From: paul.graveline@travel.com (Paul Graveline)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ROUNDU11
Date: 29 Sep 92 14:26:00 GMT
Reply-To: paul.graveline@travel.com (Paul Graveline)
Organization: Travel Online / St. Louis Online - St. Louis, MO

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through  the  first  night  or  two.  Depending  on the island and the  
degree  of  luxury,  you'll  have  a maid and caretaker, and perhaps a  
cook, gardener and other help.  
 
In  most cases, you will be met on arrival by an employee of the villa  
rental  agency  and  taken to your house. The villa rental company can  
also   arrange  for  rental  cars,  baby  sitters,  cooks,  and  other  
services.  
 
WHAT IT COSTS  
 
The  price  range is enormous. You can pay anywhere from less than $50  
a  night for a small apartment unit on Saba ... to $400 to $700 a week  
for  a  little  house  on Montserrat or Virgin Gorda ... to $12,000 or  
more  a  week for a mansion on St. Maarten or St. Barths. As a general  
rule,  condos  and  townhouses  are  much  less  expensive  than free-  
standing houses.  
 
Like  hotel  rates,  villa  rates  generally  are lower in the summer,  
typically  20  to  50 percent lower. September is the slowest month of  
the  year  for villa rentals, with the Christmas/New Year period being  
the  busiest.  Many  villa  companies  require  a  two-week minimum at  
Christmas,  and  rates are often increased by 10 to 25% or more during  
this  peak  period.  The most desirable houses are often booked months  
ahead of time for Christmas.  
 
ISLAND CHOICES  
 
Here's  a  brief  overview  of  the  various  islands where villas are  
available:  
 
*  St.  Barths  has  several  hundred  luxe  villas ... great food ...  
sophisticated  place  for  a  quiet  French vacation ... but it's VERY  
expensive  ...  villas  typically  come with a maid and caretaker, but  
not fully staffed ... probably not the best island for young kids.  
 
*  St.  Maarten/Martin -- many villas in all prices ranges, from about  
$800  a  week  for  a  small house near the beach to $8,000 for a four  
bedroom  on  the beach with pool and every luxury ... villas typically  
come  with a maid and caretaker, but not fully staffed... also lots of  
time  share  condos ... much to do on this island (shopping, gambling,  
good  swimming,  not  much  golf)  ... good jumping off point to other  
islands  ... superb restaurants ... interesting Euro atmosphere ... my  
kids  have enjoyed it on several trips ... St. Maarten is an excellent  
"compromise"  destination if you have people with different interests.  
 
 
*  Barbados and Jamaica -- because of low labor costs, villas here are  
fully  staffed,  often with four or five people ... many luxury villas  
with  "the  works"  ... Jamaica is beautiful but poverty can make it a  
difficult  place  ...  Barbados  has  had  some  labor  unrest  but is  
attractive for those who want a "British island."  
 
*  USVI -- mostly condos, although some private homes are available on  
St.  John  and  elsewhere ... lots to do, with good shopping, sailing,  
swimming.  
 
*  British  Virgin  Islands  -- one of my favorite places, quite a few  
mid-   priced   villas   ...  wonderful  sailing,  good  swimming  and  
snorkeling,  not  much  shopping  or  nightlife.  Tortola  is lush and  
beautiful  with  an interesting small capital town, Roadtown, and some  
good  restaurants. Virgin Gorda is smaller, more arid and with less to  
do, but with fine beaches.  
 
*  Saba  --  one  of  lesser  known  but delightful islands -- no real  
beaches  but  wonderful  scenery,  great  diving  -- home rentals very  
inexpensive  by  Caribbean  standards  (e.g.  around $700 a week for a  
lovely   Saban   two  bedroom  cottage  with  pool  and  view  of  the  
Caribbean).  
 
*  Anguilla  is  flat  and  not  very interesting visually, but it has  
fabulous  beaches and an increasing number of upscale villas for rent.  
 
 
*  Montserrat, Antigua, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Mustique, the  
Bahamas  out  islands,  the  Caymans,  and  several other islands have  
villas here and there.  
 
*  The  Central  American  Caribbean  (Belize,  Costa  Rica, Honduras,  
Guatemala)  is  a  wonderful  area,  but  it  currently  has few villa  
rentals,   though   some  are  available  on  Belize's  cayes,  mainly  
Ambergris.  Cancun  has  a  large  number of condo and time share unit  
rentals.  
 
BOOKING A VILLA  
 
Here  are  some  villa  rental  firms. The best ones have both on-site  
operations  in  the  Caribbean  and  a U.S. booking office. I strongly  
lean  toward  renting from a company that concentrates on one or a few  
areas,  and  has  an  office  there, rather than from brokers who rent  
properties  in  every  area.  For  one thing, the specialized agent is  
likely  to be much more knowledgeable about individual houses, whereas  
the  sales  person  who reps condos from Hawaii to Cancun probably has  
personally visited few of them.  
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