The house is exactly as it is depicted in the photographs--stunningly beautiful, a good view and very clean. Pool and hot tub are great. I spent 10 days with my wife, children, sister, and parents in February of 2020. I love the location--great grocery store Carrefour is 5 minutes way at Cupecoy. We got an ice-cream at a French cafe there, and there are several restaurants (Thai, Pizza, Italian).
There are several beaches very close by that are great--Plum Bay, Bay Longue, and the (unmarked--get good directions) Bay Rouge. (Be sure to check out the natural rock formation just past the eastern shore of Bay Rouge). These are not commercial or crowded beaches which to me is great. Bring snacks, chairs, and umbrellas. Walking to the Bay Longue is not 8 minutes, but more like 20, and a very hot walk. I recommend driving there in 5 minutes instead.
If you have small kids, or want a beach which is always calm, Friar's Bay is a must. It is a quick 25 minutes away. You can avoid most the Marigot traffic by staying close to the Bay.
The main house is completely open unless you lower the electronic metal gates.
We lunched at the beach cafe at La Samanna. Ricardo the Property Manager will gladly assist with reservations. The ambience can not be beat, but the food was only mediocre.
The master bedroom is fantastic. and it is the only room with screens that provide cross-ventilation so you can open the windows and turn off the AC. None of the other three rooms have screens on the doors so you have to keep the AC on or suffer stuffy heat, or open the doors and suffer mosquitoes. (I realize this is not a problem for most people--but to me, it is a huge waste-- I am not a huge fan of air conditioning, especially in the evenings, when the temperature cools down, and there is generally a nice breeze.
The upstairs bedroom's bathroom is downstairs on the main floor--a minor inconvenience.
The Villa does not recycle which to me is unfortunate, since recycling does seem to exist on the island.
I recommend cool clothes to cover up with and be prepared to apply bug spray a couple times a day. (I recommend Picaridin.) Several locals confirmed that the mosquito situation is worse now than in previous years. But it was not so bad as to it interfere with our overall enjoyment..
The safe does not fit a laptop, but we did not sense that they were at risk.
Our main cleaner Tasha was great, as was Angel.
Overall highly recommended!
