Help w/ T&C Villa!!
 

I am planning a trip for 4 couples to the Caribbean, and am almost set on T&C, thanks to many postings on Fodors. Has anyone stayed at Sunset Point oceanside Villa? I keep going between that one and several others, including Aqua Pulchra. Any recommendations? Or ideas for villas other than in T&C that are awesome? We don't want all-inclusive -- like the idea of some privacy and kitchens, etc. Has to be on the ocean!
Thanks for any help.
~ Chilepepper

hi chilepepper, sunset point is on the south side of provo. i have stayed in one of the ocean point villas next door. houses are great but definetly not beachfront. in villa rental there is a huge difference between 'beachfront' and 'ocean front'. ocean front could be 1000' up on a bluff.
grace bay beach - the big deal on provo - is on the north side. this is about a 15-20 drive from sunset point and aqua pulchra a few mins more. sunset points web site states that it is steps from taylor beach. it is not. more like a 7 min walk. also taylor is not a swimming beach. extremely shallow. sapodilla is in fact a 3 min drive and better for swimming but a very small beach. i love both these beaches - the sand is soft like talcum powder - but would not want to rent on them unless i had small children.
aqua pulchra is on chalk sound. it's beautiful but not on the ocean and not swimming water. it's brack.
personally i wouldn't want to stay in a non beach front house on this island. so i have a couple suggestions for you: either sandstone or turtle beach villa (see at www.northshorevillas.com) or bella sur mer (see at www.bellasurmer.com). all 3 of these houses have pools and are directly on grace bay beach near turtle cove marina. the marina area has 6 restaurants and a dive shop. and the best snorkeling on island is at smiths reef almost directly in front of villa sandstone. 3min walk from turle beach villa. 10 min walk from bella sur mer.
heres a link to a very good provo map: http://www.aquamarinebeachhouses.com/map.htm
the provo grocery is really good. pricey but they have most everything. we always go to villas and always take a frozen cooler (checked luggage) with things like steaks, chicken marinating in something sealed in a bag, butter, fruit juices in cans, and some premade appetizers, etc. if you do this provo customs may request a typed list of the cooler contents, but they have never charged us anything or even looked at list or cooler....
hope this helps. if these don't suit you i can come up with a few more ideas further east on grace bay beach. or perhaps on long bay beach. not grace bay but there are a couple really nice houses there. long bay in on the north shore but further east than taylor/sopadilla area. isloated area yet closer to grace bay and all the restaurants.

Wow, Virginia! You saved me from making a very big mistake. Thank you so much for all the wonderful information. I would have never guessed that any of the water would not be good for swimming in. Snorkeling and Scuba are very important to us! I am checking out your suggestions right away. I love this forum!!! Thanks again.
~ Chilepepper

I think Aquamarine Beach house would be a great place to stay. It has a pool , tennis court, and is very close to some great shore snorkeling and the property is on Grace Bay

if you plan to dive i'd like to recommend art pickerings provo turtle divers at turtle cove marina. they have 2 very nice smaller boats. one is only a year or so old. the staff is excellent and concientious. art no longer owns the company (oldest on island) but dave the new owner is really cool.
aq beach houses are in a great spot, with their own mini reef. i don't think any one of their 3 houses is large enough for 4 couples but maybe you could do 2 and 2. two regular posters - luvscuba and mymoosie have stayed there. there is quite an elaborate trip report at www.mymoosie.net you could look at.
the other great shore snokeling is directly in front of coral gardens hotel. they have a good place for non-guests to park and a beachisde snack/bar area.