Amazing Ocean Front Villa in Pelican Key - Pool and Ocean Access

if you're thinking twice...DONT....trust me, you will not be disappointed.

PROS:

The view was absolutely breathtaking. The house was beautiful, everything was so unique. The master bedroom has a twin bed, which was very comfortable for our 12 year old. Each room has air conditioning. The market surprisingly had a lot of the foods and snacks that we love and it's about 5 minutes away. There are also some absolutely delicious restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner that are less than 5 minutes away, driving. Bruno and Corrine are such hard workers and were such a delight. My travel party included my 12 year old, husband, 2 of our best friends and my mom. It was just perfect. Bring your own snorkel gear as there is a ladder that leads to the sea and there is plenty to see. You will catch cruise ships coming and going. At night, the stars look amazing. Lizards and Iguanas for your viewing pleasure throughout the property.

CONS:

Mosquitoes were quite prevalent. We spent a lot of money purchasing mosquito repellent but I guess the mosquitoes loved me. I was bit at least 40 times. Thankfully, my daughter didn't get bit, probably because she stayed in the pool. My husband only got bit a few times.

SUMMARY:

All in all, I would stay here again, no question. La Calanthe is very Tranquil, peaceful, clean and absolutely stunning. I recommend a rental car. We've traveled to many places and often do not rent cars and rely on cabs, however, if we had taken a cab everywhere, we would have spent a ridiculous amount of money. Seriously, if you don't rent a car, you should probably plan on staying in your home or resort. The directions to get around are very easy, Surprisingly. Very Private! I can't wait to go back.

Excellent place to stay. Very private and well maintained. Go to the market, buy some steaks and use the outside grill, topped off the night sitting poolside with a nice Cuban cigar and some Knob Creek. Amazing swimming and snorkeling in the sea.

Rent a car to get around and explore the island. We were there for 10 days and that was just right. Temps were 85-95 everyday and mostly cloudy/breezy which made the humidity almost negligible. The pool was great also (about the same temp as the sea). Bruno and Corrine were also very nice and accommodating. We will definitely stay here again.

What a wonderful time we had at La Calanthe! The views and the sounds of the waves crashing on the rocks, are intoxicating, making everything you need for a relaxing stay. The great couple, Corinne and Bruno, who attend to the house, are very attentive and are there for you to make your stay even more comfortable, if you have any questions about the island, etc. If you want to venture out, you definitely need to rent a car. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, attractions, and beautiful beaches to see. All in all, this is a wonderful vacation spot, especially if you are accompanied by beautiful, dear, travel companions!

Thank You for your Generosity and Hospitality Olivier, Corinne and Bruno!

We were two families sharing this exceptional villa. Our daughter’s had graduated from College this spring so we wanted to offer them an exotic vacation before entering the work force. The villa was very well designed with spectacular views from many different lounging locations. The pool was in excellent shape with crystal clear water and the landscape was beautifully maintained with many tropical plants and flowers all around. We snorkeled daily in front of the villa descending from a ladder into the Caribbean Sea seeing many different species of fish as well as iguanas lounging on the lava coast line. All the furniture, lighting and appliances worked and very well maintained. The live-in custodians, Corinne and Bruno really make the villa hospitable with fresh towels and minor cleanup every couple days and always available for local questions. This villa is unique and very well maintained exceeding my expectations from the pictures and description on VRBO. The only drawback were the many mosquitos due to the abundant plant life which effect the lady’s more than the men. I would recommend this villa to anyone who wants a unique villa with spectacular views.

To keep things concise, here's a point form breakdown of our experience at La Calanthe in July, 2014:

Convenience - A very short drive from the airport, Marigot and Philipsburg! Very conveniently located near two grocery stores and a few decent restaurants. Kim Sha beach is less than 10 minutes by foot but we opted to rent a car from AAA and visit other more beautiful beaches instead. A great location!

Safety - Gated and with Coco and Bruno right next door with their sweet dog Chanel, we always felt safe. We always locked up at night just as Coco and Bruno asked. There are lots of gated homes with guard dogs in this neighbourhood so it felt very safe. We did walk the road to Simpson Bay a couple of times but only did so during daylight.

Water - Pool was awesome. Huge deck with a variety of loungers etc. Ocean was great for snorkelling and easy to access from the ladder. Watch the currents on windy days as they can become very strong if you're not a solid swimmer.

Kitchen - All the amenities we needed as well as a BBQ outside. Oven takes a long time to heat up so try to use the BBQ for all meals.

Rooms and Baths - Lovely and clean. Nice linens and frequent changing of towels. Lots of room to spread out in common areas although we rarely stayed indoors except to sleep!

Tips - Rent a car as there is so much to see and do on this island and everything is so close relative to what we're used to in Canada! If you like to snorkel check out Little Bay on the Dutch side and Baie Rouge on the French side.

Downfalls - Nothing really other than the mosquitos which were quite active during our stay, day and night, inside and outside. There are no screens on the windows or the porch and there is some lush vegetation on-site, so the bugs were a bit of a nuisance. We kept the bedroom and bathroom doors closed all day (a/c on at night only) and used lots of repellant with DEET. We did get many bites regardless but hopefully it's just a result of the rainy season.

All in all an impeccable experience. And what a view! Highly recommended for LGBT families as well, given how comfortable we were made to feel.