it is a home that was lovingly built by hand and welcomes anyone. I would recommend the Round House to anyone who's NOT looking for a resort type feeling in their accommodations, loves nature and is happiest walking around without any shoes on because this is the place to do it! Thank you Taja and Matt for some of the best vacation memories of a lifetime.

Owner response:thank you so much for your review- we hope to see you again at Casuarina Bay!

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

The Real Paradise Island

Guest: Chris (Niagara Falls, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/19/11

What a beautiful vacation! We had an absolutely lovely time and still can’t believe what was available to us out the front door. The beaches were the best I had ever seen. It is somewhat isolated but that was what we were looking for. The house is located 20 minutes from the Beach Bar Restaurant and a walk into town is about a half hour. We are looking forward to a return visit as soon as we can.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Round House Splendor

Guest: twomutts (Massena, NY 13662 USA)
Date of Stay: 04/09/11 Review Submitted: 04/22/11

We enjoyed a fantastic week at the Round House. It was everything we wanted and more...secluded, romantic, peaceful, charming. The property was very well-maintained and clean and had all of the amenities listed which really made it feel like home. The town of Governor's Harbor provides just about everything you will need for your stay and is just a couple of minutes away by car. It's a lovely little town and the people are very friendly. Some food in the grocery stores can be expensive because it has to travel so far to get there. The local fisherman bring in their catch every day around 3:00 and there is a fish fry every Friday night. There are many restaurants at all different price ranges that you can enjoy . We had dinner at three of them. The rest of the time we cooked at "home". We did not do much sight-seeing because it really wasn't on our agenda. What was on our agenda was rest, relaxation, romance, conversation and a gorgeous beach right in front of us. Speaking of the beach, it is very secluded. We only passed three people the whole week we were there! The owner, Doon, was next door. She is a fantastic woman and was not in the least bit intrusive. Her daughter, Taja, handled the rental and was courteous and professional. One thing to be aware of...sand fleas. This in NO way reflects the Round House review. Just make sure you have some bug spray. We adored the Round House and intend to go back next year. Thank you Doon and Taja!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers.

A stretch of paradise

Guest: Sonya and Derek (Edmonton Alberta Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/01/11 Review Submitted: 04/09/11

The soft pink coral sand beach... the vibrant blues of the ocean...the symphony the ocean breezes plays as it rushes through the trees...the excitement of exploring the beaches for the "treasures" the surf" has delivered for us overnight...the sense of "coming home" as we amble back to our Round House for thick tropical smoothies to refresh us after a full day of doing nothing but enjoying all the moments of the day ..alittle snorkelling...alittle kayaking...a'lotta beach shopping ( my husband's phrase for every time I walk the beach I come back dragging yet another treasure)...reading endless books...getting to know the resident family of geco's ...or just floating in the crystal clear water to cool off. This is what has brought my husband and I back to Eleuthera for the past five years...to unwind and reconnect ...no blackberries. no i-pads...just us. This perfect wee little Round House is our home while we are in Eleuthera...do all the dishes and cutlery match? nope...are there plastic wine glasses…absolutely! But wow the gourmet meals we have created within that wonderfully functional kitchen could never be replicated in our own...trust us we've tried! This piece of heaven offers so much more than any five star cloned resort we've ever stayed in…as soon as you walk in the door it welcomes you as if you were apart of the Mckinney family. You will know why if you are fortunate enough to meet Doon, Casuarina and Taja...they are as welcoming as that wonderful wee Round House! Thank you Doon, Causarina, Taja ( and Kaya) for once again allowing us the opportunity to fill your Wee Round house with more wonderful memories. Sonya and Derek ( Edmonton, Alberta Canada)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Wonderful stay at the Round house!

Guest: Josh of Denver, CO (-)
Date of Stay: 01/26/11 Review Submitted: 04/08/11

This place is exactly what you are looking for if you want almost total isolation on an island in the Bahamas. The beaches were literally our own, with the exception of one day (out of 7) where we shared a beach with two other poeple. You can walk for miles along the beaches in front of this house and see nobody along the way. The house itself is perfect. Not anything fancy, just the basics with a full kitchen, comfortable bed, full bath. It's small and cute - but you shouldn't plan to spend much time there given what is about 20 yards from your front door!! A couple of tips if you stay here: - Go to Twin Coves Beach (about a 10 minute walk to the north along the shore) BEST beach around! - Go to Island Farm Produce to find fresh fruits and vegetables (kinda hard to find good fruits and vegetables we found out until we discovered this place!) The owner of the house was staying next door in the adjacent home during our trip (we absolutely love her and you'd be lucky to meet her, too). The homes face away from one another but they are indeed close. No big deal really. You simply cannot escape the feel of being on a deserted island while here! We are most definitely coming back to the Round House once we have our little one.

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Wonderful stay at the Round house!

Guest: Paul (-)
Date of Stay: 12/02/10 Review Submitted: 04/08/11

Josh, Denver, CO 12/02/10 Positive We recently returned from our 3rd visit in 5 years at the Round House. What can I say? This place is fantastic.The weather was perfect 80 degree days/70 at night. The Atlantic was a little kicked up but you could still snorkel.The Carribean side was very calm. The beach and reef in front of the house are great.Lot's of fish. We actually caught several varieties of snapper on rod and reel using frozen squid from the grocery store.I brought a telescopic rod and it fit in my suitcase easily. Grilling them up whole on the outdoor bbq was VERY satisfying.We also caught a bonefish, which was released along with the snapper we did not eat. During our 9 night stay we cooked many meals in the Round House. Hit the grocery store and get your provisions. We brought some steaks and burgers from home but we bought pasta, rice,eggs,plantains,etc... We went through a gallon of water a day, so I would recommend renting a vehicle from Edgar, the caretaker. Just load up your water,Kalik beer,groceries in one trip and ur done for the week. Then you can do some sightseeing with the vehicle. We only rented the Tracker for 2 days as we had already seen most of the island on previous trips. Walking the beaches,reading,eating and drinking,fishing were the order of the day. We ate some nice dinners at Tippy's, The Beach House(twice),and the Friday night fish fry. The bakery has great bread and delicious patties for lunch. By luck,the owner, Doon, arrived towards the end of our trip and it was great to see her again. Her stories about the property and her family are really something. She was most hospitable and we hope to meet her again on future visits.Thanks Doon! I can't recommend this place enough. The beauty, privacy, and seclusion from the rest of the world will always pull us back. Thank you Taja and Doon.

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Wonderful stay at the Round house!

Guest: Josh of Denver, CO (-)
Date of Stay: 01/26/11 Review Submitted: 04/08/11

This place is exactly what you are looking for if you want almost total isolation on an island in the Bahamas. The beaches were literally our own, with the exception of one day (out of 7) where we shared a beach with two other poeple. You can walk for miles along the beaches in front of this house and see nobody along the way. The house itself is perfect. Not anything fancy, just the basics with a full kitchen, comfortable bed, full bath. It's small and cute - but you shouldn't plan to spend much time there given what is about 20 yards from your front door!! A couple of tips if you stay here: - Go to Twin Coves Beach (about a 10 minute walk to the north along the shore) BEST beach around! - Go to Island Farm Produce to find fresh fruits and vegetables (kinda hard to find good fruits and vegetables we found out until we discovered this place!) The owner of the house was staying next door in the adjacent home during our trip (we absolutely love her and you'd be lucky to meet her, too). The homes face away from one another but they are indeed close. No big deal really. You simply cannot escape the feel of being on a deserted island while here! We are most definitely coming back to the Round House once we have our little one.

Recommended for:

What a pity!!!

Guest: Alessandro (Rome Italy)
Date of Stay: 02/26/11 Review Submitted: 03/28/11

Round House has a great potential, great position and privacy (the Beachfront house is less than 10 metres close but magically you do not feel it). The only problem is that Taja and Doon put no effort in maintaining it. So there are lots of things that absolutely do not match the description they give of Round House. And when things are rusty, dirty, you eat in old plastic dishes, you cook in old rusty and broken pots, you drink in chipped cups, you sleep in bed linen with stains, you sit on pillows torn out, mosquito net is broken (just a small hole but is enough for bugs to get in and eat you), the roof is full of spider nets, toilet and bathtub are black from the dirt, all romanticism fades away, But the money is still flowing into their pockets. We complained and, of course, we asked for a small refund we think that our holidays had been spoiled by these issues. In Round House everything is old, but you are charged as if you are staying in a 4 star hotel. Ours is not a revenge because Doon and Taja refused us a refund. We want to warn everybody about the real conditions of the house. We made a lot of picture which show the real status of Round House. What I really disliked is that Doon told us “I’m sorry", "I told Taja that we must buy new stuff", "we're going to change our cleaning ladies soon" , "I'm moving back to the island and I'll take care of all this" and so on. In reality Doon lives in the island and gives classes of sailing in Governor's Harbour (we saw her two days later). And this is only the inside of the house: Round House needs to be painted extensively. What you're getting is an old and very basic accommodation and a beach, theoretically on your own; but you have to consider that Eleuthera has at least 12 great superb beaches that you cannot miss, and Casuarina bay is only one of those. Consider as well that you need absolutely a car, so you will surely like to go around. Finally the Atlantic coast is most of the times windy (look at the pictures that you see in various sites) and this will not allow you to stay on that side of the island and to enjoy the garden of Round House. Ciao to everybody and we hope that we will help someone when selecting an accommodation in Eleuthera Island.

Owner response:Atlantic vs Caribbean: The question of whether the Atlantic side or the 'Caribbean' side of Eleuthera is preferable is entirely personal. 80- 90% of guests prefer the Atlantic side due the extraordinary beaches and SE trades which generally result in far less bugs than on the western side. If one prefers the Caribbean side there are houses to rent there also. Wind can come from both directions- for the last 3 weeks of March it has been like a lake on the Atlantic whereas the 'Caribbean' side has had constant winds of 15-25 knots. One of the advantages of the middle of Eleu is that it's only 1/2 mile wide so you can easily enjoy both sides of the island without travelling far. Location: Many guests love this location and choose not to rent a car because we have 2 of the island's best beaches (ex-Club Med(5mins walk) and Twin Coves) on either side and it's only one and a half miles to Governors Harbour and a 15 minute walk down the beach to the Beach House Tapas restaurant. Maintenance: Concerning remarks that we don't put money into the property guests may not realise that - because we are an estate far from the subdivisions (the only inhabited property on the whole beach) we paid huge amounts of money to have underground electricity installed and also to install our own water lines across the island. As explained in the info binder the rust stains on the new bed linens, toilet and shower were not from dirt but from the old rusty pipes. We campaigned for a long time with the government to upgrade the pipes and this was completed in the first week of March 2011. We also replace most of our appliances every 2-4 years and have regular plumbing and electrical repairs and gardening work done. The china plates and glasses and the pots have been upgraded (the plastic ones had been added in addition to the china at the request by parents for kids). The broken screen has been replaced. I agree with the review that the exterior needs to be painted. As I explained to them the job was scheduled and then the weather didn't co-operate so it had to be postponed so that it was not being done while guests were there. I respect people's desire for privacy and had to wait for a time which wasn't booked. It's currently re-scheduled for 16 April (weather permitting). We are also adding another beach cabana. A lot of effort, love and TLC have gone into and continue to go into this deeply loved place. I encourage you to read the reviews from other guests

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