10 Reviews of Property 258824 in Long Island, Bahamas

'Best trip ever' was the consensus agreement from all 12 of us (2 families with 4 kids of age range 8 - 19). The vacation stay on Long Island truly was an amazing blend of adventure that comes with a relatively non-commercialized Bahamian island and the plush accommodations of the Solstice and Kaleidoscope properties. Both houses are spacious and beautiful with amazing views, wonderfully secluded areas for privacy, contemporary and functional furniture, fully appointed kitchens and an impressive lot of electronics (8 foot movie screen, sound systems, intercom, etc.). Many nights we cooked in the kitchen, obtaining fresh vegetables from the well-tended garden and delighting in the most amazing sunsets from our huge outdoor patio. Couple this with your own private cove / beach, loaded with all of the extras (chairs, snorkel gear, grill, kayaks, cabana, etc.) and you really never need to leave the property, and you'd have a great vacation.

But you really need to explore beyond Solstice as Long Island has so much to offer. Along with the property you receive a detailed document summarizing years of experience and knowledge about places to go, sites to see, restaurants to visit, island "do's and don'ts"... which is continually updated to ensure its up-to-date relevance. We visited 5 or 6 of the most beautiful beaches during our trip and only saw one other group of people the entire time! The snorkeling and fishing were great and exploring the cliffs and caves around the cove provided great entertainment for my entire family. The restaurant Chez Pierre served deliciously fresh salads, pizzas and seafood and Seaside Village put you right on top of the water, sipping rum drinks and eating conch pulled directly from the water below. Perhaps the most wonderful part of Long Island, however, is the people themselves... genuinely gracious, happy and welcoming.

I can't speak highly enough about the property owners and the 'local contacts' that made sure everything was perfect. You can tell that they take a lot of pride in the Solstice experience they've created. It truly is a special place and as a result we have lifelong memories. As you can see, they certainly 'hit the mark' with our family and friends!

If you are looking for a truly unique tropical island experience then look no further! You have found it! My husband and I have traveled extensively throughout the Bahamas and in the Caribbean. We have rented multiple places on Long Island alone and Solstice is by far our favorite spot. It is centrally located on the Island allowing you easy access to explore the north and south ends of Long Island if you choose to do so.

The house is nestled above a private, peaceful cove in a tropical jungle allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the remote, natural beauty of this amazing island. The house is open, airy and so comfortable. We awoke every morning to the sweet sounds of birds chattering in the trees and at night marveled over the different varieties of sticky tree frogs that would curiously venture out to observe us! The fully stocked kitchen allowed us to easily enjoy fabulous sunset meals on the terrace with the tomatoes, eggplant, lettuces and peppers that we harvested from the house garden. We enjoyed paddling around and outside of the cove on the Solstice sea kayaks and took several snorkeling trips with the equipment provided.

Brian and Laurel gave us all of the information we needed to make our stay at Solstice and on Long Island a pleasant one. The caretakers, Jill and Mark, were great as well... helpful but respectful of our privacy at the same time. I am not aware of another house like this one in all of the Bahamas. It was an amazing experience and we cannot wait to go back!

We and two other couples stayed at Solstice during July of 2011. There were 12 of us altogether (6 kids age 11 to 16) and the two houses accomodated us easily. Both houses are in very good condition, with the kitchen at Solstice easily the best equiped of any rental house we have experienced. The property is completely private and the cove is as it looks: fantastic. The snorkling and swimming, in the cove and along the surrounding shore was very enjoyable (the rock formations are fantastic). We should also note that the local care takers, Mark and Jill were very helpful to us and add to value of this rental. The island itself is sparsely populated, and at least in July, almost completely without tourists. We visited many beautiful beaches by car and never shared them with anyone, not even for a few minutes! When you run into them, the local folks are extremely friendly. Only two downsides that we can see: 1. The local markets are stocked with the basics but not much more. 2. There is no shortage of mosquitos. Thats part of the deal in the tropics but the location on the west side means calm water (good) and relatively less breeze (more bugs). There were relatively few at the house and on the beach, but the transit through the brush to the beach or between houses always seemed to net a couple new bites per pass. However, salt water definitely calms the bites down! Its the price of being in an unspoiled tropical environment. We very much enjoyed our week at Solstice and would recommend it to anyone wanting a true out-island experience.

Solstice is a fantastic romantic getaway. My wife and I stayed here in spring. The weather was great. The property had all we needed. The beach is great, quiet and private. The surrounding cliffs all have coral and fish, and the property straddles the Tropic of Cancer, so it's brimming with tropical fruit and flowers. We spent a week at the property without feeling any need to leave. The house has everything you need, from a washer and dryer, snorkeling equipment, towels for the beach (and ample bathroom towels as well as plenty of sheets). The kitchen in Solstice (the only one we used) has all the amenities of a great home kitchen, with a high quality selection of cookware and utensils. It definitely isn't your usual vacation home kitchen and the supply of spices, flour, sugar, and oils made our evening meals a lot more interesting.

The only time we had a problem (with the smoke detector going off), the caretakers - Mark and Jill - were very helpful. There's a small garden that provided us with lettuce, radishes, and chile peppers. We drank the delicious tap water, which came from collected rainwater, with absolutely no problems. Solstice is a wonderful place for a couple looking for a quiet vacation alone.

We rented the amazingly beautiful properties at Solstice for a week during September and everyone is already ready to return! This was not only an epic vacation, Chris and I got married near the beach on the private cove. We had our closest family and friends there for the occasion!
The owners and caretakers of the property were SO helpful in helping us get everything organized for the wedding. They went above and beyond and we are so thankful.
Everyone was able to be together for meals at either house b/c there is so much room! All 7 couples got their own room and private bathroom! Plus, there is so much snorkeling, kayaking, and toys for everyone to participate in anything they wanted down at the cove. I can't even explain how beautiful it is there! The water in the cove is SO clear and calm. Even those who didn't swim felt safe just hanging out. Others could go snorkel or kayak further out.
The landscape is peaceful and the sunsets are unforgettable! If you are thinking about renting this place--you will not regret it!! We hope to return soon!

We have traveled all over the world and this was by far the best vacation ever!

Chris & Shawna

This is the perfect place to escape for a relaxing holiday. The views from both houses are incredible. The private beach is a short walk where we enjoyed kayaking and snorkeling. We drove to other beautiful beaches on the island as well. The wonderful ocean breezes kept us cool the whole time. This is a secluded retreat to relax and get away from the busy world. The houses were ready for use with everything we needed to settle in for our stay. Everyone we met on the island was very friendly and helpful.

Lovely properties - well maintained - with load of RELAXATION built right in. The location overlooking the Carribean to the West is great. Each evening you can enjoy beautiful sunsets over the water from the porch on either property. The covered porch on the lower property is probably best - as it is larger.
Kitchens are well equiped and we enjoyed great meals with family and friends on property. Island is sparsely populated, so it was fun dealing with the items you could obtain, or not obtain, on such a small island. Local fish merchant had great seafood selections and the two small grocery stores are amazing well stocked.
The caretakers are really nice people and respond quickly to questions, etc. The garden on premises is a great touch and we were invited to harvest produce. We used several items in our meals while there.
The builder did a great job on the lower property (Solstice) as all the colors are earth toned - very pleasing and relaxing. Upper property is more "caribbean colored". Both properties have great views and cool breezes blowing off the water.
Only warning, which is nothing about the houses at all, is don't expect the local airlines to run on time. Simply relax and get there, or have your guests arrive, when the airlines finally arrive.

Thank you to the owners--what a wonderful, special spot to spend time at with family and friends.

What I enjoyed most about both Solstice and Kaleidescope was that they were both so comfortable and casual---both great spaces to relax and be with family and friends. At the same time, the separation of the two houses by a path also allowed for a true sense of privacy. Alternating dinners between the two houses provided a unique and fun opportunity to be both a host and a guest.

The outdoor spaces at both Solstice and Kaleidescope, and the beautiful ocean views, were great for relaxing, hanging out, reading cards, naps, conversation, and taking in the daily sunset.

The private beach...what a jewel of a spot for relaxing, snorkeling, kayaking and enjoying the ocean.

I would recommend Solstice/Kaleidescope wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a very special spot to spend and enjoy time with friends and family. Solstice is not a place to 'base out of' while on vacation, it IS the vacation.