Taking the family to the warm and sunny islands of the Caribbean for a winter vacation can be shockingly expensive. But savvy travelers turn to the web site and search engine, http://www.rentalo.com/, which offers dozens of amazingly affordable vacation rentals (some with staff) that are big enough to hold a family of six, eight or more, for as little as $45.71 per person, per night. Some of the more appealing examples include:
Villa Mañana, Anguilla This two-year-old vacation rental villa on the serene but smart little island of Anguilla’s southern coast has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps 6 and is a perfect choice for a family wanting privacy. The living room and two bedrooms have large louvered doors that open onto a wrap-around veranda that delights guests with sensational views of the nearby islands St. Martin and St. Barts. Time seems to stand still while lounging in the infinity pool of this relaxing vacation rental, which is why it’s called Villa Mañana. Children are welcome and there’s even a crib, high chair and pool toys, as well as a satellite TV/VCR, CD player and washer and dryer. The villa is on sale from December 4 to 18, when it costs only $672 a night. From December 21 to January 5 it’s $10,080 a week and after January 5 it’s $5,880 a week. The breakdown: $140 per person per night in the winter season.
Water’s Edge Villa, Exuma, The Bahamas An oceanfront colonial-style villa on the west coast of the Family Island called Great Exuma, this 3-bedroom, 3-bath vacation rental home has a large freshwater swimming pool and talcum-powdery beach, as well as a small private marina and dock just steps away. The living room and master bedroom are only about 60 feet from crystal clear water that’s an intense Bahamas blue color. Exuma, steeped in history, is known for world-class bonefishing, snorkeling and diving, and boasts a championship golf course. The villa is only four miles from Georgetown and five from the Exuma airport. Daily maid service as well as rental kayaks and bikes can be requested. The weekly price is $2,350 before January 1, $2,450 after. The breakdown: $58.33 per person per night.
Villa Mandoo, St. Lucia A 50-foot infinity pool—with baby pool—overlooks the Caribbean from the garden of this 4-bedroom, 4-bath vacation rental that sleeps 10. The villa is located on a saddle of land on St. Lucia’s northwest coast, six miles north of the capital, Castries, and three miles south of Rodney Bay, the tourist area. Steps lead to a rocky shore that offers some of the island’s best snorkeling and a sandy beach is not far away. Villa Mandoo’s greatroom has a cathedral ceiling, it’s huge terrace is covered and bedrooms and baths are all on one level. The house has a gym/fitness center and two of the bedrooms feature outdoor showers. To make life easy, maid service and a gardener are provided five days a week. The weekly rent is $2,400 until December 15, $3,500 from December 16 to January 6 and $3,200 after January 6. The breakdown: $45.71 per person per night.
Twelve Palms Villa, Provo, Turks and Caicos This lovely Mediterranean-style oceanfront villa is located in the Ocean Point area of the popular island, Providenciales, aka Provo. It has 4 bedrooms 4½ baths, and sleeps eight very comfortably. A large swimming pool, Jacuzzi/hot tub and swim dock belong to the villa and tennis and an uncrowded white sand beach are just a few minutes walk away. All four bedrooms and the beautiful veranda have views of the ocean and tropical landscaping. Other amenities include high speed Internet, satellite TV, CD player, air conditioning and a tiled BBQ. From January 9 to May 2 the weekly rental is $7,600. The breakdown: $135.71 per person per night.
Villa Déjà Vu, Montego Bay, Jamaica Travelers who want total relaxation and pampering will like this 3-bedroom, 3-bath vacation rental that includes a live-in staff of cook, maid, groundskeeper and driver. An all-inclusive rate means full breakfast and dinner are provided each day and a driver with air-conditioned mini-bus is ready for sightseeing, golf outings and nightlife. The hillside villa is in an area called Ironshore, which means there’s no beach here, but there is a huge private swimming pool with fabulous 180° views. Each bedroom has a full bath, air conditioning and ceiling fan, as well as cable TV and a CD player. The living room boasts a large screen TV, DVD, CD player, VCR and an extensive video library. The owners offer an all-inclusive plan—housekeeping, laundry, two meals daily and a driver—for $775 per guest per week. The breakdown: $110.71 per person per night.
Rentalo.com, the leading travel lodging and vacation rental web site, has an enormous inventory of some 200,000 properties. It gives information about and shows pictures and even videos of such villas, as well as apartments, hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts in 15,000 destinations around the world. The search engine links travelers directly with property owners and managers, who can answer special requests and even bid for their business by e-mail. To find the perfect Caribbean rental, log onto http://www.rentalo.com/. Rentalo’s e-mail address is contact@rentalo.com and the toll-free number is 1-877-710-5914.
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Barbara Gillam
BGPR
212-288-1405
BGPRnyc@aol.com
