Questions
The answers, plainly.
What the price includes, how a stay is confirmed, when the balance falls due, and what happens if a storm closes the airport. The answers here are the ones you would get by email.
Short answers; the rental terms and the cancellation terms hold the full wording. Anything you cannot find, ask — you will get a person, and an answer the same day.
Sixteen questions, answered the way they would be answered by email.
Questions about the house itself — the beds, the Wi-Fi, the parking, the pool alarm — are answered on the villa page. The villa
01
The villa
- Is the whole villa ours?
- Yes. Villa Ciel is let whole and to one party at a time: three bedrooms, three bathrooms, six people, children included. There are no other guests on the property and nothing is shared.
- Is the villa suitable for young children?
- It can be, with an adult watching. The pool carries a certified immersion alarm but is not supervised, the lawn ends at an open edge above the hillside, and the living pavilion is open on three sides.
- Can we hold an event or a party?
- No. The house is let for a private stay of up to six people, children included, on a quiet residential hillside. Weddings, parties and catering for larger numbers are not possible here.
02
Booking and payment
- How does a booking work?
- You check the calendar, ask for your dates, and receive a quote. Nothing confirms itself: the owner reviews every request, and the stay is confirmed once the deposit has been received.
- What is paid at the time of booking?
- 50% confirms the stay. The balance is due 60 days before arrival — 120 days over Christmas and New Year. Rental terms
- When is the balance due?
- 60 days before arrival, and 120 days over Christmas and New Year. A stay booked inside those windows is settled in full at once. Rental terms
- Is there a security deposit?
- Yes: $5,000, and $10,000 over the festive season. It is released within fourteen days of departure, once the house has been checked. Rental terms
- Are there fees on top of the rate?
- None. You pay the rent, the 5% tourist tax charged on the rent alone, and any optional service you ask for. The contract is in US dollars; a euro figure is shown for information only, at the day’s rate.
- Is there a minimum stay?
- Five nights in low and shoulder season, seven in high season and over the festive period. Availability
03
Arrival and the stay
- What time can we arrive, and when do we leave?
- From 15:00 on the day of arrival, until 12:00 on the day of departure. The manager meets you at Gustaf III, drives you up and hands the house over.
- What is looked after while we are there?
- Housekeeping every morning except Sundays and public holidays, bed linen every four days and towels every two, the pool and garden maintained, and a manager reachable day and night. A chef, provisioning or a boat can be added on request.
- What happens if we cancel?
- What comes back depends on how far ahead you cancel, and the dates are offered again where that is possible. Cancellation terms
- And if a storm closes the airport?
- If a named storm closes Gustaf III or Sint Maarten on your day of arrival, the stay is moved or becomes a credit rather than being lost. Travel insurance is recommended in any case. Cancellation terms
04
Getting there and around
- Where exactly is the villa?
- Located on the heights of Anse des Cayes, with views toward Saint-Jean Bay and the surrounding hills. Gustavia is about six minutes down the hill and the airport about five. The exact address is shared once a stay is confirmed.
- How do we get to Saint-Barthélemy?
- Most guests fly into Sint Maarten (SXM) and take the short hop across to Gustaf III (SBH); there are also connections from San Juan and from Guadeloupe, and a ferry from Sint Maarten. Whichever way you come, you are met on arrival.
- Do we need a car?
- Yes. The villa sits on a hillside above the road and nothing is walkable from it. A car or a scooter is hired for the length of the stay and waiting when you land.
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