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Oceanfront, elegant 19th century salt merchants home, Salt Cay.
| Sleeps | 6 |
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Property type | house |
| Minimum Stay | 3 - 7 nights |
Overview
Historic colonial charm, close to great snorkeling and dive shop.
APPEARANCE...This Colonial House is a spacious two storey stately home on the ocean with comfortable living quarters on the second floor surrounded by jalousie windows that open to the fresh sea breezes and spectacular sunset and ocean views.
In fact the West veranda provides an excellent viewing area for spotting the magnificent humpback whales as they continue on their migration path to the Silver Banks.
A peaceful retreat, the 'Brown House' is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the antiquity of time.
LOCATION...Although very private and quiet the ‘Brown House’ is conveniently located near to Salt Cay’s dive shop, water front café, restaurant and a short ride to one of the most amazing sandy beaches in the Caribbean.
The house is set back from Victoria Street and very quiet. The guests stay on the upper floor with the superb views and breezes because historically the ground floor was used to store the salt raked from the salt ponds and then transported and off loaded by donkey and cart. The donkeys would haul the salt in burlap bags on the back of the cart and store under the Brown House until the sailing ships arrived to collect the salt foe delivery to ports around the world.
BEDROOMS EN-SUITE..The three perfectly appointed bedrooms with king size four poster beds and soft down pillows each have their own modern bathrooms with hot showers,fragrant soaps and towels provided.
For those that choose to read each room has reading lamps next to a chaise lounge for relaxation.
LIBRARY...There is also a library room with a wide assortment of books, and a flat screen TV for playing DVD's.
LOUNGE...Adjacent to the library is an elegant lounge area with double doors that open to the sea,historic church and salt pans that stretch to the horizon.
KITCHEN...The modern kitchen is located in the original Bemudan kitchen building, adjacent to the main house and once referred to as the Buttery.
TERRACE...The door opens to a wide terrace decked with teak table and chairs that overlook the ocean..A perfect place for breakfast and sunset cocktails!
About Candy Herwin
Helen Krieble is well known and loved by the residents of Salt Cay. Everyone has been touched by her personal generosity and help to rebuild the historic landmarks on the island which she said 'would be a legacy for future generations to enjoy' Ms Krieble established the Turks and Caicos Preservation Foundation and donated much time and effort into rebuilding the historic Government House and more recently the Benevolent Society building which dates back to the 1800's. Please see links.
Ms Krieble and her brother Frederick are true guardians of the national heritage of Salt Cay and in preserving and renovating these precious old buildings create and maintain a link to the past and present . Visitors to the island not only enjoy the pristine beaches but delight in seeing the historic buildings come to life.
Candy Herwin purchased this house in 2000
Why Candy Herwin chose Caribbean
This colonial home has been lovingly restored and is absolutely a unique Georgian period salt merchants home. it is one of the few privately owned national heritage landmark in the Turks and Caicos Islands and is a legacy to the history and culture of these salt raking islands..
It is possibly one of the only Salt Merchants home in the world run as a small guesthouse and open to guests that wish to stay in an elegant early 19th century home on an island with amazing history, diving and spectacular white sandy beaches.
What makes this house unique
Restored 1820's salt merchants house directly oceanfront, elegant, quiet, spacious, best panoramic views of ocean, historic district, old church, salt salinas.
Close to the harbour, dive shop and restaurants.
Own library, lounge and modern kitchen, bikes,,wide verandas with 360 degree views with comfortable armchairs..daily maid service.
Amenities
Turks and Caicos Islands House Accommodation and Amenities
- house
- Guests provide their own meals
- Beachfront ...
- Lake View ...
- Oceanfront ...
- Away From It All
- Historic
- Clothes Dryer
- Garage
- Linens Provided
- Living Room
- Parking
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- Catering Available
- Cooking Utensils
- Ice Maker
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Dining Area
- 3 Bathrooms
-
Bathroom 1 -
Bathroom 2 -
Bathroom 3 -
- 3
- 3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6
- King size beds (3)
- Books
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Stereo
- Balcony
- Deck / Patio
- Gazebo
- Outdoor Grill
- alternative lifestyle
- churches
- library
- museums
- restaurants
- ruins
- beachcombing
- bird watching
- boating
- eco tourism
- scenic drives
- shelling
- walking
- whale watching
- Babysitter
- groceries
- laundromat
- massage therapist
- medical services
- basketball court
- cycling
- deepsea fishing
- fishing
- kayaking
- scuba diving or snorkeling
- snorkeling
- snorkeling/diving
- sound/bay fishing
- surf fishing
- swimming
Reviews
Exceptional!
5/5 -
(8 traveler reviews)
Incredible House on an Amazing Island
We love Salt Cay. It is an amazing island. The Brown House put another dimension into our trip. It is impossible to stay here and not feel like you are truly some place special The house has been lovingly restored. The floors, the walls, the ceilings, we couldn't stop looking. When faced with a beautiful ocean front view, we never stay inside. But here, it was so stunning inside, we found ourselves drawn back in.
Each bedroom has it's own bath. The beds were comfortable and the bathrooms very clean. Even though the bathrooms are new, they were made to fit in the period of the house. There was a lot of attention to detail put into this restoration. We truly appreciated it.
The main kitchen is detached and downstairs. Worked fine because you want to dine outside on the patio. There is a small kitchenette upstairs with a small fridge, sink, microwave and coffee maker. Easy to roll out of bed and get things started with out much work.
The views from the upstairs veranda and the downstairs porch and patio are amazing. Sunsets on the ocean side and sunrises over the salinas. You get to see everything.
The Brown House is close enough to the restaurants and dive shop that you could walk. We rented a golf cart to get around the island this year, but it is also easily done on a bike. We have done that for the past 4 years.
There is no wifi at the Brown House but you can get your fix at the restaurants. How much do you really want to stay in touch with reality? Salt Cay is the perfect spot to escape.
The manager for the house, Candy, did a great job popping in to see if we needed anything and also stocked food items we requested before arriving.
Love the Brown House! Thanks Helen, for all the work you did to restore this fantastic piece of history.
Highlight of our trip
If you're the kind of person who enjoys:
- living in a beautifully restored old colonial house that is immaculate and equipped with all modern conveniences*
- watching the sun set over the ocean from your terrace
- being within walking or cycling distance from beaches, snorkeling and restaurants
... then you'll love the Brown House.
There are many things to love about Turks and Caicos in general and Salt Cay in particular - the beaches, the ocean, the people - but the very best part of our trip was probably the Brown house itself.
*The only exception is the absence of wifi in the house. Depending on how you want to spend your time during your trip, this need not be a bad thing however.
Amazing Historic Home on the Quaint Island of Salt Cay
Our family stayed in the Brown House for 9 nights in July. We were a little unsure of staying somewhere so hot without air conditioning in the middle of the summer, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well the tradewinds blew through the home to keep things cool! It was actually very nice to spend the hottest part of the day in the lounge just feeling the breeze and reading a book.
The house itself is very grand. It feels this way because the ceilings are at least 12 feet high and all painted white to help control the heat. It's has been beautifully restored to a historic charm with antique-looking furnishings and modern amenities. It brought our vacation to a whole new level. I enjoyed just walking around the patio, enjoying the views from every angle. The bedrooms were beautifully appointed and the beds were very comfortable.
The kitchen is amazing...full-sized industrial fridge and freezer, stainless steel island and counters, and gas stovetop. We ate all of our meals on the oceanfront terrace, enjoying the views.
I would strongly recommend renting a golf cart for at least a couple of days to explore all there is to see on Salt Cay. It's also nice to have in the heat even if just traveling a short distance.
We were there primarily for scuba diving with SC Divers. We had some amazing dives. The dive master Richard was excellent...very safety conscience. All dives were computer and air dependent which meant we could stay down as long as the computers and air supply allowed. I think our longest dive was about 100 minutes!
Our host was very accommodating and arranged for babysitting for our children while we were out. She allowed the children to go with the babysitter to another property she manages, Pirate's Hideaway, to use the beautiful pool there. As another bonus, we discovered our babysitter (Flor) is a masseuse, and we each had hour massages right on our own patio for very reasonable price! Our host also arranged to have our groceries in stock when we arrived and checked in several times through our stay to make sure everything was going well, offering help if needed.
The Brown House - Victoria Street
The Brown House on Victoria Street, Salt Cay, boasts of the picturesque island's rich history. Imposing, magnificent and stately, the 19th Century house, now beautifully restored, is hemmed in by the glittering salinas and their secrets, and the dazzling sea with its splendid surprises. The wind-whipped verandah offers a shimmering ocean vista of turquoise, mint and lavender hues from which whales leap like sea lords and hunting birds rise triumphantly. It overlooks a serene island life that is marked by an incontestable hospitality, a warm, family-like community and a spirit of resilience.
The Brown House is elegantly appointed with a decor that combines Queen Ann's ornate influence and Caribbean soul. The house is a gentle yet powerful time machine that magically opens a path to fleeting, nostalgic images of a long-forgotten era. Its tranquility, time-honoured dignity and charming beauty spill hushed, century-old comfort from its corners, restoring the weary spirit. And then, emanating from its windows like an epiphany, light.
Christine Ramoutar (2014)
Stepping into history
Our stay at the Salt Cay, Salt Merchants Home was so incredible. I can only imagine this beautiful house and the island of salt Cay is much like popular tourist traps of our day were 60 or 70 years ago. The house, while beautifully updated with all modern materials and conveniences, very much reflected it’s glorious past. Nothing could top sitting on the wraparound porch or at the edge of the ocean in the large cabana watching the sun rise or set. The evenings were filled with the peaceful sounds of the ocean and cool tropic breezes. Everything about this house was wonderful; the location, the history, and the value. We feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to experience this wonderful island and this magnificent home.
Beautiful colonial Georgian home, attentive host, and a charming island.
Home: The quality of the original construction is rather striking and the renovation has been tasteful (they maintained the character, but updated where necessary). The home has three main bedrooms, each with separate bathroom, along the south side of the property. Dining and living spaces are located on the north side, with a wrap around porch. Furnishings are period appropriate and create a comfortable atmosphere. The sundeck is to the west with the kitchen located at ground level in an adjacent building between the sun deck and home. This turned out to be more convenient than expected since the most inviting place it eat and drink is the ocean-side deck! It also helps keep the heat out of the home if you chose to cook a meal.
Location: The home is in a perfect location for cycling or walking within Salt Cay. It's located on the western shore, adjacent to the salinas and midway between the north and south 'districts' of the island. This places it close to all three restaurants, the dive shop, dock, and a convenience store.
Setting: A major feature of this property is the view. The sun deck is ocean adjacent and looks west. Sunsets were spectacular. The sun deck is probably my favorite feature of the property and a perfect spot to pass the evening. During our stay we saw hump back whales breach in the distance (they migrate by Salt Cay from January through March) as well as the elusive 'green flash' at sunset.
In addition to the view, the building orientation ensures fresh air off the ocean which provided a comfortable stay without the need for A/C. By keeping the windows open we enjoyed listening to the waves gently crash during the evening/night.
Host: I found information on Salt Cay rather sparse before my visit, but was very happy to meet Candy on arrival. She is a knowledgeable and attentive host who will ensure you have anything you need for a pleasant stay.
Map
Private tour to Cotton cay which is owned by the owner of The Brown House.. with fabulous sandy beaches...ruins and wild vegetation. Amazing location for snorkeling.
The Brown House is a private and quiet property directly on the ocean and is central to the restaurants ,fabulous beaches,dive shops and exploration of the history of salt raking.
Humpback whale watching is an amazing attraction during the months of February and March and you can take a boat ride or just sit on the veranda of the Brown House..
Photos
Rates & Availability
- Available
- Unavailable
Additional information about rental rates
Manager's Cancellation Policy
- 50% refund if canceled at least 7 days before arrival date.
- 100% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date.
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