We found the Mermaid House to be full of character, unique furnishings and art, and a sense of what visiting the tropics must have once been like before condo-world.
Happily, it has modern appliances, plenty of hot water, etc. My husband and I stayed for a week in August. At first, we were dismayed by the heat & humidity. We knew there was no AC, but weren't prepared for the mid-day heat. Ceiling fans move the air around, but the floor fan helped more. Breezes were erratic, so privacy was sacrificed, as keeping the window blinds open was imperative to catch whatever air came through. That was a good thing, as several of the blinds don't work. Luckily, the house is mostly surrounded by hedges, so that wasn't a big problem for us.
We ended up very glad we stayed there. A few minor tweaks would make a great place even better: A new lockbox by the door - the current one is pretty old, and the cover fell off a few times. Some new window blinds. Better directions to the house and to Tunnels Beach - the street sign is hidden by foliage, and we had to ask around to find the way to Tunnels.
All in all, we're very happy to have had the Mermaid House experience. It felt "real," and adding AC would somehow lessen its island atmosphere. We enjoyed the many interesting books and appreciated the snorkeling equipment.We even loved the chickens!
Mahalo to Jane for keeping this rare place intact.