From: paul.graveline@travel.com (Paul Graveline)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ROUNDU10
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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are  based  around  three  excellent  meals each day? Each buffet meal  
provided  a  variety  of  different  foods.  Each  was  well prepared,  
beautifully  presented,  and  delicious. The bread was the best I have  
ever  tasted  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  was  universally  
applauded  by  the  visitors from Italy and France - it was excellent.  
Dining  was  "family style". As you entered you were seated with other  
groups  of  people. At first this seemed as if it would be awkward but  
turned  out  to  be  one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Club Med  
experience.  The  variety of people we ate dinner with, from different  
backgrounds,  proved  to  be  entertaining and informative. The era of  
rooms  without  locks  and  air-conditioning  is long gone at Turkoise  
Club  Med.  Each  room was clean , comfortable and well cared for each  
day  by  the housekeeping staff. Each room was provided with a private  
safe  for  valuables.  This  gave  piece  of  mind and was convenient,  
eliminating  those  annoying  trips  to the resort desk's safe deposit  
boxes.  
 
In  summary  Club  Med  although  given  bad  press by hard core scuba  
enthusiasts,  has  much in its favor . The diving is good, the food is  
excellent,  and  there  are enough diversions to keep you busy without  
ever  leaving  the  village.  All in all it's a nice place to get away  
for  a  while  .  The  one  suggestion I would make, and one I plan on  
using  upon  my  return  next year, is to stay at Club Med but to dive  
with  "Dive Provo". This operation, run out of the Ramada, makes trips  
to  West  Caicos and North West Point. According to those I spoke with  
,West  Caicos  has  some  really  top  notch  dive  sites. Dive Provo,  
according  to  the  divers I met, has the expertise to make them worth  
the extra $360 for a week's worth of diving.  
 
Villa Renting in the Caribbean by Lan Sluder 
------------------------------------------- 
 
Lan  Sluder  has rented villas on several Caribbean islands, including  
both  French  and Dutch St. Maarten/St. Martin, Saba, Virgin Gorda and  
Tortola.  He  also  has  developed  marketing  and  business plans for  
clients with villa rental operations in the Caribbean.  
 
Rather  have  a  whole  house than a cramped hotel room? A pool of our  
own,  instead  of one shared with 200 other guests? A private beach? A  
live-in  maid,  cook  and gardener? Renting a private home or villa in  
the  Caribbean  can  be  a wonderful alternative to a hotel or resort.  
Depending  on  the island and the number in your party, a villa can be  
less expensive than a hotel.  
 
For  those  interested  in  renting  a  private  home  or villa in the  
Caribbean,  here's  an  overview  of  the  islands  where this kind of  
lodging is available, along with contact names and numbers.  
 
Of  course, it's impossible to recommend one island over another for a  
villa  rental  without  knowing  individual preferences, budget, etc.,  
but here are a few comments to guide you.  
 
ISLANDS WITH VILLAS  
 
Villas  are  concentrated on a few islands -- St. Barths, St. Maarten,  
Jamaica,  Barbados, Anguilla, the Bahamas, the US and British Virgins,  
Montserrat -- but all have at least a few.  
 
Villas  are  available  because  private owners have built homes which  
they  use  only  a  few  weeks  or  months of the year. To help defray  
costs,  they  rent  the  homes, usually through a villa rental agency.  
(By  the  way,  most owners are happy if they earn enough from rentals  
to  pay  the  operating  costs -- local taxes, utilities, maintenance,  
insurance,  staff  salaries,  broker's  fees.  Rental income is seldom  
enough to pay anything toward the mortgage.)  
 
Islands  with  relatively  low  labor  costs, such as Jamaica, tend to  
have  villas  which  are  fully staffed, with live-in maids, cooks and  
gardeners.  On  other islands, such as the USVI and St. Maarten, staff  
levels are much lower, and you may only get daily maid service.  
 
WHAT YOU GET  
 
With  a luxury villa you should expect to get a large, typically 2,000  
to  3,000  sq.  feet  (600  to 900 sq. meters), fully furnished, well-  
constructed  private  home, with a pool, modern kitchen, either on the  
beach  or  with a sea view. The more expensive homes may have a tennis  
court, jacuzzi, etc.  
 
For  example,  on  St.  Martin (the French side), one of the houses we  
rented  was  a three-bedroom villa in the Lowlands, owned by a wealthy  
family  from  Paris.  They  had spared no expense. The kitchen had all  
Braun  appliances, including three refrigerators and two stoves. There  
was  a large pool surrounded by a deck, with bougainvillea everywhere.  
The  living room had a large-screen television, VCR, original art, and  
the  whole house was air conditioned. Another villa I saw was on about  
three  acres (1.2 hectares) of private beach-front property, with pool  
and  tennis  courts. The house, originally a plantation home, had been  
totally restored at huge expense.  
 
Less  deluxe homes and cottages are more like what you would find at a  
beach  town in Florida -- perhaps with cinder block construction, fans  
instead  of  air  conditioning, and simple furnishings. You'll usually  
get  a  complimentary  selection  of  groceries  and  booze to get you  
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