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The Charming House of Salt Cay - Traditional Comfort in Style
| Sleeps | 6 |
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 2 |
| Space | 1,600 sq. ft. |
| Property type | house |
| Minimum Stay | 7 nights |
Overview
House, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, (Sleeps 6)
Charming House on Salt Cay offers the experience of authentic Caribbean island life, updated to today's standards of comfort and vacation relaxation, just like Salt Cay itself. Located in its own walled yard in the unspoiled historic quarter of South District, it is across the street from the Government House, newly restored by the National Trust. Charming House is a traditional Bermudan cape with a deep, roofed veranda commanding views of the island, the sunset over the azure sea, and humpback whales on their timeless migration.
The house sleep six. There are two bedrooms located on the ground floor, each with a queen bed, closet and doors onto the patio equipped with deck chairs and an outdoor dining table. Upstairs the master suite offers quiet space and a romantic iron double bed draped in netting. Dormer windows funnel cooling breezes overhead. The veranda features an antique Indian charpoy bed for the perfect siesta. Planters' chairs set the scene for cooling drinks as the sun goes down.
The house is a Caribbean love affair, completely renovated and updated by the owner with comfortable furnishings and attention to detail. Screened and shuttered windows are left open to the cooling trade winds, reflecting the wisdom of generations of islanders. The kitchen is modeled on the original, but features zinc counters, five ring gas stove, water filter, kitchen bar set in the breezeway, and a full set of quality cooking equipment. There are two bathrooms, one with a shower and another with a tub/shower.
Charming House is the perfect place on the perfect island for a romantic getaway or family vacation, offering spectacular whale watching, diving, beach days and convivial nights.
Keywords: Ocean and beach views, spacious, freshly renovated, private, authentic island home, modern conveniences
About Charles Laurence
I am a British-born journalist and writer who has traveled widely and lived in New York for the past 25 years.
Charles Laurence purchased this house in 2008
Why Charles Laurence chose Caribbean
After many visits, I knew Salt Cay was the place I could call home for part of the year. It is my kind of island. Friendly, laid back, authentic and always interesting. Reviews will tell you that the Charming House is a uniquely lovely and tastefully renovated hideaway!
What makes this house unique
Charming House has been part of the fabric of Salt Cay for 150 years, and proud members of the original family still live in the neighborhood. The people of Salt Cay greet you on the street, in the neighborhood restaurants, and in the shops. You'll be welcomed at the churches, school presentations, local sporting events and communal celebrations. You're minutes to some of the best snorkeling, diving, and beaches in the Turks and Caicos.
Amenities
Turks and Caicos Islands House Accommodation and Amenities
- house
- Guests provide their own meals
- 1600 sq. ft.
- 2 stories
- Max. occupancy: 6
- pets considered
- children welcome
- Beach View ...
- Ocean View
- Water View
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Budget
- Family
- Historic
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Broadband Access
- Hair Dryer
- Internet
- Linens Provided
- Living Room ...
- Telephone ...
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- Wireless Internet
- Coffee Maker ...
- Cooking Utensils
- Ice Maker
- Kitchen ...
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Toaster
- Dining ...
- Dining Area
- seating for 6 people
- 2 Bathrooms
-
Bathroom 1 -
Bathroom 2 -
- Stunningly equipped with authentic copper bathtub and drencher shower head
- 3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6
- Queen size Beds (2) queen beds in both ground floor bedrooms, Double Beds (1) Antique iron bed in first floor master suite
- DVD Player
- Television ...
- Video Library
- Balcony ...
- Deck / Patio
- Outdoor Grill
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- wheelchair accessible
- churches
- restaurants
- beachcombing
- bird watching
- boating
- eco tourism
- scenic drives
- shelling
- walking
- whale watching
- wildlife viewing
- Babysitter
- groceries
- medical services
- cycling
- deepsea fishing
- fishing
- fly fishing
- hiking
- pier fishing
- scuba diving or snorkeling
- snorkeling
- snorkeling/diving
- swimming
Reviews
Wonderful!
4.9/5 -
(23 traveler reviews)
Charming and Soulful House on Salt Cay
This property truly lives up to its name. It is extremely charming and soulful. All the facilities are certainly up to today's standard with a bit of island patina. We would certainly return to this property. One note that some might find important in the kitchen: it is probably the best equipped kitchen I have ever experienced in terms of cookware, cutlery and baking dishes etc. Knives are sharp and sturdy which in our experience is rare in house and apartment rentals.
Charles stayed in touch with us during our stay answering questions within the same day or early the next by email.
Comforts of home, but in paradise!
We enjoyed our 12 night stay at The Charming House immensely, and it was the ideal home base for our daily explorations. The house, like Salt Cay itself, is utterly serene and Charles is the ultimate invisible host. Perhaps because he lives there himself for part of the year, the house feels nothing like a rental. It's more like being invited to stay at someone's very special home whilst they are away.
The kitchen is extremely well appointed. As we went in the off-season and were unsure of how many of the island's restaurants and grocery stores would be open, we brought quite a bit of food with us. You need next to nothing for clothing on Salt Cay, so we used quite a bit of the 50 lb luggage allowance per person for food. I am very glad we did, because fresh supplies are hard to come by on an island like this, and only one restaurant was open for business. We used Dickinson's grocery store for eggs, butter, milk (they understandably sell only shelf-stable milk), and some little goodies like peanut M&M's and Flav-O-Ice popsicles, but do not expect to find anything else fresh.
As promised, there are two bikes available for use, but as we are a family of 4 (two adults, two teenagers) we fully expected to have to rent a golf cart to get to places like the North Beach. Fortunately, we found a couple of older bikes in the shed which my husband managed to resurrect. Other reviewers had warned about frequent flat tires due to the rocky paths and thorns from the bushes that grow all over the island, so we tried to be mindful not to stray far from the main roads, and the bikes held up quite well.
Keens or Tevas are the ideal footwear for exploring the island - in and out of the water - especially for places like the South Creek.
Debbie, who manages the house and owns/runs the Dive Shop and Island Bistro, was invaluable, and Richard was a wonderful dive instructor for first time divers like us. Everyone that we encountered on the island was incredibly friendly, warm, and welcoming.
That said, Salt Cay is for explorers, adventurous spirits, nature lovers, and people who are willing to work a bit to uncover the island's treasures. Snorkeling, diving, beach combing, swimming, birds, donkeys, crystal clear waters, and STARS! If this is you, Salt Cay will blow your mind. It is not a good choice for anyone who needs the kind of holiday where everything comes to you and everything is easy. Stick to Provo for that.
Still a Charming Charming House
This was our fourth stay at The Charming House. Why do we keep returning to this house? We love it. We love the location, away from it all. So peaceful. The vantage point from the veranda is spot on to enable you to watch north/south "traffic" while laying low. We stayed for five weeks this time around and enjoyed cooking "at home" most of the time. The new bikes were great to ride and we enjoyed walking and exploring the island time and time again. Can't wait to get back!
Truly is a Charming House
We just returned from a wonderful week in Charming House. This was our third time renting the house, and we were so happy to back. The house is breezy and spacious, with three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living/dining room, two full bathrooms and a study. The covered porch on the west-facing second floor is really another room, with comfortable chairs, ceiling fans and gorgeous views. Salt Cay is a magical island! It is peaceful and has the most beautiful beach we have ever seen. Groceries are limited, so we bring a fair amount of food along with us. You can buy fresh fish and conch down at the harbor. The kitchen has everything you will need for cooking just about any meal. The house is situated in the south district and the Atlantic side of the island is a few minutes' walk out the back door. Charles is very easy to work with and is responsive to any questions. The house manager Debbie is wonderful and always makes us feel very well looked after. We rent a golf cart from Debbie. There are also two new bikes available at the house. We will definitely stay here again and already are missing this terrific house.
Our second time
It was even better the second time! Debbie was the best! And thanks Charles for the new bikes every one on the island wanted them. We had dinner at Debbie Christmas and half the island was there it was a great time and good food and drink! Charming House is the best on the island! I will always stay at Charming House it is like home
A perfect base for Salt Cay
This house is so perfect. Salt Cay is mystical and beautiful and The Charming House amplifies the effect. Charles and Debbie make a great team. Charles owns the house. He's British. He wrote a spy novel. His vision in creating this space is completely realized. Debbie owns other rental houses, a seaside bar/restaurant called The Coral Reef, Salt Cay Divers...and who knows what else! You should patronize every one of her businesses; we are particularly big fans of the conch fritters, conch chowder and fish sandwich at the Coral Reef!
What is there to do on Salt Cay? You probably should figure that out on your own, but here are some basics:
1) Eat at Pat's. It's a block away. Set a spell.
2) See all of North Beach (duh) Explore Windmills Plantation.
3) If you like to hike, walk a couple of blocks east to the water and head all the way North. Swim in blowholes and little private coves. Bring rum punch.
4) Rent a golf cart for a day or two from the lovely Candy at Pirates Cove. If you are not a big fan of hikes, rent longer. We just needed one day.
5) Shop at Dickinson's Super Store. It's just a couple of blocks away and it has everything you need. (Well, alright, maybe you should bring a FEW groceries from Provo...Caicos Express let's you bring 50 pounds of luggage per person with no rules against rum...I mean, liquids)
Ok, that's a start.
The Charming House will be our first choice when we return to Salt Cay. We have two teenage daughters and we travel a lot. Everyone agreed that Salt Cay and The Charming House were......absolutely charming!
Map
Humpback whale watching January through April. World class scuba diving. Untrammeled beaches, with fishing creeks and mangroves are making Salt Cay an eco destination. Don't miss the hike along the wild Atlantic beaches on the east coast, nor the snorkelling off North Beach.
Photos
Rates & Availability
Turks and Caicos Islands House Rental Rates
- Rental Basis:
- per property
- Manager accepts payment in:
- USD
| Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Event | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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My Standard Rate
7 night minimum stay
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$900
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Additional information about rental rates
Rates are quoted without tax, which is an additional 12% as of April 2015 and may be subject to increase. There is also an additional $20 airport transfer fee.
The property has three bedrooms, sleeping six. There will be an additional charge of $100 per week per adult above 4 adults.
Manager's Cancellation Policy
- Available
- Unavailable
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