Reviews of Property: 'The Blue House' Huge Beachfront Home with Magnificent Views-Golf Cart available
Description
House, 3200 sq. ft.,
4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8, 3 Bathrooms
4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8, 3 Bathrooms
Amenities
beach, waterfront,
garden,
pets considered,
air-conditioning,
internet access
Rates
per property
(USD)
$330 -
$400/night
$2,300/week
$9,200/month
$2,300/week
$9,200/month
Flavia Quint
+1 212-579-8499
+1 917-817-6855
+1 917-817-6855
Speaks: English, Spanish, Portuguese
8 Reviews of Property 161215 in San Salvador, Bahamas
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1
Total Escape
Review Submitted: July 31, 2008
Date of Stay: July 2008
The house was beautiful and well furnished with lots of space, a great layout and incredible views. It's also located in a perfect spot. You are pretty close to "town" but far enough away that you are not dealing with much traffic, especially on the beaches. We spent nearly every day in the water snorkeling the reefs and met the resident sea turtle, huge school of dinner-plate sized blue tangs and cuttlefish. We really missed diving due to a broken shoulder, but will get our fill on the next trip down to San Sal. We enjoyed several traditional, home-style Bahamian meals with Beverly at Paradis. Her and her mom are incredible chefs! We also took one of our first couple of days and drove all the way around the island in our rental car from Granville (which Garnel set up for us in moments upon our arrival). The drive gave us the chance to see where we wanted to spend more time throughout the week, with a focus on the beaches and reefs. Grotto beach in Columbus Landings has a pavilion with picnic tables and is pretty much deserted all the time… ask the locals how to get there and they will be happy to help. The lighthouse is a must-see. Just go on in but make sure you sign the guest book and don’t wake up the lighthouse keeper. He sleeps during the day. There really are no U.S. style “convenience” stores on the island, so make sure you bring drinks/food if you go out exploring until you get used to the hours of operation. We packed a soft cooler and it worked out wonderfully. It was also handy for picnic lunchs at the beaches. Stores keep business hours but when we visited Jake Jones’ store on Sunday, the locals recommended we knock on the owner’s door. She was happy to open up and let us shop. The island does run based on the mailboat and fuel barge deliveries every week. If they are delayed for some reason, talk to Garnel and she’ll help you find what you need. Garnel stopped by almost every day to make sure we were outfitted with everything we needed, answer any of our questions and just be a huge help. Her help and oversight helped to make our vacation perfect. All in all, the Blue House was perfect for our escape from daily life and a comfortable, relaxing vacation home. Thanks for everything, Flavia! We’ll be back!
Owner's Response: I am over joyed you had a good time , the Blue House has a very special place in our hearts and I am so happy I can share this with the ones that want to wander off the beaten path! You are always welcome !
Great Week at the Blue House
Review Submitted: September 15, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
Our family of 4 (including 2 demanding teenagers) spent a very relaxing week here in mid-August.
The house is very spacious: the kids each had a room to themselves & there was another twin-bedded room that we didn't use. The kitchen is a good size with a full range of (dated) functioning appliances. The ac worked very well (leak in one room was waiting for a part from Nassau to be fixed), as did the TV, internet and PS2. Combined with all the other natural attractions, our kids thought they were in heaven!
The location of the house is FANTASTIC: all you can see is beach and sea. The beach is 10 yards through the garden from the deck and then the sea is 20-30 yards away depending on the tide. The beach has a steep section (down to the waters edge) for about 3-4 feet that could be problematic for a toddler on their own, or for someone with physical disabilities.
The sea was crystal clear except for the day after the one major thunderstorm we had. There are several thriving reefs within 50 yards of the shore and we saw countless tropical fish, large grouper and parrot fish, the turtle, octopus, cuttle fish, etc etc. You won't need to go anywhere else to snorkel: it is right here.
We only had company once, when on the "cloudy water day" a family of 4 walked all the way along to us from Club Med.
We hired a car for the week (Avis/Hertz it is NOT!) to explore the island, and in retrospect would have been better off getting it for a day and using the golf cart for the rest of the week.
We were pleasantly surprised by the availability, quality and cost of provisions bought on the island. We were disappointed by the quality and selection of restaurant food (it's all just OK at best): if you want anything decent, be prepared to cook it yourself - there is a grill on the deck, so this is not a problem.
What else?
We never saw a mosquito; outside after sunset there were smaller black flying, biting insects but (a) we encountered far more of them when we went out to eat & (b) deet-based repellent (sold @ local supermarket) worked.
The house was spotlessly clean when we arrived. The attic space is in the process of being finished and tools and materials were visible from the landing: but nothing that a strategically placed hanging screen couldn't deal with. If it was mine, a fresh coat of exterior paint would be on my to do list, along with a 2nd hammock for someone else to use!
We would stay here again in a heartbeat.
The house is very spacious: the kids each had a room to themselves & there was another twin-bedded room that we didn't use. The kitchen is a good size with a full range of (dated) functioning appliances. The ac worked very well (leak in one room was waiting for a part from Nassau to be fixed), as did the TV, internet and PS2. Combined with all the other natural attractions, our kids thought they were in heaven!
The location of the house is FANTASTIC: all you can see is beach and sea. The beach is 10 yards through the garden from the deck and then the sea is 20-30 yards away depending on the tide. The beach has a steep section (down to the waters edge) for about 3-4 feet that could be problematic for a toddler on their own, or for someone with physical disabilities.
The sea was crystal clear except for the day after the one major thunderstorm we had. There are several thriving reefs within 50 yards of the shore and we saw countless tropical fish, large grouper and parrot fish, the turtle, octopus, cuttle fish, etc etc. You won't need to go anywhere else to snorkel: it is right here.
We only had company once, when on the "cloudy water day" a family of 4 walked all the way along to us from Club Med.
We hired a car for the week (Avis/Hertz it is NOT!) to explore the island, and in retrospect would have been better off getting it for a day and using the golf cart for the rest of the week.
We were pleasantly surprised by the availability, quality and cost of provisions bought on the island. We were disappointed by the quality and selection of restaurant food (it's all just OK at best): if you want anything decent, be prepared to cook it yourself - there is a grill on the deck, so this is not a problem.
What else?
We never saw a mosquito; outside after sunset there were smaller black flying, biting insects but (a) we encountered far more of them when we went out to eat & (b) deet-based repellent (sold @ local supermarket) worked.
The house was spotlessly clean when we arrived. The attic space is in the process of being finished and tools and materials were visible from the landing: but nothing that a strategically placed hanging screen couldn't deal with. If it was mine, a fresh coat of exterior paint would be on my to do list, along with a 2nd hammock for someone else to use!
We would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Ruined Vacation
Review Submitted: August 28, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2009
The house was a shock. The pictures on the home page are probably years old.
Dirt (months old), dead insects, spider webs, lacking paint and many areas looked simply abandoned, the second refrigerator was so nasty and damaged, we were afraid to put food or drinks in it, stained and soiled pillows, unusable cooking pots, the roof having large gaps (easy entrance for a lot of bugs), a leaking AC in one of the rooms upstairs where 2 teen boys were sleeping (only room upstairs with AC, the leakage couldn’t be fixed within our 2 weeks vacation), ants in the bed of my younger son and the upper area looking like a construction site. Not enough we had to clean the house every day twice. Once in the morning and once in the evening due to the damaged roof. We had to deal with hundreds of mosquitoes on the floor, couch, living room tables and furniture, stairs and the open upper area. Not removing the mosquitoes (broom and swap the floor) means that we would sit and step on them, giving a lot of bloody spots. We left a message with the owner. He called back 3 days later and wouldn’t believe it (even if he was there 2 weeks before). We agreed to send a DVD with the picture we made and asked for a refund. We’ve got an unfriendly email back. No explanation or excuses about the problems with the house and the daily cleaning we had to do. San Salvador is a very small island, the opportunity to move to a other house for 5 people was not possible. We couldn’t afford to cancel a $ 10,000 trip. The Blue House ruined our vacation.
Dirt (months old), dead insects, spider webs, lacking paint and many areas looked simply abandoned, the second refrigerator was so nasty and damaged, we were afraid to put food or drinks in it, stained and soiled pillows, unusable cooking pots, the roof having large gaps (easy entrance for a lot of bugs), a leaking AC in one of the rooms upstairs where 2 teen boys were sleeping (only room upstairs with AC, the leakage couldn’t be fixed within our 2 weeks vacation), ants in the bed of my younger son and the upper area looking like a construction site. Not enough we had to clean the house every day twice. Once in the morning and once in the evening due to the damaged roof. We had to deal with hundreds of mosquitoes on the floor, couch, living room tables and furniture, stairs and the open upper area. Not removing the mosquitoes (broom and swap the floor) means that we would sit and step on them, giving a lot of bloody spots. We left a message with the owner. He called back 3 days later and wouldn’t believe it (even if he was there 2 weeks before). We agreed to send a DVD with the picture we made and asked for a refund. We’ve got an unfriendly email back. No explanation or excuses about the problems with the house and the daily cleaning we had to do. San Salvador is a very small island, the opportunity to move to a other house for 5 people was not possible. We couldn’t afford to cancel a $ 10,000 trip. The Blue House ruined our vacation.
Owner's Response: Unfortunatelly there are people that will see fault in everything and do not have the ability to be happy wherever.
In Summer , we also travel on vacation and might not be available immediatelly but our manager is and went beyond her job to make the stay an enjoyable one, offering many things that are not part of her responsabilities, besides having the house fully cleaned again.
On a telephone talk on the third day , guests should have seeked an alternate house and we would have gladly refunded but on the contrary , it was said that all was being straightened.
I believe you cannot use a house for a full two weeks and then ask for refund. It is like eating a whole meal at a restaurant and then refusing to pay saying you did not enjoy it. But as bad as they claimed it to be, some people that only paid for the first week decided to stay for a second without paying.
The pictures of the house are from April 09 , it reflects exactly what it is.
There is no luxury in our house but it is never dirty as stated and it has most things that people need to have a great beach vacation as other reviews support.
This refrigerator mentioned is not in use and in general turned off , it is between two bedrooms , not in the kitchen and to our knowledge has never been used by anyone.
The out islands depending on several weather patterns will bring different bugs. Nothing out of the ordinary for a beach house on an island , I am surprised the cute crabs were not mentioned too, they show up unexpedtedly.
We have had many people have a terrific time and we have people that have stayed at our house more than once.
Everything that is brought up as a problem with the house , we certainly address. The air conditioner leaking was a challenge, the technician was there a few times but many parts are not readily available and have to be ordered from the US and sent by ship . Some of the things are beyond an owner's control.
As owner's we hope to never have this kind of experience with such unhappy guests again.
But as seen in previous reviews, our manager, who is way beyond nice, tried in every possible manner to please and attested that is was impossible. Refund would have been given if the house had been vacated , there are a few vacation homes in San Salvador , similar to ours it might cost at least 3 times as much.
San Salvador is an island for those looking to be away from it all, enjoy the beach , fish, snorkel and scuba.
In Summer , we also travel on vacation and might not be available immediatelly but our manager is and went beyond her job to make the stay an enjoyable one, offering many things that are not part of her responsabilities, besides having the house fully cleaned again.
On a telephone talk on the third day , guests should have seeked an alternate house and we would have gladly refunded but on the contrary , it was said that all was being straightened.
I believe you cannot use a house for a full two weeks and then ask for refund. It is like eating a whole meal at a restaurant and then refusing to pay saying you did not enjoy it. But as bad as they claimed it to be, some people that only paid for the first week decided to stay for a second without paying.
The pictures of the house are from April 09 , it reflects exactly what it is.
There is no luxury in our house but it is never dirty as stated and it has most things that people need to have a great beach vacation as other reviews support.
This refrigerator mentioned is not in use and in general turned off , it is between two bedrooms , not in the kitchen and to our knowledge has never been used by anyone.
The out islands depending on several weather patterns will bring different bugs. Nothing out of the ordinary for a beach house on an island , I am surprised the cute crabs were not mentioned too, they show up unexpedtedly.
We have had many people have a terrific time and we have people that have stayed at our house more than once.
Everything that is brought up as a problem with the house , we certainly address. The air conditioner leaking was a challenge, the technician was there a few times but many parts are not readily available and have to be ordered from the US and sent by ship . Some of the things are beyond an owner's control.
As owner's we hope to never have this kind of experience with such unhappy guests again.
But as seen in previous reviews, our manager, who is way beyond nice, tried in every possible manner to please and attested that is was impossible. Refund would have been given if the house had been vacated , there are a few vacation homes in San Salvador , similar to ours it might cost at least 3 times as much.
San Salvador is an island for those looking to be away from it all, enjoy the beach , fish, snorkel and scuba.
Your Own Back Yard
Review Submitted: March 21, 2009
Date of Stay: March 2009
The Blue House is a spacious, open and extremely comfortable home for your vacation. The views of the ocean are truly stunning. The back deck is great for sunning, cooking out, or sleeping in the hammock after some Pina Coladas. There are plenty of beach chairs for spending time ON the beach, but it's nice to have a covered area to be in once you have cooked yourself for the day. My best friends and I have rented a house somewhere in the Bahamas every year for the past 6 years and the Blue House is in now our top 2 of favorites. The beach in front of the house is lovely and there is good snorkeling. The caretaker Garnell is extremely accommodating and is there to help if you need anything or have questions. The house is large and offers privacy when you need it, with bedrooms and bathrooms both upstairs and down. The Golf Cart is great for grocery shopping but if you want to really explore San Salvador, renting a car or scooter for the day is the way to do it.
San Salvador itself is a hidden gem, great for exploring, gorgeous coves and grottos.The people who live there are friendly and very kind. Taking a boat out to snorkel or scuba dive is great. We went to 2 reefs for 40 bucks and stayed out for about 3 hours. One place was actually a ship wreck and was really interesting and kind of creepy cool. We saw some great fish too. However, we went in March and the water was bit on the chilly side at 71 degrees and there was a lot of wind but according to the island folks, the wind was NOT a normal occurrence. Much of the island is in it's natural and pristine state, completely undeveloped. Pigeon Creek is lovely and Dixon Hill Lighthouse is also worth a visit.
We only went out to eat once, to New Columbus Tavern, a short distance from Blue House and had some great cracked conch. Our new friend Capt Bruce got us fresh fish on several occasions and cooking in was our choice for eating while we were there.
If you are looking for that Wizard of Oz type of vacation, where everything you need is in your own back yard, then the Blue House is what you are looking for.
San Salvador itself is a hidden gem, great for exploring, gorgeous coves and grottos.The people who live there are friendly and very kind. Taking a boat out to snorkel or scuba dive is great. We went to 2 reefs for 40 bucks and stayed out for about 3 hours. One place was actually a ship wreck and was really interesting and kind of creepy cool. We saw some great fish too. However, we went in March and the water was bit on the chilly side at 71 degrees and there was a lot of wind but according to the island folks, the wind was NOT a normal occurrence. Much of the island is in it's natural and pristine state, completely undeveloped. Pigeon Creek is lovely and Dixon Hill Lighthouse is also worth a visit.
We only went out to eat once, to New Columbus Tavern, a short distance from Blue House and had some great cracked conch. Our new friend Capt Bruce got us fresh fish on several occasions and cooking in was our choice for eating while we were there.
If you are looking for that Wizard of Oz type of vacation, where everything you need is in your own back yard, then the Blue House is what you are looking for.
Dream House
Review Submitted: July 31, 2008
Date of Stay: July 2008
This is THE Place. No one else on the beach. Everyone extrememly friendly. Stores were closed on Sunday but owners opened up for us so we could get groceries when we got there. Just ask someone where they live and knock on their door. They are more than happy to open. The Paradis Cafe is the best food on the island. Beverly is a wonderful cook. The reef behind the house is the first time I have encountered sea turtles in 30 years of diving.It was a treat. You will love this house and island. It is worth the trip!
Very Relaxing Week At The Blue House
Review Submitted: June 26, 2008
Date of Stay: June 2008
Our family of 3 was looking for a relaxing week at the end of the school year (June). The Blue House was exactly what we needed. Spacious house, right on the beach. We did not see even one other person on the beach the entire week. Great snorkeling right off the beach just steps from the door. Beautiful sunsets seen directly out the back windows. Owner was very helpful with info about the house and island. Local family who maintains the house were very friendly and helpful. Very friendly island. Not much to do on the island, which is exactly what we wanted. We saw the lighthouse and snorkled/had a picnic at a couple other beaches. Not many restaurants. Ate at Paradis, Tavern, Riding Rock and were happy cooking in and enjoying the view, watching a movie, etc. I recommend this house and island for a restful family getaway.
Secluded Oasis
Review Submitted: June 24, 2008
Date of Stay: April 2008
If you are looking for a beautiful oasis secluded on a breathtaking beach, this place is for you. The house is very accommodating with plenty of space and a great deck with a beach side view. When we arrived we rented a scooter across from the airport which I highly recommend to get around the island. San Salvador has many beautiful private beaches with clear blue waters and white sand. For great Bahamian food we went to Paradise Café where Beverly took great care of us. San Salvador is still very undiscovered by lots of tourists, so you truly feel separated from all the hustle and bustle you left behind on the homeland. For nights you want some entertainment Club Med is only a mile from the blue house and offers all inclusive food and drinks. My boyfriend and I had a great experience here, we left with an overall feeling of peacefulness.
Good place to relax
Review Submitted: March 31, 2008
Date of Stay: March 2008
This is a great place to "get away". There is not a lot of night life, if that is what you are looking for. Everyone on this island is very friendly and helpful. There are a couple of nature tours, but this is not a good place for birding. The water and beaches are wonderful! This house is nicely furnished, and very comfortable. The local native places to catch dinner are close by, and they are very accomodating. Most people would rate this place as a 'good find".
Owner's Response: Birding can be beautiful taking a boat out to the offshore cays. Many different species nest on those cays and makes a great experience to watch them , I am unsure I related this information to my guests, not many people go there for bird watching ! I only did that not too long ago myself!
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