Luxurious Oceanfront Villa with Stunning Views Over Montserrat

• Oceanside ... beautiful views

  Oceanside ... beautiful views

  • Guest bengt
  • Date of stay 03/22/13
  • Review Submitted 04/06/13
  Waking up to surf early in AM ... long runs to Rendezvous Beach via mountain trail and steep roads at 7AM before the heat of the day, great work-out! ... this pristine beach nearby, reached in 12-15min by AWD vehicle (we rented Toyota Rav4), was often without anyone else on expansive beach ... other beaches with easier access ... snorkeling outside the house ... friendly Antiguan people ... the privacy is great. Walked some of the local peaks above the house, seeing orchids, agave, aloe, acacias and other flora + fauna (saw several Mongooses) ... interesting island to learn ecology from .. highly recommend. Liked it significantly better than the resorts, which we visited, finding this better way to get to know the island and the people. Great owners and weekly on-site manager couple to assist with house (although 9 days went unventfully without need of help). Wireless was great, accomodating a laptop, two iPads, and a few iPhones. Driving is right-side-of-road like UK ... got used to, initially took it quite slow ... drivers locally appear understanding and respectful of tourist presence. Interestingly food is more expensive than in USA ... even local fruit/vegetables ... however, not prohibitive ... empathize with local inhabitants, who don't appear distressed poor but nonetheless not affluent, in general. People appear very interested in education for their children, with multiple schools troughout ... also, people quite religious, with abundant churches. Indigenous people are approx. 90% descendants from African slaves brought over to work the sugar cane plantations ... no commercial plantations are currently operating. Resorts have mostly British visitors, as Antigua former British colony (Indepedence Antigua/Barbuda 1981) ... Americans approx. 30% of visitors. Would go back again ... house is truly a gem.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Superb villa in Antigua with great staff!

  Superb villa in Antigua with great staff!

  • Guest GlobalTourist10
  • Date of stay 08/15/12
  • Review Submitted 08/22/12
  My wife, daughter, and I just returned from six nights at the lovely Shell Villa near Falmouth Harbor in Antigua. The pictures do not do justice to the stunning views, impeccable maintenance, chef-friendly kitchen, and complete privacy of this hidden gem. David and Jenny have organized a superb local staff to manage and maintain the property, and all the efforts show through flawlessly. We have rented many Carib villas and this is the tops. The view across the water at night of the peninsula at Rendezvous Bay is remarkable under the glow of the Southern Cross, and not a single electric light bulb on the entire peninsula. Go and enjoy with your family and friends.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Perfect vacation rental -- a real gem

  Perfect vacation rental -- a real gem

  • Guest Bird-of-Flight
  • Date of stay 03/31/12
  • Review Submitted 04/09/12
  This home was perfect for our group of two adults and four teenage boys. It would also work well for two or three couples. The decks and interiors are exactly as the photos show and we loved the vibe of the house with lovely art and interesting books. The household management is outstanding. We found the best snorkeling on the island to be in front of the house. We had many fun outings to beaches and appreciated two small but well-stocked grocery stores within a ten minutes drive. We hope to return to this outstanding rental.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Shell Villa, Fabulous Views

  Shell Villa, Fabulous Views

  • Guest Anthea
  • Date of stay 02/12/12
  • Review Submitted 02/29/12
  We had a wonderful vacation staying at Shell Villa Feb 2012. The location is perfect, right on the ocean with fabulous beaches minutes away. The Villa was clean and had everything we needed. We sat out most mornings drinking coffee overlooking the spectacular view and watching the bird life In the gardens and even some dolphins swam by in the ocean. The large boats that pass by in the distance make great viewing and the sunsets at night were eye pleasing. I even saw the green flash!!. The deck and pool were great. This was our second trip to Antigua; we feel in love with the island on our first trip and returned to the Falmouth area because of all the attractions it has to offer. You must visit Shirley Height’s as the views are breathtaking. Galleon beach, Half Moon Bay Beach, Rendezvous beach all spectacular. If you want a relaxing vacation in a great villa, wonderful location with access to a variety of restaurants, beaches etc. This is the place. You do need an all wheel drive and we went with the Dollar Car Rental as Jenny, the owners recommended and it was fine. Jenny was very good and helpful pre and post booking as well as Helen who met us at the Villa. All in all a perfect vacation. No complaints. I wish I was still there. Anthea

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• A very nice alternative to the "all inclusive" resort

  A very nice alternative to the "all inclusive" resort

  • Guest Tammi
  • Date of stay 11/05/11
  • Review Submitted 11/19/11
  Me, my wife, and our daughter spent a week at the Shell Villa in early November. We normally do the all-inclusive resort vactations but wanted to try something different this time. We decided on the Shell Villa mainly on reviews we had read. We certainly made the right choice. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable vacations we have been on. We got to see quite a lot of Antigua in a relatively short period of time. When we arrived at the airport we were met by the driver Valentino. A really nice guy and we had fun talking to him. We rented a 4x4 (which I highly recommend) and followed Valentino to the Villa which was about a 40 minute drive. When you get to the final road to the Shell Villa this is where you will find the 4x4 very useful. Its an adventurous drive but fun. We were met at the Villa by Helen who welcomed us and helped us get settled in. She and her husband Kevin were very welcoming and we learned a lot about the island by talking to them. They were truely a pleasure to meet. You couldn't ask for a better location than the Shell Villa. Right on the water with the most amazing view. On clear days you have a perfect view of Montserrat. It is very secluded and I had the feeling of being in my own private paradise. We never tired of sitting on the deck and just soaking in the view. The Villa is very clean and has all the amenities you need. It is obviously very well maintained inside and out. We enjoyed hanging in the pool. Its plenty big enough to have fun and cool off in. The kitchen is fully functional and the bedrooms and baths are very clean and comfortable. We stocked up at the local grocery store (Bailey's) and cooked most of our own meals. I also stocked up on a couple cases of the local beer for the week. Of the few restaraunts we ate at we found the best food at Trappas. We tried to do hit a different place each day. We found Pigeon beach to be the nicest (and closest). Half-moon bay and Darkwood beach were also very nice. We loved the place and I would recommend it to anyone. We hope to get back there one day. A couple things to keep in mind...You will need to rent a car and you should make it a 4x4. Also, there is no air conditioning in the Villa. However we were kept plenty cool by the large ceiling fans in each room and loved feeing the breeze coming in the large windows.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Antiguan Paradise

  Antiguan Paradise

  • Guest Ed
  • Date of stay 06/18/11
  • Review Submitted 06/30/11
  Can't imagine a more beautiful villa. The sunsets viewed from the infinity deck are breathtaking. Hearing the sounds of the waves and frogs lull you to sleep. Dipping in the plunge pool was so refreshing as well as a great place to star gaze. The villa is so comfortable and well stocked with all the necessities that you need. Don't forget to spend lots on time in the hammocks. We suggest that you stay for 2 weeks as a week is not enough.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

• Stars, Sun, Beach and Magic! An Antiguan Vacation.

  Stars, Sun, Beach and Magic! An Antiguan Vacation.

  • Guest finley
  • Date of stay 02/05/11
  • Review Submitted 02/22/11
  We had a wonderful time and the house could not have been any more accommodating and wonderful! We so loved just sitting on the deck hearing the waves that felt so much like the heartbeat of the earth. Steady, rhythmic, assuring and cleansing. From the first sunset and the morning rainbow the next day to the adventures of driving around the island...it was wonderful. Sharing pictures with folks since we’re back has helped to relive so many moments. (You may have a few customers next year from the Hudson Valley as a result of our ravings!) The house could not have been better. Quite accommodating to naps and reading, pool dipping and helping us to connect with calm. The nearby restaurants, the sights of the magnificant beaches and mostly the people of Antigua were inviting and gracious. Rain drops would come and go but the lovely Antiguan sun was always there to comfort us. Your home is very lovely and we are most appreciative of your sharing this magical parcel of the earth with us.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Warm Weather Get Away January 2011

  Warm Weather Get Away January 2011

  • Guest Paul
  • Date of stay 01/29/11
  • Review Submitted 02/15/11
  >The house is in a beautiful location and the weather was perfect. I don't know that I've ever been anywhere for a week where the weather was so nice. > > We did stay close to the house most of the week. The road was a little worse than we expected (the drive in on Saturday night was an adventure - following Valentino as he swerved around the pot holes). And we had to get used to driving on the left side of the road - took a few drives to finally get used to it. > > > We did get out to Shirley Heights, English Harbor, Half Moon Bay, Darkwood Beach (via Fig Tree Drive) and Pigeon Beach (twice) and stopped at St. John's on the way back to the airport. No one was brave enough to get in the water in front of the house, so the only snorkeling we did was at Pigeon Beach. > > We stopped at Bailey's every day to stock up - (we cooked dinner at > home every night so we could watch the sunset), >> > We really enjoyed the house. Thanks for letting us rent it. It was a really nice vacation (and we missed a lot of bad weather back home.....). It is a beautiful place.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Family holiday July 2010

  Family holiday July 2010

  • Guest Martin & Katharine
  • Date of stay 07/01/10
  • Review Submitted 07/18/10
  It was a pleasure to be met by Valentino at the airport and guided to the villa, after the drive it was a pleasant surprise to see that the villa sits right on the sea front with a lovely sea breeze and the pool making a pleasant daily stop to cool off. The villa is well equiped and affords some great snorkelling close by. As a family we visited the whole island with our favourites being Half Moon Bay and Shirley Heights both quite close by. Shell Villa has the best of both worlds, it is situated in a secluded location yet easy for visits anywhere on Antigua. We had a lovely stay and appreciated everything that Shell Villa had to offer, including Daphne's Aloe Vera and island knowledge. The bananaquits (small birds) make welcome visits to the sugar dip and are a pleasure to watch each day from the covered decking. A fabulous place for R&R.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

• Perfect and serene

  Perfect and serene

  • Guest Hensley
  • Date of stay 03/12/10
  • Review Submitted 03/27/10
  Our stay at Shell Villa was a wonderful break! The villa is well equipped and extremely comfortable - the beds were heavenly and we went to sleep and woke to the sound of the waves rolling against the shore. The plunge pool was plenty deep and large enough to float about in the heat of the day (or to splash into in the evening after dinner). The sunset from the deck was magnificent (although we'd also recommend Shirley's Heights on Sunday evenings for the sunset and steel band, even though it's quite touristy)! We made it down the 4wd track to rendezvous bay and there was not a soul in sight - what a wonderful treat, a little slice of paradise. We plan to return with our families (this was a girls' long weekend, and all three of us have young children we plan to return with). Falmouth Harbor and English Harbor are very close by, with good restaurants and bars - we liked the Mad Mongoose for happy hour (and you may meet some of the yacht crews and get invited for a tour of a boat or two), and Abracadabra. HIGHLY recommend.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

High Season Rates (Dec 01 2012 - May 15 2013)
For Three Bedrooms (max 6 people).....$3700/week
For Two Bedrooms (minimum rate) .. ...$3200/week
Low Season Rates (May 16, 2012 - Nov 30 2012)(May 16, 2013 - Nov 30 2013)
For Three Bedrooms (max 6 people)... .$3000/week
For Two Bedrooms (minimum rate) ......$2500/week
US$ 4,950 per week for Christmas/New Year, Boat Show, Race and Cricket weeks
(10 day minimum stay for Christmas and New Year)

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.