Family Villas
 

We plan to travel for one week in March 2010 to the Carribean. We'd like a 4 bedroom beachfront villa. A pool would be nice, housekeeper/cook. A direct flight from NY/NJ is preferable. We will have 5 adults and a 2 year old.
So far Barbados and Saint Martin look promising, but pricy. Any suggestions are welcome.

from girlbat17's site these villas would be good for you:

blue haven, on sopadilla bay beach. a quiet location on the south side of provo. nice place for kids to swim because it's fairly shallow for quite a ways out. yachts often moor off this beach. http://www.flickr.com/photos/catsav/2455307041/
15 min drive to grace bay and all its resorts & dining.
crystal sands is an excellent house also on sopadilla bay beach.
the beach is right out your door from both these houses. you would need a car.

villa oasis is directly on grace bay beach, is fairly central, and near good snorkeling.

next to sopadilla is taylor bay beach. even more shallow, great/safe for little one, softest sand i've ever felt. look at: http://www.tcsafari.tc/BahiaMar.htm dick clark's old house: http://www.tcvillas.com/paradise_found/

another house that might suit you is bella sur mer. on grace bay beach, pool, 4br, near snorkeling & 2 min drive to 5 restaurants. www.bellasurmer.com
next door is: another good house - one of the older homes on provo, no pool but has fenced sandy yard is: http://www.atlanticoceanbeachvillas.com/index.html
calm water but gets deep quickly at these 2.
or www.aquamarinebeachhouses.com excellent location on grace bay beach. close to everything but set apart. run by very nice ppl. good section of beach, near snorkeling.

Thanks for the info on the Turks and Caicos. I will certainly consider the options you have suggested.

check this web site for st maarten villas. the people who mange it are very good and very helpful.

http://gobeach.com/page1.htm

Thank you, I'll give them a call. We love this island!

In Barbados a 4 bedroom beach front villa with pool,maid butler and all the stuff you mention,will cost per week the same as a brand new car,if you are looking for those kind of properties any where in the caribbean you cant complain about pricy,you must be a millionaire.

Visit this site :

http://st-maarten.blueoceanvillas.com

Dear Mr Know It All,

Most sights I have checked out run between $850-$1,000/night.
This is FAR less than multiple hotel rooms and having to eat out. So actually this is a most affordable way for us to travel and I'll be happy to share the experience with you when I return.

No need to reply...you obviously think more of yourself than I do.

Sorry i never stay in hotels, i always look for what i can afford,never tried bitting off more than what i can chew,and then complain about things being pricy, no offence and please dont take it personal,but if you take your time you will find something but as i said not a beach house you dont sound like you can afford one, sorry please dont take your anger out on me i was just trying to help.

knowitall, how rude.

Thank you Virginia,
he is just further inserting his foot in his mouth. Nothing being said is of any help toward planning for a vacation.
I welcome genuine assistance, not preaching in a most arrogant and offensive manner.
Any one with any real suggestions your comments are genuinely
appreciated.

ok so back to the trip. you'll find some of the most attentive staff at villas on jamaica & we were frankly overwhelmed by the amount of time the maid was around when we rented south of playa del carman. prices will be a bit lower than st. maarten a/or barbados, especially in mexico.
for mex look at locogringo.com
jamaica is known to have tons of houses with maid,cook,pool guy that come with the house.
have not been on barbados yet but good friends have gone for years and particularly like the villas on mullins or gibbs beach (between holetown & speightstown). good beachs, not to crowded and some snorkeling.

Thank you for your prompt response. We are looking into a property on Mullins Bay, nice to know your friends are fans.
Could you get the name of a specific villa or their booking agency? I will also look into the Jamaica website.

randi, just phoned friend. she is away until tom evening when i will call back and get name of rental company and hopefully specific houses she has had.
in the meantime as you sound as if barbados may be it for you take a look at this: http://www.barbadostips.com/Barbados_Tips/Welcome.html
a lady who posts on fodors screenname lois has compiled this info after 20 some trips.

You are a wealth of info.
Many thanks!

friend finally home from her much needed respit (she owns a restaurant in nj)
the name of her rental agency on barbados is: http://www.bajanservices.com/

she goes in january & rents 2 br villa. has been to sea isle, aquamarine, one other a few years ago that she could not recall the name of. said all were as represented on line. each comes with maid/cook some of whom have tiny apt on site - but that privacy is always well respected. you can shop or they will. they address her as miss kathy! friend shops & writes desired menu.
she suggested waverly, waverly house or west haven for your larger group.
she said not to get a house south of (towards the gap) aquamarine villa as the beach starts to get rocky.
hope this helps.

Virginia,
Thank you. I am looking into the website...thank your friend, as well.
R