# Amorielli — full text of the features, Hosting guides and the Collection Last updated: 2026-10-09. Map of the site: https://amorielli.com/llms.txt. Summary: https://amorielli.com/ai/ ======================================================================== # Three Generations at The Cerulean URL: https://amorielli.com/features/three-generations-at-the-cerulean/ By Rafael Costa · 2026-10-08 A five-bedroom villa on the East End of St. Croix, a short flight from the mainland with no passport needed. How it works when grandparents, parents and children share it for a week: the cottage, the stairs, the reef and the kitchen table. A holiday for three generations is planned around the oldest and the youngest. The grandparents want a short journey, a bedroom with its own bathroom and a door they can close in the afternoon. The children want water clear enough to see the fish. The parents in the middle want a kitchen big enough for everyone and an hour on a terrace once the children are asleep. The Cerulean, a five-bedroom villa on the East End of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, meets most of that list, and the rest can be managed if you know about it before you book. The house is on our cover this month. It is a pale yellow villa on two floors, built into a slope above the sea, with an arched veranda along the water side, a pool deck below it and its own small beach at the bottom of the property. It sleeps twelve: four bedrooms in the main house, and a guest cottage a short walk away with the fifth bedroom, its own kitchen and a loft bed. It is let only as a whole, through SP Vacations, the rental side of Sterling Point Real Estate in Christiansted, so a family that books it has the property to itself. ## The journey, with no passport For American families the first advantage of St. Croix comes before anyone packs. The U.S. Virgin Islands are United States territory, so U.S. citizens fly there as they would to Florida, with no passport. What they need at the airport is what they need for any domestic flight: since May 2025, a REAL ID-compliant driving licence or a passport. Children under eighteen need no identification for a domestic flight, though each should carry a birth certificate or passport for the customs check on the way home. The money is the dollar, the post is the U.S. Postal Service, and some American mobile plans, Verizon’s among them, treat the islands as home; check yours before you go. For grandparents there is one more reason to choose U.S. soil: Medicare treats the Virgin Islands as part of the United States. From Miami, American Airlines flies nonstop to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, on the island’s south coast, every day of the year, usually twice a day, in about three hours. This winter brings more. United begins a Saturday nonstop from Newark on October 31, the first nonstop between the New York area and St. Croix since 1994. American adds a daily flight from Charlotte from December 17 and Saturday flights from Chicago O’Hare over the holidays from December 19, and Delta flies daily from Atlanta from December 19. A family coming from three cities can meet at one of those hubs and take the last flight together, which is easier on the grandparents than arriving separately. The one formality comes at the end. The Virgin Islands sit outside the U.S. customs area, so on the way home everyone answers a U.S. Customs officer’s questions at the St. Croix airport before boarding. A passport, or a birth certificate with photo identification, makes it quicker. The duty-free allowance is $1,600 a person, twice the usual, and a family can combine allowances only if its members live in one household, so three generations from three homes each have their own. The airport authority asks travellers to arrive three hours before departure, which is worth heeding with an older traveller who would rather not hurry. From the airport to the villa is 30 to 40 minutes by car. You will need one, and perhaps two for twelve people: the island has no Uber, and St. Croix keeps to the left, in ordinary left-hand-drive American cars. The welcome helps. The villa managers guide new guests out to the house and give a full tour before they leave, so nobody has to find an unfamiliar driveway in the dark after a day of flights. ## Two houses on one property The layout is the reason the house works for three generations. The main house holds four bedrooms, and each has its own bathroom. Guests who have stayed say the same thing in different words. “The house was bigger than what we needed but gave everyone their own space and bathrooms,” wrote Lisa, who came with a large party in February. Emily, who stayed in April, wrote: “The house setup is an ideal layout for multiple families...but works just as well giving loads of space for one family.” The guest cottage is what makes the arrangement easy. It stands about twenty paces from the main house, “just 20 steps away from the main home,” as Dave put it after a two-month stay, and it works as a small house of its own, with a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, a full bathroom and its own entrance. For grandparents it solves the hardest part of a shared holiday, which is seven o’clock in the morning. They can make their own coffee, keep their own hours and walk over when the household is up. Some families will want it the other way round, with the grandparents in the main house near the kitchen and the teenagers in the cottage. Either works, because the cottage comes with the villa and is never let to anyone else during your stay. The cottage living room, with the spiral stair up to the loft. The loft bed, for a child old enough for the stair or a teenager. One detail decides who sleeps where: the loft. Its bed is upstairs in the cottage, reached only by a spiral stair, behind a railing. It is a bed for a child old enough to manage the stair, or for a teenager, and not for anyone unsteady on their feet. Several smaller things matter more to an older traveller than they would to a couple. Every bathroom in the house has a walk-in shower, so nobody has to step over the side of a bath; the master suite also has a clawfoot tub for those who want one. The whole house is air-conditioned, the living rooms and kitchen as well as the bedrooms, with ceiling fans besides. And the villa runs on grid power with solar panels, batteries and a whole-house backup generator, so a power cut on the island does not mean a hot, dark night for someone who sleeps badly in the heat. A walk-in shower with a window onto the sea. Every bathroom in the house has a walk-in shower. ## Stairs, slopes and the walk to the water The Cerulean is built into a hillside, and that shapes the trip for anyone with stiff knees. The house is on two levels joined by an inside staircase: the great room, the kitchen and the arched veranda on the upper floor, and the pool deck below. From the deck, a stepped path leads down through the garden to the shore. There is no lift, and the property’s own accessibility statement says plainly that the house was not built for wheelchairs. None of that rules out older travellers. It means planning. Ask SP Vacations which bedrooms are on which level before you share them out, and give the room with the fewest steps to whoever needs it. A grandparent who would rather not climb down to the sea has the pool deck, the shaded lounge under the pergola and the veranda, which is where much of the day is spent in any case. The beach is for those who want it. The villa from the garden: the arched veranda on the upper floor, the pool deck below, and steps with a handrail down the slope. From offshore: the house on its hillside and the stepped path down to the water. ## The reef in front of the house The water in front of the villa is shallow and sheltered by a reef, and the snorkelling starts at the shore. Emily described “amazing snorkeling right in front of the house in the shallow water protected by the reef,” and added the practical part: “Rocky entrance but water shoes do the trick.” Timothy, who stayed in February, found “a little beach area with chairs” and “great snorkeling right from that beach,” and wrote of the way out: “A little bit of a maze to get through some shallow areas but totally worth it.” Pack water shoes for everyone, let the strong swimmers go out first, and treat the shore as a place for snorkelling and for sitting by the waves. The youngest will spend more time in the pool, a free-form pool on the deck with loungers along the sea side and the pergola beside it. The house is set up for small children, with a high chair, a travel crib and stair gates. The listing does not mention a pool fence, so plan on an adult at the pool whenever small children are near it. The pool deck by day, with the louvred pergola over the outdoor kitchen. Two more snorkelling beaches are close. Jack and Isaac Bays, two undeveloped beaches in a Nature Conservancy preserve, are about five minutes away by car and then a walk in from the trailhead; Emily called them “secluded, turquoise snorkeling waters.” Further out, Buck Island Reef National Monument lies a mile and a half off the north-east coast, with an underwater trail marked across its reef. Boats licensed by the National Park Service run trips there from Christiansted and Green Cay Marina. The water in the coral grottoes is no deeper than twelve feet, and the park says beginners can snorkel them after a short lesson from the boat crew, which makes it a morning for most of the family. Book it for the first calm day of the week, so that one windy morning does not cost you the trip. ## The kitchen and the long table Families on these trips spend more evenings in than out, and the kitchen is built for it. It is large and bright, with a long blue island, a Thor range, a dishwasher, an ice maker and a farmhouse sink under a window onto the water, and the cottage has a full second kitchen. Timothy called it “the best stocked kitchen we’ve ever had in a rented house.” The indoor dining table seats ten, and there is an outdoor kitchen with a gas grill and room for a large group to eat outside on the pool deck, which is where a dinner for twelve belongs. The dining table in the great room, set for ten, with a child’s high chair at the end. The cooking can be handed over. SP Vacations can arrange a private chef, for a single dinner or a week of them, and stock the kitchen before you arrive from a list, so the first evening does not start with a supermarket run after a flight. The owners’ services list also covers a bartender, housekeeping during the stay, and celebrations: birthdays, anniversaries, proposals and, with the owners’ approval, weddings, with catering, flowers, a cake and a photographer arranged on request. For a family marking a grandparent’s eightieth birthday or a golden wedding, that is the easy way to do it. The house setup is an ideal layout for multiple families. Emily, a guest in April 2026 ## Days out that suit every age St. Croix is about 22 miles from end to end, so nothing is far, and the East End has its quieter sights close at hand. Point Udall, a few minutes’ drive from the villa, is billed as the easternmost point of the United States, and a sundial monument stands on the headland. The house faces east too, so the early risers in the family, usually the oldest and the youngest, can watch the sun come up over the sea from the veranda. Suzanne, who stayed over New Year, wrote: “The sunrises are incredible!” Christiansted is fifteen to twenty minutes away. The old Danish harbour town has Fort Christiansvaern, begun in 1738, and the warehouse, church and weighing house around it, which make up Christiansted National Historic Site; a waterfront boardwalk; and most of the island’s restaurants. It is the place for a morning of history with the grandparents and lunch by the water. The Reef, a nine-hole golf course at Teague Bay, is ten to fifteen minutes from the villa. Our companion story this month, on the island’s towns, markets and festivals, has the rest. The veranda faces east, so the sun comes up over the sea in front of the house. ## The people who look after it On a three-generation trip something will go wrong, a delayed flight or a missing hire car, and the difference is who answers the phone. The Cerulean is managed by SP Vacations, whose co-owner Rich Watrous runs property management from the company’s office on King Street in Christiansted, and guests name him in their reviews. Timothy wrote: “We had a minor issue he resolved immediately early on a Sunday morning. He also got us connected with a rental car when all the travel sites and rental companies said none were available.” Ashleigh, who came with children in July, wrote: “Rich and team were very responsive and helpful.” Check-in is from 4 pm and check-out at 10 am. The minimum stay is five nights. The house is booked direct on SP Vacations’ website, which shows live dates and rates for The Cerulean, and the same team handles the chef, the boats and the car. ## When to go The Christmas and New Year weeks book first, and they are the busiest on the island, with the Crucian Christmas Festival: its village opens on the Frederiksted waterfront on December 26, and a children’s parade follows on New Year’s Day. Spring break and Easter are the other school-holiday weeks. Summer is quieter, with one thing to know: the sargassum seaweed that drifts across the Caribbean lands mainly on east- and south-facing shores, including this one, and is heaviest in June and July and rare in winter. Hurricane season runs from June to the end of November, at its busiest from mid-August to mid-October; travel then with insurance and flexible terms. February is the driest month. For grandparents free to travel outside school holidays, the quieter weeks of late spring and early December are worth asking about. ### Before you book, for three generations - Ask which bedrooms are on which level, and give the fewest steps to whoever needs them. - Give the cottage loft to a child old enough for a spiral stair, or to a teenager. - Pack water shoes for everyone who means to snorkel from the shore. - Plan on an adult at the pool whenever small children are near it. - Hire a car big enough for the party, or two, and remember to keep left. - Check that every adult’s licence is REAL ID-compliant, or pack passports. - Leave time at the airport on the way home for U.S. Customs. - Book Buck Island for the first calm morning of the week. The Cerulean sleeps twelve, with five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and a loft bed, and it is booked direct with SP Vacations. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with The Cerulean on its marketing. The facts here come from the property, its listing and its guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # The Towns, Markets and Festivals of St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/features/st-croix-towns-markets-festivals/ By Vivienne Hartwell · 2026-10-08 About 41,000 people live on St. Croix, and most of them live outside its two small towns. A guide to the island they know: Christiansted and Frederiksted, the history in their walls, the music, the Crucian table and the festivals, from a villa on the East End. About 41,000 people lived on St. Croix at the 2020 census, and very few of them in its towns. Christiansted, the old Danish capital, counted 1,770 residents and Frederiksted, on the west coast, 528. Everyone else lives in the estates, villages and hillside neighbourhoods in between, and that tells a visitor something about the island before they land. St. Croix is a place where people farm, fish, go to church, run businesses and raise families, and a week here runs alongside their year: the farm market in the morning, the street party on King Street, the parades after Christmas. This is a guide to that island, written for families staying on the East End at The Cerulean, the villa on our cover, or anywhere else. Christiansted is fifteen to twenty minutes from the villa’s drive; Frederiksted, at the far end of an island about 22 miles long, is most of an hour. Both repay the trip. ## Seven flags and a sale in gold The National Park Service counts the claimants: Spanish, English, Dutch, French, the Knights of Malta and Danish settlers each claimed St. Croix at one time or another. The Danish West India and Guinea Company bought the island from France in 1733. Christiansted was settled the next year and named for King Christian VI; Frederiksted was approved in 1751 and named for King Frederik V. Denmark ruled for most of two centuries, and its towns, forts and estate names are still the map of the island. The United States bought the Danish West Indies for $25 million in gold. The treaty was signed in New York in August 1916, and on March 31, 1917, the islands were formally handed over. March 31 is still kept as Transfer Day. Long before the Danes, the island had its first recorded meeting with Europe at Salt River Bay on the north shore, where members of Columbus’s second voyage landed on November 14, 1493. The bay and its mangroves are now a national historical park and ecological preserve, created in 1992. Salt River Bay from the air. Members of Columbus’s second voyage landed here in November 1493; the bay is now a national historical park. ## Christiansted Christiansted sits on a sheltered harbour on the north-east coast, and its waterfront is a national park. Christiansted National Historic Site, established in 1952, takes in the buildings of the Danish town: Fort Christiansvaern, begun in 1738 on the site of an earlier French fort and finished in 1749; the Danish West India and Guinea Company warehouse of 1749; the Steeple Building, the Lutheran church completed in 1753; and the Scale House of 1856, where goods passing through the port were weighed. With grandparents, it makes an easy first morning: the fort is small enough to see in an hour or so, and the town’s arcaded streets give shade for the walk afterwards. Inside Fort Christiansvaern, the yellow fort on the Christiansted waterfront, begun in 1738. One of the town’s clerks became a founder of the United States. Alexander Hamilton came to St. Croix with his mother in May 1765. After she died in 1768, he went to work for the trading firm of Beekman and Cruger on King Street, and in 1771 and 1772, while Nicholas Cruger was away for his health, the teenager ran the business. He left for North America in 1772 or 1773 and later called the work “the most useful part” of his education. A plaque marks the site at 7-8 King Street. The boardwalk along the harbour holds restaurants, local jewellers and live music. Four times a year, in February, May, July and November, King Street closes for a jump-up, the town’s street party of music, dancing and food stalls, run by the Christiansted Restaurant and Retail Association; the February one, near Valentine’s Day, is the biggest. If your week overlaps one, go. Government House in Christiansted, with its double entrance stair and the U.S., Virgin Islands and Danish flags above it. ## Frederiksted, on the sunset side Frederiksted is smaller and slower, a waterfront town on the west coast where the sun goes down over the sea. Its landmark is Fort Frederik, the red fort built between 1752 and 1760, and the town saw two of the island’s turning points. On July 3, 1848, enslaved people led by a man remembered as General Buddhoe gathered at Frederiksted, and from the fort the Governor-General, Peter von Scholten, proclaimed emancipation. The proclamation was one line: “All unfree in the Danish West India Islands are from to-day free.” July 3 is Emancipation Day, a public holiday in the Virgin Islands, and a park in Frederiksted carries Buddhoe’s name. Thirty years later Frederiksted was at the centre of the largest labour revolt in Danish history. Under the labour law that followed emancipation, workers were bound to yearly contracts that could change only on October 1, Contract Day. On October 1, 1878, the revolt known as the Fireburn began in Frederiksted, and around fifty plantations and most of the town were destroyed. Its leaders included three women remembered as Queen Mary, Queen Agnes and Queen Mathilda, who were later imprisoned in Copenhagen. Strand Street, along the shore, has historic buildings with shops, restaurants and galleries near the pier and the fort. At 10 Strand Street the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts shows Caribbean art from Tuesday to Saturday, and its exhibitions change through the year. The long pier is a well-known dive, and on an evening without a cruise ship in port the town is very quiet. An arcaded building with a wooden upper gallery at the corner of Strand Street and Customs House Street, Frederiksted. ## Quelbe and the moko jumbies The Virgin Islands have an official traditional music. The Legislature passed a bill making quelbe the territory’s music in December 2003, and the governor signed it in January 2004. The bill also honoured Stanley Jacobs and the Ten Sleepless Knights, the band Jacobs, raised on St. Croix, founded in 1970. Quelbe is played by small bands on a set of instruments of its own: the squash, a gourd scraped in rhythm; the steel, a triangle once forged from car parts; a flute; a banjo-ukulele and a guitar; and, for the bass, sometimes a car exhaust pipe blown like a tuba, though that is rare now. It is still played in the streets. In May 2026 a quelbe tramp, a walking dance behind the band, went from Strand Street to Buddhoe Park in Frederiksted. The moko jumbies are the island’s stilt dancers, masqueraders from a West African tradition who once had a part in religious ceremony and now dance at carnival and festivals, high above the crowd in bright costumes. Their survival on St. Croix is a recent story. When Willard John arrived in 1979, the island had no active moko jumbies; in 1993 he founded the Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbie academy at a public elementary school. Look for them at the Christmas Festival parades. Moko jumbies at a street parade on St. Croix in January 2008, one carrying the Virgin Islands flag. ## The Crucian table Crucian cooking is home cooking, and the festival food fairs are the easiest place to try it. Start with pâtés, fried turnovers filled with ground meat or saltfish, and johnnycakes, which the Department of Tourism describes as fried dough. Fungi is cornmeal cooked smooth, often with okra, and comes with fish as “fish and fungi”. Kallaloo is a stew of local wild greens with salt meat, fish or crab and okra, traditionally eaten on Old Year’s Night, New Year’s Eve, for luck. Maubi is a lightly spiced drink made with tree bark. Red grout, a guava-and-tapioca pudding with spice and cream, belongs especially to Transfer Day. A stall at a farmers’ market on St. Croix: plantains, citrus, a soursop and herbs. For produce, there is the farm market at La Reine, on Route 75 in the middle of the island, run by the Department of Agriculture, which says it has served the island’s farmers and fishermen for more than sixty years. Go early, and check the day’s hours locally before you set out. Back at The Cerulean, the kitchen is large enough to cook what you bring home, and SP Vacations can arrange a private chef for a night when nobody wants to. The kitchen at The Cerulean, with a window onto the water. Photograph courtesy of the property. Rum is the island’s other produce. The Cruzan distillery at Estate Diamond, near Frederiksted, stands on an estate whose sugar works date to 1760; the first rum sold as Cruzan was bottled in 1934, and the Nelthropp family has run the company for generations. Tours run on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday; booking online is recommended, though walk-ins are welcome. Captain Morgan opened a visitor centre beside its St. Croix distillery in 2012. Bottles from the island help on the way home, too: within the $1,600 customs allowance, a traveller can bring back up to five litres of alcohol duty-free, as long as at least four were bought in the islands and at least one was made there. ## The year in festivals The biggest event of the year is the Crucian Christmas Festival, the island’s carnival, now in its 74th year. The 2026-27 season runs from December 5 to January 2, and its last week is the one to plan around. The festival village opens on the Frederiksted waterfront on December 26. Latin Night follows on December 29 and Reggae Night with the food fair on December 30. J’ouvert, the early-morning street procession, fills the streets of Frederiksted on December 31. The Children’s Parade is on New Year’s Day and the Adults’ Parade on January 2. For a three-generation family it is the week when much of the island is out together, and the Christmas weeks book first. February brings AgriFest, the Agriculture and Food Fair, held for the 54th time in February 2026 at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex at Estate Lower Love. It is run by the Department of Agriculture, the University of the Virgin Islands’ School of Agriculture and the Virgin Islands Lottery, it usually falls on Presidents’ Day weekend, and it is a family fair: a farmers’ market, local food, crafts, donkey-cart rides and a petting zoo. The rest of the calendar fills in around those two. The jump-ups come to King Street four times a year. Transfer Day falls on March 31 and Emancipation Day on July 3. Taste of St. Croix, the island’s food festival, moved from April to June in 2026, and in early December the St. Croix Foundation holds Wine in the Warehouse, a food and wine evening that raises money for community projects. Dates move from year to year, so check before you fix a trip around one. ## The estates, the garden and the bays The island’s sugar history is easiest to understand at Estate Whim Museum, run by the St. Croix Landmarks Society on Centerline Road near Frederiksted: twelve acres of a former sugar plantation, with its Great House, workers’ quarters and mill. It was named in 2024 among America’s most endangered historic places, with damage from the 2017 storms still awaiting repair, so check the opening days before you go; the society lists Wednesday to Saturday, from 10 am to 3 pm. The sugar windmill at Estate Whim, photographed in 1985 for the Historic American Engineering Record. A flamboyant in bloom at St. George Village Botanical Garden. St. George Village Botanical Garden, in the middle of the island, covers sixteen acres of a Danish sugar estate of the 1750s, on a site that was an Amerindian settlement before that. The ruins and a restored cottage of the estate workers’ village stand among the plantings, and the garden is open every day except Christmas, from 9 am to 3 pm. It makes an easy morning with grandparents. On the north shore, Salt River Bay’s mangrove lagoon is a bioluminescent bay, and the night kayak trip there suits older children. At the south-west tip, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, set up in 1984, protects a beach where leatherback turtles nest; it closes to the public from about mid-April to August and opened again on September 5, 2026, at weekends. Salt River Bay from the hills above it, with the mangroves around the inner bay. ## From the East End The Cerulean is at the other end of the island from Frederiksted, on the quiet East End, which makes it a good base for the water and a longer drive for the west. Plan the island in halves. Give Christiansted a morning, with the fort, Hamilton’s King Street and lunch on the boardwalk, and come back for a jump-up if one falls in your week. Give the west a full day: the botanical garden on the way out, Fort Frederik and Strand Street in the afternoon, a rum tour if the timing works, and the sunset from Frederiksted before the drive home. The Melvin H. Evans Highway along the south side is the fast road; Centerline Road through the middle of the island passes the old estates. ### A week of St. Croix, beyond the villa - Christiansted National Historic Site: the fort, the warehouse, the Steeple Building and the Scale House, then lunch on the boardwalk. - Hamilton’s plaque at 7-8 King Street, Christiansted. - Fort Frederik, Strand Street and the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts (Tuesday to Saturday), Frederiksted. - St. George Village Botanical Garden, open daily except Christmas. - Estate Whim Museum, Wednesday to Saturday; check before you go. - The farm market at La Reine, early. - Cruzan at Estate Diamond, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday. - Crucian Christmas Festival 2026-27: village from December 26, J’ouvert December 31, parades January 1 and 2. - AgriFest: usually Presidents’ Day weekend in February. St. Croix drives on the left, and the island is about 22 miles long, so no day out is far from the villa. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with The Cerulean on its marketing. The island facts here come from the public sources listed below. ======================================================================== # The Team Behind SP Vacations on St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/features/the-team-behind-sp-vacations/ By Julian Moss · 2026-10-08 SP Vacations looks after private villas and condos across St. Croix from an office on King Street in Christiansted. What its small team does before, during and after a stay, told through the guests who wrote about it. The first thing many guests of SP Vacations mention is the drive in from the airport. St. Croix keeps to the left, most visitors arrive in a rental car they have never driven, and the road from Henry E. Rohlsen Airport to a villa on the East End takes 30 to 40 minutes. Lindsay, who came with her family in May, wrote that Rich “did guide us from the airport to the Airbnb when we first arrived which helped us get accommodated to driving on the left side of the road.” Fred, who stayed a week in April, wrote that “Joleigh helped us get from the airport to the house and took care of us all week answering questions and offering recommendations for things to do and dining.” SP Vacations is the vacation-rental side of Sterling Point Real Estate, a brokerage with an office on King Street in Christiansted. It looks after private villas and condos across the island, from the hills of the East End to the beach at Judith’s Fancy and the sunset side near Frederiksted, and it looks after The Cerulean, the villa on our cover this month. This is a story about what its small team does for the people who stay in those houses, told mostly in the guests’ own words. ## Who runs it Sterling Point is owned by Nadja Boulger-Watrous, its principal broker, and Rich Watrous, who runs property management. Nadja, born and raised in Germany, came to St. Croix in 2010 to work on a sustainable farm in the island’s rainforest and has worked in real estate on the island since 2015. Rich is the name guests know. He answers the messages, coordinates the arrivals and is the person the reviews thank when something is put right; the company’s own site calls him “the person many guests already deal with by name.” The other name that comes up again and again is Joliegh Boothe, the firm’s Operations and Client Experience Lead, whose name guests spell several ways in their reviews. The company name is newer than the work. Sterling Point Real Estate and its SP Vacations trade name were registered in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2026, and the rental website went live in September. Reviews that thank Rich for looking after guests go back to 2023. Christiansted’s historic district. The company’s office is on King Street in the old town. Between them, the brokerage and the rental side cover what an owner on St. Croix needs: sales, valuations, long-term lets and holiday rentals. For a guest that matters in one practical way. The people who look after the house also know the island’s tradespeople, and how to get one out quickly. The covered gallery at Toes in the Sand, on the north shore west of Christiansted. Guests there wrote most of the reviews quoted in this story. ## Before you land The service starts with the first message. SP Vacations asks guests to say what they want when they inquire about a home, or once they have booked, and most of it is arranged before anyone flies. Food can be settled first. Send a list and the basics are in the kitchen when you arrive, or the team will point you to Seaside Market and Plaza Extra for the first shop. After a day of flights, with children or grandparents in the party, a stocked kitchen is worth more than it sounds. A car comes next. There is no Uber or Lyft on St. Croix, and the company’s site puts it plainly: “A car is practically essential here.” The team helps line up a rental at the airport, or a private transfer to the house for a party that would rather not drive on the first evening. In February a guest at The Cerulean found every rental company sold out. Timothy wrote that Rich “got us connected with a rental car when all the travel sites and rental companies said none were available.” Then there is the question of which house. A family of six fits in several of the homes, and which one suits them depends on stairs, on the beach and on how the bedrooms are spread. For a group spread across more than one home, the site says: “That’s a conversation, not a form.” Our companion story this month goes through the houses one by one. Guests describe a call before arrival. Kristina, who stayed at Toes in the Sand in April, wrote: “From the phone call the day before our arrival to the in-person quick tour of the property, the personalized service was exemplary.” Lauren, who stayed at Hook ’em on Paradise with a one-year-old, wrote that Rich “reached out after booking to coordinate meeting us upon arrival.” ## The arrival At several of the houses someone meets you. Their listings note an in-person check-in, and guests describe being met at the airport, guided out on the left-hand roads and shown round the house. At The Cerulean the welcome is always the same: the villa managers guide guests in from the airport and give a full tour of the house before they leave. The condos work differently. At the Beach-Access Condo near Christiansted guests receive an email with the gate, lockbox and door codes and let themselves in. One guest found the lockbox hard to manage in the dark, so if your flight lands late, keep a phone torch ready and read the instructions before you set off. Check-in is from 4 pm at every home. Check-out is at 10 or 11 am, depending on the home, and minimum stays are four or five nights. The process, property and people were all A+ in our book. Fred, a guest in April 2026 ## When something goes wrong The test of a rental company is what happens when something breaks. A guest at Toes in the Sand put the island’s side of it in a January 2025 review: the hosts “were even able to provide a new dryer when it was found not to be working (malfunctioning appliances is very common occurrence on the island). The dryer was ordered and installed within a few hours of initially reporting our problem. Which for this location is remarkable!” Other reviews describe small repairs done fast. At The Cerulean, Timothy wrote: “We had a minor issue he resolved immediately early on a Sunday morning.” At Toes in the Sand, Melba gave four stars and wrote: “We had a couple of maintenance issues, but they were addressed by Rich.” At Moko Vista, a hilltop house on the East End, Shawn wrote: “There were some miscommunications between me and the host but Mr. Rich helped to solve it quickly.” Some problems have nothing to do with the house. Amanda, who came with two other couples in March, wrote: “When our flights were delayed Rich was very responsive and easily switched main contacts for someone that wasn’t delayed, hugely appreciated that!” And once, a problem at a house meant a family had to leave it. Jen wrote in February that after “an unexpected issue with the property,” her party was moved to “another property in this management’s portfolio, which was a wonderful beachfront home in Judith’s Fancy,” and that Rich “was super responsive, professional and I would rent from him again.” Having a second house to move a family into is one of the advantages of booking with a company that manages several. Then there is the checking in. Scott, who stayed at Toes in the Sand in April, wrote of Joliegh that “she was wonderful from the beginning and made sure to check on us throughout the week.” The view from Moko Vista, a hilltop house on the East End. Guests’ reviews warn of the steep road up and the lack of a mobile signal at the house. ## The concierge list Beyond the house itself, SP Vacations arranges services for any of its homes through its team on the island. The list is long and practical: a private chef, for an arrival dinner, one celebration meal or a full week of dinners; grocery stocking; a butler, a housekeeper or a bartender for a party. Mid-stay cleans, extra linen, a travel crib or a high chair are arranged on request. On the water, the team books Buck Island snorkelling trips, half-day catamaran sails, sunset sails and sport fishing off Lang Bank with the island’s licensed operators. The company’s line on this is worth quoting: “we recommend the one that fits your group and dates rather than sell you a package.” Ashore, it books rum-distillery tours, guided hikes and the night kayak trip on the bioluminescent bay. Celebrations are part of it too: proposals, anniversaries and small wedding parties, with the villa as the base. The company is clear that its houses are places to stay and not event halls: “Villas are the lodging base rather than event venues.” The concierge carries a fee, and the site states it plainly: “There’s a small coordination fee for concierge arrangements, quoted upfront, and any third-party costs (a chef, a charter, provisioning) are quoted before anything is booked.” Buck Island from the deck of The Buck Island Overlook. Snorkelling trips to the island’s reef are among the things the team books with licensed operators. The smaller touches are the ones guests remember. Nicholas, who stayed with his family of four in May, wrote that “the complimentary sunscreen, after-sun products, and bug spray were an unexpected but wonderful surprise.” Jessica wrote that “Rich supplied four beach chairs for our ventures.” Chris listed what was waiting at Toes in the Sand: “chairs, towels, clips, sunblock, bug spray, aloe.” ## Local knowledge, and candour A good local manager also tells you where to eat and where to shop. “Island recommendations were given for activities and dining,” Kristina wrote. Nicholas wrote that “the hosts gave us suggestions for where to pick up groceries and were quick to respond to a couple of questions we had.” On hurricane season, which runs to the end of November, the company’s site says: “we watch forecasts with our guests.” What stands out in the listings is how much they tell guests before they book. The Buck Island Overlook’s listing warns that the roads up to it are “narrow, winding, or steep” and to drive carefully after dark. Bananaquit Bungalow, a pink cottage that runs on solar power and rainwater, says it is “not suitable for guests who require continuous low temperature air conditioning.” The reviews add their own warnings, and the company publishes them: at Moko Vista, Shawn advised that there is no mobile signal at the house “unless you drive 2 mi away to the west,” and recommended a Jeep for “the gnarly road.” At Toes in the Sand, several guests point out that the north-shore beach in front is for walking, sea glass and watching surfers, and that the pool is for swimming. The shoreline in front of Toes in the Sand: rock at the waterline and north-shore surf. Guests come for the sunrise, the sea glass and the surfers, and swim in the pool. ## The owners’ side Guests see the arrival and the concierge. The work that keeps the houses in shape happens on the owners’ side of the business, and it explains a good deal of what the reviews describe. Sterling Point’s management covers routine inspections, preventive maintenance, a network of licensed tradespeople across St. Croix, emergency response and preparation for hurricanes. Owners receive detailed monthly statements, and their own stays go on the same calendar the team manages. The company also makes a point that owners on the island will recognise. It will not promise an owner a rental income before seeing the house: “no home is quoted from a photo.” And the rental side is open to any owner, including those who bought elsewhere; in its words, it “manages homes for owners we’ve never sold and never will.” For a guest, it means one team that knows each of the houses. Shoy’s Beach House, on the north shore just east of Christiansted, with five en-suite bedrooms around a courtyard. ## Booking direct Most of the homes are also listed on Airbnb and Vrbo, and plenty of the reviews quoted here came from those sites. SP Vacations also takes bookings on its own website, spvacationsvi.com, where every villa page shows live availability and a live quote from the company’s booking system; the reservation itself is completed on the company’s booking checkout at book.spvacationsvi.com. The company’s case for booking that way is modest and specific. “You deal with the on-island manager before and during your stay,” the site says, and requests that do not fit a form, such as a chef, provisioning or a longer stay, “go straight to us.” In its own summary: “Fewer layers between you and the house.” Under what booking direct does not mean, it lists: “A secret rate.” Every home can be booked instantly except Shoy’s Beach House, which takes requests. ## What it means for your stay The homes differ a great deal, and our companion story sets them side by side. What they share is the team, and the reviews suggest the best way to use it is to ask early and ask plainly. ### Getting the most from the team - Mention a celebration, a chef or a grocery list when you first inquire, so it is arranged before you fly. - If no one in your party has driven on the left, ask to be met at the airport and guided out to the house. - Ask which beach near your house is best for swimming; on the north shore, the beach in front may be for walking. - Concierge bookings carry a small coordination fee, quoted upfront, and third-party costs are quoted before anything is booked. - Save the office line, 340-205-3929, and stay@sterlingpointvi.com before you leave home. The office is at 52 King Street in Christiansted, a short walk from the boardwalk and the Buck Island boats. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with SP Vacations on its marketing. The facts here come from the company, its listings and its guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # Choosing a St. Croix Villa for a Family or a Group URL: https://amorielli.com/features/choosing-a-villa-on-st-croix/ By Mariko Sato · 2026-10-08 The houses SP Vacations looks after on St. Croix run from a five-suite beach house to a one-bedroom bungalow off the grid. How to match one to your party: bathrooms, separate buildings, stairs, shade, the beach and the road up. Twelve people can sleep at three of the houses SP Vacations looks after on St. Croix, and each of the three arranges them in its own way. At Shoy’s Beach House, on the north shore just east of Christiansted, five bedroom suites, each with its own bathroom, open onto a courtyard with a stone fountain, and a separate cottage can be added for the eleventh and twelfth guests. At The Cerulean, on the East End, four bedrooms are in the main house and the fifth is in a guest cottage with its own kitchen. At The Buck Island Overlook, in the hills above the East End, there are five bedrooms and three bathrooms, and two of the twelve sleep on futons or sofa beds. The number on the listing is the same for all three, and a week in each would be very different. That is the first lesson in choosing a holiday house for more than a couple: the headline figure tells you how many people fit, and very little about how they will live together. This is a guide to the houses SP Vacations manages on the island, arranged by the kind of party that suits each, with the details that decide it. ## How to read a listing for a group Start with the bathrooms. A house that sleeps eight with four bathrooms is a different week from one that sleeps eight with two. Several of these homes give every bedroom its own: the five suites at Shoy’s, the five bedrooms at The Cerulean, and the three at Dragonfly Villa, which adds a fourth bathroom besides. At Buck Island Views, two of the three bedrooms are in detached suites, each with its own bathroom, joined to the main house by covered walkways. Next, look for a second building. A cottage or a detached suite gives one part of the party its own door, which is what makes a week with grandparents, or with two families, work. The Cerulean’s cottage has a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom and a full bathroom, plus a loft reached by a spiral stair. The cottage at Shoy’s is booked and paid for separately from the main house; without it, the villa sleeps ten. The Buck Island Overlook has two kitchens and two living areas inside one house, which helps two families keep their own rhythm. Then the stairs and the road. St. Croix is hilly, and many of the best views come with steps. The Cerulean is built into a slope above the sea. Caribbean Blue Hideaway is a third-floor condo, and its listing mentions no lift. The Beach-Access Condo is listed as single-level, but a guest noted that the ground-floor unit “does have stairs to get into the unit.” And the roads to the hilltop houses can be steep: the Overlook’s listing warns of roads that are “narrow, winding, or steep” and asks guests to drive carefully after dark, and a guest at Moko Vista recommended a Jeep for “the gnarly road, uphill and downhill.” Finally, the water. On the north shore the sea in front of a house is often surf, good for watching and walking and less good for small children. Several houses have their own private pool, which is where the swimming happens; the condos share a complex pool. None of these homes should be booked on the promise of swimming straight from the door. Ask SP Vacations which beach nearby suits your party. The courtyard at Shoy’s Beach House. Each of the five bedroom suites opens onto it and has its own bathroom. ## Three generations, or two families Shoy’s Beach House is the house for a big family that wants to be together without being on top of one another. It stands in the gated Estate Shoys, on the north shore by The Buccaneer, a few minutes from Christiansted. The five suites around the courtyard sleep ten in the main villa; a one-bedroom cottage can be added to the booking for two more. There is a private pool and a hot tub, a covered gallery, kayaks, a fenced yard, and a beach through the back garden that the house shares with the rest of the Shoys estate. Lloyd, who brought a family of ten for ten days in January, wrote: “The five en suite bedrooms situated off a beautiful courtyard offers a perfect layout for couples or friends traveling together, especially our family of 10.” And: “The kids enjoyed the pool, kayaks and playing cornhole, while the adults enjoyed relaxing on the large porch with an ocean view.” He added a warning worth repeating: “stay clear of the machineel trees along the beach and east property line.” The manchineel is a native tree whose sap and fruit are poisonous, so point it out to the children on the first day. Shoy’s is the one house in the collection that takes booking requests instead of instant bookings. The Cerulean , on the cover of this issue, suits three generations for a different reason: the guest cottage, about twenty paces from the main house, with its own kitchen and entrance. Grandparents can keep their own hours there; or teenagers can take it, with the loft bed up the spiral stair. Every bedroom has its own bathroom. Emily, who stayed in April, called the house “an ideal layout for multiple families...but works just as well giving loads of space for one family.” It is a hillside house, with steps between its levels and down to the shore, and our companion story this month covers it in detail. The guest cottage at The Cerulean, with its own kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom and a loft bed up the spiral stair. The Buck Island Overlook is the big house in the hills: five bedrooms, two kitchens, two living areas and an office, with a private pool on the upper deck facing Buck Island and a covered lower deck with a dining table, a lounge and a hammock. It sleeps twelve with two of them on futons or sofa beds, and three bathrooms serve the house, so it suits two families with children better than six couples who each want a bathroom. The listing strongly recommends a rental car and is frank about the roads. It has no published reviews yet. Hook ’em on Paradise, in the gated Judith’s Fancy estate on the north shore west of Christiansted. ## A family of four to eight Toes in the Sand Beach House sits in a gated community on the north shore west of Christiansted, with 24-hour security. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms and sleeps eight, every bedroom looks at the sea, and the private pool sits on a sun terrace beside a wall of glass doors. It is the company’s Airbnb “Guest favorite.” Matt, who came with children and teenagers in July 2025, wrote that the pool was a hit with adults and children alike, that the teenagers took to the room with its own outside entry, and that the two main bedrooms “were well equipped and clean.” Chelsea, in November, wrote: “Kids really enjoyed the pool and we had enough room for our party of 8.” The beach in front is the north shore’s: Chris, in June, advised that “for anyone who does [have small children], this beach is not really swimmable due to rockiness and intense waves,” and added: “if you like to walk and treasure hunt, the sea glass is amazing.” The pool at Toes in the Sand. On this stretch of the north shore, the pool is for swimming and the beach is for walking. Buck Island Views sits on a hillside east of Christiansted, facing Buck Island. The primary suite is in the main house, and two more bedrooms are in detached suites with their own bathrooms, joined by covered walkways, so it sleeps six with real privacy between the rooms. There is a private pool terrace with loungers facing the sea. Ryan, who stayed in July, wrote: “If you’re coming to st croix and have a small family this place is really perfect.” Hook ’em on Paradise , a burnt-orange villa in the gated Judith’s Fancy estate, has three bedrooms and three bathrooms and sleeps six. Each bedroom has its own air-conditioning unit, there is a telescope by the sliding doors to the sea-view balcony, and the private pool has both sunny and shaded seating. For parents of small children the shade is the point. Lauren wrote: “We were traveling with our one year old and needed a spot that allowed for outdoor shaded space, and the covered patio was absolutely perfect, providing all day shade.” Rules of the estate’s owners’ association apply. Dragonfly Villa , on a gated hilltop on the East End, has three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a fourth bathroom, four patios and a saltwater infinity pool, and sleeps eight. Its kitchen is well equipped, down to a pizza stone and a waffle maker, and the listing includes a travel crib and children’s books. The Beach-Access Condo , in a waterfront complex a few minutes from Christiansted, sleeps six in two bedrooms with two bathrooms, and shares a pool, a garden and an on-site restaurant with the complex. A guest put the beach at “about 75 steps” from the door. It is the most reviewed of the homes, and families write warmly about it. Lanie found “plenty of space for my family with everything we needed,” and Elishia wrote: “Great stay with kids, you did need a rental car.” Remember the stairs at the entrance if a grandparent is coming. The covered porch at Hook ’em on Paradise, in shade all day. ## Friends and couples travelling together For three couples, the test is whether the bedrooms are equal, and two houses pass it. Toes in the Sand has three similar bedrooms and three bathrooms. Dawn wrote in June that it “was perfect for our group of 6 (3 adult couples),” and Amanda, who came with two other couples in March, wrote that “the bedrooms were all similar in set up and great (hard to find!).” Shoy’s does the same for a larger group. Kirk, who stayed in December, wrote that “the villa’s layout — five private bedroom suites and a courtyard — gave each couple in our group privacy and quiet when needed,” and Valerie, in February, that it was a “perfect site for multiple couples to enjoy their time together while having their own personal space.” Hook ’em on Paradise also works for six friends; Jess wrote in November that “everything was perfect for our group of 6.” The larger houses suit a milestone too. Elaine gave Shoy’s four stars and wrote: “We had an amazing time for my 60th birthday.” SP Vacations can arrange a chef, a bartender or a boat for the day, with the house as the base; it does not let its villas as event venues. ## Two couples, or a couple Sunset Sea-Clusion , newly remodelled, is on the West End north of Frederiksted, the sunset side of the island. It has two queen bedrooms and two full bathrooms, a private pool, a covered terrace and a chef’s kitchen, and secluded beaches within walking distance. Rainbow Beach and the Frederiksted pier are close, and so is the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, the long beach at the island’s south-west tip, which opens to visitors only at weekends and closes from April 1 to August 31 while leatherback turtles nest. Sunset from Sunset Sea-Clusion, on the West End north of Frederiksted. Sunset Oasis , a renovated corner condo in a beachfront community west of Christiansted, has two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and a shared pool and hot tub, with the beach a few steps away. Two couples sharing it each get a bedroom and a bathroom. Moko Vista is a West Indian-style house with blue shutters on an East End hilltop, with two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a sunny patio with a grill and a clear view to Buck Island. It has no pool and no mobile signal at the house, though it has Wi-Fi, and the road up is rough. In return it is very quiet. Aron, who stayed in April, wrote that “what really stood out, though, was how peaceful and quiet everything felt.” Bananaquit Bungalow , a pink cottage in the hills of Estate Boetzberg, a short drive from Christiansted, is “designed best for solo travelers or couples”: one king bedroom, hammocks on the porch, and a second room for television and rest. It runs entirely on solar power, batteries and rainwater, guests are asked to use power and water with care, and the listing says it is “not suitable for guests who require continuous low temperature air conditioning.” Caribbean Blue Hideaway is an updated one-bedroom corner condo on the third floor at Long Reef, near Christiansted, with views of Buck Island and a shared pool. Its listing describes it as a place for “a romantic escape, a solo getaway, or an island adventure for two.” Bananaquit Bungalow, which runs on solar power, batteries and rainwater. ## Before you book Minimum stays are four or five nights, depending on the house. Check-in is from 4 pm everywhere, and check-out is at 10 or 11 am. Every home can be booked instantly except Shoy’s, which takes requests. Prices change with the season and are shown live on each home’s page; we do not print them. Longer stays are allowed at most of the homes, and several list a workspace for a laptop. For a party too big for one house, or one that wants two houses near each other, SP Vacations would rather talk it through. Its site says: “That’s a conversation, not a form.” Tell them who is coming, including anyone who should avoid stairs, anyone who needs the air-conditioning on all night and the ages of the children, and let them suggest the house. ### Matching the house to the party - Three generations, up to twelve: Shoy’s Beach House, or The Cerulean with its cottage. - Two families with older children: The Buck Island Overlook. - A family of up to eight: Toes in the Sand or Dragonfly Villa. - A family of up to six: Buck Island Views, Hook ’em on Paradise or the Beach-Access Condo. - Three couples: Toes in the Sand; for more, Shoy’s. - Two couples: Sunset Sea-Clusion or Sunset Oasis. - A couple: Moko Vista, Bananaquit Bungalow or Caribbean Blue Hideaway. Each of these houses has its own page in Amorielli’s Collection, listed below, and each is booked direct with SP Vacations. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with SP Vacations and The Cerulean on their marketing. Room counts and house details come from the homes' own listings in October 2026, and guests' words are quoted as written. ======================================================================== # Four Suites in Salvador’s Upper Town URL: https://amorielli.com/features/four-suites-in-salvadors-upper-town/ By Mariko Sato · 2026-10-08 Via Avantgarde lets four suites for two in the Cidade Alta, the old upper town of Salvador da Bahia, a few minutes from the Lacerda Elevator: a bamboo ceiling, emerald walls, gilt frames and a bath by the window. How each one feels to stay in, who it suits, and how to spend a few days on foot around them. In Vista Elevador & Mar the bath stands on a low round plinth beside the windows. From it you look across a square of colonial buildings to the Bay of All Saints, where ships lie at anchor and, in the evening, the sun goes down over the water. The suite is one of four that Via Avantgarde lets in the Cidade Alta, the old upper town of Salvador da Bahia, all of them a few minutes’ walk from the Lacerda Elevator and all of them for two people. Three are single rooms and one is a small flat, and all four are furnished with more conviction than most hotel rooms: ceilings of bamboo poles hung with trailing greenery, antiques gathered around Bahia, emerald walls, gilt frames and a four-poster bed draped in gold cloth. What follows is a guide to the four: how each one feels to stay in, who it suits, and how to spend a few days on foot around them. Every suite is booked on Airbnb, and questions go to the host through Airbnb’s messages; Via Avantgarde takes no bookings of its own. Three of the four can be booked now. The Suite Colonial had no open dates on its Airbnb calendar from October 2026 to August 2027 when we checked on 8 October, so we describe it without suggesting you book it, and say how to ask about it. ## The upper town Salvador was founded in 1549 on a small peninsula between the Bay of All Saints and the Atlantic, and it was the capital of Portuguese America until 1763. Its historic centre is the Cidade Alta, which UNESCO describes as “a defensive, administrative and residential neighbourhood perched atop an 85-m-high escarpment”, with the lower town and the port at its foot. The Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia has been on the World Heritage List since 1985. The listing names the Catedral Basílica, the churches and convents of São Francisco, São Domingos, Carmo and Santo Antônio, sixteenth-century squares such as the Terreiro de Jesus, and streets of brightly coloured houses, often decorated with fine stucco-work. It also records that from 1558 Salvador was the first slave market in the New World, and that echoes of the city’s mixed European, African and Amerindian past survive in its heritage today. The Largo do Pelourinho, a few minutes’ walk from all four suites. The two levels have been linked since 1873 by the Lacerda Elevator. Its present art deco form comes from a rebuilding inaugurated on 1 January 1930, and according to the history the city published for its 150th anniversary, it stands 72 metres high, with two towers and four cabins, and the ride takes thirty seconds. The national heritage institute, IPHAN, listed it in 2006. It reopened on 25 February 2025 after ten months of works. Reports of its fare and opening hours since then disagree, and we could not confirm either from an official source, so check both when you arrive. All four suites are on the upper level. Airbnb shows the exact address only after a booking, but Via Avantgarde’s own guide sets out where they are: two on the square beside the lift, the Loft Histórico right next to the lift, and the Suite Colonial on the way from the lift to the Hotel Fasano, two to six minutes’ walk in all. The two on the square are the Penthouse Jacuzzi and Vista Elevador & Mar. The brand’s photographs and its guests’ reviews name the square as the Praça da Sé, and both listings carry the same warning: “this apartment is located in the main square and events such as concerts may cause noise levels that are not suitable for everyone.” The Lacerda Elevator from the lower town. From the Penthouse bed: the top of the elevator, and the bay. ## The Penthouse Jacuzzi The Penthouse Jacuzzi is one open room under a ceiling of bamboo poles, which the listing says is hung with artificial plants and lit with plenty of LED lighting. Windows wrap around two sides, over tiled roofs and the city’s tower blocks, and the listing describes “many antiques that were acquired from all over Bahia, including some pieces over 100 years old”. The photographs show a gilt chair with a caned back, candelabra, a wooden coat stand, a block of white marble for a coffee table, a black and mustard chevron rug and red Persian runners. Michael, who stayed in October 2023, wrote: “We loved the decor, it’s eclectic and warm.” Daina, a guest in April 2025, found it “a bit shabby chic/ DIY with a moody theater vibe like in the photos”, which is a fair guide for anyone expecting a hotel finish. The kitchen is the best equipped of the four. The listing calls it a gourmet kitchen, recently renovated, with Brazilian granite counters, a custom sink, a large refrigerator, a five-burner gas hob, a microwave, a toaster, a blender and a coffee machine, and in the photographs it runs along a black wall with open shelves of pans and plates. There is no oven on the list. “The kitchen is well-equipped, so we enjoyed cooking here,” wrote Faifoo in August 2025. The dining table doubles as a full-size desk, the listing says, the internet is quoted at 100 megabits, and this is the only one of the four whose Airbnb amenities include a dedicated workspace. The Penthouse at dusk, the tub raised by the windows. The kitchen, under the bamboo-pole ceiling. The tub gives the suite its name, and it needs a word of explanation. Airbnb’s amenity list includes a private hot tub, but the host’s own description calls it a soaking tub, and that is what the photographs show: a deep, white, freestanding oval bath on a raised platform by the windows, filled from a floor-standing tap. Expect a long hot bath for two with the city outside, rather than jets. Ian, who stayed in April 2026, called it “a spectacular bathtub”. There is a shower in the bathroom as well. Check-in is self-service with a smart lock, from 3 pm. The building has a lift, and parking is in a paid lot off the premises. With a desk and a kitchen for real cooking, this is the suite for a couple staying a week or longer, or for anyone who has to work for part of the trip. ## Vista Elevador & Mar Vista Elevador & Mar , which the brand’s English pages call Elevator & Sea View, is built around its windows. They run from floor to ceiling on two sides of the room. Below is the square, with a large white colonial building, a church and a row of market stalls, and beyond it lies the bay. “Looks just like the photos and overlooks the main square,” wrote Tiana in April 2026, and Helen, who came for Carnival in February 2026, wrote: “Great views especially at sunset.” Inside are the same bamboo-pole ceiling and trailing greenery as in the Penthouse, with woven lantern lamps, red patterned rugs on a tiled floor, a carved wooden chair upholstered in black and yellow, a round wooden table with two stools at the glass, and a rattan chair hung from the ceiling on ropes, which guests call the swing. The round white tub sits on its plinth between linen curtains. As with the Penthouse, Airbnb lists it as a private hot tub, and Martin, who stayed in April 2026, put the difference plainly: “Aint a jacuzzi without the bubbles, but otherwise all good. Cool place”. Ronan, in November 2023, wrote: “The bath with the lighting in the evening was pure bliss.” The square below the windows, and the bay beyond. Sunset over the bay from the window table. The kitchen is a corner in red: a retro mini fridge, a microwave and a blender in matching red on a wooden shelf unit, with white cupboards, a mosaic splashback and a gas hob. There is a TV, and a projector with a screen for films, which Airbnb lists as a movie theatre and several guests single out. Check-in is by keypad, from 3 pm, and there is paid parking on the premises. The square is also loud, and guests who loved the suite say so. Mahalia, who called the apartment “an absolute dream” in February 2025, wrote that “due to it being located on a square, it is very loud”, and added: “the constant music coming from the plaza could be heard morning day and night. Warning to sensitive sleepers.” Others came for exactly that. Emma and her fiancé found the São João festival taking place “right outside the apartment” in June 2025, and wrote: “Very cool experience.” Two guests in 2024 reported that the building’s lifts were out of order during their stays, one of them carrying suitcases up four floors, so anyone who cannot manage stairs should ask the host about the lift before booking. It suits a couple who want the view and their evenings in, and travellers who come for Carnival or the June festivals and want to be in the middle of them. Light sleepers should choose another suite, or another week. ## The Loft Histórico The Loft Histórico is the most theatrical of the four; Airbnb lists it as a studio. The walls are deep emerald green, with gold moulding along the top and a dark blue ceiling hung with a small crystal chandelier. Two large paintings in heavy gilt frames fill the walls: a waterfall scene above the bed, and a crowded party in eighteenth-century dress, framed as an oval, above the bath. The bed is a four-poster hung with mustard-gold cloth, knotted at each post, under a red throw, and the white freestanding tub stands in the room itself, beside the bed. The kitchen side is blush pink, with white marble counters and splashback, wooden shelves of pans, wire pendant lamps and a breakfast bar with turned wooden stools, and a gilt chair with a caned back stands beside it. A wide mirror next to the counter makes the room look larger in the photographs than it is, as one guest pointed out, and the listing’s photographs also show a hammock slung in a small open-air corner with a tiled floor. The amenity list is short: air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a TV, hot water, a hair dryer, an iron, bed linen, the kitchen and the bath. No lift is listed. The four-poster bed and the gilt frames. The breakfast bar in the pink kitchen corner. The Loft is beside the lift rather than on the square, and Sebastian, who stayed in November 2024, found it “tucked away in a quiet area”. Carnival is the exception. Tsz wrote in February 2026: “because of the location, the carnival happens literally 2 minutes away, so it’s extremely loud at night.” Belle, who arrived late at night the same month, liked the street: “Açaí right in front of the house, easy to walk into the old center.” This is a room for a night or two away as a couple, which is how Carl saw it in October 2025: “Leave the kids with grandma and have fun with your sweetheart.” ## The Suite Colonial The Suite Colonial is the brand’s fourth suite and the only one laid out as a small flat, with a sitting room and a separate bedroom. It is also the only one without a bath. Its Airbnb title places it close to the Lacerda Elevator and the Hotel Fasano. The sitting room has plum walls, two dark sofas heaped with cushions and throws, geometric rugs on a wood-block floor and a striped ceiling crossed with bamboo poles and trailing flowers. One wall is modelled in deep navy plaster into lit, arched niches that hold books, a framed print and candlesticks. Along the window runs a bar counter of mint-green plaster, with wooden stools and lit arches beneath it, which serves as the dining table. The sitting room and its wall of niches. The bar counter at the window. The bedroom is quieter, with a lilac patterned cover on the bed, coral and navy cushions, woven lamps and a wall of foliage behind the headboard. The kitchen is small and white-tiled, with a two-burner hob, a black retro mini fridge, a microwave and a drip coffee maker, and the bathroom has a shower. The building has a lift and the suite has split air conditioning; Airbnb’s list does not include Wi-Fi or a TV, so ask if you need either. Neil, who stayed in March 2025, wrote: “Spacious and comfortable with a kitsch, unique style. Great independent cinema next door.” Benjy, in February 2026, wrote: “Nice little spot in a great location for exploring Pelourinho and the heart of the city - perfect for Carnaval.” The bedroom, under its wall of foliage. When we checked its Airbnb calendar on 8 October, the Suite Colonial had no open nights from October 2026 to August 2027. Via Avantgarde’s own guide notes the same gap, adding that “cancellations happen, so the calendar is worth a look.” To ask about dates, open the Suite Colonial’s listing on Airbnb and send the host a message there; the host is the same as for the other three. ## Choosing between them For the view and the sunset, choose Vista Elevador & Mar. For cooking, working and a longer stay, the Penthouse Jacuzzi. For a night or two of theatre as a couple, the Loft Histórico. For a sitting room of your own, the Suite Colonial, once it has dates again. All four take two guests at most, and none is set up for small children. Asked whether children are welcome, Via Avantgarde answers: “Yes, with responsible adults. The suites contain antiques and delicate pieces — parents should weigh the fit.” There is no breakfast and no daily housekeeping, the brand’s guide says, so breakfast is out in the town or in your own kitchen. Light sleepers have the hardest choice. The two suites on the square warn about concerts in their own listings, and their guests describe music late into the night, at weekends and during festivals; the Loft is quieter except at Carnival. Anyone who finds stairs or slopes difficult should know that the upper town sits on a steep escarpment, that its squares and lanes are paved with cobbles, and that only the Penthouse and the Suite Colonial list a lift. ## A few days on foot The upper town is small enough to walk. Start at the Terreiro de Jesus, one of the sixteenth-century squares named by UNESCO, with the Catedral Basílica on one side and an ornate fountain in the middle, then walk downhill to the Largo do Pelourinho, the sloping cobbled square of painted houses that the brand’s guide puts five to ten minutes from its suites. A short walk from the Terreiro de Jesus, the church and convent of São Francisco is closed. Part of its ceiling collapsed on 5 February 2025, and its vicar expects it to reopen by 2029, Bahia Notícias reported in July, so plan your church visits without it. The fountain on the Terreiro de Jesus. Give another morning to the lower town. The Lacerda Elevator drops you to the Comércio, the old commercial district by the port, where the Mercado Modelo has sold Bahian crafts and souvenirs from the old customs house on the waterfront since 1971, with two traditional Bahian restaurants inside. Ride back up and look out from the edge of the upper town over the market, the port and the bay; the city’s own history of the elevator says thousands of visitors a year come for that view. The Mercado Modelo and the bay from the edge of the upper town, beside the elevator. Beyond the Pelourinho, the Carmo and Santo Antônio districts are also part of the World Heritage site, and a longer walk. Jennifer, a guest at the Loft in January 2025, wrote: “Superbly located for Pelourinho and Santo Antonio and a very comfortable bed.” The beaches are a ride rather than a walk away; guests at Vista Elevador & Mar put the nearest at ten to twenty minutes by car or app. In the evenings there is music in the squares, which guests at the two square-side suites describe in their reviews, and one of them mentions the Balé Folclórico da Bahia. “We were also a 10-minute walk from the Balé Folklorico, which was amazing,” wrote Amanda in July 2024. ## Getting there Salvador’s airport is at Stella Maris, on the Atlantic side of the city. Via Avantgarde’s own guide puts it 28 kilometres from the Cidade Alta, and the airport names the Avenida Paralela as the main road into the centre. A metro line also serves the airport: the Aeroporto station is about two kilometres from the terminal, with a free shuttle between them. With luggage, and cobbles at the far end, most visitors will want a car to the door. The UK government’s travel advice says there are authorised taxi booths at most Brazilian airports and that ride-hailing apps such as Uber are widely available, and it warns travellers to be wary of unregulated drivers posing as app drivers, especially at airports. Via Avantgarde’s guide also offers a private transfer from the airport to the suite door, asked for at least 24 hours ahead; request it in Airbnb’s messages. Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out by 11 am; for other times, the brand says, ask on Airbnb when you book and it will accommodate you when it can. Most dates carry a two-night minimum, and for arrivals over the Carnival days, 4 to 9 February 2027, the calendars ask for five. ## When to go Salvador is warm all year. On the averages of INMET, Brazil’s national weather service, the mean daily maximum is about 31°C in January and about 27°C in August. The rain decides the season. On INMET’s averages for 1991 to 2020 the wettest months are April to July, with May the wettest of all at about 302 millimetres, while December, at about 63 millimetres, and January are the driest. From September to February the city gets around 100 millimetres a month or less. Carnival in 2027 officially begins on Thursday 4 February, with street events from Friday 29 January and the festival of Iemanjá on 2 February, A Tarde reported when the city announced the dates; Ash Wednesday falls on 10 February. When we checked in October, the Penthouse and Vista Elevador & Mar already showed no availability for the opening night. June brings the São João festival to the old town as well. ## Safety advice We quote the official advice here rather than give our own. The U.S. State Department’s advisory for Brazil, updated on 30 August 2026, is at Level 2: “Exercise increased caution in Brazil due to crime and kidnapping.” It notes that “Violent crime occurs in urban areas, day and night,” and advises travellers to “Use ATMs in secure locations such as shopping malls or major hotels.” The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in advice updated on 29 September 2026, says that “Thieves target mobile phones, particularly between 4pm and 9pm”, advises travellers to “avoid using a mobile phone in the street” and to “leave your passport and valuables in a safe place”, and adds: “Do not resist attackers.” It warns that “Criminals target large-scale celebrations in Brazil, such as the Carnival in major cities,” and its advice on the beach is plain: “Do not go on to city beaches after dark.” On getting around it says: “Do not hail taxis on the street.” ### Before you book - Book on Airbnb: the Penthouse Jacuzzi , Vista Elevador & Mar or the Loft Histórico . - Ask about the Suite Colonial by messaging the host from its Airbnb listing . - If you sleep lightly, read the noise notice on the Penthouse and Vista listings before you choose. - Need a desk? The Penthouse is the only one with a dedicated workspace on its list. - Expect deep soaking tubs, not whirlpools, in the Penthouse and Vista Elevador & Mar. - If stairs are hard for you, ask the host about the lift before you book. - For Carnival 2027, book early and plan on five nights. - Ask for an airport transfer at least 24 hours ahead, in Airbnb’s messages. Via Avantgarde’s four suites each take two guests and are booked on Airbnb, from the listings above or from the brand’s own site ; three of them have open dates now. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with Via Avantgarde on its marketing. The facts here come from the suites' own listings and pages and from published guest reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # Three Homes on Rio's Beaches URL: https://amorielli.com/features/three-homes-on-rios-beaches/ By Vivienne Hartwell · 2026-10-08 A duplex above Copacabana with a pool on the roof, a family penthouse facing Ipanema and a glass villa under Pedra da Gávea in São Conrado. Which one suits a family, a group of friends or two couples, what the rooms and views are like, and how to spend a week in Rio. Thirteen floors above Avenida Atlântica, a long pool runs across the roof of an apartment building, with Copacabana beach directly below and the statue of Christ the Redeemer on its mountain behind. It belongs to the Copacabana Penthouse , one of three homes on Rio de Janeiro’s beaches let by Art de Vivre, a Rio agency that sells and manages houses and flats. The other two are further west: the Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse , which faces the beach at Ipanema, and the São Conrado Beach View Villa , a glass house in the forest under Pedra da Gávea. Each suits a different party. The beaches run in a chain, with a rock or a mountain between each one and the next: Copacabana, then Ipanema and Leblon beyond the rocks of Arpoador, then São Conrado beyond the twin peaks of Dois Irmãos. Here is how the three homes compare, who each one suits, and how to spend a week in the city from any of them. ## The penthouse above Copacabana The Copacabana Penthouse is a duplex on the thirteenth floor of a building on Avenida Atlântica, the avenue along the beach, and its own website gives it 848 square metres. The lower floor is the social one: a living room with a wall of glass onto the beach, a television lounge, the kitchen, and a long dining table beside the marble staircase that climbs through the middle of the flat. Four of the five bedrooms are on this floor, each with its own bathroom; one has two single beds. Upstairs is the presidential suite, with a black marble bathroom, a jacuzzi and, according to the listing, a shower with a view of Christ the Redeemer and Copacabana beach. The dining table on the lower floor, beside the marble staircase. The presidential suite’s bathroom, in black marble under a glass roof. The roof is the best of it. On the upper terrace the pool runs along a glass balustrade above the beach, with loungers beside it, and Art de Vivre’s page calls it one of the largest private pools in Copacabana. The penthouse also has a sauna, a barbecue and room to eat outside. The listing promises views of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf and Dois Irmãos as well as the beach. In the photographs, the statue stands on its mountain above the rooftops behind, and in front the sand runs away to the point at the far end of the beach. From the roof, Christ the Redeemer stands over the hills behind Copacabana. A housekeeper comes with the penthouse. The listing says she has worked for the owner for years, stays during the booking in a room behind the kitchen, makes breakfast and cleans the bedrooms and bathrooms every day. Guests mention her by name. Kevin, who stayed in January 2026, wrote: “Julia was incredible — she looked after us so well, kept everything spotless, cooked for us, and genuinely made our stay feel effortless and comfortable.” Christian, who came with a group in March, wrote: “You really can’t beat the location or the convenience.” From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel completely at home. Madison, a guest in February 2026 The penthouse sleeps ten, and the listing pitches it at families or couples travelling with friends. The building’s rules are strict. Art de Vivre needs a copy of every guest’s identity document for the list at the front door; friends coming for lunch, dinner or drinks must be announced at least 48 hours before check-in and show identification, and nobody else may stay the night. There are no parties and no loud music after 10 pm, and nobody walks into the building without a shirt. These are rules for long dinners on the roof, for a group that keeps the volume down. ## Copacabana’s promenade Thirteen floors down is the promenade, which is part of a World Heritage site. UNESCO inscribed Rio in 2012 as Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea, including the designed landscapes on land reclaimed along Copacabana Bay, and it names Roberto Burle Marx’s redesign of Copacabana beach among landscape designs that “still confer high social benefits to the city.” Burle Marx’s promenade dates from 1970. It was built on reclaimed land along Avenida Atlântica in Portuguese stone, planted with native plants, and runs for about four and a half kilometres, according to a study in the journal Revista UFG. Its pavement is the black and white wave pattern that the penthouse’s listing calls one of Rio’s symbols. The listing describes runners, cyclists and games of frescobol, the Brazilian beach paddle game, in the morning, and musicians and street vendors in the evening, and recommends the view from Copacabana Fort, at the far end of the beach. Roberto Burle Marx’s promenade of 1970, paved in black and white Portuguese stone. ## The penthouse facing Ipanema Ipanema is the next beach west, past the rocks of Arpoador, and the Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse is on its front line, facing the sand. The listing puts it 50 metres from the beach and two minutes’ walk from the metro, with three balconies and a large terrace. The photographs show a covered stretch under a tiled pergola, set with plants in terracotta pots, and an open stretch paved in stone behind a glass balustrade, with the beach below. The listing describes a 180-degree view from Arpoador to Dois Irmãos, and the terrace photographs show both ends of it. West from the terrace: Ipanema beach, Leblon and the twin peaks of Dois Irmãos. Inside, it is laid out for a family. There are four bedrooms, two of them suites, and three and a half bathrooms; a large living room with a blue sectional sofa and floral wing chairs; a winter garden that opens onto the terrace; a dining room for eight; and a full kitchen. The master suite adjoins the terrace. The floors are wood, there are wooden chests and a carved wooden bed, and botanical prints hang on the walls. A housekeeper lives in an annex and cleans every day, and the listing includes a cot. East from the terrace, towards Arpoador. The living room, with windows onto a planted courtyard. The building’s rules are close to Copacabana’s. The agency asks how many men, women and children are in the party and for every guest’s identity document; visitors need notice, nobody else stays overnight, and there are no parties, no loud music after 10 pm and no smoking indoors. ## Ipanema, Arpoador and Dois Irmãos Ipanema’s beach runs between two landmarks. At its east end is Arpoador, the rocky point between Ipanema and Copacabana and a place to watch the sun go down over the far end of the beach. At its west end, past Leblon, are the twin peaks of Dois Irmãos, the Two Brothers. According to UNESCO, IPHAN, Brazil’s national heritage institute, protects Dois Irmãos and Pedra da Gávea, and “the urban landscape of Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon beaches.” The penthouse’s listing says that from here you can do everything on foot, and names the beach kiosks with live music and restaurants of every kind. Ipanema has two metro stations, General Osório and Nossa Senhora da Paz, on a network that runs east to Copacabana and west through Leblon to São Conrado. Sunset over Ipanema from the rocks at Arpoador, with Dois Irmãos on the left. ## The villa above São Conrado West of Dois Irmãos the city changes. São Conrado is a beach backed by apartment towers, a golf course and forest, with Pedra da Gávea rising behind, and the São Conrado Beach View Villa sits in a gated condominium on the slope above it, in the trees. Art de Vivre’s listing credits the design to the architects Bernardes and Jacobsen. The house is a long pavilion of glass and dark steel, its glass roof shaded with fabric, with the living room and the dining table in one long space, glass doors onto the terrace and the pool along the front. Behind it the forest climbs to the granite face of Pedra da Gávea. The villa’s pavilion and pool, with Pedra da Gávea behind. There are four suites, each with a large bathroom, and the master suite has large sliding glass doors onto the ocean and the pool. A fifth bedroom, with three single beds, takes the house from ten guests to twelve. The listing describes an infinity pool tiled in graphic patterns; the photographs show blue, black and white curves running to the edge of the deck, with the Atlantic and its islands beyond. The kitchen has two refrigerators, two industrial ovens and a water filter, and a Bluetooth sound system runs through the house. The living area under the glass roof. The long table, with the terrace beyond. Housekeeping comes once a week. For more, Art de Vivre offers what it calls a premium package with house staff: a private chef, an assistant, a housekeeper and a bartender. The villa’s own site adds airport pick-ups and a driver on call. For a big birthday or a family reunion, that is the way to use the house, with dinner on the terrace and nobody cooking. The listing presents São Conrado as a quieter beach than Copacabana or Ipanema, popular with surfers. The villa’s site puts Leblon and Ipanema about fifteen minutes east along the coast and the beach a few minutes downhill from the gate, and the neighbourhood has a metro station and the Fashion Mall, which the listing mentions for its shops and restaurants. For evenings out, plan on the driver. ## Pedra da Gávea and the hang-gliders The mountain behind the villa belongs to Tijuca National Park, managed by the federal conservation agency ICMBio. The park describes Pedra da Gávea as more than 800 metres high and the largest seaside monolith in the world. Its trail is for fit, experienced walkers: the park rates it difficult, about five hours on average, with more than 800 metres of climbing and exposed vertical sections where accidents and deaths have been recorded, and advises going with a guide or an experienced hiker, with a rope and safety equipment. Nobody may start up after 2 pm. Pedra Bonita, next to it, is the easy one, a walk of about twenty minutes to a view over São Conrado, part of the South Zone and Barra da Tijuca. It is also where the hang-gliders fly from. The park describes two launch ramps 517 metres up, one for hang-gliders and one for paragliders, and calls it one of the most famous and busiest free-flight ramps in the world. The flights come down on the beach at São Conrado, as the villa’s listing points out, and the listing says you can watch the gliders from the villa’s terrace. The park advises beginners to fly only with an experienced instructor, found through the Clube São Conrado de Voo Livre, which lists accredited instructors. The ramp on Pedra Bonita, 517 metres up, above São Conrado. Hang-gliders on the promenade at São Conrado, where the flights come down. ## Which home suits which party For a family with young children, the Ipanema penthouse is the easy choice. Its listing mentions no pool, which removes the biggest worry with toddlers; it has a cot, a housekeeper every day and a lift; and the beach, the metro and the restaurants are on foot. Two of its four bedrooms have their own bathrooms, which suits two generations, or two families who know each other well. For friends travelling together, or three or four couples, the Copacabana Penthouse is the one. Every bedroom has its own bathroom, the roof gives the group a pool and a table outside, and the beach is at the door. There are no parties, and the presidential suite and the pool are up the marble staircase, which matters if anyone in the party finds stairs hard. For a large family, three generations together or a celebration, the São Conrado villa has the most room and the most privacy: twelve places to sleep, a pool deck, a long table, staff on request and forest all around. It suits a group that would rather stay in, with a chef on the terrace and a driver for evenings out. At both houses with pools, plan on an adult at the pool whenever small children are near it; neither listing mentions a fence. Couples on their own are the hard case, since all three are houses for a party. Two couples travelling together fit the Ipanema penthouse well, one in each suite. ## Getting there from Galeão International flights land at RIOgaleão, the Antonio Carlos Jobim international airport on the Ilha do Governador, north of the centre; Santos Dumont, the small airport on the bay downtown, handles mostly domestic flights. Check the entry rules first. Brazil’s consulate in Miami says that citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia have needed a visa for tourism since 10 April 2025, applied for online through the official e-visa portal. The UK government says British visitors need no visa for stays of up to 90 days, with passports valid for at least six months after arrival, and that a child travelling without both parents needs their authorisation and the original or a notarised copy of the birth certificate. From Galeão to the beaches takes 40 minutes to an hour by road, depending on traffic, by the homes’ own estimates. Both property sites say Art de Vivre will send a driver to meet the flight, and the agency meets every guest in person at the building. Otherwise, the airport’s regular and executive taxi desks are by doors A and B on the arrivals floor of Terminal 2, and taxis can be booked on the airport’s website. The UK government advises using authorised taxi booths and never hailing a taxi in the street, and, with ride-hailing apps, booking through the official app and checking that the car and the driver match it. ## When to go The UK government gives Rio’s rainy season as November to March, which takes in the southern summer, and warns that flash floods and landslides are common where mountains are close to the coast, as they are in Rio; follow local warnings in heavy rain. The year’s two big events are New Year’s Eve and Carnival. Réveillon, New Year’s Eve, happens on the beach below the Copacabana Penthouse. On 31 December 2025, Riotur, the city’s tourism company, counted 2.6 million people on Copacabana and more than 5.1 million at 13 stages across the city, and the fireworks lasted 12 minutes, fired from 19 barges along the shore. That night the city stopped cars entering Copacabana from 7 pm, letting through only buses and taxis, and closed every way in from 9 pm, and the metro ran a special service that needed a Réveillon pass. Guests at the penthouse should be home by early evening. New Year’s Eve fireworks over the sea off Copacabana, at the turn of 2013. Carnival comes in February. The samba schools of the Special Group parade at the Sambadrome on Sunday 7, Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February 2027, according to LIESA, the league that runs the parades, with the champions back on the Saturday after; LIESA sells the tickets through Ticketmaster. The UK government notes that criminals target big celebrations such as Carnival. ## A week from the beach A week is long enough to see Rio without hurrying, from any of the three. Keep the first evening for the promenade or the terrace, and the next morning for the beach, early, with nothing on you that you would mind losing; in the late afternoon, walk to the fort at the end of Copacabana, or to Arpoador for the sunset. Give a morning to Christ the Redeemer. The national park lists four ways up Corcovado, the 704-metre mountain the statue has stood on since 1931: the railway, which opened in 1884, the Paineiras-Corcovado vans, a guide, or on foot. Take the train or a van; tourists have reported armed robberies on the walking trail, according to the UK government. Spend a day in the west, on Pedra Bonita or in the air above it, with lunch at a kiosk by the beach where the gliders land, and another on the water: both property sites list boat days along the coast that Art de Vivre arranges. Keep a day for the Botanical Garden, founded in 1808 and part of the World Heritage site, and one for the pool or the terrace and nothing else. ## Safety on the beach and in the city Copacabana and Ipanema are crowded public beaches, and the UK government’s advice about them is specific. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office lists Copacabana beach and Ipanema beach, with Lapa and Santa Teresa, as the places in Rio where British visitors most often report thefts and pickpocketing. It says thefts are particularly common on public beaches, including arrastões, “where large groups of thieves run through an area of the beach grabbing possessions,” and advises: “Keep your belongings close and avoid taking valuables to the beach. Do not go on to city beaches after dark.” It adds that thieves target mobile phones, particularly between 4pm and 9pm. The same office advises against entering any favela, including on tours marketed to tourists, and suggests checking that GPS directions do not lead into one. If threatened, it says, hand over valuables and do not resist. It advises buying your own drinks and keeping them in sight, and taking care with spirits after deaths from drinks containing methanol. In the sea, it warns of strong currents off some beaches; watch the warning flags and where the lifeguards are. ## How booking works All three homes are booked direct with Art de Vivre, through the calendar on each home’s page on its website. A booking starts as a request, with no payment taken. The agency then asks for the full name of every guest, the type of group and the purpose of the stay, and a photo of each guest’s identity document or passport; only guests named on the reservation may stay. Its principal broker, Charles Jonas, whom guests call Charlie, checks each request himself before sending a secure link to pay, and the agency replies in Portuguese, English and French. Yejide, in a Google review of the agency, wrote: “Our host Charlie was there every step of the way to help me with anything I needed before I even arrived in Rio and during the trip.” Check-in is from 3 pm and check-out by 11 am, both with the agency, and the minimum stay is three nights. At Copacabana and São Conrado, sheets and towels are changed weekly; bring beach towels, and leave tinted sunscreen and self-tanner at home, because the linen is white. ### Before you book, in Rio - Match the party to the house: ten at Copacabana, eight at Ipanema, ten or twelve at São Conrado. - Send every guest’s identity document early, and announce friends coming for a meal at least 48 hours before check-in. - With a U.S., Canadian or Australian passport, apply for the e-visa online before you fly. - Ask Art de Vivre for a driver at Galeão, or use the official taxi desks in Terminal 2. - For New Year’s Eve at Copacabana, be in before the roads close in the early evening. - Take nothing to the beach you would mind losing, and stay off city beaches after dark. - Fly from Pedra Bonita only with an accredited instructor, and leave Pedra da Gávea to fit walkers with a guide. The Copacabana Penthouse sleeps ten, the Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse eight and the São Conrado Beach View Villa ten, or twelve with its fifth bedroom. All three are booked direct with Art de Vivre . A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with Art de Vivre on its marketing. The facts here come from the homes' own pages and listings and from published guest reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # The Beach Houses of St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/features/the-beach-houses-of-st-croix/ By Julian Moss · 2026-10-08 Three houses and three condos that SP Vacations looks after on St. Croix, on the beach or looking at it. The shore in front of each is different: surf at Judith’s Fancy, a calm bay at the Shoys, sunsets on the West End. What guests found there, and where to swim. In July 2025 Jamie, a guest at Toes in the Sand Beach House on the north shore of St. Croix, wrote of “a fantastic beach where turtles were laying their eggs.” The guests who followed that winter wrote about the surf. Kenneth, in February: “we spent the majority of our time in the backyard listening to the waves and watching the surfers while enjoying the gentle trade winds.” David, in March: “we enjoyed watching the surfers at Judith‘s Fancy.” For a swim in the sea, the company that manages the house points its guests to other beaches. That is the first thing to know about a beach house on this island. The shore in front of it decides how the days are spent, and the shore changes a great deal from one end of St. Croix to the other. This is a guide to six of the homes SP Vacations looks after on the island, on the beach or looking at it: three houses, at Judith’s Fancy west of Christiansted, at the Shoys east of it and on the West End near Frederiksted, and three condos for smaller parties. For each it sets out what the shore is like, what guests did there and where to go for a swim when the beach outside the door is for walking. Several of the listings use the word beachfront. On St. Croix the word tells you where a house stands, and little about the water. ## The surf at Judith’s Fancy Toes in the Sand Beach House is a white single-storey house with pale blue roofs in a gated community on the north shore, west of Christiansted, with 24-hour security. The listing does not name the neighbourhood, but its guests do, and Kenneth opened his review with it: “We have stayed in the Judith Fancy area countless times.” The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms and sleeps eight, and every bedroom has a view of the sea. On the sea side are a private pool on a sun terrace with loungers, a covered gallery with a table for meals and the way down to the beach. There is an outdoor shower, and a washer and dryer for the beach towels. SP Vacations’ own page for the house says the beach is for walking rather than swimming, because of rocks and coral, and suggests Chenay Bay or the beaches on the Christiansted side for a swim, a short drive away. The guests describe a beach for walking, sitting and watching. Rebecca came in February with a party of six, and the house, she wrote, “fit six people very comfortably.” She went on: “We enjoyed hanging out by the pool, and walking on the small but very pretty beach (and watching surfers).” Samantha, on a trip with three friends in January 2025, found that the house “has it's own secluded area where you walk the beach,” and, she noted, it “Provided beach towels and chairs.” William, in November, kept his review short: “Great pool - Quite refreshing! Surf beach - 24/7!” The sea is in view from most of the house. The main room is one large space for cooking, eating and sitting, under white roof trusses and a ceiling of wood boards, with glass doors along the sea side. Steve, who stayed in January 2025, wrote that “the sound of the crashing surf is therapeutic.” The swimming happens in the pool, which has the same view. “Sitting in the pool with a great view was a highlight,” Jeremy wrote after an August 2025 stay. “Kids enjoyed it as well.” The main room at Toes in the Sand, with glass doors along the sea side and the pool terrace beyond. Inside the gate, the neighbourhood is good for a walk. Rebecca wrote: “The community was very nice and we felt very safe taking walks.” Kenneth had a recommendation nearby: “I highly recommend visiting Blues backyard BBQ which you walk to if you wish.” Christiansted, with its waterfront restaurants, shops and boat trips, is the nearest town, to the east, and Steve’s party used the house as a base for the whole island: “Kinda centrally located on the island, we spent time on all four 'coasts.'” A bedroom painted bright blue, with the sea past the terrace. A corner bedroom. Every bedroom in the house looks at the sea. ## Turtles on the beach The turtles Jamie saw in July were in season. Three kinds of sea turtle nest in the Virgin Islands, according to the National Park Service: the leatherback, the hawksbill and the green turtle. Sandy Point, the wildlife refuge at the western end of St. Croix, is the leatherbacks’ main nesting beach; hawksbills nest on Buck Island and on the beaches of the East End; and St. Croix is the only island in the territory where green turtles still nest in any number. The St. Croix guide MySTCroix gives the nesting season as May to July for leatherbacks, July to November for hawksbills and August to November for green turtles, whose main beaches it names as Jack and Isaac Bays on the East End. A nesting turtle needs a dark beach. The territory’s Department of Planning and Natural Resources has explained that nesting females and their hatchlings use the light of the moon to find the sea, and that bright lights near the shore confuse them and send them inland, towards roads. It asks people who live by the beach to use amber or red bulbs, shielded from the sand and set low. In a rented beach house the guest’s part is simple: in the nesting months, switch off the outside lights that face the beach at night, keep a torch pointed at your feet and use no flash. If you meet a turtle coming ashore, MySTCroix advises keeping at least 50 feet away, behind her and out of her line of sight, and leaving her and her hatchlings alone. Sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and touching or harassing one is against the law. ## The bay at the Shoys A couple of miles east of Christiansted the sea is quieter. Shoy’s Beach House stands in Estate Shoys, a gated residential community beside The Buccaneer, and its guests walk through the back garden to the beach. SP Vacations describes the Shoys as a calm, sheltered crescent. Caribbean Journal, which wrote about the beach in June, called it “a near-perfect crescent” and found the middle of the bay calm and clear enough for small children to wade, with the surf picking up over the shallow reef at either end. The GoToStCroix guide says the water is calm for most of the year, over a bottom of sand and sea grass, and that now and then the waves build enough for body-surfing. The snorkelling is best at the eastern end, over a small reef; GoToStCroix’s tip for finding it is to look for where the waves break. Around the rocks the guide lists lobster, small eels and reef fish; over the sand and grass, rays, conch and the odd trumpetfish. Caribbean Journal’s writer adds brain coral, sea turtles and an eagle ray. The house has kayaks for the bay. The beach itself has no bar, no chairs for hire and nothing for sale, so carry down what you need from the house. Sea grape trees along the back of the beach give shade, and parts of the shore are a little rocky, so pack water shoes. The beach is shared. Day visitors drive in through the Estate Shoys gate, tell the guard they are going to the beach, leave the car in a small gravel lot and walk the last few steps down a short path through the sea grape and mangrove, and GoToStCroix asks them to respect the private homes around it. Gary, who came in April, wrote: “The beach is through the backyard, but still plenty of privacy.” Next door, The Buccaneer’s Mermaid Beach has what the Shoys does not: a bar, a restaurant, restrooms and a beach shack that rents kayaks, floats and snorkel gear. GoToStCroix says visitors who are not hotel guests can use the beach; the loungers are kept for hotel guests, and others can rent one, or the water-sports gear, when there is some to spare. The covered gallery at Shoy’s Beach House, with loungers and a table for meals. Shoy’s is a house for a group. Five bedroom suites open onto a courtyard, and the main villa sleeps ten, or twelve with the separate cottage, which is booked and paid for on its own. There is a private pool and a hot tub, a long covered gallery, cornhole and a flat-top grill. Robert, who stayed in November 2025, wrote that “the bedrooms opening to the courtyard, the beach just steps away, and the pool made it perfect for us.” Gary’s other note was about the porch: “The house was perfect, with a great outdoor porch we spent a lot of time on.” Quiet evenings on the beach, sun-filled mornings by the pool — a perfect balance. Jennifer, a guest in December 2025 ## The West End near Frederiksted The West End is the side of St. Croix that faces the sunset. Sunset Sea-Clusion is a newly remodelled two-bedroom villa there, north of Frederiksted, and its listing puts it steps away from the beach, with secluded beaches within walking distance. It is a flat-roofed white house with black-framed glass doors, on a dry hillside of scrub and grass. Beside it are a private pool on a stone deck and a covered terrace with a dining table, a ceiling fan and a grill, and the listing’s plan for the evening is to “watch the sun disappear into the Caribbean Sea,” with music from the outdoor Sonos system. Guests have the whole villa and its outdoor spaces; only the utility and equipment rooms outside are kept for the property’s own use. Sunset Sea-Clusion on the West End, north of Frederiksted. For a swim, the listing points to Rainbow Beach, a short drive away, for “swimming, snorkeling, or relaxing,” and to Rhythms, the bar and restaurant on the beach, which says it has been running for decades. West End Water Sports, on the same beach, rents chairs and umbrellas, kayaks, paddleboards and snorkel gear, and runs jet ski tours. Frederiksted, with its waterfront, the pier and the dive operators, is also a short drive. Sandy Point keeps its own calendar. The refuge closes its beach to the public from roughly mid-April to August, while the leatherbacks nest; this season it reopened on September 5, on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. The house sleeps four, in two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, and it has two full bathrooms; the listing suggests it for couples, friends or a small family. It has been remodelled recently and has no published guest reviews yet, so ask SP Vacations about anything the listing does not cover, such as the walk to the nearest beach. ## Three condos for smaller parties Three condos complete the list, all in complexes with shared pools near Christiansted. Two are on the water; the other, on a third floor, looks out at it. The Beach-Access Condo is a newly decorated two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in a waterfront complex a few minutes from town, a few steps from the beach. It sleeps six: the main bedroom has two queen beds and its own bathroom, and the second has a king. The beach, a pool with loungers and a garden are shared with the rest of the complex, which also has a restaurant. Tracy, who stayed in February, wrote that “it was so nice to be able to walk right out to the beach and enjoy beautiful sunrises.” Alexis, who came with four friends in March, found a “beautiful pool and small beach right outside” and called the condo “the perfect place for my four friends and I to stay.” The Beach-Access Condo’s complex from the water: the shared pool, the small beach and the condo blocks beside a lagoon. One guest recommends the restaurant: “I suggest trying the restaurant on property as the food is authentic and delicious,” Olisha wrote in November. Julie, in April 2024, set out the location: “The location is right off the Five Corners, very near a grocery store, and you can be in downtown Christiansted or on the boardwalk in about 5 minutes.” She added: “The property is quite secure, in a gated complex.” There is beach gear to borrow; John, in December 2024, wrote that it was “Awesome to have extra towels, chairs, cooler, and snorkel gear to use!” And Emmanuel, in December 2025, left a tip for drivers: “Tip: download the Google map app. Apple Maps doesn’t work that well. And you'll wanna rent a car.” Sunset Oasis is a renovated two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in a beachfront complex a few minutes west of Christiansted, with the beach a few steps from the building. It is an end unit, and the corner position gives it more light and more privacy than the apartments in the middle of the row. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, so two couples can share it as easily as a family of four. The pool and hot tub belong to the complex and are shared; the washer and dryer are inside the condo, which helps on a longer stay. Its covered balcony, framed by a stucco arch, looks over a lawn and palms to the sea. It sleeps four and has no published reviews yet. The balcony at Sunset Oasis, over the lawn and the palms to the sea. Caribbean Blue Hideaway is the one home in this story that is not on the beach, and the one built for two. It is an updated one-bedroom corner condo on the third floor at Long Reef, near Christiansted, and its listing describes sweeping views of Buck Island and the Caribbean Sea, and powerful air-conditioning. The complex has a shared pool and coin-operated laundry. The listing mentions no lift, so ask about the stairs if they matter to anyone in your party, and plan to drive to the beach. The island in that view is Buck Island Reef National Monument, a mile and a half off St. Croix, which President Kennedy set aside in 1961 and where hawksbill turtles still nest. The National Park Service says it can be reached only by boat, private or concession, and the concession boats leave from the Christiansted wharf and from Green Cay Marina; from Christiansted it is a sail of about five and a half miles. The view from the stairs at Long Reef, over the shared pool towards the sea. ## Where to swim At the three houses the surest swim is in the private pool, and the condos share their complexes’ pools. For the sea, pick the beach to suit the day. From Toes in the Sand, SP Vacations suggests Chenay Bay or the beaches on the Christiansted side. At the Shoys, Caribbean Journal and GoToStCroix both describe calm water in the middle of the bay and snorkelling over the reef at the east end. On the West End, the listing for Sunset Sea-Clusion sends swimmers to Rainbow Beach. At the condos, ask SP Vacations about the water by the complex before you plan a morning around it. West of Judith’s Fancy, about five miles beyond Salt River Bay on the north shore, Cane Bay gives easy access to snorkelling and diving from the shore, with a dive centre across the road and bars and restaurants by the sand. A short swim out, a narrow shelf ends at a wall that drops, often straight down, to depths of more than 1,000 metres. It is a place for a calm day and strong swimmers, or for a dive with a guide. Whatever the beach, look at the sea before you go in. The National Weather Service office in San Juan publishes a surf-zone forecast for St. Croix with a rip current risk for the day; the one issued on the morning of October 8 rated the risk moderate that day and low for the next. Even when the risk is low, the forecast warns, life-threatening rip currents often occur near groynes, jetties, reefs and piers. Water shoes help on the rocky stretches. ### Before you book a beach house on St. Croix - Ask SP Vacations what the water in front of the house is like in the month you plan to go. - At Toes in the Sand, swim in the pool and walk the beach; drive to Chenay Bay for a swim in the sea. - At Shoy’s, snorkel the reef at the east end of the bay on a calm day, and pack water shoes. - From Sunset Sea-Clusion, drive to Rainbow Beach for a swim, and for food and drink at Rhythms. - At the condos, the pool and the beach are shared with the rest of the complex. - Read the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for St. Croix before a day in the sea. - From May to November, switch off outside lights that face the beach at night, and give nesting turtles room. Toes in the Sand sleeps eight, Shoy’s Beach House ten, or twelve with its cottage, and Sunset Sea-Clusion four. The Beach-Access Condo sleeps six, Sunset Oasis four and Caribbean Blue Hideaway two, and all six can be booked direct with SP Vacations. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with SP Vacations on its marketing. The facts here come from the houses' own listings and from guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # A Week on Maui’s South Shore URL: https://amorielli.com/features/a-week-on-mauis-south-shore/ By Rafael Costa · 2026-10-08 Four condos at the north end of Kīhei, across the road from the beach, run by a couple who have hosted guests there since 2012. Which one suits whom, how a day goes, and what to know about whales, reefs, the summit and the sea. Jessica stayed with her family in a top-floor condo at Kihei Holiday, on the north end of Kīhei, and the moment she singled out came first thing in the morning. “Waking up in the morning and watching the whales from the Lanai was most definitely a highlight for me, and the provided binoculars were so lovely,” she wrote in March. The binoculars come with the condo. Its owners keep them on a shelf for the humpback whales that spend the winter in Hawaiian waters, and a week here is made of mornings like hers: coffee on the lanai, an eye on the sea, and a short walk across the road to the beach. The condo, which its owners call the Family Favorite, is one of four on Maui’s south shore run by Megan and Bryan, who have hosted guests in Kīhei since 2012 under the name Maui Beachside Bungalows. Three are two-bedroom condos at Kihei Holiday; the fourth is a studio at Kihei Bay Surf, on the same road. The couple describe the pair as two small condominium resorts on the calm north end of Kīhei, five to ten minutes from the town’s restaurants, groceries and shops, and they live five minutes away themselves. Bryan is a sport fisherman, and their children were born and raised on the island. The condo listed in our Collection as Sea Sun Maui , which is also their name on Instagram, is the one they call Best Ocean Views. ## The north end of Kīhei Both complexes face the sea across South Kīhei Road. From Kihei Holiday the owners’ directions are short: cross the road and you are on the sand in about two minutes. Howard, who stayed in the Family Favorite, put it at “just a very short walk (75-100 yards at most) to get to a very wonderful beach right across the street.” The owners call it their home beach, Sugar Beach, and it runs north from the old Kīhei wharf towards Māʻalaea. It is a beach for walking and swimming, with a sand bottom that leaves little to see through a mask, and there is no lifeguard on it. Kihei Bay Surf, at 715 South Kīhei Road, is a low-rise, garden-style complex built around a tennis court and a pool. Andrew, who stayed in its studio, described the spot as “right across from the beach and whale marine sanctuary where you can see the sea turtles bathing”. The sanctuary is the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, whose visitor centre stands at 726 South Kīhei Road. It opens on weekdays from 9.30 in the morning to 2.30 in the afternoon, with exhibits and weekly programmes, and the sanctuary calls it “an ideal spot to learn about the marine environment and even see humpback whales breaching.” In front of it is the Kōʻieʻie fishpond, a three-acre pond that the sanctuary counts among the last intact traditional fishponds on the south Maui coast; its wall is being rebuilt by hand, stone by stone. Allana, who spent two weeks in the studio, wrote: “Sea turtles shelter along an ancient rock wall there every night.” North of both, on the road to Māʻalaea, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service runs a boardwalk into Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, open every day, where the endangered aeʻo, the Hawaiian stilt, and ʻalae keʻokeʻo, the Hawaiian coot, nest and feed. Shorebirds arrive in August, and the waterfowl build up through September and October. For almost everything else you will want a car. Nick, who stayed at Best Ocean Views with two young children, put it plainly: “it’s not a walkable neighbourhood (unless you want to go everywhere via walking along the beautiful beach!), so you will need to drive to do anything (e.g. shopping, coffee, activities).” Kihei Bay Surf from the air, with the tennis court and pool at its centre and the beach across the road. ## Three condos at Kihei Holiday The three condos at Kihei Holiday share the complex’s pool, hot tub and barbecue grills, and each has its own kitchen, lanai and air conditioning. They differ in the view, the stairs and the beds, and those decide who should take which. Best Ocean Views is the one in our Collection. The owners renovated it from the studs out, and the main room has a vaulted ceiling ten feet high and a wall of glass, so the sea is in view from the sofa, the dining table and the lanai, with the West Maui Mountains across the water. The kitchen has quartz counters, a gas double-oven range, a full-size French-door refrigerator and brass fittings against white subway tile; the bathroom has a glass walk-in rain shower over a pebble-stone floor. There are two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, and one bathroom, and it sleeps four. Laura, who wrote in July 2025, listed the things she valued, including the “front condo with the ocean on the other side of a small street, not noisy, you can hear the waves at night”. It suits two couples, or parents with two children, who want the sea in view from every main room. The rebuilt kitchen at Best Ocean Views, with a window onto the sea. One of the two queen bedrooms. The Family Favorite is the condo the owners point families to. It is on the top floor, with vaulted ceilings and a palm-leaf accent wall in the living room, and it sleeps five, in a king bed, a queen and a sofa bed. There is air conditioning in every room and a washer and dryer in the condo, the kitchen has granite counters and a pass-through to the dining area, and the closet holds beach chairs, towels and toys; a travel cot is available. Chelsea, who stayed with her three young boys, wrote in July 2025 that “we used the boogie boards, beach chairs, umbrella, cooler, and towels every day” and that her children “loved the pool almost as much as the beach”. The one thing to weigh is the climb. The condo is up two flights of stairs and there is no lift, and guests have mentioned it for years. “You'll have to be prepared to walk your luggage to the 3rd floor (no problem for we hikers), but it's so worth it to be in the tops of the trees and hearing the birds so close by,” wrote Marcy, who shared it with three other adults. A family with heavy cases, or a grandparent who finds stairs hard, should ask the owners which floor the other condos are on, or take the ground-floor studio at Kihei Bay Surf. The Family Favorite’s living room and its palm-leaf wall. The lanai looks over the trees to the sea. The Modern Ocean View is the newest renovation of the four. It has two bedrooms with three queen beds between them and sleeps four, with smart televisions, a washer and dryer, and a kitchen with granite counters, stainless appliances and a breakfast bar. Sliding glass doors open from the living room onto a lanai that looks across to the calm north end of Sugar Beach, with the West Maui Mountains on the horizon. The owners suggest it for two couples or a small family. Nicole, who came with friends, wrote in June 2025: “It was perfect for our girls trip!” and “The complex is really quiet, and the ocean view was very peaceful.” Cristina, there with her family, noted “A/C units and fans in each room.” Parents of toddlers should expect a little childproofing. Darren, who stayed with two of them, wrote: “Had to do light child proofing (lots of decor), but that’s more reflective of our toddlers than the host.” The Modern Ocean View, the owners’ newest renovation. From the living room the view runs over the lanai and the dunes to the sea. ## The studio at Kihei Bay Surf The Couples Getaway is the simplest of the four: a ground-floor studio at Kihei Bay Surf, one bright room with a queen bed and a sofa that sleeps a third guest, a full kitchen with a quartz peninsula and full-size appliances, and a private lanai that looks over the gardens and the tennis court. The Wi-Fi runs at 310 Mbps, enough for anyone working from the island. Snorkel gear, beach chairs and tennis racquets are in the closet, the complex has its own pool and hot tub, and Monsoon, a restaurant the owners call a longtime local favourite, is across the road. Hui, who wrote in September 2024, liked that “The apartment is located on the first floor, away from the street, quiet and convenient access after getting out of car.” It suits a couple, someone travelling alone, or anyone who would rather not carry cases upstairs. The studio at Kihei Bay Surf, with sofa, bed and kitchen in one room. The lanai looks over the garden to the tennis court. ## How a day goes Days on this coast follow the wind. The owners’ advice for the beach across the road is to swim and paddle before about ten in the morning, because the trade winds pick up after lunch and turn the bay choppy. Maryna, who stayed in the Family Favorite, found the complex pool “nice to have in the afternoons when the wind picks up and the ocean gets too rough.” So the morning starts on the lanai, with coffee and, from November, an eye on the water for spouts, then a walk on the beach; the owners say to walk it at sunrise at least once. The evening has its own walk. Robert, who stayed at Best Ocean Views, found “a dune just outside to catch sunsets over the West Maui Mountains.” Not every stretch is soft underfoot: Valerie, in the Family Favorite, warned that “the beach across the street has lots of hidden rocks we got scraped up on”, so water shoes are worth packing. Breakfast on the lanai at Best Ocean Views, with the dunes and the beach across the road. Mid-morning belongs to the reefs and the boats, or to the five-to-ten-minute drive south to the Kamaʻole beach parks, which have lifeguards. In the middle of the day the sanctuary’s visitor centre is open until 2.30 on weekdays, and the Keālia boardwalk stays open into the evening. The owners say many guests buy fresh fish at the market and grill it at the condo; both complexes have barbecue grills, and Kīhei’s restaurants and shops are five to ten minutes away by car. Evenings end back on the lanai. Cristina, at the Modern Ocean View, wrote of “Great sunset views from the balcony.” Kamaʻole Beach Park, a short drive south. Each of the three Kamaʻole beaches has a lifeguard tower. The boardwalk at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, on the road north to Māʻalaea. ## Whale season Humpback whales come to Hawaiian waters each winter to mate, give birth and raise their young. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary says the season generally runs from November through May, and NOAA puts the peak of sightings between January and March, with numbers falling away until the season ends in early May. From November through April, the sanctuary says, whales can be seen from shore as well as at sea, and all three lanais at Kihei Holiday face the sea. Roy, a guest at Best Ocean Views, “did see whales on multiple occasions right out the window.” We saw countless whales from the lanai in the mornings. Lexi, a guest in March 2025 For a closer look, whale-watching boats leave from Māʻalaea Harbor, a short drive north, and the owners steer guests to the morning trips, when the sea is usually calmer. Federal law prohibits approaching within 100 yards of a humpback whale in Hawaiʻi, and the owners’ guide reminds guests that the rule covers kayaks and paddleboards as well as boats. A humpback breaching off Maui in February. Sightings peak from January to March. ## Reefs, turtles and Molokini The snorkelling is a short drive from the condos. The owners’ guide starts with the Kamaʻole beach parks, where the reef is on the rocky points at each end of the beaches, then sends guests to Ulua Beach in Wailea and on to Maluaka Beach in Mākena, about 25 minutes away, a stretch the guide calls Turtle Town because green sea turtles come in to feed on the algae that grow on the reef. NOAA asks swimmers to stay at least 10 feet, or 3 metres, from sea turtles, in the water and on land, and never to touch, chase or feed them. The owners keep spare snorkel sets for guests who ask. The boat trip is Molokini, a crescent-shaped islet about three miles off Maui’s south-western coast, which is the southern rim of an extinct volcanic crater. The state has protected it as a Marine Life Conservation District since 1977: no fishing, no feeding the fish, and no landing, because the islet is a seabird sanctuary. Hawaiʻi’s Division of Aquatic Resources calls the diversity of fish and other marine life there “among the most impressive in the state” and warns that currents can be a problem outside the cove. Boats leave from Māʻalaea Harbor, most of them in the morning, and in whale season the owners advise booking weeks ahead. Snorkelling needs care. Hawaiʻi’s Department of Health says more visitors drown while snorkelling than during any other activity, and its advice is short: be an experienced ocean swimmer, always go with a buddy, make sure the mask fits and does not leak, and stay out when the surf is high, the wind strong, the shorebreak heavy or the current strong. Molokini, the rim of an old volcanic crater about three miles off the coast, with boats moored inside it. ## Sunrise on Haleakalā The other early start is the summit of Haleakalā. The national park requires a reservation to drive in for sunrise, for the window between 3 and 7 in the morning, made on recreation.gov. Reservations open 60 days ahead at 7 am Hawaiʻi time, a share is held back and released two days before, and each visitor can buy only one sunrise reservation in any three-day period. You also need a park pass, or a way to buy one, and the park does not refund reservations for bad weather. The summit is 10,023 feet up and about 17°C (30°F) colder than the coast, and the park warns that the weather just before dawn is regularly wet, windy and below freezing. There is no food, clothing or fuel for sale in the park; the last fuel on the way up is in Pukalani. The road has no streetlights or guard rails, and the park allows two and a half hours’ driving from Kahului and three from Wailea; Kīhei lies between the two. Pack every warm layer you brought. Haleakalā’s summit crater and its cinder cones, seen from the air. ## Lifeguards and ocean safety There is no lifeguard on the beach across the road. On this coast, Maui County’s lifeguard towers stand at the three Kamaʻole beach parks, one at each, and at Mākena, which has two; as Maui Now reported in June 2025, Wailea Beach is among the popular beaches with none. Kamaʻole Beach Park III, which the county describes as a favourite with families, also has a playground, outdoor showers and picnic pavilions. The state Health Department’s first message is to go to a lifeguarded beach, and at an unguarded one to check the conditions and warning signs and to swim with a buddy. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority adds the rest: look for rip currents, rocks and shorebreak before going in; if a rip current catches you, stay calm and go with it rather than fight it; do not turn your back to the ocean; and “If in doubt, don't go out.” ## Getting there and booking Kahului Airport is Maui’s main airport, with flights from overseas and from the other islands, and the owners allow about forty minutes’ drive from there to the condos. Hire a car at the airport; the owners recommend one, and there is no public transport to Haleakalā. Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out at 11 am. The doors open with a keypad or smart lock, so a late flight is no problem, and parking is free. All four condos are booked through Airbnb. Each condo’s page on the owners’ site, mauibeachvacationrentals.com , has a Book on Airbnb button with the live calendar behind it, and the owners point out that the calendar, the messages and the welcome are theirs. Questions before booking go to Megan and Bryan by Instagram message. They print their Hawaiʻi short-term rental licence numbers at the foot of every page and say each condo is registered and operates in a hotel-zoned resort. As for what happens when something goes wrong: Theresa, who stayed in the studio, wrote in April 2026 that they messaged Megan about a problem on a Saturday evening, and she “replied immediately and came over 10 min later to check it out.” ## When to go For whales, come between January and March, when sightings peak; the season runs from November into May. For a quieter week, the owners count September and October among the quietest months of the year, and the birds return to Keālia from late summer, shorebirds from August and waterfowl from September. Whenever you come, put the swimming and snorkelling in the morning, before the wind, and book Haleakalā the day the 60-day window opens. Our guide to Maui covers the rest of the island. ### Before you book a week in Kīhei - Choose the condo by the stairs as well as the view: the Family Favorite is up two flights with no lift, and the studio is on the ground floor. - A party of five has one choice: the Family Favorite is the only condo of the four that sleeps five. - If air conditioning matters to you, confirm it for the studio when you ask about dates. - Hire a car at Kahului; almost everything beyond the beach is a drive. - Book the Haleakalā sunrise on recreation.gov 60 days ahead, at 7 am Hawaiʻi time, and pack warm layers. - Book a Molokini boat early in whale season, and take a morning departure. - Pack water shoes and mineral sunscreen; Maui County bans the sale and use of other kinds. - Swim at a lifeguarded beach when you can. The beach across the road has none. Maui Beachside Bungalows has four condos on the north end of Kīhei, three at Kihei Holiday and a studio at Kihei Bay Surf, sleeping three to five, and all of them are booked through Airbnb from the owners’ site. A note on this story: Amorielli's publisher works with Maui Beachside Bungalows on its marketing. The facts here come from the condos' own pages and from guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # How to Welcome Guests URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/how-to-welcome-guests/ By Vivienne Hartwell · 2026-10-08 The hour between the airport and the first drink sets up the whole stay. Directions that work after dark, a door that opens first time, a cool house, a stocked kitchen, a proper walk-through and one message that evening. Guests reach a holiday house at the end of a long day: a flight, a wait for the hire car, then a drive on roads they have never seen, often after dark. Most of what can go wrong in the next hour can be settled before they leave home: a missed turning, a code that will not work, a stifling house with an empty fridge. On St. Croix, the managers of The Cerulean deal with it in the simplest way there is. Every stay at the villa begins with a guided drive to the house and a full tour of it, and only then are the guests left to themselves. Not every owner can send someone to the airport, and not every guest wants to be met. The steps below work either way. They come from houses in the Amorielli Collection, and from what their guests wrote afterwards, the good and the less good. ## Directions that work after dark Send the arrival details well before the trip, a week ahead at the latest, and write them for someone tired, in the dark, with a weak phone signal. One guest, in a five-star review, still noted that they “did not get information until the day before trip”. SP Vacations, which manages all the St. Croix houses in our Collection, tells guests at booking that the arrival details will follow by email closer to the date, and that is the right order: the confirmation first, then the directions while there is still time to read them. Good directions give the address as it appears on a map and as a person would describe it, the last two turnings with a landmark at each, the gate and its code, where to park, which door to use, and a number that someone answers at night. Say what the road is like. The listing for The Buck Island Overlook , high in the East End hills, strongly recommends a rental car and warns that some of the roads are narrow, winding or steep. Its advice is to “drive carefully, particularly after dark”. Assume the phone will lose its signal. A guest at Moko Vista , a hilltop house on the same end of the island, found that the house had Wi-Fi but “you don't have mobile network unless you drive 2 mi away to the west”, and drew the obvious conclusion: “This means you need to download the offline map or you need to have a paper map.” Send the offline map with the directions, and leave a printed map in the house for the days out. The Buck Island Overlook on its hillside in the East End. Its listing asks guests to drive carefully on the hill roads after dark. Where you can, lead guests in on the first drive, above all where they must drive on the unfamiliar side of the road. St. Croix keeps to the left, and on the north shore the team that looks after Toes in the Sand Beach House has done just that for its guests. Lindsay, on a family holiday in May, wrote that Rich “did guide us from the airport”, which “helped us get accommodated to driving on the left side of the road.” Fred, who stayed in April, wrote that “Joleigh helped us get from the airport to the house.” In Salvador, where the upper town’s streets are steep and cobbled and the airport is about 30 kilometres away on the far side of the city, guests who book direct with Via Avantgarde, which runs the Penthouse Jacuzzi and three other suites there, can ask for a private transfer. It spares them a search for the right door with their luggage. Plan for the late flight too. Groups sometimes arrive on different flights, and the person whose name is on the booking is not always the first through the door. When Amanda’s group had flights delayed in March, Rich “easily switched main contacts for someone that wasn't delayed”. Ask for every adult’s mobile number, and send the directions to all of them. ## The door and the keys Self check-in suits guests who land late or want no fuss, and several houses in the Collection rely on it. At Sea Sun Maui , one of four Kihei condos run by Megan and Bryan, check-in from 3 pm is “self-service with a keypad or smart lock, so you can arrive on your own schedule.” In Salvador, the Penthouse Jacuzzi opens with a smart lock and Vista Elevador & Mar with a keypad, so nobody has to wait up for a late arrival. A code is only as good as the light it is read by. One January guest at a St. Croix condo wrote: “The first night we had difficulty getting inside the condo due to no outside lights”. They “couldn’t get lock box to work until 4 th attempt in the dark”, and then found that the “Lock box contained 3 different keys.” The bulbs were later replaced. The fix is cheap and should come first: a light on a sensor or a timer over the door and the lockbox, a code tested before every arrival, and a tag on each key naming the door it opens. Buildings with staff need their own instructions. At Art de Vivre’s Copacabana Penthouse , on the thirteenth floor of a beachfront building, there is a concierge on the door around the clock and a private lift that opens straight into the apartment, so the arrival note should say what to tell the desk. At Lux Vidigal , halfway up the Vidigal hillside in Rio, the building has a gated entrance and a doorman by day but no lift, and the apartment is a third-floor walk-up. That is worth saying before guests pack the heavy case. In a gated community, give the guard the guests’ names before they arrive. Toes in the Sand sits behind a gate with 24-hour security, and a July guest noted that “they take the gating seriously”. The path to the porch at Bananaquit Bungalow, with a lantern either side of the door. Vista Elevador & Mar in Salvador at dusk. Guests let themselves in with a keypad. ## Lights, air and water before they arrive A house should look lived in when the car pulls up: lights on along the path and at the door, a lamp lit in the main room, the outdoor lights on if the drive is long. Timers make this easy when nobody can be there at dusk. In the heat, cool the bedrooms before the guests walk in. At Hook 'em on Paradise , on St. Croix’s north shore, each bedroom has its own air-conditioning unit; switch them on ahead of the arrival rather than leaving a tired family to hunt for the remotes. The Cerulean is air-conditioned throughout, kitchen and living rooms included. Some houses need a different approach. Moko Vista’s rooms are set up to catch the trade winds, and a guest there in March found the breeze cool enough to leave the air-conditioning off, so open the shutters instead. Bananaquit Bungalow runs entirely on solar power and batteries, and its listing warns that running the air-conditioning hard can drain the batteries. There the welcome is fans, open doors and a clear note on how to use the power. Then check the things a guest will try first: the hot water, the showers, the fridge, the ice maker, the Wi-Fi, the television and the pool. At Shoy's Beach House , a December guest wrote: “The house was immaculate on arrival, and everything worked — from A/C to appliances.” Something will still go wrong now and then, and what guests remember is the speed of the fix. Lloyd, who brought a family of ten in January, wrote that “A few hiccups upon arrival were corrected immediately after notification.” The Penthouse Jacuzzi in Salvador with its lamps lit, the Lacerda Elevator and the Bay of All Saints outside the window. ## The first hour’s provisions Nobody wants a supermarket run after a day of flights. The simplest service is to stock the kitchen from the guests’ own list. SP Vacations puts it plainly on its concierge page: “Send a list — coffee, the kids' cereal, a case of rum, whatever the week needs — and we'll have the basics in before you walk through the door”. Guests who would rather shop are pointed to Seaside Market and Plaza Extra on the way from the airport. At The Cerulean the kitchen can be stocked before guests land and topped up through the week, and a private chef can cook the first night’s dinner, so the evening starts at the table. The Cerulean’s kitchen. Its managers can stock it from the guests’ list before they land. Even without a shop, leave enough for the first evening and the next morning: drinking water in the fridge, coffee and tea, milk, something for breakfast, and a light supper or the number of a place that delivers. Then add what the house is for. At Toes in the Sand, a family of four found sunscreen, after-sun and insect spray waiting, and wrote that “the complimentary sunscreen, after-sun products, and bug spray were an unexpected but wonderful surprise.” Megan and Bryan keep binoculars on the shelf in one of their other Kihei condos for watching whales from the lanai, and a March guest wrote that “the provided binoculars were so lovely.” In Salvador, Vista Elevador & Mar will set the suite up for a romantic occasion on request. On the table, leave one page: a welcome in two lines, the Wi-Fi name and password, the number that answers at night, and the one thing about the house that matters most on the first evening. The full house manual can wait in a drawer. The lanai at Sea Sun Maui, set for two, with the dunes and the West Maui Mountains across the road. ## The walk-through The Cerulean’s own site sets out its rule: “Every stay begins the same way regardless: a guided drive to the villa and a full tour of all the amenities by our experienced villa managers.” Guests notice the difference. Kristina, who stayed at Toes in the Sand in April, wrote: “From the phone call the day before our arrival to the in-person quick tour of the property, the personalized service was exemplary.” A good tour is short and runs in the order a guest will need things: the locks and keys, the air-conditioning controls, the hot water and the showers, anything unusual in the kitchen, the pool gate, then the breaker panel and the main water valve. Ready.gov, the U.S. government’s preparedness site, advises that everyone in a household should know where the main water shut-off valve is, and suggests tagging it so it is easy to find. Point out the fire extinguisher and the first-aid kit; the CPSC, the U.S. product-safety agency, lists a fire extinguisher in the home among its safety points for vacation rentals. Show two ways out of each bedroom, as the U.S. Fire Administration advises for every room in a home. Then show what is particular to the house, the things a guest cannot guess. At The Cerulean, that means the water in front: the snorkelling starts at the shore, and as Emily put it, “Rocky entrance but water shoes do the trick.” At Toes in the Sand, guests describe the beach as rocky with surf, a place for walking and watching the surfers rather than swimming, so the pool is the swim. At Shoy's Beach House, a guest’s advice was to keep clear of the manchineel trees along the beach and the east property line. At Bananaquit Bungalow, it is the power. Where there is nobody to give the tour, a short page in the manual, or a video, has to do the same work. Toes in the Sand Beach House on St. Croix’s north shore. Guests describe being guided in from the airport and given a quick tour of the house. ## The first message Once the guests are in, send one short message that evening: a line to say you hope they found everything, the number again, and one useful thing for the morning, such as where to buy bread or when the sea is calmest. Then leave them to it, checking in lightly once or twice during the week. At Toes in the Sand, Scott singled out Joliegh, who “was wonderful from the beginning and made sure to check on us throughout the week.” Kristina noted that “Island recommendations were given for activities and dining.” The message only works if someone answers the reply. Megan and Bryan live five minutes from their Kihei condos, and a guest at one of them who messaged on a Saturday evening wrote: “She replied immediately and came over 10 min later to check it out.” At The Cerulean, Timothy wrote of the manager, Rich: “We had a minor issue he resolved immediately early on a Sunday morning.” At Lux Vidigal in Rio, the reviews keep returning to two things, the view and how quickly the host, Bruno, answers. That speed is the part of a welcome guests write about afterwards. Lux Vidigal in Rio. Its guests write about the view and about how quickly the host replies. ### The arrival, step by step - A week ahead: directions written for the dark, the codes, the parking, the door to use and a number that answers at night. - Send an offline map, and leave a printed one in the house. - Give every adult in the party the details, and the guard at the gate their names. - Put the path, the door and the lockbox on a light timer or sensor, and tag every key. - Cool the bedrooms or open the shutters; check the hot water, the fridge, the Wi-Fi and the pool. - Stock the basics, or the guests’ own list, for the first evening and morning. - Walk-through: locks, air-conditioning, hot water, pool gate, breaker panel, water valve, extinguisher, first-aid kit, two ways out. - One short message that evening, from a person who answers. None of it needs a front desk. It needs a list, a light on a timer and someone who picks up the phone. ## Questions owners ask Q: What should I send guests before they arrive? A: Send the arrival details a week ahead at the latest: the address as it appears on a map and as a person would describe it, the last turnings with a landmark at each, the gate and door codes, where to park, which door to use and a number that answers at night. Add an offline map, and send the details to every adult in the party in case a flight is delayed. Q: Is self check-in or meeting guests in person better? A: Both work. A guided arrival, as at The Cerulean, where the managers lead new guests to the villa and show them round, settles most first-night problems. Self check-in with a keypad or smart lock suits late flights. If guests let themselves in, light the door and the lockbox, test the code before every stay and tag each key with the door it opens. Q: What should I leave for guests on arrival? A: Enough for the first evening and the next morning: drinking water, coffee and tea, milk and something for breakfast, and one page with the Wi-Fi details, the number that answers at night and the most important thing to know about the house. If you offer provisioning, stock the kitchen from the guests' own list before they land. Q: What should a house walk-through cover? A: The locks and keys, the air-conditioning controls, the hot water, anything unusual in the kitchen, the pool gate, the breaker panel, the main water valve, the fire extinguisher, the first-aid kit and two ways out of each bedroom. Then whatever is particular to the house, such as a rocky entry to the sea or a home that runs on solar batteries. Q: When should I message guests after they check in? A: Send one short message the first evening: a line to say you hope they found everything, your number again and one useful tip for the morning. After that, check in lightly during the stay and answer quickly when they write. Several guests quoted in this guide wrote about hosts who replied at once, one on a Saturday evening. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # How to Set Up a Guest Bedroom URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/how-to-set-up-a-guest-bedroom/ By Mariko Sato · 2026-10-08 What guests notice in a bedroom: a bed sized for two, good linen, a room that gets dark and stays cool, a light on each side, somewhere for the suitcase, and a bathroom that works at three in the morning. A guest judges a bedroom twice: when they first wheel a suitcase through the door, and again at three in the morning. The first time, they look for somewhere to open the case, a drawer to empty it into and a bed that matches the photographs. The second time, they want the room dark, the bathroom easy to find and the pillow right. Little of this costs much, and guests notice all of it. This guide works through the room from the bed outwards, with examples from houses in the Collection on St. Croix, in Salvador, in Rio and on Maui, and with the safety points that belong in every bedroom. ## The bed Start with the bed, because every guest spends the night in it. Size first. In the United States the standard mattress sizes, width by length, are 38 by 75 inches for a twin, 54 by 75 for a full, 60 by 80 for a queen, 76 by 80 for a king and 72 by 84 for a California king. In centimetres a queen is about 152 by 203 and a king about 193 by 203. The Sleep Foundation’s advice is that couples will likely want at least a queen, and the arithmetic explains why: a full gives each of two sleepers 27 inches (69 cm) of width, a queen 30 inches (76 cm) and a king 38 inches (97 cm), which is the width of a whole twin mattress for each person. Bed names vary from country to country, so give the measurements in the listing and in the house manual, and buy sheets to the measurements of the mattress. Guests from abroad will thank you for it, and so will whoever does the laundry. A bedroom at Toes in the Sand Beach House on St. Croix: a wall of windows onto the sea, curtains to draw across it, a ceiling fan and an air conditioner on the wall. Then the mattress itself. Sleep on every bed in the house for a night before guests do, and again each season: a dip you can feel in the middle is a dip every guest will feel. Turn or rotate mattresses as the maker advises, and replace one when it starts to sag. Under the sheet, use two layers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends a protective cover that fully encases the mattress and box spring, which removes many of the places bed bugs hide; the cover’s pale colour makes any bugs easier to spot, and the agency advises buying one that resists tearing and checking it for holes. A washable protector on top of the encasement takes the spills. Guests notice good beds and say so. “The bedrooms are large with very comfortable beds,” wrote Jessica, who stayed at Toes in the Sand Beach House on St. Croix in January 2025. At Shoy’s Beach House , Jennifer listed “very comfortable beds and rooms” in March 2026, in the same breath as the kitchen. In Salvador, Via Avantgarde names the mattress in its description of the Penthouse Jacuzzi : a queen bed with an orthopaedic mattress. Naming it tells a guest that someone chose it. ## Pillows, linen and towels Pillows are personal, so give guests a choice: two pillows for each sleeper on the bed, one firmer and one softer, and spare pillows and a blanket in the wardrobe for anyone who wants more. The Cerulean , a five-bedroom villa on St. Croix’s East End, lists extra pillows and blankets among its amenities. Sheets and towels are where an owner’s care shows. The Cerulean’s owners write that they went on a mission to find the right towels and bed sheets, “testing them for a few months first,” before they bought for the house, and their list now names extra-soft bamboo bedroom linens and plush hydrocotton towels. The lesson is the testing. Sleep in a set of sheets, put it through the wash many times, and see how it feels and looks before you buy for every bed. A bedroom at The Cerulean: a lamp on the bedside table, curtains on a long rail and a door through to its own bathroom. Every bedroom in the villa has one. Buy enough linen that one set is on the bed, one is in the laundry and one is on the shelf, and keep a protector under every pillowcase. White and pale linen shows at a glance that it is clean; throws and cushions can carry the colour. A light blanket or quilt folded at the foot of the bed earns its place in an air-conditioned room. Towels follow the same logic. Give each guest a bath towel, a hand towel and a face cloth in the bathroom, and keep a separate stack of pool and beach towels outside, in a different colour, so the bathroom towels stay in the bathroom. The Cerulean keeps beach towels for ten people, and Lux Vidigal , a two-storey apartment on the Vidigal hillside in Rio, provides bathrobes for the deck in the morning. ## A dark, quiet, cool room The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute gives the advice in a line: “Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark.” The American Academy of Sleep Medicine adds a comfortable, cool temperature and less bright light in the evening. In a holiday house by the sea, each of the three takes some work. Dark first. The Cerulean faces east, so the sun comes up over the sea in front of the house, and a guest who arrived on a late flight will want curtains that keep it out until they are ready. Lined curtains or blackout blinds should overlap the window on every side and meet in the middle, because the light that leaks round the edges is what wakes people. Lux Vidigal lists blackout curtains for its bedroom, where the bed stands against floor-to-ceiling windows. On St. Croix, the bedrooms at Caribbean Blue Hideaway and Beach-Access Condo have room-darkening shades. Where small children may stay, the CPSC, the U.S. government agency for consumer product safety, says the safest window coverings are cordless; where cords remain, keep the pull cords as short as possible and move beds and cots away from the window. The bedroom at Caribbean Blue Hideaway on St. Croix: heavy curtains on full-width rails, a lamp on each side of the bed and a ceiling fan. Cool comes next. A bedroom needs its own controls: an air conditioner the guest can set without going into the hall, a ceiling fan, and a window that opens for anyone who prefers the breeze. Each bedroom at Hook ’em on Paradise has its own air-conditioning unit, and The Cerulean’s owners air-condition every room in the house. At Moko Vista , an East End house built to catch the trade winds, a March guest found the breeze cool enough to leave the air conditioning off, unless the sound of the wind bothered them. Leave the remote on the bedside table with a short card that explains the modes. If the house cannot keep a bedroom cold all night, say so before guests book. Bananaquit Bungalow , a cottage in the St. Croix hills that runs entirely on solar power and batteries, tells guests plainly that it does not suit anyone who needs continuous low-temperature air conditioning. Quiet is the one owners overlook, because they stop hearing their own house. Spend a night in each bedroom and listen: a pool pump under the window, an ice maker through the wall, a gate that bangs in the wind. Most of it can be moved, padded or put on a timer. ## A light and a table on each side Every sleeper needs the same three things within reach of the pillow: a light they can switch on and off without getting up, a surface for a glass of water, glasses, a phone and a book, and a socket or a charger. Couples often go to bed at different times, and a single light over the middle of the bed leaves one of them reading in the other’s shadow. Wall lamps with a swing arm free the table and put the light where the book is. Moko Vista has a brass swing-arm lamp on the wall at each side of the bed. The Suite Colonial , one of Via Avantgarde’s four suites in Salvador’s upper town, hangs a woven lamp at each side of its bed, under a wall of plants. The Cerulean’s owners put electronics chargers on every bedside table, which saves a guest from hunting for a free socket behind the furniture. The Suite Colonial in Salvador: a woven lamp at each side of the bed, under a wall of plants. A bedroom at Sea Sun Maui: a lamp on each side of the queen bed, and the bathroom through the door. Fit a switch for the main light within reach of the bed, or a two-way switch, so nobody has to cross a dark room to turn it off. Use warm bulbs at the bedside: the California Lighting Technology Center at the University of California, Davis, gives 2,700 to 3,000 K as the range for homes. For the walk to the bathroom at night, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says a dim night light is fine if one is needed; put it low, in the hall or the bathroom, so it lights the floor and not the bed. And leave something to read. The Penthouse Jacuzzi and the Suite Colonial both keep books for guests. ## Somewhere for the suitcase and the clothes A suitcase open on the bed is a sign the room is missing something. Give every bedroom a folding luggage rack or a low bench, a chair, empty drawers, and a wardrobe or rail with matching hangers, enough for a week of clothes for two people. The bedroom pictured below, at Hook ’em on Paradise, has most of it: a black folding rack by the door, a cane chair, a chest of drawers and a row of hooks on the back of the door. Guests notice storage when it is there. “Bedrooms are a good size and provide plenty of dresser and closet space,” wrote Nicholas, who stayed at Toes in the Sand Beach House with a family of four in May 2026. Sea Sun Maui ’s owners describe its main bedroom with a closet and a dresser, and the Loft Histórico in Salvador, the smallest of the Via Avantgarde suites, lists an iron and a hair dryer. Two practical points. A luggage rack is easy to check: the Environmental Protection Agency notes that bed bugs travel in luggage and tells travellers to inspect the luggage rack in their room, so a bare metal frame is a sensible choice. And anchor the furniture. The CPSC asks owners to anchor televisions and furniture such as bookcases and dressers securely to the wall, and estimates that a child is treated for a tip-over injury every 53 minutes in the United States. A full-length mirror, a couple of hooks on the back of the door, a hair dryer in a drawer and a small waste bin finish the room. A bedroom at Hook ’em on Paradise: a folding luggage rack by the door, a chair, a chest of drawers and an air conditioner of its own. ## The bathroom Groups notice when every bedroom has its own bathroom, and they write about it. Lisa, who came to The Cerulean with a large party in February 2026, wrote that the house “gave everyone their own space and bathrooms.” At Shoy’s Beach House, Kirk wrote in December 2025 that the layout, “five private bedroom suites and a courtyard,” “gave each couple in our group privacy and quiet when needed.” Then the details. Two hooks by the shower for wet towels and robes, a shelf or niche wide enough for two washbags, light at the mirror that falls on the face from the front, a non-slip mat, and a bin with a lid. Sunset Sea-Clusion , a remodelled two-bedroom villa on St. Croix’s West End, hangs two robes on hooks beside a walk-in shower with a tiled niche. Sea Sun Maui’s rebuilt bathroom has a glass walk-in rain shower over a pebble-stone floor, and at Lux Vidigal a walk-in shower stands separate from the soaking tub. A walk-in shower is easier than a bath with a high side for a guest with stiff knees. The Cerulean has a walk-in shower in every bathroom, with a clawfoot tub in the main suite for those who want one. For older guests, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and next to the toilet; choose ones that match the other fittings and they read as part of the design. Then the water. The CPSC urges setting water heaters to 120°F (49°C). At 150°F, it says, most adults will suffer third-degree burns in two seconds, and even at 120°F an exposure of five minutes could burn. Set the heater, then check the temperature at the tap with a thermometer, because guests do not know your taps. Stock the small things guests forget: a hair dryer, toiletries and spare toilet rolls where they can be seen. The Cerulean’s owners provide body soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and hair dryers. A bathroom at Sunset Sea-Clusion on St. Croix’s West End: a walk-in shower, a towel bar and two robes on hooks. ## Alarms and a way out Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm. The National Fire Protection Association advises smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, interconnected where possible so that when one sounds they all sound. Test them once a month and replace them every ten years. Carbon monoxide alarms, the association advises, belong in a central place outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Its fire-safety sheet for holiday rentals asks for more. Everyone staying should know two ways out of every room; windows too small to climb through do not count; any security bars need quick-release catches that open without keys or tools; and the owner should post a floor plan showing the exits, with emergency contacts and the address of the house. A card on the back of each bedroom door covers it in a minute’s reading. ### Before the next guest, in every bedroom - Lie on the bed: no dips, no squeaks, two pillows for each sleeper and a spare blanket in the wardrobe. - Check the encasement and the mattress protector for tears, and replace any that are worn. - Draw the curtains at midday and look for light at the edges. - Set the air conditioner, and leave the remote and a short card by the bed. - Switch each bedside light on and off from the pillow. - Empty the drawers, count the hangers and put out the luggage rack. - Run the hot tap and check the temperature with a thermometer. - Press the test button on the smoke alarm. - Walk from the bed to the bathroom with the main lights off. ## Questions owners ask Q: What size bed should a guest bedroom have? A: For a couple, at least a queen, which in the United States measures 60 by 80 inches (152 by 203 cm); the Sleep Foundation says couples will likely want at least that size. A king, 76 by 80 inches (193 by 203 cm), gives each sleeper the width of a twin mattress. Bed names vary between countries, so give the measurements in the listing and the house manual. Q: How do I make a guest bedroom dark enough to sleep in? A: Hang lined or blackout curtains, or fit blinds, that overlap the window on every side and meet in the middle, because light leaking round the edges is what wakes people. Rooms that face the sunrise need it most. Where young children may stay, the CPSC, the U.S. agency for consumer product safety, says cordless window coverings are the safest choice. Q: What should be on a guest's bedside table? A: On both sides of the bed: a lamp with its own switch, room for a glass of water, glasses, a phone and a book, and a socket or a charger. Warm bulbs in the 2,700 to 3,000 K range suit a bedroom, and a dim night light in the hall or bathroom helps guests find their way at night. Q: Where should guests put their suitcases? A: On a folding luggage rack or a low bench, with empty drawers, matching hangers and a chair beside it. A bare metal rack is easy to check, which matters because, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes, bed bugs travel in luggage, and it tells travellers to inspect the luggage rack in their room. Q: Does every guest bedroom need a smoke alarm? A: Yes. The National Fire Protection Association advises a smoke alarm in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, interconnected where possible. Test them once a month and replace them every ten years. Carbon monoxide alarms go in a central place outside each sleeping area and on every level. Q: How hot should the water be in a holiday home? A: The CPSC, the U.S. agency for consumer product safety, urges setting water heaters to 120°F (49°C). At 150°F, it says, most adults suffer third-degree burns in two seconds. Check the temperature at the tap with a thermometer after setting the heater, because guests do not know your taps. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs. ======================================================================== # Stocking a Kitchen for Guests Who Cook URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/stocking-a-kitchen-for-guests-who-cook/ By Rafael Costa · 2026-10-08 A kitchen that guests can cook in needs sharp knives, pans for a crowd, coffee made more than one way and a fridge at the right temperature. What to stock, with examples from houses in St. Croix, Rio, Salvador and Maui. The first thing a guest who cooks does in a rented house is open the drawers. They are looking for a knife that will cut a tomato, a pan big enough for pasta for eight, and some way of making coffee before anyone else is up. Timothy, who stayed at The Cerulean on St. Croix in February, put a well-kept kitchen in one line: “the best stocked kitchen we’ve ever had in a rented house.” Getting there is mostly a matter of attention, and it starts with a test any owner can run. Cook a full dinner in the house for the number it sleeps, then breakfast the next morning, and write down everything you reached for and could not find. This guide works through the kitchen in the order a guest uses it, with examples from houses in Amorielli’s Collection. ## Knives and boards Three knives cover almost everything a guest will cook: a chef’s knife with a blade long enough to halve a pineapple, a serrated bread knife, and a small paring knife for limes and garlic. Keep them sharp; a steel or a simple sharpener in the drawer, used at each changeover, keeps an edge on them between professional sharpenings. Store them in a block or on a magnetic strip rather than loose in a drawer. Sea Sun Maui , a renovated two-bedroom condo on Maui’s south shore, makes the point on its own website: everything a guest needs is already in the drawers, “down to the good knives and the spices.” The listing photographs of Dragonfly Villa , in the hills of St. Croix’s East End, show its knives on a magnetic strip on the wall by the hob, in sight and within reach of whoever is cooking. At Sea Sun Maui the knife block stands by the range, and plates and mugs sit on open shelves. Boards need the same thought, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food safety service is specific about them. Wood and nonporous boards are both acceptable, but it suggests one board for fresh produce and bread and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, so that juices from raw food never reach food that will not be cooked. Two colours make the rule obvious without a note on the fridge. Boards should be washed in hot, soapy water after each use; plastic and solid wood boards can go in a dishwasher, while laminated boards may crack and split. When a board is so worn that its grooves will not come clean, the USDA’s advice is to throw it away. In a house that takes families with toddlers, the childproofing advice of the CPSC, the U.S. federal agency for consumer product safety, puts knives and other sharp objects behind safety latches, alongside cleaners and medicines. ## Pans, the oven and the hob Stock pans for the number the house sleeps. For eight or more that means a stockpot big enough for pasta for everyone, two large frying pans, a sauté pan, two or three saucepans, a heavy casserole that can go from hob to oven, a roasting tin, two baking sheets and an ovenproof dish, plus a colander, mixing bowls, measuring cups, a grater, a jug and a set of kitchen scales. Give every pan a lid that fits. The U.S. Fire Administration, which counts cooking as by far the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, advises keeping a pan lid or a baking sheet nearby to cover a pan that has caught fire. The listing for Dragonfly Villa shows how to describe all this. It names the All-Clad and cast-iron pans, the Dutch oven, the pizza stone, the Vitamix blender, the Instant Pot and the waffle maker, then the small things that are so often missing: mixing bowls, zesters, garlic presses, rolling pins and muffin pans. A cook who reads that knows what to pack and what to leave at home. The Cerulean’s owners publish a list in the same spirit, from the Thor stove and oven to the electric kettle, the blender, and the pots, pans and bakeware. Bananaquit Bungalow, a cottage that runs entirely on solar power and batteries, cooks on a gas range. The oven and the hob each need a few lines in the house manual. Say whether the oven runs hot, which setting is the fan and how the timer works. With gas, say how to light the burners and where the shut-off is. With induction, say which pans work on it and keep only those in the cupboard. If the range stands free, check that it has its anti-tip bracket, which CPSC recommends to prevent scalding and crushing injuries. ## Coffee, more than one way The first cup of the day is made by whoever wakes first, often before anyone has worked out the machine. Two ways of making coffee cover most guests and most mornings. One is a machine: a drip coffee maker, a pod machine or an espresso machine. The other is simple enough to need no instructions: a stovetop moka pot, or a French press or pour-over cone with a kettle. Art de Vivre’s São Conrado Beach View Villa in Rio, which sleeps twelve, has both a traditional coffee machine and a Nespresso machine. In Salvador, Via Avantgarde’s Penthouse Jacuzzi , Suite Colonial and Vista Elevador & Mar each have a drip coffee maker. The Cerulean’s owners list an electric kettle beside the coffee and tea maker, which looks after the tea drinkers as well. A stovetop moka pot makes coffee on a gas hob with no machine at all. Leave what each method needs: filters for the drip machine, the right pods for the pod machine, a grinder if you leave beans, sugar, and good tea for the guest who does not drink coffee. Buy coffee for each stay rather than leaving one large tin open for months. The USDA’s FoodKeeper puts opened ground coffee at about two weeks in the cupboard, and whole beans at three to five months. Guests notice. Timothy, a guest at Sea Sun Maui in August 2024, wrote: “The thoughtful touches, like fresh coffee and local recommendations, made the experience feel special.” ## The cupboard and the fridge The basics are the things nobody wants to buy a whole bottle of for one week: olive oil and a neutral oil, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, a few dried herbs and spices, flour and stock cubes. Then the things that make a kitchen run: washing-up liquid, dishwasher tablets, sponges, paper towels, foil, cling film, food bags, bin bags and baking paper. Several of the St. Croix houses list spices in their kitchens, The Cerulean, Shoy’s Beach House and Toes in the Sand Beach House among them. Marco, a guest at Sea Sun Maui in April 2026 who came with his family of four, wrote that what impressed him most was “how well-stocked the condo was with everything we could have wanted or needed: for the beach, bathroom soap, kitchen supplies and spices.” What to leave in the fridge depends on how guests arrive. After a flight, the useful things are breakfast and a cold drink: milk, butter, eggs, fruit and water, with bread on the counter. The USDA’s FoodKeeper gives eggs in their shells three to five weeks in the refrigerator, butter one to two months and a carton of orange juice seven to ten days once opened; milk keeps until the date on the carton. Leftovers keep three to four days in the refrigerator, by the USDA’s count, which is worth a line in the house manual. Date anything opened that you leave for the next guests, or clear it at the changeover. Some owners go further and stock the kitchen before guests land. SP Vacations, which manages The Cerulean and the other St. Croix houses in this guide, will put the basics in the kitchen ahead of arrival if guests send a list, and The Cerulean’s own website describes the kitchen “stocked before you land and topped up as you go.” At Sea Sun Maui, Christopher, a guest in February 2025, arrived late and found that the owner had “even met our grocery delivery early to get some food put away since we arrived so late.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration asks for the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C) and the freezer at 0°F (-18°C), and recommends an appliance thermometer in each, at the front where it is easy to read, checked at least once a week. In a rental, check it at every changeover. Do not pack the shelves so tightly that air cannot move. Food that needs refrigeration should not sit out for more than two hours, or one hour when the air is above 90°F, which on a hot arrival day means putting the shopping away before the bags go to the bedrooms. An appliance thermometer, here a dial marked in Fahrenheit, shows whether the fridge is cold enough. Power cuts are the other reason to know these numbers. FDA guidance is that an unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours, and that a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, or 24 if it is half full. Refrigerated perishables that have been above 40°F for four hours or more should be thrown away. Put this in the house manual, with what the house itself does when the power goes: The Cerulean has a whole-house backup generator; Dragonfly Villa and Moko Vista run on solar power with battery backup; and Bananaquit Bungalow , a one-bedroom cottage that is fully off the grid, asks guests to go easy on power after dark and in cloudy weather so that the batteries last. ## Washing up A dishwasher that guests can trust saves the last hour of every evening. Leave enough tablets for the stay, a bottle of rinse aid and a short note on what stays out of it: the good knives, the cast iron, laminated boards and anything with a wooden handle. Leave a drying rack and a pile of clean tea towels for those, and two sponges, so that the one used on raw meat juices is not the one used on the glasses. Count place settings and glasses for the full house and then some, because the dishwasher is often running when the next meal starts. The Cerulean’s own website lists service and place settings for twelve or more, for a villa that sleeps twelve. Its owners also keep two sets of glasses, one for indoors and one for the pool deck, which is worth copying. ## The grill The Cerulean has an outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill under a louvred pergola beside the pool, and its owners list an outdoor wine fridge and a lighted pergola. Shoy’s Beach House has a flat-top grill; Jennifer, a guest there in March 2026, wrote: “Grill and Blackstone spotless.” Dragonfly Villa’s listing mentions a large barbecue and barbecue utensils. The outdoor kitchen at The Cerulean, with its built-in grill, a drinks fridge and a sink under the pergola. The tools make it usable. Leave two pairs of long tongs and two platters, one for raw food and one for cooked; the USDA’s grilling guidance is never to use the same platter, board or utensils for both. Leave a food thermometer too, because meat on a grill browns quickly on the outside, whatever is happening inside. The USDA’s safe minimum temperatures are 145°F (63°C) for steaks, chops and roasts of beef, pork, lamb and veal, with a three-minute rest; 160°F (71°C) for burgers and other ground meat; 165°F (74°C) for chicken and all poultry; and 145°F for fish. Write those four numbers on a card and keep it with the thermometer. Think about the brush. CDC has reported injuries from wire bristles that came off grill-cleaning brushes and ended up in food; its advice is to examine the grill surface carefully before cooking and to consider other cleaning methods. Keep a spare gas bottle, or say where to buy one, and a lighter that works. For a picnic or a day at the beach, the USDA’s grilling guidance suggests packing drinks in one cooler and perishables in another, so that the one opened all afternoon is not the one keeping the food cold. ## Cooking for twelve, cooking for two A house that sleeps twelve needs a kitchen planned for twelve, and the best examples double the things that run out. The Cerulean has a full second kitchen in its guest cottage, with a second full-size refrigerator, as well as an ice maker and a poolside drinks refrigerator. The Buck Island Overlook , which also sleeps twelve, has a second kitchen whose extra refrigerator, counter, sink and preparation space its listing calls “particularly convenient when hosting a larger group.” The São Conrado villa has two refrigerators and two industrial ovens. Shoy’s Beach House has an ice maker and generous counters, and Kevin, a guest in June 2026, listed “modern appliances, ice maker, flat grill, large washer/dryer” among the things that make it work for “large/multiple families.” The Cerulean’s indoor table seats ten, with room for a large group to eat outside on the pool deck. Art de Vivre’s Copacabana Penthouse , which sleeps ten, has a dining table for twelve, and there a housekeeper prepares breakfast every day. For a big group, a chef for one evening, or for every evening, changes the week; SP Vacations can arrange an arrival dinner, a week of dinners or a single celebration meal. A kitchen for a group at Shoy’s Beach House. A kitchen for two in Salvador, at Via Avantgarde’s Vista Elevador & Mar. A kitchen for two is a different job, and it is easy to overfill. Vista Elevador & Mar has a compact corner with a gas stove, a mini fridge, a microwave, a blender and a drip coffee maker, enough for breakfast and a simple supper. The Suite Colonial keeps its glassware and jars on open shelves above a small hob. Lux Vidigal , an apartment for two halfway up the hillside in Rio’s Vidigal, has a full kitchen with a five-burner gas range, and Scott, a guest in February 2025, called the apartment “a perfect home base for a couple who wants to cook, eat and chill between visits to the beaches, downtown Rio, and the streets of Vidigal.” For two, one very good frying pan, a small pot, one sharp knife, a board, two good wine glasses and a way to make coffee are worth more than a drawer of gadgets. Whatever the size of the house, run the dinner test again whenever something changes, and ask departing guests one question: what did you go out to buy? The answer is the next thing to put in the drawer. ### The kitchen checklist - A chef’s knife, a bread knife and a paring knife, sharpened at each changeover. - Two cutting boards, one kept only for raw meat, poultry and seafood. - Pans for the full house, with a lid for every pan. - Two ways to make coffee, and coffee bought fresh for each stay. - An appliance thermometer in the fridge and the freezer: 40°F (4°C) and 0°F (-18°C). - Milk, butter, eggs, fruit and water on arrival, or a list the guests send ahead. - Two pairs of tongs, two platters and a food thermometer at the grill. - Place settings and glasses for everyone the house sleeps, and a set for the pool. - A note on the oven, the hob, the dishwasher and what to do in a power cut. ## Questions owners ask Q: What kitchen equipment should a holiday rental have? A: Enough for the number the house sleeps: a sharp chef's knife, a bread knife and a paring knife; two cutting boards, one kept for raw meat; a large stockpot, frying pans and saucepans with lids; a roasting tin and baking sheets; mixing bowls, a colander and measuring cups; two ways to make coffee; and place settings and glasses for everyone. The simplest test is to cook dinner and breakfast for a full house and note what was missing. Q: What should I leave in the fridge for guests arriving? A: Breakfast and a cold drink: milk, butter, eggs, fruit and water, with bread on the counter. The USDA's FoodKeeper gives eggs in their shells three to five weeks in the refrigerator and butter one to two months, and milk keeps until the date on the carton. Many owners also offer to stock the kitchen from a list the guests send before they arrive. Q: What temperature should a rental's fridge and freezer be? A: The FDA recommends 40°F (4°C) or below in the refrigerator and 0°F (-18°C) in the freezer. Keep an appliance thermometer in each, at the front where it is easy to read, and check it at least once a week; in a rental, check it at every changeover. Do not crowd the shelves so tightly that air cannot circulate. Q: How long does food stay safe in the fridge during a power cut? A: According to the FDA, an unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, or 24 if it is half full. Keep the doors closed. Refrigerated perishables that have been above 40°F for four hours or more should be thrown away. Q: What grill tools should a holiday home provide? A: Two pairs of long tongs and two platters, one for raw food and one for cooked, a spatula, a food thermometer and a way to clean the grill. The USDA advises never using the same platter, board or utensils for raw and cooked food. CDC advises checking the grill surface for loose wire bristles from cleaning brushes before cooking. Q: How many place settings should a rental kitchen have? A: At least one for everyone the house sleeps, and a few more, because the dishwasher is often running when the next meal starts. The Cerulean on St. Croix, which sleeps twelve, lists service and place settings for twelve or more, and keeps a separate set of glasses for the pool deck. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # Lighting a Holiday Home URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/lighting-a-holiday-home/ By Mariko Sato · 2026-10-08 How to light a holiday house for the hours guests spend in it after dark: light at three levels, warm bulbs, dimmers and lamps, stairs and paths that are safe at night, and terraces lit without losing the view. At nine in the evening, with dinner over and the sea gone dark, a holiday house shows how well it is lit. Guests cook, eat on the terrace, read in bed and get up in the night in a house they do not know, and each of those needs a different kind of light. A house lit only by a grid of ceiling downlights is bright enough, and still hard to live in after dark. This guide covers the layers of light a room needs, the colour and brightness of the bulbs, dimmers and lamps, the stairs and paths guests use at night, and the terraces, pools and gardens outside, with examples from houses in the Collection and the advice of the bodies that set lighting and electrical standards. ## Three layers of light Lighting designers work in three layers. Ambient light fills a room so you can move around it. Task light falls where you work: on the kitchen counter, the dining table, the page of a book. Accent light picks out what you want seen, such as a painting, a wall of plants or a tree in the garden. A room with all three, each on its own switch, can be bright for cooking and low for dinner without anyone changing a bulb. Downlights have their place, as ambient light in a kitchen or a hall. On their own they are poor company: they light the tops of heads, put shadows under the eyes and, set into a ceiling beside a window, bounce straight back off the glass at night. Put them on a dimmer and give the room lamps as well. In the dining room of the Copacabana Penthouse in Rio, the downlights in the ceiling are joined by a small picture light over each painting, which is accent light at its simplest. The Loft Histórico , the smallest of Via Avantgarde’s four suites in Salvador’s upper town, shows the idea in a single room. Three pendants hang low over the kitchen bar, another lamp stands by the bed, and the gilt-framed painting above the tub catches the warm light. Via Avantgarde describes the lighting in its Penthouse Jacuzzi as theatrical LED lighting. The lesson of the Loft is many small sources at different heights, so the room never depends on one bright light in the middle of the ceiling. The Loft Histórico in Salvador: pendants hung low over the kitchen bar, a lamp by the bed and a painting on the wall, each light with its own job. ## Colour and brightness Bulbs are sold by colour as well as brightness, and the colour is given in kelvin. The U.S. Department of Energy explains that lower numbers mean warmer, yellower light and higher numbers cooler, bluer light, and that warm light is the closest to the old incandescent bulb. ENERGY STAR, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efficiency programme, describes soft and warm white, from 2,200 to 3,000 K, as ideal for most indoor uses; neutral and cool white, 3,500 to 4,100 K, as good for kitchens and work spaces; and daylight, 5,000 to 6,500 K, as good for reading. For a holiday house, warm white is right almost everywhere. The California Lighting Technology Center at the University of California, Davis, gives 2,700 to 3,000 K as the range for homes. Keep living rooms, bedrooms and terraces at the warm end, and keep one colour temperature in each room, because a cool bulb beside a warm one makes both look wrong. A kitchen counter can take 3,000 K or a little more for the cook. Keep daylight bulbs for a desk. Two more figures on the box matter. Brightness is measured in lumens, not watts: the ENERGY STAR guide puts the equivalent of a 60-watt bulb at 800 lumens and of a 100-watt bulb at 1,600, and the Department of Energy suggests a 1,100-lumen LED to replace a 75-watt bulb. Colour rendering, shown on the box as CRI, describes how true colours look under a light, and the UC Davis centre advises 90 or more. Under a high-CRI bulb, food, wood and fabric look the colour they are, which matters in a well-furnished house. Placement matters as much as lumens: pendants hung low over a kitchen island put the light on the counter, where the cook needs it. At Moko Vista on St. Croix, two hang over the island and a third over the sink by the window. The kitchen at Moko Vista: two pendants low over the island, a third over the sink and a wall light by the door. Keep a box of the right bulbs in the house, labelled by room and fitting, so that whoever replaces one in a hurry does not put a cool white bulb in a bedside lamp. ## Dimmers and lamps A dimmer is the cheapest way to make one room work from breakfast to midnight. The Department of Energy’s advice is to dim lights whenever full light is not needed, and it notes that most LED bulbs can be dimmed. Not all can, and bulb and switch have to suit each other: ENERGY STAR tells buyers to look for bulbs marked dimmable, and the UC Davis centre to choose bulbs that are compatible with the dimmers in the house. A mismatched pair can flicker or hum, and guests notice. Lamps do what a ceiling cannot. A table or floor lamp at sitting height puts light where faces and books are, leaves the ceiling dark and the corners soft, and can be moved. Vista Elevador & Mar is the Via Avantgarde suite built around its view of the Lacerda Elevator and the Bay of All Saints. In the photograph below, taken at dusk, a woven lantern on the wall beside the tub lights the room, and the old town and the bay stay visible through the glass. Dusk in Vista Elevador & Mar, Salvador: one woven lantern, low enough that the old town and the bay still show through the windows. Late in the evening the light should come down. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises limiting exposure to bright light in the evening, and the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests avoiding bright screens in the hour before bed. A house that guests can dim, room by room, helps them sleep. ## Stairs, halls and the way to the bathroom At night a guest walks through a house they do not know, half awake and often barefoot. Light the routes they will take before you light anything else. Stairs come first. The International Residential Code, the model building code for American homes, requires a light that illuminates the treads and landings of every indoor stair, with a wall switch at each floor where the stair has six or more risers, and a light at the top landing of outdoor stairs. Check your stairs against that, whatever the age of the house. In its advice on preventing falls, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds railings on both sides of stairs and more light throughout the home. Houses on more than one level need this most. The Cerulean , on St. Croix’s East End, has an inside staircase between its two floors and a stepped path from the pool deck down to the shore, and its own site describes landscape lighting that runs all the way down to the sea after dark. At Lux Vidigal in Rio the bedroom is up an interior staircase, and the Copacabana Penthouse is a duplex joined by a marble staircase. The Copacabana Penthouse in Rio: downlights overhead, a small light over each painting, and the staircase that joins its two floors. Then the route from bed to bathroom. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says a dim night light is fine if one is needed. Put a low one in the hall or the bathroom, ideally one that comes on by itself at dusk or when someone moves, and choose a warm colour. A step light near the floor shows the way across a hall without lighting the bedroom. Plan for power cuts too. The National Fire Protection Association’s safety sheet for holiday rentals tells guests to make sure a house has batteries and lanterns in case the power goes. The Cerulean runs on grid and solar power with batteries and a whole-house backup generator. Bananaquit Bungalow runs on solar panels and batteries alone, and its listing warns that heavy use after dark can drain them. A rechargeable torch by every bed and a lantern in the kitchen cover both cases. ## Terraces, pools and gardens Outdoors, the best guide is the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, published jointly by DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society. Light should be useful, with a clear purpose; targeted, shielded and aimed downward so it falls only where it is needed; low, no brighter than necessary; controlled, with timers or motion sensors so it is dimmed or off when no one needs it; and warm in colour, with as little blue-violet light as possible. On a terrace that means low lights at steps and edges, a warm lamp or two where people sit, light on the table at dinner, and nothing shining into the sky or across the water. On the upper deck of The Buck Island Overlook , small lamps sit on top of the railing posts, low lights that mark the edge of the deck. At Lux Vidigal a string of bulbs crosses the terrace and a standing lamp is kept out there for the evenings. The Cerulean’s pool deck after dark shows the other pieces: lights in the pool, a line of light along the pergola and small lights at the foot of the planters. The Buck Island Overlook at dusk: small lamps on the railing posts mark the edge of the deck, with Buck Island on the horizon. Leave the sky dark where you can. At Hook ’em on Paradise , a telescope stands by the living-room glass for the night sky, which is reason enough to keep the terrace lights low and on a switch guests can find. Outdoor fittings take rain, salt and insects, so they must be made for it. The Electrical Safety Foundation International, in a booklet published with the CPSC, the U.S. consumer product safety agency, says to use only weather-resistant products outdoors and only extension cords marked for outdoor use, never to plug one extension cord into another, and to keep outdoor sockets under weather-protecting covers. Near water the rules are stricter: ground-fault protection, the GFCI, for underwater pool lights, for hot-tub circuits and for sockets within 20 feet (6 metres) of a pool, as the U.S. National Electrical Code requires. String lights by a pool are a job for an electrician. The light that never goes off is the one to fix. A bulkhead light left on all night lights the bedroom windows above it and draws insects to the door. Put terrace lights on timers or motion sensors, and give guests one switch by the door that turns the whole terrace off. The terrace at Lux Vidigal after dark, lit by a string of bulbs; a standing lamp is kept out here for the evenings. ## Keeping the view after dark A sea view disappears at night for a simple reason: glass reflects a lit room. With bright light inside and darkness outside, a wall of windows becomes a mirror, and guests see themselves at dinner instead of the bay. Three things bring the view back. Keep the light inside low near the windows, from lamps below eye level rather than ceiling lights. Put a little light outside, on the terrace or the planting, so the eye has something to see beyond the glass. And keep a corner by the window where someone can sit with the lights behind them. The Suite Colonial in Salvador does it with a hanging lamp over its window counter and small lights set low in the arched niches beneath, so the city still shows through the glass at night. The Suite Colonial at night: a hanging lamp over the counter and lights low in its niches, so the city still shows through the glass. Beaches add a reason that has nothing to do with the view. Sea turtles nest on some of these shores, and DarkSky International explains that hatchlings find the sea by heading for the brighter horizon over the ocean, so artificial lights can lead them inland instead. A July 2025 guest at Toes in the Sand Beach House on St. Croix’s north shore wrote of “a fantastic beach where turtles were laying their eggs,” and on the island’s West End, within reach of Sunset Sea-Clusion , the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge closes from April to August for nesting leatherbacks. A house on a nesting beach should use the turtle-friendly fittings DarkSky describes, aimed down and limited in their spectrum, switch off what is not needed, and draw the curtains at night in the season. Last, let the evening light do its work before switching anything on. At Sea Sun Maui , the owners write that the light over the West Maui Mountains turns the whole north end of Kihei gold in the evening, and Vista Elevador & Mar was designed to catch the afternoon light and the sunset over the bay. Leave the lamps off until it has gone. Sunset from Sunset Sea-Clusion on St. Croix’s West End: the hour to leave the lamps off. ### A lighting check, after dark - Walk every room at night using only the switches a guest would find. - Check the colour of every bulb, and replace cool or daylight bulbs in living rooms and bedrooms. - Run each dimmer from high to low, and watch for flicker or listen for a hum. - Switch the stair lights on and off from the top and from the bottom. - Walk from each bed to its bathroom with the main lights off. - Stand on the terrace and look for bare bulbs and light spilling into the sky or across the water. - Press the test button on every GFCI socket outside and by the pool. - Put a torch by every bed and a lantern where guests will find it. - Sit by the window with the evening lights on and check that you can still see out. ## Questions owners ask Q: What colour temperature is best for a holiday home? A: Warm white. The California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis gives 2,700 to 3,000 K as the range for homes, and ENERGY STAR describes soft and warm white bulbs, 2,200 to 3,000 K, as ideal for most indoor uses. Neutral white, 3,500 to 4,100 K, suits a kitchen counter. Keep one colour temperature in each room. Q: How many lumens do I need to replace an old bulb? A: Look at lumens, not watts. ENERGY STAR puts the equivalent of a 60-watt bulb at 800 lumens and of a 100-watt bulb at 1,600, and the U.S. Department of Energy suggests a 1,100-lumen LED to replace a 75-watt bulb. For colours that look true, the UC Davis lighting centre advises a colour rendering index (CRI) of 90 or more. Q: Can LED bulbs be used with dimmers? A: Most can, the U.S. Department of Energy says, but not all. Buy bulbs marked dimmable, as ENERGY STAR advises, and check that they are compatible with the dimmer switches in the house, as the UC Davis lighting centre recommends. A mismatched bulb and dimmer can flicker or hum. Q: How should stairs be lit in a holiday house? A: The International Residential Code requires a light that illuminates the treads and landings of indoor stairs, with a wall switch at each floor where a stair has six or more risers, and a light at the top landing of outdoor stairs. Add railings on both sides, as the CDC advises, and a dim night light on the way to the bathroom. Q: How do I light a terrace without spoiling the view or the stars? A: Follow the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting from DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society: light only what has a purpose, shield it and aim it down, keep it low, put it on timers or sensors, and use warm colours. Inside, keep the lights low near the windows so the glass does not turn into a mirror. Q: Is it safe to use string lights by a pool? A: Only with the right equipment and installation. The Electrical Safety Foundation International says to use weather-resistant products and extension cords marked for outdoor use outside, and the U.S. National Electrical Code requires ground-fault (GFCI) protection for sockets within 20 feet (6 metres) of a pool. Have an electrician install lighting by the water. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs. ======================================================================== # Outdoor Spaces Guests Use URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/outdoor-spaces-guests-use/ By Mariko Sato · 2026-10-08 Where guests spend their days at a holiday house: in the shade, at a table outside, at the grill, under an outdoor shower and by the pool. How to plan terraces for the sun, the wind and the hours of the day. On a warm afternoon the best rooms in a holiday house are outside: the covered porch, the table under the pergola, the loungers by the pool. “High point is the pool deck area,” wrote Timothy after a week at The Cerulean on St. Croix in February 2026. At Shoy’s Beach House , Gary wrote of “a great outdoor porch we spent a lot of time on.” Planning these spaces well comes down to shade, seating, cooking, water, safety and storage, and to watching how the sun and the wind move across them through the day. This guide takes them in that order, with examples from houses in the Collection and the safety advice that applies to every one of them. ## Shade first Plan the shade before the furniture. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the strongest UV rays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in daylight saving time on the American mainland, and the World Health Organization says the day’s highest UV comes in the four hours around solar noon, advising shade at midday whenever the UV index is 3 or more. A terrace with nowhere to sit out of the sun at midday will be empty at midday. Give guests a choice of sun and shade. Emily, who stayed at The Cerulean in April 2026, wrote: “Huge patio with covered areas and sunny spots, nice-sized pool.” The villa’s owners list a lighted pergola with louvres that can be opened for sun or closed for shade. At Hook ’em on Paradise there are shaded and sunny places to sit around the pool, and a covered porch with outdoor sofas. At Dragonfly Villa , high in the East End hills, the four patios give a choice of sun or shade at any hour. Roofs and ceiling fans do more than umbrellas. A covered gallery or a solid pergola stays put in a breeze and can carry a ceiling fan to move the air on a hot afternoon; the covered gallery at Shoy’s Beach House and the porch at Hook ’em on Paradise both have them. At Buck Island Views , galleries with arched openings run along the house for shade in the middle of the day. Umbrellas fill the gaps, on heavy bases, closed at night and whenever the wind rises. Shade is not the whole of sun protection, and the CDC still recommends sunscreen and clothing in the shade, so a basket of sun cream by the door is a kindness. At Toes in the Sand Beach House , Nicholas found “complimentary sunscreen, after-sun products, and bug spray” waiting in May 2026. The Cerulean’s pool deck on St. Croix: loungers in the sun along the rail, and the covered lounge and outdoor kitchen under the louvred pergola. ## Seating guests use Count the seats outside against the number of guests, then count them again by kind. A house that sleeps ten needs a table outside for ten, loungers for those who want the sun and deep chairs in the shade for those who want to read; the same ten chairs cannot do all three jobs. The Cerulean’s owners list outdoor couches for ten people, chaise longues and outdoor dining for a large group. Put the chairs where people want to look. Loungers face the water, sofas face each other and the view, and on the long balcony at Hook ’em on Paradise the rocking chairs face the sea. Every chair needs somewhere to put down a glass: The Cerulean’s veranda has its seating and side tables together. Guests use outdoor rooms in groups, so give them more than one. “The kids enjoyed the pool, kayaks and playing cornhole, while the adults enjoyed relaxing on the large porch with an ocean view,” wrote Lloyd, whose family of ten spent ten days at Shoy’s Beach House in January 2026. The Buck Island Overlook has an upper deck with the pool, loungers and rocking chairs in the sun, and a covered lower deck below with a second dining table, lounge seating and a hammock, out of it. Cushions should be made for outdoors, with quick-drying foam, fade-resistant covers and zips so the covers can be washed. A hammock or a hanging chair gives one guest a place of their own: the porch at Bananaquit Bungalow has two hammock chairs looking over the hills to the sea, and Dawn, who stayed at Toes in the Sand Beach House with two other couples in June 2026, found “a lovely pool and patio area with plenty of seating.” Shoy’s Beach House: armchairs, loungers and the dining table under one long covered gallery. The Buck Island Overlook’s lower deck: a hanging chair, a hammock and a second table, all out of the sun. ## Eating and cooking outside The table outside is where a group spends its evenings, so put it under cover, close to the kitchen door and in sight of the view, with light over it for after dark. At Dragonfly Villa a globe lamp hangs low over the covered dining table beside the pool. At Toes in the Sand Beach House a long covered gallery holds the table, with the loungers out in the sun beyond it. Sunset Sea-Clusion has a table under cover on its terrace, with a grill and an outdoor sound system. An outdoor kitchen needs more than a grill: a counter to prepare on, a sink, a fridge for drinks so that guests are not walking through the house with wet feet, and a bin. The Cerulean’s outdoor kitchen has a built-in gas grill and an outdoor wine fridge under the pergola. Shoy’s Beach House has a flat-top grill, and its guests noticed the upkeep: “Grill and Blackstone spotless,” Jennifer wrote in March 2026. The grill is the part that can hurt someone. The National Fire Protection Association advises placing it well away from the house and the deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches, keeping children and pets at least three feet (1 m) away, keeping it clear of grease, opening a gas grill’s lid before lighting it and never leaving it unattended. Its figures show why. The grill had not been cleaned in about a fifth of grill fires, and of the grill fires that involved a building, nearly a quarter started on an exterior balcony or open porch. Check gas connections with soapy water before use: bubbles mean a leak. And grills belong outdoors only, because they give off carbon monoxide. Fire tables and fire pits need the same three feet clear for children that the association asks around anything hot, with cushions and towels kept well back. The Cerulean has both, a fire table in its covered lounge and a fire pit among the planters. If the house allows smoking, the association’s safety sheet for holiday rentals asks for a smoking area well away from the house, with deep, sturdy ashtrays. Dragonfly Villa on St. Croix’s East End: the table under cover beside the pool, with a lamp hung over it for dinner after dark. ## The outdoor shower An outdoor shower keeps salt and sand out of the house, and guests notice it. At Toes in the Sand Beach House, which has one for coming in from the shore, Fred wrote in April 2026: “The outdoor shower was a really cool feature. It is also very private.” Privacy comes first, as Fred’s second sentence says: a screen or wall that hides the shower from the neighbours and the road and leaves the sky open above. Then the practical parts: a slatted or stone floor that drains fast and does not stay slippery, hooks for towels and clothes out of the spray, a shelf for soap, a light for the evening, and a tap or foot rinse by the path from the beach or pool. Lux Vidigal in Rio has an outdoor shower off the side of its deck for rinsing off sand after the beach, four minutes’ walk downhill. The water should be warm, never scalding. If the outdoor shower runs from the house’s water heater, the CPSC, the U.S. agency for consumer product safety, urges setting heaters to 120°F (49°C), and it notes that most scald injuries from tap water happen to older people and to children under five. A thermostatic mixing valve at the shower holds the temperature steady, and a single lever that guests understand without instructions saves them guessing. An outdoor rain shower head, open to the sky. ## The pool deck The pool deck is often the busiest outdoor room in the house, so give it the same thought as the living room: loungers in pairs with a table between them, shade within reach of the water, a shelf of towels, and a surface that stays cool and grips under bare feet. Broad steps and a handrail help older guests and small children alike; the pool at Shoy’s Beach House has both at its shallow end. Jennifer, who stayed there in March 2026, wrote: “Pool and hot tub were excellent and were well maintained.” Safety is the part no owner can leave to chance. The CPSC knows of at least 64 pool drownings involving children under 15 in holiday rental homes since 2021, 54 of them fatal, and points out that rentals have no lifeguards. It asks families to look for self-latching gates, alarms on doors that lead to the pool, non-climbable four-sided fencing, and raised drain covers that meet the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Its barrier guidelines call for a fence at least 48 inches (1.2 m) high, with five feet or more preferred, gates that open outward and close and latch by themselves, and a barrier placed so that children cannot use permanent structures, equipment or similar objects to climb it. Shoy’s Beach House lists a fenced yard. The rules where your house stands may ask for more, so check them. Hot tubs carry their own rules. The CPSC advises a locked safety cover whenever the spa is not in use, water at 104°F (40°C) or below, and that everyone knows where the pump’s cut-off switch is, and it warns that drinking alcohol while using a spa can lead to drowning. Pool chemicals should be kept secure and away from children and pets, the CDC advises, and the CDC also asks pool owners to check the disinfectant level and pH at least twice a day, more often when the pool is busy. The pool at Shoy’s Beach House: broad steps and a handrail at the shallow end. ## Morning, midday and evening Walk round the outside of the house at three times of day before you place anything, and note where the sun falls and where the wind comes from. Breakfast wants morning sun and a view, the middle of the day wants shade near the water, and the evening wants the last of the light and shelter from the breeze. Houses that face east have the mornings. The Cerulean faces east over the sea, and Suzanne, who stayed in January 2026, wrote: “The sunrises are incredible!” At Toes in the Sand Beach House, Lindsay gave this advice in May 2026: “I recommend waking up and making a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise above the pool and ocean view.” Put a small table and two chairs where that light falls first. Houses that face west have the evenings. At Sunset Sea-Clusion, on St. Croix’s West End, the sun goes down into the Caribbean in front of the house. The owners of Sea Sun Maui describe its private lanai as a place for sunrise coffee and sunset wine, and humpback whales can be seen from it in season, from November to April. Wind decides more than owners expect. Moko Vista , on an East End hilltop, was built to catch the trade winds, and a March guest found the breeze cool enough to leave the air conditioning off. Kenneth, at Toes in the Sand Beach House in February 2026, wrote of spending most of the stay in the garden, “listening to the waves and watching the surfers while enjoying the gentle trade winds,” while another guest there, Chris, wrote of “this end of the island being very breezy.” Light chairs, loose cushions and open umbrellas do not last long in a breeze like that: choose heavy furniture, give cushions ties, and close umbrellas when guests leave the terrace. Screens, glass panels or planting can make a sheltered corner. The wraparound terrace of the Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse in Rio has lattice screens and potted palms under a tiled pergola roof. Standing water brings mosquitoes. The CDC advises emptying, scrubbing, turning over, covering or throwing out anything that holds water once a week, from planter saucers to buckets and toys, and keeping screens on windows and doors. Toes in the Sand Beach House leaves bug spray for guests, as Nicholas and Chris both noted. Moko Vista, built to catch the trade winds: shutters folded back, a brick patio and chairs set out on the lawn. The Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse in Rio: lattice screens and potted palms under a tiled pergola roof. ## Storage for towels, cushions and gear Every outdoor room needs a dry, ventilated box or cupboard close to where things are used. Cushions go in at night and before rain, towels live on a shelf near the pool, and games, snorkels and beach chairs have a place to come back to. Sea Sun Maui has a storage box on its lanai, and the covered porch at Hook ’em on Paradise has a wicker cabinet by the doors. Guests notice the kit. The Cerulean keeps beach towels for ten and pool floats. At Toes in the Sand Beach House, Kristina found the house “stocked with pool and beach necessities,” and Chris listed what was there: “chairs, towels, clips, sunblock, bug spray, aloe, etc”. Shoy’s Beach House has kayaks and cornhole for the garden. Keep the garden in view as well as the furniture. A guest at Shoy’s Beach House warned others to stay clear of the manchineel trees along the beach and the east property line, and the National Park Service, which runs Buck Island Reef National Monument off St. Croix, warns that the tree’s leaves, sap and fruit are very poisonous and that any contact can cause chemical burns. Mark trees like these, keep seating and towels away from them, and mention them in the house manual. The covered porch at Hook ’em on Paradise: a ceiling fan, deep chairs with footstools, a storage cabinet by the doors and the sea beyond the rail. ### Before the season, outside - Sit in every outdoor seat at breakfast time, at midday and in the late afternoon, and move whatever is in full sun at noon. - Count the seats outside by kind: at the table, on loungers and in the shade. - Put a side table within reach of every chair. - Check where the grill stands, clean the grease trays and test the gas connections with soapy water. - Run the outdoor shower and check the drain, the hooks and the water temperature. - Open the pool gate and let go: it should close and latch by itself. - Check that the hot tub cover locks and the water is at 104°F (40°C) or below. - Empty anything holding water: saucers, buckets, toys. - Give cushions, towels and gear a dry home, and keep the pool chemicals secure. - Mark any poisonous trees near seating and paths. ## Questions owners ask Q: How much shade does a holiday home's terrace need? A: Enough for every guest to sit out of the sun in the middle of the day. The World Health Organization says UV peaks in the four hours around solar noon and advises seeking shade at midday whenever the UV index is 3 or above. Covered galleries, louvred pergolas and ceiling fans do more than umbrellas, which have to be closed when the wind rises. Q: Where should the grill go? A: Outdoors, well away from the house and the deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches, as the National Fire Protection Association advises. Keep children and pets at least three feet (1 m) away, clean off the grease regularly, open a gas grill's lid before lighting it, and check gas connections for leaks with soapy water before use. Q: How hot should an outdoor shower be? A: Warm, never scalding. The CPSC, the U.S. agency for consumer product safety, urges setting water heaters to 120°F (49°C) and notes that most tap-water scald injuries happen to older people and to children under five. A thermostatic mixing valve at the shower keeps the temperature steady. Q: What pool safety features should a holiday home have? A: The CPSC asks families to look for self-latching gates, alarms on doors that lead to the pool, non-climbable four-sided fencing and raised drain covers that meet the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Its guidelines call for a barrier at least 48 inches (1.2 m) high. Holiday rentals have no lifeguards, so supervision still comes first. Q: What temperature should a hot tub be? A: No hotter than 104°F (40°C), the CPSC advises. Keep a locked safety cover on the tub when it is not in use, show guests where the pump's cut-off switch is, and tell them what the CPSC warns: drinking alcohol while using a spa can lead to drowning. Q: How do I keep mosquitoes away from the terrace? A: Take away the water they breed in. The CDC advises emptying, scrubbing, turning over, covering or throwing out anything that holds water once a week, such as planter saucers, buckets and toys, and keeping screens on windows and doors in good repair. Leave insect repellent out for guests as well. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs. ======================================================================== # Hosting Families with Young Children URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/hosting-families-with-young-children/ By Rafael Costa · 2026-10-08 Babies and toddlers need a safe place to sleep, a high chair at the table, gates on the stairs and a plan for the pool. What owners of villas and beach houses should have ready, and what to tell families before they book. A family with a baby or a toddler arrives with luggage, a car seat and three questions: where will the baby sleep, is there a gate on the stairs, and how far is the pool from the back door. The houses that suit families have answered all three in writing before the booking. The Cerulean , a five-bedroom villa on St. Croix that sleeps twelve, lists a high chair, a travel crib and stair gates among its amenities, and its own website describes the slopes and steps of the property for anyone who needs to know. This guide covers what to have ready and what to tell families, from the cot to the pool. The safety points come from the CPSC, the U.S. federal agency for consumer product safety, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The examples come from houses in Amorielli’s Collection. ## Where the baby sleeps The AAP counts around 3,500 babies in the United States who die suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep each year, and its advice, like CPSC’s, is short. A baby sleeps on its back, for naps and at night, on a firm, flat surface, in a crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard that meets CPSC’s safety standards. Nothing goes in with the baby but a fitted sheet: no pillows, quilts, blankets, bumpers or toys. CPSC calls it “Bare is Best.” Any surface that inclines more than 10 degrees is not safe for sleep. For an owner, that becomes four habits. Keep the travel cot’s own mattress and nothing more: CPSC advises against supplemental mattresses in play yards because they can leave a gap that traps a baby, and the AAP lists mattress toppers among the soft bedding to keep out. Keep the instructions and every piece of hardware with the cot, because the AAP’s advice is not to use a crib that has no instructions, is missing hardware or is broken. Check CPSC’s recall list before you buy, and again for an older cot. And keep two fitted sheets made for that mattress, so that one is always clean. Then think about where the cot will go. The AAP recommends that a baby shares the parents’ room, though never their bed, for at least the first six months, so measure the floor beside the bed in the main bedrooms and make sure a cot fits there. Keep it away from windows. CPSC warns that children have strangled on the cords of blinds and curtains, and that it can happen “in mere moments, even with an adult nearby”; where young children stay, it advises cordless window coverings, and otherwise moving cots, beds and furniture away from the cords. The Cerulean lists a Pack-n-play travel crib, and its owners provide a high chair on request. ## High chairs and gates Buy a high chair made under the current standard. CPSC’s federal standard applies to high chairs made or imported on or after June 19, 2019, and the manufacture date is printed on a label on the chair. Its advice to parents doubles as a checklist between stays: the safety straps should work and adjust to fit a child snugly, because the tray is not a restraint; children should not climb into the chair or stand on it; and an adult should stay near. CPSC’s 2019 announcement put high chair-related injuries at an estimated 18,500 over a two-year period. Stairs need gates that are fixed in place, and CPSC’s rule is clear: at the top of a staircase, use only a gate that screws to the wall. Pet gates should never stand in for a child gate, and old gates with V-shaped openings large enough to trap a child’s head should be replaced. A gate protects only when it is latched, and CPSC reminds parents that no device is completely childproof, so tell families where the gates are and show them how each one opens. The Cerulean lists stair gates among its amenities. A wooden stair gate fitted across a staircase. At the top of a staircase, CPSC advises only gates that screw to the wall. ## Furniture, windows and small things A holiday house is full of furniture a toddler has never seen, and CPSC addresses rentals directly: it asks people to anchor TVs and heavy furniture “whether you’re hosting, watching at a friend’s house, or at a vacation rental.” Dressers, bookcases and televisions should be fixed to the wall with an anchoring kit, which needs only a drill, a screwdriver and a stud finder to fit. Where a TV cannot be anchored, it should stand on a sturdy, low base, pushed back, with its cables out of reach, and toys and remotes should not sit on high shelves that invite climbing. CPSC estimates that U.S. emergency departments treated an average of 17,800 tip-over injuries a year from 2020 to 2022, and that 44 percent of those hurt were under 18. Windows need two kinds of attention. Screens do not stop a child falling, CPSC warns. It advises window guards or safety netting, with window openings limited to four inches (about ten centimetres), while at least one window in each room stays easy to open as an escape in a fire. And blind cords should be cordless or cut as short as possible. The smallest hazard in the house may be in the remote control. CPSC warns that a swallowed button or coin battery can burn through a child’s throat in as little as two hours, and asks that remotes and other devices whose battery compartments lack a screw closure be kept away from children. Check every remote, key fob, kitchen scale and flameless candle in the house. Put cleaners, laundry detergent and medicines behind safety latches, and write the U.S. poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, in the house manual. CPSC also asks for smoke alarms on every level, inside each bedroom and outside the sleeping areas, with carbon monoxide alarms outside the bedrooms; The Cerulean lists both. ## The pool For a family with small children, the pool is the part of the house that needs the most thought. More children aged one to four die from drowning than from any other cause, according to CDC, and drowning “happens in seconds and is often silent.” CPSC’s report published in June 2026 counts an average of 376 children under 15 who drowned in pool- or spa-related incidents each year from 2021 to 2023. Nearly 80 percent were under five, and over 70 percent of the deaths happened in residential settings: a child’s own home, the house of family or friends, or a neighbour’s. The answer, in CPSC’s words, is layers of protection. CDC recommends a fence at least four feet (about 1.2 metres) high that encloses the pool on all four sides and separates it from the house, with gates that close and latch by themselves. CPSC adds alarms on the doors that lead to the pool, pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching hardware on those doors and gates. After every swim the barrier goes back: CDC’s advice is to shut and lock the doors that give access to the water, and to take the toys out of the pool area so that they do not draw a child back to it. A pool fenced on every side, at an apartment complex by the sea. The last layer is a person. CPSC asks families to name a Water Watcher, an adult whose only job is to watch the children in the water, without a book or a phone, and, CDC says, without a drink. CPSC’s warning reaches beyond the pool to bathtubs, buckets, decorative ponds and fountains. CDC adds that air-filled and foam toys are not safety devices, and that children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision. An owner cannot supervise for a family, but can make it easier. Say plainly in the listing what the pool has: a fence or none, a cover, alarms on the doors. If there is no fence, say so, and tell families to plan on an adult at the pool whenever small children are near it. Put the pool rules and the emergency numbers by the door to the deck, and keep pool toys in a closed box away from the edge. The sea needs the same plain words. Toes in the Sand Beach House , on St. Croix’s north shore, faces a beach that guests describe as rocky, with strong waves. Chris, a guest in June 2026, wrote that for families with small children “this beach is not really swimmable due to rockiness and intense waves.” A family that knows this plans its days around the pool and a calmer beach a short drive away. CDC advises life jackets for children in and around natural water, and a house on the sea can keep children’s sizes with the beach towels. At Sea Sun Maui , Robin, a guest in December 2024, found the owners had left “boogie boards, beach chairs and towels, even a cooler!” ## Bathrooms and hot water The hot water is the bathroom hazard an owner controls from the utility room. CPSC’s safety alert on tap water scalds says the majority of injuries and deaths involve older people and children under five, and asks for water heaters to be set at 120°F (49°C). It gives the arithmetic: most adults suffer third-degree burns from water at 150°F in two seconds, at 140°F in six seconds and at 130°F in thirty. Set the heater, then check it with a candy or meat thermometer under the hot tap, first thing in the morning. Anti-scald devices for taps and shower heads add another layer. Bath time needs an adult within reach. CPSC’s advice is constant supervision, because “Children can drown in moments,” and it asks parents to hand-test the water before bathing infants and young children. Owners can help with a non-slip mat, a step stool for the basin, and a clear note on which bathroom has a tub, which matters to anyone bathing a baby. At The Cerulean every bathroom has a walk-in shower, and the master suite also has a clawfoot tub. In Salvador, Via Avantgarde’s Suite Colonial is the one suite of its four without a tub. Every bathroom at The Cerulean has a walk-in shower; the master suite also has a clawfoot tub. ## Bedrooms for brothers and sisters Families sleep in more combinations than couples do, and the houses that suit them have rooms that can be shared out in different ways. Bunk beds are the obvious answer, with one rule: the warning label required on bunk beds sold in the United States says not to put children under six on the upper bunk, and an upper bunk more than 30 inches off the floor must have guardrails on both sides. Layout does the rest. Shoy’s Beach House puts five en-suite bedrooms around a courtyard, and Lloyd, who came with a family of ten in January 2026, wrote: “The kids enjoyed the pool, kayaks and playing cornhole, while the adults enjoyed relaxing on the large porch with an ocean view.” At Buck Island Views , two of the three bedrooms are detached suites, each with its own bathroom, linked to the main house by covered walkways, which suits parents with older children. At Toes in the Sand, Matt, a guest in July 2025, wrote that the room with its own outside entry suited the teenagers in his party. Art de Vivre’s São Conrado Beach View Villa in Rio has a suite with three extra single beds, which can give three children a room together. The courtyard at Shoy’s Beach House, which the bedroom suites open onto. Small things make a week with children easier. Room-darkening shades help with naps; the Beach-Access Condo on St. Croix has them in its bedrooms, along with board games. A shelf of children’s books and a box of toys for different ages earn their place, as long as any toy with a button battery has a compartment that needs a screwdriver or a coin to open, which CPSC requires. Nick, who stayed at Sea Sun Maui with children aged four and six, gave the owners “a special bonus award” for a clothes drying rack, “a little thing that makes week-long stay manageable and nearly always gets forgotten at other places we’ve stayed.” ## Stairs, slopes and what to tell families Every house has features that suit some guests and not others, and a good listing names them. For families with small children they are usually stairs, slopes and water. The Cerulean’s own website does this well. It gives “a plain description of the building”: a multi-level villa on a sloped hillside, steps between some indoor and outdoor levels, a pool deck above the sea and a stepped path down to the water. It asks anyone with particular access needs to get in touch “before booking.” In its guest cottage, the loft bed is reached only by a spiral stair, which makes it a bed for an older child or a teenager. The loft bed in The Cerulean’s cottage, reached only by a spiral stair. The steps from The Cerulean down to the shore, seen from the sea. Roads and access count too. The listing for The Buck Island Overlook , high in St. Croix’s East End, says plainly that some roads are “narrow, winding, or steep” and asks guests to drive carefully, particularly after dark. Shawn, a guest at Moko Vista in March 2026, advised a Jeep for “the gnarly road, uphill and downhill.” In Salvador, Via Avantgarde’s Penthouse Jacuzzi and Suite Colonial are in buildings with a lift, which matters to anyone carrying a sleeping child and a buggy up from the steep, cobbled streets of the old town. Lux Vidigal in Rio is a third-floor walk-up with one queen bed, and its own website says it takes up to two guests. Some rules belong at the top of a listing because they decide who can book. Art de Vivre’s Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse is in a building whose rules admit only family parties, which is worth knowing before anyone books. A week before arrival, send families one short note with the gates, the pool, the stairs and the nearest calm beach in it, and the first afternoon goes to the holiday. ### Before a family arrives - A crib or play yard set up with its own mattress and a fitted sheet, and its instructions and hardware kept with it. - A high chair made on or after June 19, 2019, with straps that work. - Gates screwed to the wall at the top of the stairs, and a word to the family on where they are. - TVs, dressers and bookcases anchored; blind cords cordless or cut short; window openings limited. - Remotes and toys with button batteries checked for screw-closed compartments. - Cleaners, detergent and medicines behind latches, and the poison control number in the manual. - The water heater at 120°F (49°C), checked at the tap. - The pool barrier closed, the doors to the pool alarmed or latched, and the Water Watcher rule by the door. - A written note on stairs, slopes, the shore and the nearest calm beach. ## Questions owners ask Q: What baby equipment should a holiday rental provide? A: A crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard that meets CPSC standards, set up with only its own mattress and a fitted sheet; a high chair made on or after June 19, 2019, with working straps; and gates that screw to the wall at the top of any stairs. Keep the instructions and every piece of hardware with the travel cot, and check CPSC's recall list before you buy. Q: Can I add an extra mattress or topper to a pack-and-play? A: No. CPSC advises against supplemental mattresses in play yards because they can leave a gap that traps a baby, and the American Academy of Pediatrics lists mattress toppers among the soft bedding to keep out of a baby's sleep area. Use only the mattress that came with the play yard, with a fitted sheet made for it. Q: What temperature should the water heater be in a rental with children? A: CPSC asks for water heaters to be set at 120°F (49°C). Its safety alert notes that most adults suffer third-degree burns in two seconds at 150°F, six seconds at 140°F and thirty seconds at 130°F, and that most scald injuries happen to older people and children under five. Check the hot tap with a candy or meat thermometer. Q: How should a holiday rental pool be made safe for young children? A: In layers. CDC recommends a fence at least four feet high that encloses the pool on all four sides and separates it from the house, with self-closing, self-latching gates. CPSC adds alarms on doors to the pool, pool covers and self-latching hardware, and asks families to name an adult Water Watcher. Say clearly in the listing what the pool has. Q: Which baby gate should go at the top of the stairs? A: A gate that screws to the wall. CPSC advises using only gates that screw to the wall at the top of stairs, never using a pet gate as a child gate, and replacing old gates with V-shaped openings that can trap a child's head. Tell families where the gates are, because a gate protects only when it is closed and latched. Q: Should furniture be anchored in a holiday rental? A: Yes. CPSC asks people to anchor TVs and heavy furniture such as dressers and bookcases to the wall, including at a vacation rental. It estimates that U.S. emergency departments treated an average of 17,800 tip-over injuries a year from 2020 to 2022, and that 44 percent of those hurt were under 18. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # Safety Basics for a Holiday Home URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/safety-basics-for-a-holiday-home/ By Julian Moss · 2026-10-08 Alarms, an extinguisher and a fire blanket, a first-aid kit, safe hot water, stairs, windows, furniture, pools and storms: what the safety agencies advise, and how it applies to a house full of guests who do not know it. In July 2021, as families began travelling again, the CPSC, the U.S. product-safety agency, published a warning aimed at vacation rental homes. Its list reads like a host’s checklist: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a fire extinguisher, two ways out of every room, furniture that cannot tip onto a child, window cords out of reach and, at the pool, a fence, a self-latching gate, an alarm on the door from the house and an adult watching. A holiday house needs that list more than most homes, because it keeps filling with people who do not know it: which stair turns in the dark, which tap runs hot, which door opens onto the pool. What follows is the advice of public safety agencies, most of them American, and of the American Red Cross, and how it applies to a rental. It is guidance, not a summary of anyone’s law. ## Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) advises smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area and on every level of the home, on the ceiling or high on a wall. Test them monthly; change replaceable batteries, including the backup batteries in hard-wired alarms, at least once a year; and replace every alarm ten years from its date of manufacture. When a smoke alarm sounds, the USFA says, you may have less than two minutes to get everyone outside. For carbon monoxide, the CPSC advises battery-operated alarms, or alarms with battery backup, on every level and outside sleeping areas, interconnected if possible, so that when one sounds, they all sound. It counts more than 200 deaths a year in the United States from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning unrelated to fire and linked to consumer products, more than 100 of them involving portable generators, and the USFA’s home checklist asks for carbon monoxide alarms less than seven years old. Fuel burns in plenty of places in the Collection: the five-burner gas ranges at Via Avantgarde’s Penthouse Jacuzzi and at Lux Vidigal , the gas grill at The Cerulean , the propane grill at Moko Vista . In a rental, the monthly test fits into the changeover: press every test button while the cleaners are in, and note the date. The Cerulean lists its smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, its fire extinguisher and its first-aid kit among its amenities, which is the right instinct. Say what is there, and show guests where it is. A smoke detector on a hotel-room ceiling. A plug-in carbon monoxide alarm with a test button. ## An extinguisher, a fire blanket and the way out Cooking is the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries, the USFA says, and in 2021 fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 170,000 home cooking fires, which caused an estimated 135 deaths. Keep a multipurpose extinguisher, labelled B-C or A-B-C, where nothing blocks the way to it. The USFA’s rule is to use one only on a small, contained fire, after everyone has been alerted and the fire department called, and with a clear way out; otherwise, leave and call from outside. The method is PASS: pull the pin, aim low at the base of the fire, squeeze the lever slowly and evenly, and sweep from side to side. Young children and older adults should not use one, the USFA adds, so show the adults in each party where it is. A fire blanket deals with a burning pan. Fire and Rescue NSW, the New South Wales fire service in Australia, advises keeping one in the kitchen but away from the stove, and using it only in the first few seconds and only if you feel confident: pull it out by the two tabs, lay it over the pan, turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, and leave it in place for at least thirty minutes. A blanket is used once, then replaced. A pan lid or a baking sheet, the USFA notes, does the same job. A fire blanket in its wall case, with the instructions printed on the front. A multipurpose powder extinguisher on a museum wall in Germany. Then write down the way out. The USFA’s escape-plan advice fits on one page: two ways out of every room, doors and windows kept clear, a map with every door and window on it, and a meeting place outside, in front of the house. In a tall building, add its instruction to take the stairs rather than the lift unless the fire department says otherwise. That matters at Art de Vivre’s Copacabana Penthouse , on the thirteenth floor, where a private lift opens straight into the apartment. ## First aid and emergency numbers The American Red Cross list for a family of four makes a sound standard for a holiday house: two absorbent compress dressings, 25 adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, a roll of adhesive cloth tape, five antibiotic ointment packets, five antiseptic wipe packets, two packets of 81 mg aspirin, an emergency blanket, a breathing barrier with a one-way valve, an instant cold compress, two pairs of non-latex gloves, two hydrocortisone ointment packets, a 3-inch gauze roll and a 4-inch roller bandage, ten sterile gauze pads in two sizes, an oral thermometer that is neither mercury nor glass, two triangular bandages, tweezers and printed first-aid instructions. Check the kit regularly, the Red Cross says, and replace anything used or out of date. In a rental, that check belongs on the changeover list, next to the alarms. An open first-aid kit: compress dressings, a foil rescue blanket and an illustrated guide. A kit is half the answer; the other half is a number to call. The territory’s tourism department tells visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands: “For emergencies in USVI, call 911.” 911 is also the number on Maui. In Brazil, it is 190 for the military police, 192 for SAMU, the emergency medical service, and 193 for the fire brigade. Put the number, the address and the nearest hospital on the page by the door; on St. Croix, Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital has 24-hour emergency services. Ready.gov recommends a first-aid and CPR course, and the CDC notes that CPR could save someone’s life in the time it takes for paramedics to arrive. An owner who lives nearby, or a manager on call, is the person to train. ## Hot water, stairs and windows The CPSC says most tap-water scald injuries and deaths happen to older people and to children under five, and urges setting water heaters to 120°F (49°C). At 150°F, most adults suffer third-degree burns in two seconds; at 140°F, in six; at 130°F, in thirty. Check the temperature at a tap with a candy or meat thermometer, consider anti-scald devices for taps and shower heads, and show guests which way is hot on unfamiliar taps, such as The Cerulean’s clawfoot tub or the outdoor shower at Toes in the Sand Beach House , and remind parents to test bath water by hand, as the CPSC advises. For falls, the CDC’s home checklist for older adults asks for handrails on both sides of every staircase and as long as the stairs, a light and a switch at the top and the bottom, steps kept clear, a night-light on the way to the bathroom, non-slip mats or strips in the tub and shower, and grab bars beside the tub and the toilet. For small children, the CPSC advises gates that screw to the wall at the top of stairs, and never a pet gate. The Cerulean, built on two levels into a hillside, keeps stair gates for families, and the loft bed in its guest cottage, reached by a spiral stair, sits behind a railing. The CPSC also advises window guards and safety netting against falls from windows, balconies, decks and landings. In 2024, an estimated 5,600 children aged 12 and under were treated in emergency departments after falling from windows; about one in three needed hospital care, and at least 25 children died in such falls between 2021 and 2023. Fit window stops so that windows open no more than four inches, never rely on a screen to hold a child, and keep furniture away from windows so that children are not tempted to climb; the same thinking applies to chairs beside a balcony railing. Houses built around their outdoor space, such as Hook 'em on Paradise , with its long balcony, or The Buck Island Overlook , with decks stepped down the hillside, deserve a slow walk round before every family arrives. The balcony at Hook 'em on Paradise runs the length of the house behind a white railing. ## Furniture, televisions and cords When furniture, televisions and appliances tip over, an estimated 17,800 people a year are injured, the CPSC says; 44 percent are children, one treated in an emergency department every 53 minutes, and children account for 71 percent of the deaths. Anchor televisions, bookcases and dressers securely to the wall. Where that is not possible, put the television on a sturdy, low base, pushed well back, with the cables out of reach; keep toys and remotes off high surfaces, where children might climb for them; and fit freestanding ranges with anti-tip brackets. Nobody else will anchor the furniture in a rental, so the owner has to. Window cords are the hidden hazard. The CPSC warns that strangulation on a window-covering cord “can happen in mere moments, even with an adult nearby”, and that the safest choice where young children stay is to go cordless. Until then, move cribs and beds away from windows and cords, shorten the pull cords, anchor looped cords to the floor or the wall, and replace any blinds sold before November 2000. Several houses in the Collection keep a travel crib for families, The Cerulean and Dragonfly Villa among them. The CPSC’s vacation-rental warning advises checking such equipment for recalls at SaferProducts.gov, keeping a baby’s sleep space free of pillows and blankets, and locking cleaning products away or keeping them out of reach. A parent of two toddlers at a Kihei condo run by the owners of Sea Sun Maui wrote, in a five-star review, that they “Had to do light child proofing (lots of decor), but that's more reflective of our toddlers than the host.” A box for the breakable decorations, kept ready for family weeks, saves the parents the job. ## Pools and the sea More children aged one to four die from drowning than from any other cause, according to the CDC. The CPSC’s latest report counts an average of 376 children under 15 who died each year from 2021 to 2023 in drownings involving a pool or spa. Of those, 77 percent were under five, and 71 percent of the deaths were in residential settings: the child’s own home, the home of a relative or friend, or a neighbour’s. For children under five, the most common circumstance, in 59 percent of reports, was a gap in adult supervision. An adult lost track of the child, and in that time the child reached the water. The CPSC’s barrier guidelines say barriers are not childproof but give layers of protection when supervision lapses. They recommend a fence at least four feet high on every side, with gates that open outward and close and latch by themselves. Where a wall of the house forms one side of the barrier, they recommend an alarm on every door to the pool area that sounds within seven seconds of the door opening, at least 85 decibels at ten feet, or else a power safety cover. The CPSC presents these as guidelines, and adds that barriers can never replace adult supervision. A removable mesh fence can enclose a pool for the weeks when families with small children stay. Supervision comes first. Pool Safely, the CPSC’s campaign, asks families to name a Water Watcher, an adult whose only job is watching the children in the water, and the CDC adds no reading, no phone and no alcohol. The CPSC’s rental advice adds a life ring or reaching pole by the pool, anti-entrapment drain covers, which guests can ask the manager to confirm, swimming lessons and CPR. Put it all on the pool page of the house manual, and show the gate and the alarm on the walk-through. A removable mesh fence around a backyard pool in Phoenix, Arizona. The shore in front of Toes in the Sand. Guests describe it as a beach for walking, not swimming. Describe the sea just as plainly. Hawaii’s Department of Health says more visitors to Hawaii drown while snorkelling than during any other activity, and advises snorkelling with a buddy and staying out of the water when conditions look dangerous; the state’s tourism authority sums it up: “If in doubt, don't go out.” Tell guests where the lifeguards are. At Sea Sun Maui, the owners note that there is none on Sugar Beach, across the road, while the County of Maui’s Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III have lifeguards on duty. At The Cerulean the entry over the reef is rocky and calls for water shoes. At Toes in the Sand, a June guest wrote: “We didn’t have small children but for anyone who does, this beach is not really swimmable due to rockiness and intense waves”. ## Storms and power cuts NOAA’s National Hurricane Center gives the Atlantic hurricane season as June 1 to November 30, with most activity from mid-August to mid-October, and the central Pacific season around Hawaii has the same dates. Ready.gov advises knowing the evacuation zone and the route out, keeping supplies, clearing drains and gutters, bringing in the outdoor furniture and considering hurricane shutters; leaving at once if local officials order an evacuation; and sheltering in an interior room in high winds. For a rental, that becomes a storm page in the house manual: who decides when guests should leave, who closes the shutters, which room to use in high winds, what the manager will do, and where every lounger and rocking chair goes. SP Vacations, which manages the St. Croix houses in this guide, includes hurricane preparation in its care of the homes and tells guests it watches forecasts with them. Storm shutters closed over a beach house in Galveston, Texas, photographed by FEMA after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Storms often bring power cuts, so say in the manual what happens in yours. The Cerulean has solar batteries and a whole-house backup generator; Dragonfly Villa and Moko Vista have solar power with battery backup. If anyone might run a portable generator, the CPSC is unequivocal: never inside a home or garage, even with the doors and windows open, and outside only at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointing away. Keep torches and spare batteries in a drawer the manual names. ### The safety round, between stays - Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and note each one’s date of manufacture. - Check the extinguisher’s gauge and the fire blanket; restock the first-aid kit against the Red Cross list. - Once a season, check the hot water at a tap: 120°F (49°C). - Before a family arrives: stair gates, window stops, railings, anchored furniture, cords and the travel crib. - At the pool: the fence, the self-closing gate, the door alarms, the life ring and the drain covers. - In hurricane season: the storm page, a place for the outdoor furniture, generators outdoors only. Most of this takes an afternoon to set up. The rest is a habit: the same round at every changeover, written down. ## Questions owners ask Q: Where should smoke alarms go in a holiday rental? A: The U.S. Fire Administration advises smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area and on every level of the home, on the ceiling or high on a wall. Test them monthly, which in a rental fits into the changeover, change replaceable batteries at least once a year, and replace every alarm ten years from its date of manufacture. Q: Should a holiday rental have carbon monoxide alarms? A: Yes. The CPSC advises carbon monoxide alarms, battery-operated or with battery backup, on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, and says interconnected alarms are best. The USFA’s home checklist asks for alarms less than seven years old. Gas ranges, gas grills and generators are all reasons to check them at every changeover. Q: What should a first-aid kit for a rental contain? A: The American Red Cross list for a family of four makes a good standard: compress dressings, assorted adhesive bandages, tape, antibiotic and hydrocortisone ointment, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, an emergency blanket, a breathing barrier, an instant cold compress, gloves, gauze pads and rolls, a thermometer, triangular bandages, tweezers and printed instructions. Check the expiry dates and restock whatever was used. Q: What temperature should the water heater be set to? A: The CPSC urges 120°F (49°C). At 150°F most adults suffer third-degree burns in two seconds, at 140°F in six and at 130°F in thirty. Check the temperature with a candy or meat thermometer under a tap, consider anti-scald devices for taps and shower heads, and remind guests with small children to test bath water by hand. Q: How can I make a pool safer for families with small children? A: Follow the CPSC’s barrier guidelines: a fence at least four feet high on every side, gates that open outward and close and latch by themselves, and alarms on the doors from the house to the pool, or a power safety cover. Keep a life ring or reaching pole by the water, and ask families to name an adult Water Watcher with no phone in hand. Q: How should I prepare a rental for hurricane season? A: Know the dates: June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic and in the central Pacific. Write a storm page for the manual saying who decides when guests leave, who closes the shutters, which interior room to use and what the manager will do; plan where the outdoor furniture goes; and never run a portable generator indoors or within 20 feet of the house. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # How to Write a House Manual URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/how-to-write-a-house-manual/ By Vivienne Hartwell · 2026-10-08 One page by the door for the first hour and for emergencies, then a full manual for everything else: rooms, appliances, the pool, Wi-Fi, rubbish and the neighbourhood, written plainly, photographed where it helps and kept up to date. The questions guests ask at eleven at night are practical ones. Where is the breaker panel? Why has the shower gone cold? What is the Wi-Fi password? A house manual answers them before anyone has to ring the manager, and a good one comes in two parts: a single page by the front door with what guests need in the first hour and in an emergency, and a fuller manual, printed in the house and sent before arrival, for everything else. Write both as if for a friend who has never been to the house and arrives tired. Use the names printed on the buttons, put the steps in the order a person does them, and keep each task to its own paragraph. Then test the manual on someone who has never stayed there, and rewrite whatever they get stuck on. ## The page by the door This is the page that gets read, so keep it to one side of paper, in large type, by the door or on the kitchen counter. Start with the address, written the way a stranger would find it at night, with the landmark. Shoy's Beach House , for instance, is reached through the Estate Shoys guard gate beside The Buccaneer, and that is what a taxi driver or an ambulance crew needs to hear. The U.S. Fire Administration’s advice is simpler still: make sure first responders can see your house number from the road. Next, the emergency number, written large. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, the territory’s tourism department tells visitors plainly: “For emergencies in USVI, call 911.” In Brazil, the national codes are 190 for the military police, 192 for SAMU, the emergency medical service, and 193 for the fire brigade, according to Anatel, the country’s telecoms authority. Add the nearest hospital. On St. Croix that is Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital, which offers 24-hour emergency services. Then the name of the person to call and a number that answers at night, with a line on what counts as urgent. Below that: the Wi-Fi name and password, the check-out time (10 am at The Cerulean , for example), and the way out. The U.S. Fire Administration advises finding two ways out of every room, drawing a map of the home with all its doors and windows, and choosing a meeting place outside, in front of the house. A small floor plan with the exits marked does all three. Finish with the one or two things that are different about this house, the ones a guest would not guess. At Bananaquit Bungalow , which runs on solar power, it is the request to go easy on power and water. At Toes in the Sand Beach House , it is that the beach is for walking, not swimming. At Shoy's, it is the manchineel trees along the beach. At The Cerulean, it is water shoes for the reef. ## Rooms and appliances Go through the house in the order a guest walks it, and in each room cover only what someone could get wrong. At Hook 'em on Paradise , on St. Croix’s north shore, each bedroom has its own air conditioner and television, so the manual should say which remote belongs to which room, and how to set up the telescope that stands by the living-room glass. In a well-equipped kitchen, a list saves guests from opening every cupboard. Dragonfly Villa ’s listing names its kit: All-Clad and cast-iron pans, a Vitamix blender, a Dutch oven, a pizza stone, an Instant Pot and a waffle maker. A manual can say where each one lives. At The Cerulean, the pages that matter are the Thor range, the ice maker, the dishwasher, and the washer and dryer in the main house and the cottage. At Vista Elevador & Mar in Salvador, it is the projector and the screen. Dragonfly Villa’s kitchen. Its listing names the equipment, from the Vitamix to the waffle maker, and a manual can say where each piece is kept. Instructions matter most where a house works differently from the guest’s own. Bananaquit Bungalow is fully off the grid, on solar panels, batteries and rainwater cisterns, and its listing explains what that means without fuss: “Excessive use of air conditioning, laundry appliances, or other high-energy equipment—especially after sunset or during cloudy weather—can drain the batteries and cause a temporary power outage.” If the batteries run down, the power may not return until the sun has recharged them, and in dry spells guests are asked to take shorter showers and turn the tap off while brushing their teeth. That is a model paragraph for any manual: what happens, why it happens, and what to do. Water deserves the same treatment. At Toes in the Sand, a guest noted that “The house is on cistern water like many in St. Croix.” If your house is the same, say what that means for showers and laundry, and who to call if the pressure drops. Bananaquit Bungalow runs on the solar panels on its roof, batteries and rainwater, and its listing explains in plain words how to live with that. ## Photographs of switches and controls A photograph does what a paragraph cannot. Photograph the breaker panel with every circuit labelled, the main water valve, the gas shut-off if there is one, each air-conditioning remote, the pool and spa controls, the gate opener and anything outside that is switched on and off. At The Cerulean, that includes the pergola over the pool deck, whose louvres are motorised, and the fire table beneath it. Take each picture close enough to read the labels, one control to a photograph, in daylight. Mark the switch with an arrow in the digital copy, and put the picture beside the words rather than in an appendix. Ready.gov’s advice for households applies to guests too: know where the main water valve is and tag it; to cut the electricity, switch off the individual circuits before the main one; and never practise by turning the gas off, and leave turning it back on to a qualified professional. Retake the photographs whenever something is replaced. A breaker panel with every circuit labelled by hand. Photograph yours in the same state. ## The pool, the garden and the shore Outside, the manual should say how the pool gate closes and latches, where the switch for any pool or door alarm is, where the life ring hangs, and how to light and turn off the grill and any fire table. The Cerulean has a gas grill in its outdoor kitchen and a fire table in the covered lounge; Moko Vista has a propane grill on its patio; Shoy's has a flat-top grill. Each needs three lines: how to turn it on, how to turn it off, and where the gas is shut off. The garden needs a page if guests may pick from it or must avoid something in it. The Cerulean’s owners invite guests to pick from the fruit trees: guava, papaya, figs, bananas, lemon, lime and passion fruit. At Shoy's Beach House, a guest noted that “Many fruit trees and flowering plants are identified on the property”, and passed on a warning to stay clear of the manchineel trees along the beach and the east property line, whose sap and fruit are toxic. A warning like that belongs on the page by the door as well. The pergola at The Cerulean has motorised louvres, and the lounge beneath it a fire table: two things a manual should explain. Describe the water as it is. At The Cerulean, the snorkelling starts at the shore in shallow water inside the reef, and the entry is rocky, so water shoes go on the list. At Toes in the Sand, a guest wrote that the “Beach is accessible but not swimmable due to rocks and coral formations”, and the pool is the place to swim. At Sea Sun Maui , the owners’ own guide says there is no lifeguard on Sugar Beach, across the road, and that the water is calmest from sunrise to about 10 am; the County of Maui’s Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III, a short drive away, have lifeguards on duty. That is the kind of detail a manual exists for. ## Wi-Fi, rubbish and check-out Put the Wi-Fi name and password on the page by the door, on a card by the router and in the arrival message, and say where the router is and what to do if the connection drops. If the house has no mobile signal, say so. At Moko Vista, a guest found Wi-Fi in the house but no mobile network “unless you drive 2 mi away to the west”, which is worth knowing before anyone plans a call. Moko Vista on its East End hilltop. A guest found Wi-Fi at the house but no mobile signal, which belongs in the manual. Rubbish needs a page of its own: where the bins are, which bin takes what, and when they are emptied or where to take them. A family at a St. Croix condo listed it among the things that made their week easy: “Easy to find trash and recycling bins for the condos.” Laundry needs the same treatment, with a photograph of the machine’s dial. Keep the check-out page short. Give the time, then the few things you want done: dishes in the dishwasher, used towels in one place, the air-conditioning off, the windows shut, the doors locked and the keys back where they came from. A long list of chores reads like a charge sheet. ## Emergencies and the neighbourhood Put the emergency pages at the front of the full manual, each with one instruction at the top. If a smoke alarm sounds, get everyone out and call from outside; the U.S. Fire Administration warns that you may have less than two minutes to get everyone out. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, treat it the way the CPSC, the U.S. product-safety agency, treats suspected poisoning: get outside to fresh air immediately, then call for help. If guests smell gas, Ready.gov says to open a window and get everyone out quickly, and to call the gas company from a neighbour’s house. Say what happens in a power cut, because houses differ. The Cerulean has grid power, solar panels, batteries and a whole-house backup generator. Dragonfly Villa and Moko Vista have solar power with battery backup. At Bananaquit Bungalow, the power comes back when the sun recharges the batteries. Say where the torches are. For storms, say what the manager will do and when; SP Vacations, which manages all the St. Croix houses in this guide, tells guests it watches forecasts with them in hurricane season. Ready.gov’s advice for high winds is a designated shelter or an interior room, and the manual should name the room. The neighbourhood pages should cover the nearest supermarket and pharmacy, the hospital, what is within walking distance and how to get a taxi. On St. Croix there is no Uber or Lyft, as SP Vacations tells its guests, and a car does most of the work. At Toes in the Sand, Kenneth found a dinner within walking distance: “I highly recommend visiting Blues backyard BBQ which you walk to if you wish.” At Sea Sun Maui, Nick, who came with two young children, wrote that “you will need to drive to do anything (e.g. shopping, coffee, activities).” In Salvador’s upper town, around the Via Avantgarde suites such as the Penthouse Jacuzzi , everything nearby is reachable on foot, from the Pelourinho to the Lacerda Elevator. Write the page for the place you have. A manchineel warning sign in Arikok National Park, Aruba. A guest at Shoy's Beach House on St. Croix passed on the same advice about the trees along its beach: stay clear. ## Print, digital and up to date Keep two copies that say exactly the same thing: a printed manual in the house, in a binder where guests will find it, and a digital copy sent with the arrival details. Each fails in its own way. The digital copy fails when the signal does. One guest at a St. Croix condo found that the codes for the complex gate, the lockbox and the door came in an emailed guest book “which you either need to download or have strong enough internet access in order to find”. Put the codes in the arrival message itself, and on paper in the house. The printed copy fails when it goes out of date. Another St. Croix guest, in a five-star review, mentioned “some variation in instructions in the book at the house and on line”. The cure is one master document with a date on every page, changed on the day anything in the house changes: a new router, a new lock code, a new coffee machine. Give one person the job, whether owner or manager, and ask the cleaners to report anything that has moved or broken. Once a season, walk the house with the manual in hand and do exactly what it says, step by step. Where a step does not work, the manual is wrong, and the guest who finds that out will be standing in the dark. ### What goes in the manual - By the door: the address and a landmark, the emergency number, the nearest hospital, who to call, the Wi-Fi, check-out time, the way out. - One or two lines on what is different about this house. - Room by room: each appliance as it is labelled, with a photograph of its controls. - Photographs: breaker panel, water valve, gas shut-off, remotes, pool and outdoor controls. - Outside: pool gate and alarms, life ring, grill and fire table, what may be picked, what must not be touched, what the water is like. - Rubbish, laundry and a short check-out list. - Emergency pages first: smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, gas, power cut, storms. - The neighbourhood: shops, pharmacy, hospital, what is walkable, taxis. - Print and digital identical, dated, changed the day the house changes. A manual is finished when a stranger can run the house from it, at night, without ringing anyone. ## Questions owners ask Q: What should a vacation rental house manual include? A: Start with one page by the door: the address with a landmark, the local emergency number, the nearest hospital, who to call, the Wi-Fi details, the check-out time and the way out. Then a full manual, room by room: the appliances, the pool and grill, rubbish, laundry, check-out, the emergency pages and the neighbourhood, with photographs of the switches and controls. Q: Should a house manual be printed or digital? A: Both, saying exactly the same thing. Keep a printed copy in the house and send a digital copy with the arrival details. Never put the door or gate codes only inside a download that needs a strong signal; repeat them in the arrival message and on paper. Q: Where should the Wi-Fi password go? A: On the page by the door, on a card by the router and in the arrival message, with a line on where the router is and what to do if the connection drops. If the house has no mobile signal, say so in the same places. Q: How often should I update a house manual? A: On the day anything in the house changes, whether a new router, a new lock code or a new appliance. Date every page, give one person the job, and once a season walk the house with the manual in hand, following it step by step. Q: What emergency information belongs in a house manual? A: The local emergency number written large, the address with a landmark, the nearest hospital, two ways out of each room and a meeting place outside, and one-line instructions for a smoke alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm, a smell of gas, a power cut and a storm, with the places of the water valve, the breaker panel, the extinguisher and the first-aid kit. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # How to Photograph Your Home for Guests URL: https://amorielli.com/hosting/how-to-photograph-your-home-for-guests/ By Elio Marchetti · 2026-10-08 Guests choose a house from its photographs and arrive expecting to walk into them. How to photograph a villa or beach house well and accurately: the lens, the light, the order of the set, straight walls, captions and when to reshoot. Guests choose a house from its photographs and then arrive expecting to walk into them. When the house matches, they say so. Brent, a guest at Sea Sun Maui in April 2026, wrote that “everything looks exactly like the photographs,” and Aj, who stayed at Lux Vidigal in Rio in January 2026, wrote: “The space looks exactly as the photos present.” When it does not, a good house starts the week with a disappointed guest. This guide covers how to photograph a remarkable home well and accurately, from the choice of lens to the licence you agree with a photographer. The examples are photographs that owners of houses in Amorielli’s Collection have published of their own homes, starting with the dining room of Buck Island Views on St. Croix at the top of this page. ## Photograph what is there Start with the lens. The shorter the focal length, the wider the view, which is why wide lenses are the usual choice for interiors and tight spaces. Used too wide, though, a lens stretches the floor in front of the camera, pushes the far wall away and makes a room read larger than it is. Use the ordinary lens wherever the room allows, stand in a corner or a doorway at about chest height, and keep the widest setting on a camera or phone for the small rooms that cannot be shown any other way. The test is simple: stand where the camera stood and compare the screen with what your eyes see. Then photograph the things guests will find, including the ones that would never go in a brochure. If a neighbour’s roof is in the view from the terrace, a guest will see it. If the water in front of the house is rock and reef, show it. Toes in the Sand Beach House on St. Croix includes a photograph of its own shoreline, with the reef shelf at the waterline and the surf beyond, which is what guests describe in their reviews. The aerial photograph of Hook ’em on Paradise , in the Judith’s Fancy neighbourhood of St. Croix, shows the villa with its parking area, its neighbours and the bay beyond. Toes in the Sand shows its shore as it is: a reef shelf at the waterline and surf beyond. Hook ’em on Paradise from the air, with the parking, the neighbours and the bay in the frame. Guests who book after seeing pictures like those know what they are getting, and they write about it afterwards. Scott, a guest at Toes in the Sand in April 2026, wrote: “The home was beautiful and came as advertised. Everything was in working order with no unpleasant surprises.” Edits should fix the light and the colour and leave the content alone. Brightening a room, straightening a horizon and correcting a colour cast are part of the craft. Removing a power line, replacing a grey sky with a blue one, adding furniture that is not in the house or improving the view is misleading, and so is a rendering presented as a photograph. Each one gives a guest a house that will not be there when they arrive. ## Daylight and the time of day Interiors photograph best in daylight with the lamps on: the windows bright, the room evenly lit, and the lamps adding warmth to the corners. Shoot on a clear day, open every curtain and shutter, turn on every lamp and switch off the ceiling fans so that their blades do not blur. A view seen through a window needs the room behind it to be bright enough to hold, which usually means photographing towards the windows when the sun is not shining straight into them. The outside has its own hours. Photograph each side of the house when the sun is on it. The Cerulean faces east over the sea, so its veranda is at its best at first light, and that is when its owners’ photographer caught it. A house on St. Croix’s West End, like Sunset Sea-Clusion , has the sunset in front of it instead. The end of the day, with the pool lit and the terrace lamps on, gives the picture most owners want of the pool deck. Keep it as one picture among several. The set should also show the house at midday, because that is the house guests will spend most of their time in. The Cerulean faces east, so its photographer took the veranda at first light. ## The order of the set A guest reads a set of photographs the way they would walk through the house, so put the pictures in that order. Start with the view, because in a house on the sea or on a hill it is the reason to book, and take it from where a guest will stand. The Cerulean’s view is photographed through the arches of its veranda, balustrade and all. The view at The Cerulean, taken from where a guest stands on the veranda. Then the living room, from its corners, so a guest can see how it joins the kitchen and the terrace. Then every bedroom, one by one, each with the whole bed in the frame and a caption that gives the size of the bed and the bathroom it uses. Then every bathroom, showing whether it has a tub, a walk-in shower or both, which matters to parents bathing a baby and to older guests. Then the kitchen and the dining table, then the outside: the pool, the terraces, the shore and the paths between them. A bedroom at Buck Island Views, with the bed, the windows and the doors to the outside in one frame. Between the rooms, a few close-ups earn their place: the coffee machine, the shower controls, the shelf of books, the beach gear, the travel cot set up and ready. Each one answers a practical question that a wide shot leaves open, and they take minutes to make on the day of the shoot. End with the practical pictures that most sets leave out: the drive and the parking, the front door, the steps from the car, the stairs inside and the laundry. They answer the questions that families and older guests ask before they book, and they save a guest from arriving with the wrong car or too much luggage. ## Straight walls and tidy rooms Leaning walls make a well-kept room look careless. They come from tilting the camera: point it upwards to fit in a high ceiling and the vertical lines lean towards each other, the effect Nikon’s guide to perspective-control lenses calls keystoning. Professionals avoid it with lenses that shift instead of tilting, so that the camera stays level and, as Nikon puts it, parallel lines stay parallel. A phone can get most of the way there. On an iPhone, turning on Grid and Level in the camera settings puts guides on the screen, and the Photos app can adjust vertical and horizontal perspective afterwards. Keep the camera level at about chest height, and let the top of the ceiling leave the frame rather than tilting up for it. The dining room at Buck Island Views at the top of this page shows the result: taken level and straight on, with every door frame vertical. A tidy room is one that is ready for a guest. Make the beds properly, clear the counters of everything except what a guest will use, hide the bins, cables, chargers, toiletries and family photographs, and move the cars out of the drive. Leave in the picture the things that are part of the stay: the coffee machine, the books, the board games, the high chair if there is one. The Cerulean’s photograph of its dining table shows it laid for a meal with a child’s high chair nearby, which tells a family more than a line in the amenities list. Some things stay out of every frame. Door codes, keypads, alarm panels, keys, the house number and the inside of a lockbox do not belong in pictures that anyone can see. Nor do guests or staff, unless they have agreed to it; a house photographed empty also lets every guest picture their own party in it. ## Captions that say what each room is Captions turn a set of pictures into a plan a guest can follow. Say what the room is, where it is and what it connects to: bedroom three, upstairs, with a king bed and its own bathroom. Say what the picture cannot show. Buck Island Views explains in its listing that two of its three bedrooms are detached suites, linked to the main house by covered walkways, and a caption under each bedroom can say the same. A photograph of a bathroom at Dragonfly Villa , taken from the corner, shows the open shower and the doorway through to its bedroom in one frame; the caption only has to name the bedroom. One frame at Dragonfly Villa shows the open shower and the bedroom it serves. Captions also carry the warnings that a good photograph cannot. Amorielli’s own caption for the loft bed in The Cerulean’s guest cottage says it is for a child old enough for the spiral stair, or a teenager. On a website, write alt text for every photograph as well, describing what is in the frame, for guests who use screen readers. ## Keeping the set current Photographs go out of date quietly. A new sofa, a repainted wall, a remodelled bathroom, a tree that has grown across the view or been taken down, a new building next door: any change a guest would notice is a reason to reshoot that room. When a house has been renovated, show it renovated and say so. Sunset Sea-Clusion, on St. Croix’s West End, tells guests in its listing that the interior is newly remodelled and refurnished. The Cerulean’s owners spent six months with a landscape designer planning and building its outdoor spaces, and Timothy, a guest in February 2026, found the house “Completely renovated inside and out.” At Sea Sun Maui, Raul wrote in January 2024 that the condo “matches all photos, is tastefully renovated, clutter-free, and comfortable.” The living room at Sunset Sea-Clusion, which its listing describes as newly remodelled. Take down the photographs of anything that has gone, and add the new things as they arrive. Keep the date of each shoot in your own records, and look at the whole set with fresh eyes once a year. ## Working with a photographer A professional interiors photographer brings what a phone cannot: lenses that keep the walls straight, lights that balance a bright window against a darker room, a drone for the aerial, and the patience to wait for the light. The Cerulean’s owners thank their photographer, Blake Floyd Gardner Photography, by name on the villa’s own website. Give the photographer the shot list and the order above, walk the house together first, and agree the times of day before the shoot. Then agree the licence in writing. Under U.S. law, as the U.S. Copyright Office explains, the copyright in a photograph belongs at first to the person who made it, owning a copy of the file does not transfer it, and a transfer of ownership generally has to be in writing and signed. What an owner usually gets is a licence to use the pictures, so the agreement should say where: the house’s own website, its listings, social media, the press and print. Ask whether it covers drone footage and video, and how the photographer would like to be credited. Some owners add a 3D walk-through as well. The Cerulean’s website carries two 3D scans of the property, and Sunset Oasis links a 3D walk-through of the condo from its listing. A family deciding whether the walk from the main house to a guest cottage suits a grandparent can then answer the question for themselves. The reward for all this is a guest who arrives and recognises the house. Hayley, a guest at Sea Sun Maui in January 2025, wrote that it “looked even better than the pictures (somehow).” That is the review to aim for. ### The shot list - The view, from where a guest will stand. - The living room from its corners, lamps on and fans off. - Every bedroom, with the whole bed in the frame and a caption naming its bathroom. - Every bathroom, showing the tub, the shower or both. - The kitchen and the dining table. - The pool, the terraces and the shore, as they are. - The drive, the parking, the front door and the stairs. - One set at midday, and a few frames at the end of the day. - A caption and alt text for every photograph, and a date for every shoot. ## Questions owners ask Q: Should I hire a professional photographer for my holiday home? A: For the main set of a large or unusual house, yes. A professional brings lenses that keep walls straight, lighting that balances bright windows against darker rooms, and a drone for the aerial. Agree the licence in writing: under U.S. law the copyright belongs to the photographer unless the photographer is your employee or transfers it in a signed writing, so say where you will use the pictures. Q: What time of day is best for photographing a holiday home? A: Interiors in daylight, with every lamp on and the curtains open. Outside, photograph each side of the house when the sun is on it: an east-facing terrace in the morning, a west-facing one in the afternoon. The end of the day, with the pool and terrace lit, makes a good picture, but keep it as one of several, because guests also need to see the house at midday. Q: How do I stop walls looking tilted in interior photos? A: Keep the camera level instead of tilting it up to fit in the ceiling. Tilting makes vertical lines lean towards each other, the effect Nikon describes as keystoning. On an iPhone, turn on Grid and Level in the camera settings, and use the Photos app afterwards to adjust vertical and horizontal perspective. Professionals use shift lenses that keep the camera parallel to the walls. Q: Which photographs should a holiday rental set include? A: The view, the living room, every bedroom, every bathroom, the kitchen and dining table, and the outside: pool, terraces and shore. Then the practical pictures most sets leave out, such as the drive, the parking, the front door and the stairs. Give every photograph a caption that says what the room is and where it sits. Q: Can I edit the photographs of my rental? A: Edit the light and the colour and leave the content alone. Brightening a room, straightening a horizon and correcting a colour cast are normal. Removing a power line, replacing the sky, adding furniture or changing the view gives guests a house they will not find when they arrive. Q: How often should I update the photographs? A: Whenever something changes that a guest would notice: new furniture, a remodelled room, a new building in the view, a tree grown or gone. Remove photographs of anything that has gone. Otherwise look at the whole set with fresh eyes once a year and reshoot whatever no longer matches the house. A note on this guide: Amorielli's publisher works with some of the owners whose homes appear here on their marketing. The examples come from the properties' own descriptions and photographs, and from their guests' published reviews, quoted as written. ======================================================================== # The Cerulean — East End, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/the-cerulean/ Book: https://theceruleanstcroix.com/ A five-bedroom villa on the shore of St. Croix's quiet East End, with an arched veranda over the water, a private pool deck, a guest cottage of its own, and the sunrise coming up over the Caribbean. The Cerulean is a five-bedroom villa on the oceanfront at the eastern end of St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, reached by a gated private driveway. It is a pale yellow house on two floors, with an arched veranda running along the sea side, a pool deck above the water, and a guest cottage a few steps away. It sleeps twelve, it faces the sunrise, and it is the house we would send a group to first on this island. The view through the veranda arches: reef-patterned turquoise water and the hills of the East End. ## The space The main house holds four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and three of them look straight out at the sea. The living room sits under a vaulted ceiling of white beams and dark wood, with a long blue sectional and French doors onto the veranda. The kitchen beside it is large, white and blue, with a long island and a window over the water; a February guest called it "the best stocked kitchen we've ever had in a rented house." One bathroom has a freestanding clawfoot tub. The living room, under a vaulted ceiling of white beams and dark wood boards. The kitchen, with a long blue island and a window onto the water. The guest cottage is "just 20 steps away from the main home," as a guest who stayed two months put it, and works as a small house of its own: a kitchen, a living room, one bedroom, and a spiral stair up to a loft with the sixth bed. It comes with the villa and is not rented separately, so the whole property is yours. The guest cottage: its own kitchen, and a spiral stair up to the loft with the sixth bed. Outside, the veranda arches frame the bay. Below them the pool deck holds a free-form pool, a row of loungers, a pergola over an outdoor kitchen and grill, a covered lounge set around a fire table, and a fire pit among the planters. It is the part of the house guests write about most. "High point is the pool deck area," one wrote; another said the beachfront area "was perfect to sit and listen to the waves." The pool deck after dark, the pergola sheltering the outdoor kitchen and grill. The covered lounge on the pool deck, set around a fire table. ## The setting The East End is the sunny, quiet end of St. Croix: low coastal hills and a coast of headlands and small bays. The nearest landmarks are Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States, and Jack and Isaac Bays, two undeveloped beaches inside a Nature Conservancy preserve that you reach on foot. An April guest put the drive to the trailhead at five minutes, and Christiansted, the old Danish harbour town with Fort Christiansvaern, the boardwalk and most of the island's restaurants, at under twenty. The Reef golf course at Teague Bay is close by. In front of the house the water is shallow and sheltered by reef. The same guest described "amazing snorkeling right in front of the house in the shallow water protected by the reef," and added the practical note: "Rocky entrance but water shoes do the trick." One of the four en-suite bedrooms in the main house. ## Who it suits The Cerulean is laid out for more than one family travelling together: four en-suite rooms in the main house for couples and parents, and the cottage for grandparents, teenagers or anyone who wants their own door. Guests have also used it as one family with a great deal of room, and one guest stayed two months while on the island for a work project. It suits people who plan to spend their days at the house, by the pool and on the deck. It is less suited to anyone who wants to walk out to dinner; this is a drive-everywhere corner of the island, the listing recommends a car, and St. Croix drives on the left. A clawfoot tub in one of the main-house bathrooms. ### Good to know Five bedrooms and five baths across the main house and the cottage; sleeps twelve. The pool, deck, outdoor kitchen and fire pit are private to the villa. On arrival the villa managers guide guests in and give a full tour of the house, and provisioning, a private chef, a bartender, a butler and housekeeping can be arranged on request. The listing marks the house suitable for children and infants, with a high chair, a travel crib and stair gates. The villa is managed by Sterling Point Real Estate, who take the bookings; live dates are on The Cerulean's own site. ======================================================================== # Copacabana Penthouse — Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/adv-copacabana/ Book: https://www.artdevivre.com.br/property/adv-001-copacabana-penthouse.html A thirteenth-floor duplex on Copacabana's beachfront: five suites, a marble staircase, and one of the neighbourhood's largest private pools on the roof. The Copacabana Penthouse occupies the top two floors of a beachfront building on Avenida Atlântica, directly over the sand in Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana. It is part of Art de Vivre's Rio portfolio, and it's booked directly through the agency rather than a listing marketplace. The honest reason to stay here is the roof. The apartment below is generous on its own terms, but what sets the address apart is a private pool that size, on a building that close to the beach, with Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf both visible from the same run of tile. ## The space The duplex runs to 848 square metres over two floors, with five suites and seven bathrooms between them. The presidential suite takes the top floor to itself: a black marble bathroom, a jacuzzi, and windows that run the length of the room toward the beach. Downstairs, four further suites carry their own names — Bahia, Samba, Carnaval, Ipanema — each with a private bath. The shared rooms sit downstairs too, arranged around the marble staircase that connects both floors. The dining table seats twelve beneath it, and past it a beachfront living room opens onto Copacabana through a run of windows. A private lift opens directly into the apartment, and there is a concierge on the door around the clock. The dining table seats twelve, beneath the marble staircase that connects the penthouse's two floors. ## The setting Copacabana's beach runs for about four kilometres in a single arc, from Leme and Sugarloaf at one end toward Arpoador at the other, and this building sits directly on that curve. The neighbourhood is dense and international — long-settled cariocas, retirees, and a deep base of foreign-owned apartments — with three metro stations on Line 1 covering the length of the beach and buses running along Atlântica and the streets behind it. Rio's international airport is about 25 minutes away by the Linha Amarela expressway outside peak traffic. Sugarloaf's cable car is a short taxi ride from Copacabana, and the beachfront promenade runs the full four kilometres of sand, past the Forte de Copacabana and the Sunday antiques stalls of the Feira do Lido. The roof looks toward Christ the Redeemer and the hills behind the city as directly as it looks at the sea. ## Who it suits This suits a group that wants one address rather than a block of hotel rooms — five separate en-suite bedrooms mean everyone gets their own door and bathroom, with the pool and the dining table as the parts everyone shares. It suits travellers who want to be directly on the sand, in a beach neighbourhood that is dense, international, and still full-time residential rather than a resort strip. It is less suited to a couple after something small and quiet — the apartment is built for a full house, not a weekend for two. ### Good to know The penthouse sleeps up to ten across five en-suite bedrooms, with a three-night minimum stay. A housekeeper prepares breakfast and cleans daily; food and drink are on guests. Stays are booked directly through Art de Vivre, which confirms dates before anything is finalised — there is no instant online checkout. ======================================================================== # Sedona Pickler — West Sedona, Arizona URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/sedona-pickler/ Book: https://sedonapickler.com/ A four-bedroom home in West Sedona built around a private, regulation-size indoor pickleball court — heated, air-conditioned and playable in any season. Sedona Pickler sits on the quieter western edge of Sedona, in high-desert country minutes from the red-rock trailheads, but the detail worth noting is behind the walls: a private, regulation-size pickleball court built indoors, playable in any weather and at any hour. The four-bedroom home sleeps eight and rents as a whole-house stay, mostly to families, pickleball clubs travelling together, and groups who would rather have a court to themselves than share a public one on a schedule. The court is the reason most guests book it, but the house around it — a single-storey home with a covered deck, a fire pit, and a pair of outdoor tubs — holds its own. ## The space The house is a single-storey stucco home on a desert lot, with four bedrooms and two bathrooms sleeping eight guests across five beds. Two bedrooms have king beds, one of them ensuite; a third has a queen. The fourth is a bunk room set up as a game room, with twin-over-twin bunks, a foosball table, and a media lounge. The shared spaces are built for a full group: an open great room, a kitchen with bar seating and a full run of appliances, and both an indoor dining table and a covered outdoor one for meals on the deck. There is a fire pit outside and two freestanding soaking tubs on the back deck, with unlimited hot water — no pool, but a warm soak under a Sedona sky. The court is the reason the house exists as a rental in the first place. It is a regulation-size indoor pickleball court, heated for winter mornings and air-conditioned against the summer heat, fully lit so a game works at 6am or 10pm alike. Because it is enclosed rather than fenced, the sound stays inside the building — the house's own website pitches it as the answer to the noise complaints that have closed outdoor courts elsewhere in Arizona. Paddles and balls are supplied, so a group can walk in and start playing without bringing any gear of its own. The court is regulation-size and fully enclosed, heated and air-conditioned — paddles and balls are supplied. ## The setting The house sits in West Sedona, on the quieter western side of town, within a short drive of the red-rock trailheads that draw most visitors here — Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and the Airport Mesa Loop among the closer ones, with longer hikes like Devil's Bridge and Boynton Canyon a bit further out. It works as a base whether the plan is an early scramble up Cathedral Rock or a slower morning followed by a drive along the Red Rock Scenic Byway. Uptown Sedona's restaurants and galleries, along with the Tlaquepaque arts village, are a short drive from the house. As with most private rentals in the area, the exact address is released once a booking is confirmed rather than published outright. The living room looks out over the high desert west of town, with a mesa on the horizon. ## Who it suits This is a house for groups, not a quiet couple's weekend. The listing is built around families, pickleball clubs travelling together, and friends who would rather have the court to themselves than book into hourly slots at a public one. It suits a family reunion with kids who need somewhere to burn off energy, or a club bringing eight players who want to play at 9pm without waiting on a public court to free up. It is a harder fit for a quiet couple's trip — the house sets a minimum age of 25 to book and does not allow parties — but at its core this is a group home built around a court that comes with the house, not an afterthought down the hall. ### Good to know Sleeps eight across four bedrooms — two king (one ensuite), one queen, and a bunk room. Book direct at the property's own site. ======================================================================== # Penthouse Jacuzzi — Cidade Alta, Salvador URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/via-avantgarde/ Book: https://viaavantgarde.com/penthouse-jacuzzi/ Via Avantgarde's loft beside the Lacerda Elevator in Salvador's upper town: a bamboo ceiling, Bahian antiques, a gourmet kitchen and a soaking tub for the end of the day. The Penthouse Jacuzzi is the flagship of Via Avantgarde, a small group of four design-led suites in the Cidade Alta, the historic upper town of Salvador da Bahia. It is a loft at the top of a building with a lift, a short walk from the Lacerda Elevator, and it sleeps two. Via Avantgarde describes the look as bohemian: a bamboo-slatted ceiling, theatrical lighting, and antiques collected across Bahia, some of them more than a century old. The kitchen, with granite counters and a five-burner gas range. ## The space The loft is one open room arranged around its centrepiece, a soaking tub, set where you can see out over the city from it. The bed is a queen with an orthopaedic mattress. The kitchen is properly equipped for cooking, with Brazilian granite counters, a five-burner gas range, a microwave, a toaster, a blender and a drip coffee maker, and there is a dining table. There is a dedicated workspace, with internet the house quotes at 100 MB, air-conditioning, a ceiling fan and a JBL Bluetooth speaker. Arrival is simple: check-in is self-service with a smart lock, so a late flight into Salvador is not a problem. Bed linen, towels and the basics are provided, along with books to read and a hair dryer. The window looks onto the Lacerda Elevator and the Bay of All Saints. ## The setting The Cidade Alta is Salvador's old centre, on the cliff above the port. The Lacerda Elevator, the art deco lift tower that has carried people between the upper and lower towns since the nineteenth century, is a few steps away; at the bottom are the Mercado Modelo and the waterfront. In the other direction are the painted houses and churches of the Pelourinho, the historic centre listed by UNESCO, with its music, bars and restaurants. Everything near the suite is reachable on foot. The streets are steep, cobbled and lively, especially at weekends, and parking is in a paid lot off the premises. The soaking tub, set for the end of the day. Getting there is straightforward. Salvador airport is on the far side of the city, roughly 30 kilometres from the historic centre, and the drive in can take well over half an hour in traffic. Guests can ask Via Avantgarde about a private transfer when they book, which saves hunting for the door among the cobbled lanes with luggage. Once here, the old town is best on foot, with a taxi or ride-hail for the beaches further out along the coast. ## Who it suits Couples who want to sleep inside the old city rather than out by the beach hotels, and who like a room with a strong personality. The workspace and the fast connection also make it one of the few places in the historic centre that suits someone who has to work for part of the trip. If you want quiet, a beach outside the door or space for a family, look elsewhere in Salvador. ### Good to know One room, a queen bed and one bathroom; sleeps two. Soaking tub, kitchen, workspace, air-conditioning, self check-in with a smart lock, and a lift in the building. Paid parking off the premises. Via Avantgarde runs three other suites nearby: Vista Elevador & Mar, the Loft Histórico and the Suite Colonial. Booked through Airbnb, linked from Via Avantgarde's own site. ======================================================================== # Shoy's Beach House — Estate Shoys, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/shoys-beach-house/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/shoys-beach-house/ A six-bedroom villa in the gated Shoys community east of Christiansted, its bedroom suites set around a palm courtyard and the beach through the back garden. Shoy's Beach House is a six-bedroom villa inside the gated Shoys community, a few minutes east of Christiansted on St. Croix's north shore, with the beach at The Shoys through the back garden. It is built for groups who travel together but like their own door: the bedroom suites open onto a courtyard of palms around a stone fountain, and the shared rooms, the pool and the long gallery sit between them and the sea. The central courtyard that the bedroom suites open onto. ## The space Five of the bedrooms are private suites, each with its own bathroom, opening onto that central courtyard. A January guest who came with a family of ten called it "a perfect layout for couples or friends traveling together," and that is how the house is used. The main villa sleeps ten. A separate one-bedroom cottage on the property brings the total to twelve, but it is an add-on: the listing is clear that it has to be requested and paid for separately, whatever number of guests you enter when booking. One of the en-suite bedrooms, furnished with a four-poster. The shared rooms run under pitched ceilings of wood boards and white beams. The living and dining areas are large, the kitchen has generous counters, an island and an ice maker, and there are big televisions throughout; one guest counted screens of 65 to 85 inches. The laundry room gets its own mention in the reviews. The living room, under a pitched ceiling of wood boards and white beams. A kitchen sized for a group, with an ice maker and a long island. ## The setting Outside is where the days go. There is a private pool and a hot tub, a long covered gallery with teak loungers and a dining table, and a garden of fruit trees and flowering plants that leads down to the beach. The house provides kayaks, cornhole and a flat-top grill. "The beach is through the backyard, but still plenty of privacy," wrote an April guest. Another left a useful warning: keep clear of the manchineel trees along the beach and the east property line, whose sap and fruit are toxic. The same guest's list of local wildlife ran to iguanas, deer and mongoose. The private pool and its broad tiled steps. The covered gallery: teak loungers, armchairs, and a dining table at the far end. The Shoys sits on the north shore beside The Buccaneer, behind the Estate Shoys guard gate. Christiansted, with Fort Christiansvaern, the boardwalk, the restaurants and the boats to Buck Island, is a short drive west, and the listing recommends a car for everything else. St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits This is a house for a family reunion, a milestone birthday or two or three couples sharing a week. One guest came for a 60th birthday; another group of ten had the children in the pool, the kayaks and the cornhole while the adults sat on the porch with the ocean view. The suite layout gives everyone privacy, and the kitchen is sized to cook for a crowd. It is less suited to a couple on their own, who would be rattling around five suites, or to anyone hoping to walk to restaurants. ### Good to know Six bedrooms in all: five en-suite bedrooms in the main villa, which sleeps ten, and a one-bedroom cottage that must be added to the reservation separately, for twelve. The pool, hot tub and fenced yard belong to the villa; the beach is shared with the Shoys community. A private chef, a butler and grocery stocking are available on request. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # The Buck Island Overlook — Hope & Carton Hill, East End, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/the-buck-island-overlook/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/the-buck-island-overlook/ A five-bedroom house in the East End hills that does what its name says: a private pool on a wide upper deck, and Buck Island sitting in the sea straight ahead. The Buck Island Overlook is a five-bedroom, three-bath house in the hills of Hope and Carton Hill, on the East End of St. Croix, and the name is literal. From the upper deck the land falls away through the trees to the sea, and Buck Island, the reef national monument off the north-east coast, sits in the middle of the view. The house is painted turquoise, with a white roof and decks that step down the hillside. It sleeps twelve. The view the house is named for. ## The space The main level has a custom wood kitchen with a lot of cabinetry, large counters, an island with bar seating and modern appliances, with a dining area beside it. It opens into a living room with direct access to the pool deck. A second living area gives the group a quieter place to retreat to, and a second kitchen adds a fridge, counter, sink and prep space, which matters when you are cooking for twelve. There is also an office. The main kitchen, custom wood with a large island. The five bedrooms are decorated in strong colours, and the house sleeps twelve using five beds and two futons or sleeper sofas, so it suits a large family or two families together more than six couples. Ceiling fans run through the house and out onto the decks. One of the five bedrooms, decorated in strong colour. ## The setting The upper deck is the heart of the property. It holds the private pool, loungers, rocking chairs and outdoor tables, all facing Buck Island. Below it, a covered lower deck has a second dining table, lounge seating and a hammock, out of the sun. The upper deck: loungers, rocking chairs and a table in the sun. The covered lower deck, with a hammock and a second place to eat. The house from the air, decks stepped down the hillside. The East End is the quiet end of the island, known for its coastline and scenic drives. Teague Bay and Cramer's Park are the nearby beaches, Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States, is the place for sunrise, and the hike down to Jack and Isaac Bays is close. Duggan's Reef is a local dinner spot, and Christiansted, with the boardwalk and the boats out to Buck Island itself, is a drive west. The listing is plain about the roads: the house sits high in a residential area, East End attractions are spread out, a rental car is strongly recommended, and some roads are narrow, winding or steep, so take care after dark. St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits A big family, a reunion, or two families sharing a week, who want room to spread out and a view to gather around. Two kitchens and two living areas help a large group run on different clocks. It suits people who are happy to drive to the beach and come back to the deck. With three bathrooms for twelve, and two of the beds being sofa beds, it is less suited to a group of couples who each want their own en-suite room. ### Good to know Five bedrooms and three baths; sleeps twelve across five beds and two futons or sleeper sofas. Guests have the living areas, all five bedrooms, both kitchens, the office, the private pool, the upper deck, the covered lower deck and the driveway. The listing marks the house suitable for children and infants. A rental car is strongly recommended. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Dragonfly Villa — East End, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/dragonfly-villa/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/dragonfly-villa/ A gated three-bedroom villa high in the East End hills, with the sea on both sides, a saltwater infinity pool with a dragonfly set in its tiles, and four terraces to choose from. Dragonfly Villa is a three-bedroom, four-bath house on a gated property high in the hills of St. Croix's East End. It has the sea on both sides, so the living room, the bedrooms and all four of its patios look out over the hills to the water. The pool is a saltwater infinity pool with a blue dragonfly set into the tiles on its floor, which is where the name comes from. It sleeps eight. One of the four patios, looking out over the hills to the water. ## The space The main room is open-plan under a high beamed ceiling, with terracotta floors, a round dining table and windows on every side. The kitchen beside it is the house's other strength. The listing itemises it: All-Clad and cast-iron pans, a Vitamix blender, a Dutch oven, a pizza stone, an Instant Pot and a waffle maker, plus the mixing bowls, zesters and muffin pans that rental kitchens tend to lack. A guest who had many meals in called it a "beautiful kitchen with all the amenities needed." The kitchen, open to the living room under a high beamed ceiling. The living room has windows on every side, and the view from all of them. Each of the three bedrooms has its own bathroom, and there is a fourth bath besides. The showers are large and open, tiled in warm stone colours. One guest's highlight was the sunrise from the upstairs suite. A bedroom with its own doors onto the hillside. One of the large open showers. ## The setting Outside, the infinity pool runs along the edge of a covered terrace, with a dining table under cover beside it and a large barbecue for cooking out. The four patios give you a choice of sun or shade at any hour. "Best views in STX," wrote a December guest who visits the island several times a year. The house runs on solar power with battery backup. Dinner by the pool, under cover. Dragonfly Villa on its hilltop, solar panels on the roof. The East End is the quiet, drier end of the island. Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States, the hike down to Jack and Isaac Bays, and Cramer's Park are all within a short drive, and Christiansted is farther west. You will want a car, and St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits Couples who want privacy and a view, a family of five or six, or a small group who like to cook. The listing includes a travel crib and children's books for families with small children, and allows long stays. It is a hillside house, not a beach house; the beaches are a drive away, and the reward is the outlook from the terraces. ### Good to know Three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, plus a fourth bath; sleeps eight. The saltwater infinity pool is private to the villa, and the property is gated. The house is solar-powered with battery backup. There is a dishwasher, a washer and dryer, free parking and a laptop-friendly workspace. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Hook 'em on Paradise — Judith's Fancy, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/hook-em-on-paradise/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/hook-em-on-paradise/ A burnt-orange, three-bedroom villa in the gated Judith's Fancy community on St. Croix's north shore, with a curving private pool, a long balcony over the sea and a telescope for the night sky. Hook 'em on Paradise is a three-bedroom, three-bath villa inside the gated Judith's Fancy community on St. Croix's north shore, a short drive west of Christiansted. You will know it by the colour: the house is painted burnt orange, and the inside keeps going in the same spirit, with bright fabrics, tropical prints and teal and coral on white. It sleeps six. The villa on its hillside in Judith's Fancy. ## The space The main living space is one open room under a high white beamed ceiling, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open onto a long balcony over the Caribbean. There is a telescope by the glass for the night sky, and rocking chairs on the balcony for morning coffee. The kitchen is fully stocked, with stainless steel appliances, granite counters and bar seating at a teal island. The open living room, with the telescope set up by the glass. The kitchen, with bar seating at the island. There are three bathrooms, and each of the three bedrooms has a television and its own air-conditioning unit. The listing also includes a laptop-friendly workspace and allows long stays. One of the three bedrooms, each with its own air conditioner. ## The setting Outside is a large, curving private pool surrounded by tropical planting, with several places to sit: some under cover, some in full sun. A covered porch with striped outdoor sofas gives another shaded place to spend the afternoon. "Beautiful location and views from the home and pool deck," wrote a January guest; a June guest travelling with a one-year-old needed shade and found that the covered patio was "absolutely perfect, providing all day shade." The private pool, ringed with tropical planting. The balcony runs the length of the house, rocking chairs facing the water. A shaded lounge on the porch, in the house's bold colours. Judith's Fancy is a quiet residential neighbourhood on the hills of the north shore, close to Salt River Bay, where Columbus's fleet anchored in 1493 and where night kayak tours go out on the bioluminescent bay. Christiansted's restaurants, the boardwalk and the boats to Buck Island are a short drive east. The house sits under the community's HOA rules, which the listing asks guests to follow, and a car is the practical way around. St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits A family or a group of up to six who want a pool and a view without the size of a big estate. A November guest wrote that everything "was perfect for our group of 6," and mentioned the pool, the quiet neighbourhood and the views in the same breath. It suits stargazers, early risers and anyone who likes colour. It is not on the beach; the north-shore beaches are a drive away. ### Good to know Three bedrooms, three baths and three beds; sleeps six. The pool is private to the villa. Each bedroom has its own air conditioner and TV. The home is in an HOA community, and guests are asked to follow its rules at all times. The listing marks it suitable for children and infants. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Toes in the Sand Beach House — North Shore, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/toes-in-the-sand-beach-house/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/toes-in-the-sand-beach-house/ A three-bedroom beach house in a gated north-shore community west of Christiansted, with a pool above the shoreline, a sea view from every bedroom and surfers on the reef most mornings. Toes in the Sand Beach House is a three-bedroom, three-bath house in a gated community on St. Croix's north shore, west of Christiansted, with 24-hour security at the gate and the sea at the back door. It is a single-storey white house with pale blue roofs, a pool on a stone terrace above the shoreline, and windows that run almost the full width of the sea side. It sleeps eight. The covered gallery, set for breakfast with the pool and the sea in front. ## The space The main room holds the kitchen, dining and living areas under a high ceiling of wood boards and exposed white beams, with large windows onto the water. There is an island to gather around while dinner comes together, and the whole house is air-conditioned. "The entire back of the home has floor-to-ceiling windows, so you have incredible views from most vantages," wrote one January guest. One big room for living, dining and cooking, under exposed white beams. All three bedrooms have an ocean view, and guests travelling as three couples have singled out how evenly matched the rooms are; one called that "hard to find." There are three full bathrooms, an outdoor shower for coming in from the shore, and a washer and dryer. A bedroom painted bright blue, its windows on the water. Every bedroom has a sea view; this one has a wall of it. ## The setting Outside, the private pool sits on a sun terrace lined with loungers, with a covered gallery alongside for shaded seating and meals. A short path leads from the garden down to the shore. Be clear about what that shore is: guests describe it as rocky with strong waves, good for walking and watching rather than swimming. It is a surfing spot, and several reviews mention watching surfers out on the break every morning. "If you like to walk and treasure hunt, the sea glass is amazing," one June guest wrote. The pool is the swim at the house. The pool and sun terrace, between the house and the shore. The shore in front of the house: a rock and reef shelf at the waterline, with surf beyond. Mornings are the time to be on the terrace: one guest's advice was to make a coffee early and watch the sun rise above the pool and the sea. Christiansted's restaurants, shops and boat trips are a short drive east, and guests describe the house as central enough to reach all four coasts in a week. A car is recommended, and St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits Families, groups of friends, and three couples sharing a week. Reviews come from a family of four, a party of eight, and a girls' trip of four, and the evenly sized bedrooms make it fair to share. It suits people who want to hear the surf from bed and swim in a pool. It suits less well those whose idea of a beach holiday is wading in from the front door, and families with small children who would want calm water at the house. ### Good to know Three bedrooms, three baths and four beds; sleeps eight. The pool is private to the house. The beach in front is rocky with surf, and reviews say it is not one for easy swimming. A guest also noted that water pressure and internet bandwidth are limited, so plan showers and streaming around that. A private chef and housekeeping are available on request. The house is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Buck Island Views — Christiansted, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/buck-island-views/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/ocean-view-villa-buck-island-views/ A three-bedroom hillside villa east of Christiansted, white-walled and green-roofed, with a private pool terrace that looks out to sea toward Buck Island and two guest suites of their own. Buck Island Views is a three-bedroom villa on a hillside east of Christiansted, on St. Croix's north side, built in the island way: white walls, green shutters, green metal roofs and long covered galleries. The name describes the view. From the pool terrace the land drops away through the trees to the sea, with Buck Island out toward the horizon. It sleeps six. The pool terrace faces the sea, looking out toward Buck Island. ## The space The house is arranged as three separate spaces. The main house has the shared rooms: a bright open living area with vaulted ceilings, warm wood and large windows, and a chef's kitchen that runs into the dining and living areas, so whoever is cooking stays in the conversation. The primary suite is here too, with its own bathroom and easy access to the outdoor spaces. The living room under a vaulted wood ceiling. The dining table, with the kitchen at the far end of the room. The other two bedrooms are detached suites, each with a private bathroom, linked to the main house by covered walkways. For two couples, or parents with older children, it means a door of one's own and a short walk under cover to breakfast. In all there are three bedrooms and three and a half baths. One of the three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. ## The setting The pool terrace is the centre of the property: a quarter-circle pool lined with loungers, framed by planting, with a covered patio for meals and the sea in front. Galleries with arched openings run along the house for shade in the middle of the day, and there is a hammock. The listing describes the setting as secluded, and the one guest review so far agrees, describing it as "perched beautifully on a hillside with sweeping ocean views." The pool from above, a quarter circle set into the terrace. The covered gallery that runs along the main house. Christiansted, with the boardwalk, Fort Christiansvaern and the boats out to Buck Island, is a short drive west, and the north-shore beaches are a short drive in either direction. The listing recommends parking on site and a car is the practical choice; St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits A small family, two couples, or friends who want shared rooms by day and their own quarters at night. "If you're coming to St Croix and have a small family this place is really perfect," wrote a July guest. With a laptop-friendly workspace and long stays allowed, it also suits someone working remotely for a few weeks. It is not on the beach, and getting anywhere means a drive; the trade is privacy and the view. ### Good to know Three bedrooms and three and a half baths; sleeps six. The primary suite is in the main house and the two other bedrooms are detached suites with their own bathrooms. Guests have the whole property, including the private pool. There is an outdoor grill, a hammock and free parking, and long-term stays are allowed. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Sunset Sea-Clusion — West End, near Frederiksted, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/sunset-sea-clusion/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/sunset-sea-clusion/ A newly remodelled two-bedroom villa on St. Croix's West End, the sunset side of the island, with a private pool, a covered terrace and the sea at the end of the garden. Sunset Sea-Clusion is a two-bedroom, two-bath villa on the West End of St. Croix near Frederiksted, the side of the island that faces the sunset. It is a single-storey modern house, white and flat-roofed, with black-framed glass doors along the sea side, a private pool, and a covered terrace looking out over the scrub to the water. The listing puts the beach steps away. It sleeps four. The covered terrace: a dining table, a ceiling fan, and the sea in the gap. ## The space The interior has been remodelled and refurnished. The living and dining areas sit under vaulted ceilings lined in wood, with a large television and surround sound, and folding glass doors that open the room onto the terrace. The custom chef's kitchen is white with a blue tile backsplash and a dining table at its end, equipped for cooking at home rather than eating out every night. The living room opens straight onto the terrace. The remodelled kitchen and the dining table. Each of the two bedrooms has a queen bed, and there are two full bathrooms, so two couples or two friends can share without anyone waiting for the shower. One bedroom looks straight out through glass doors at the pool and the sea. A bedroom with the pool and the sea outside the doors. One of the two full bathrooms. ## The setting The pool and terrace are the reason to book. There is an outdoor Sonos system, a grill, loungers on the deck and a table under cover, and in the evening the sun goes down into the Caribbean in front of the house. The listing describes secluded beaches within walking distance. Sunset over the Caribbean on the West End, a sailboat offshore. The villa from the garden: a flat-roofed white house, the covered terrace and the pool. Frederiksted, the West End's town, with the long pier, the waterfront, cafés, restaurants and the dive shops, is a short drive away. So is Rainbow Beach, with Rhythms beach bar and water-sports rentals. The rainforest roads around Mahogany Road, horseback riding on the west end, and Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge are all within easy reach; note that Sandy Point opens on weekends only and closes entirely from April to August for nesting leatherback turtles. A car is the practical way around, and St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits Couples, two friends, or a small family of up to four who want a pool of their own and a quiet place to watch the sunset. It is newly remodelled, and a good base for a week of diving off the Frederiksted pier or exploring the west end. It is not built for a party: there are two bedrooms, and the house is small by design. ### Good to know Two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, and two full bathrooms; sleeps four. The pool and outdoor living areas are private to the villa; only the exterior utility and equipment rooms are kept for property operations. A private chef, butler, housekeeper, bartender and grocery stocking are available on request. The listing marks the house suitable for children and infants. The villa is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Moko Vista — East End, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/moko-vista/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/moko-vista/ A two-bedroom West Indian-style house on an East End hilltop, white with blue shutters, with the trade winds through the rooms and a clear view to Buck Island from the patio. Moko Vista is a two-bedroom house on a hilltop on the East End of St. Croix, built in the West Indian style: two storeys, white walls, blue shutters, and open rooms set up to catch the trade winds. The name is about the view. From the patio and the lawn the hills drop away to the sea, and one guest wrote that the sea and Buck Island were in view "without any obstructions." It sleeps four. Over the roof to the sea, with Buck Island on the water. ## The space The rooms are simple and bright, with white-painted beams and board walls. The living room has a leather sofa and built-in shelving, the kitchen is fully equipped and modern, with an island and stools, and there is a washer and dryer. Upstairs and down, the windows and shutters open to the breeze; a March guest found the wind cool enough to leave the air-conditioning off unless the wind noise bothered them. The living room, under white-painted beams. The kitchen, fully equipped for cooking in. There are two bedrooms and one and a half baths. The house runs on solar power with battery backup, which the listing says gives comfort and peace of mind. Bedrooms are simply furnished, with wood headboards and windows onto the green hills. One of the two bedrooms, looking out at the hills. ## The setting Outside there is a sunny brick patio with a propane grill, outdoor chairs, and a lawn at the edge of the hill. The neighbourhood is quiet. "It's so quiet except sound from nature," wrote one guest, who listed deer, hummingbirds and small lizards around the house; another called the view "worth booking" on its own and said the place made it easy to disconnect. The patio and lawn on the sunny side of the house. From the patio edge, the hills roll down to the water. The East End is the quiet end of the island. Beaches, snorkelling, hiking, dining and shopping are a short drive, as are Point Udall and the trail to Jack and Isaac Bays. Christiansted is farther west. You will need a car, and St. Croix drives on the left. ## Who it suits A couple, two friends or a small family who want a hilltop, a breeze and a view more than a pool. The listing describes it as both family-friendly and romantic, and as a base for longer stays, with morning coffee facing the sea and evenings outside under the stars. It suits people who like to start and end the day outdoors; one guest rated the view highly "from sunrise to sunset." It also suits anyone who wants to be properly out of the way for a week. There is no pool, and the house is not on the beach. ### Good to know Two bedrooms and one and a half baths; sleeps four. Solar power with battery backup, a washer and dryer, Wi-Fi and free parking. One guest noted there was no mobile phone signal at the house, only Wi-Fi, so download offline maps before you drive up. The listing marks it suitable for children and infants. The house is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Bananaquit Bungalow — Estate Boetzberg, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/bananaquit-bungalow/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/bananaquit-bungalow/ A pink one-bedroom cottage in the quiet hills of Estate Boetzberg, run entirely on sun and rain, with a hammock porch looking out over the scrub to the sea. Bananaquit Bungalow is a one-bedroom cottage in the hills of Estate Boetzberg on St. Croix, painted pink with a white roof and a white porch, and named after the small yellow-breasted bird that is the official bird of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is built for one person or a couple who want a quiet place with a view, and it runs entirely off the grid. The porch, with hammock chairs and the view. ## The space Inside, the main room is long and light, with a white beamed ceiling, a living area, a dining table and sliding glass doors that open its length onto the porch. The kitchen is a full one, with a gas range and a sink under a run of windows. The bedroom has a king bed. There is one full bathroom, and a half bathroom that also holds the washer and dryer. The living room opens along its length to the porch. The full kitchen, its windows on the hills. The second room is not a bedroom. It has been set up as a TV room and wellness space, with light exercise equipment and room for a yoga mat. The bedroom and this room have air-conditioning units, and ceiling fans and portable solar-powered fans move the air elsewhere. The bedroom, with a king bed and its own air conditioner. ## The setting Outside are porches and sitting areas with hammocks, looking out over the dry hills to the sea, and tropical planting around the house. The listing describes the setting as peaceful and the views as wide, and the photographs bear that out. Christiansted, the beaches, golf and restaurants are a short drive away, and a car is the practical way to reach them. St. Croix drives on the left. Solar panels on the roof power the whole house. The path up to the front porch. The off-grid set-up is the thing to understand before booking. The house is powered only by solar panels and battery storage, with no connection to the utility grid, and its water is rain collected in large cisterns. Guests are asked to conserve: running the air-conditioning hard, doing laundry or using other high-energy appliances, especially after dark or in cloudy weather, can drain the batteries and cause a temporary outage, and power may not return until the sun recharges them. In dry spells, keep showers short and turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. ## Who it suits Solo travellers and couples who like nature, quiet and the idea of living lightly for a week, and who are comfortable keeping an eye on their energy use. The listing is direct that it is not suitable for guests who need continuous low-temperature air-conditioning or guaranteed uninterrupted electricity. If that is you, look at one of the island's grid-connected houses instead. ### Good to know One bedroom with a king bed, one full bath and a half bath with a washer and dryer; sleeps two. The second room is a TV and wellness room, not a bedroom. The cottage is fully off-grid, on solar power, batteries and rainwater cisterns, and guests must conserve power and water. A private chef is available on request. The cottage is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Beach-Access Condo — Christiansted, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/beach-access-condo/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/cozy-condo-beach-access/ A newly decorated two-bedroom condo a few steps from the beach outside Christiansted, with a shared pool, an on-site restaurant and room for six. Beach-Access Condo is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in a waterfront complex on St. Croix's north shore, a few minutes' drive from Christiansted. It has been newly decorated, sleeps six in three beds, and is a few steps from the complex's beach. It is one of the condos managed by SP Vacations, and it is the practical end of their list: light, simple, and close to the water. The living and dining room, newly decorated. ## The space The apartment is on a single level, with light tile floors, ceiling fans and air-conditioning. The living and dining room is one open space with a large sectional sofa and a dining table for four. The kitchen is fully equipped, with a dishwasher, an oven and stove, a microwave, a blender and a coffee maker, and a granite island with stools for breakfast. There is a washer and dryer in the unit. The kitchen and its breakfast bar. The main bedroom has two queen beds and its own bathroom. The second bedroom has a king bed. The listing suggests the second room for children or extra guests, which means a family of five or six fits without anyone sleeping on the sofa. There is a work desk for anyone who has to keep a laptop open. The decoration is bright and beachy without being fussy: turquoise accent walls, wooden bed frames, island prints on the walls and blue throws on the beds. Room-darkening shades in the bedrooms help on early mornings, and board games and beach essentials are left for guests, which saves packing for a family week. The king bedroom. The dining table, by the window onto the garden. ## The setting The complex is a long, low building with terracotta roofs along the water, with a shared pool, loungers, a garden and an on-site restaurant. From the air you can see the reef that runs offshore and the small beach beside the pool. Christiansted, with its boardwalk, restaurants and the ferries and boats out to Buck Island, is a short drive east. A car is the easy way to get around the island, and St. Croix drives on the left. The shared pool sits beside the beach. ## Who it suits Families and small groups who want to be near the water and near town, and who would rather spend on days out than on a private villa. Couples travelling together will like the two bathrooms. If you want a private pool, a big view terrace or total quiet, one of SP Vacations' villas on the East End is the better fit. ### Good to know Two bedrooms (one with two queen beds and its own bathroom, one with a king), two bathrooms; sleeps six. The beach, pool and garden are shared with the rest of the complex. Free parking, Wi-Fi, a washer and dryer, and beach essentials are provided. The condo is managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Sunset Oasis — Christiansted, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/sunset-oasis/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/sunset-oasis/ A renovated corner condo in a beachfront complex west of Christiansted: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an arched balcony, and a pool and hot tub downstairs. Sunset Oasis is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on St. Croix's north shore, a short drive west of Christiansted, in a beachfront complex with a pool and a hot tub. It has been renovated throughout, and it is an end unit, which gives it more light and more privacy than the apartments in the middle of the row. It sleeps four. The living room runs through to the dining table. ## The space The living room is long and bright, with tile floors, ceiling fans and windows on more than one side, and it runs through to the dining table. The kitchen has been redone with white cabinets, granite counters and a bar with stools, and it is fully equipped. A washer and dryer in the unit make a week or longer easy. The renovated kitchen and its bar. There are two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, so two couples, or a couple and a friend, each get their own. The bedrooms sit apart from each other, which helps when two parties share the apartment. The covered balcony, framed by a stucco arch, has a dining table and looks out over lawns and palms; it is the place for breakfast and for the evening, and the reason the condo carries its name. The corner position is what sets this unit apart from its neighbours. Windows on more than one side bring in more light and a cross breeze, and there is one fewer neighbour through the wall. Ceiling fans in the main rooms and air-conditioning do the rest on warm nights. One of the two bedrooms. Dinner on the balcony. ## The setting The complex sits on the water, and the beach is a few steps from the building. Downstairs are a shared pool and hot tub. Restaurants, shops and Christiansted's boardwalk are a few minutes away by car, and a car is the practical way to see the rest of the island, from Buck Island trips out of Christiansted to Frederiksted on the west end. St. Croix drives on the left. The dining table, between the kitchen and the balcony. ## Who it suits Two couples or a small family who want a renovated, easy apartment near the beach and near town, with laundry in the unit for a longer stay. It is not a villa: the pool, hot tub and grounds are shared with the complex, and there is no private outdoor space beyond the balcony. For a private pool or a house of your own, look at SP Vacations' villas on the East End, which suit larger groups. ### Good to know Two bedrooms, two full bathrooms; sleeps four. End-unit condo in a beachfront complex with a shared pool and hot tub. Washer and dryer, Wi-Fi, smart TV, an outdoor grill and free parking. A 3D walk-through of the condo is linked from the listing. Managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # Caribbean Blue Hideaway — Long Reef, Christiansted, St. Croix URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/caribbean-blue-hideaway/ Book: https://www.spvacationsvi.com/villas/caribbean-blue-hideaway/ A one-bedroom corner condo on the third floor at Long Reef, updated throughout, with a view across the Caribbean to Buck Island and a shared pool below. Caribbean Blue Hideaway is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo on the third floor of the Long Reef complex on St. Croix, in the Christiansted area. It is a corner unit, updated throughout, and its best feature is the view: out over the Caribbean to Buck Island, the small uninhabited island off the north-east coast with the underwater trail. It sleeps two. The living room and its stone wall. ## The space The condo has new tile floors, updated doors, and a stone accent wall with lighting that holds the television in the living room. The living area and the kitchen share one bright room with louvred windows along the outside wall; a round glass table seats four. The kitchen is well equipped for cooking in, with an oven and stove, a microwave, a toaster and a coffee maker. The listing singles out the air-conditioning as powerful, which matters on a top floor in summer. Living room and kitchen share the light. The bedroom has a ceiling fan and room-darkening shades for anyone who would rather not wake with the sun. There is one bathroom. Outside the front door, a small covered balcony on the walkway has two chairs and a small table, enough for coffee in the morning. The bedroom. ## The setting Long Reef is a low hillside complex of blue-railed buildings set among palms and flowering gardens, with a shared pool and terrace that look out over the hills toward the sea. Coin-operated washers and dryers are on site. The pool and the laundry are shared with other residents and guests. Christiansted, with its restaurants, the boardwalk and the boats to Buck Island, is a short drive away, and the listing recommends a car. St. Croix drives on the left. The shared pool terrace. The pool, with the north shore beyond. ## Who it suits Couples and solo travellers who want a tidy, updated base with a sea view, and who will spend their days out on the island. It is a one-bedroom condo in a shared complex, not a private house, and it is on the third floor, so travellers with heavy luggage or limited mobility should ask SP Vacations about access before booking. It also works well as a base for a first visit to the island. Buck Island, the reason the view matters, is a short boat trip from Christiansted, and the tour boats leave from the waterfront in town. Frederiksted, the beaches of the west end and the rainforest road are a longer drive, and easy to fit into a day. ### Good to know One bedroom and one bathroom; sleeps two. Third-floor corner unit at Long Reef. Shared pool and coin laundry on site. Wi-Fi, a smart TV, air-conditioning and free parking. A private chef and grocery delivery can be arranged on request. Managed and booked by SP Vacations (Sterling Point Real Estate) in St. Croix. ======================================================================== # São Conrado Beach View Villa — São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/adv-sao-conrado/ Book: https://www.artdevivre.com.br/property/adv-004-sao-conrado-beach-view-villa.html A four-suite glass pavilion above São Conrado beach, built by Bernardes + Jacobsen, with an infinity pool framed by Pedra da Gávea. The São Conrado Beach View Villa sits on the hillside above one of the only stretches of Rio de Janeiro where houses still meet the sand directly. Behind it rises Pedra da Gávea, the granite dome that marks the western edge of the city's beaches; below, the Atlantic runs unbroken to the horizon. The house was designed by the Rio firm Bernardes + Jacobsen, built as a glass-walled pavilion inside a gated, guarded condominium. It is let through Art de Vivre, the boutique brokerage that manages it as part of its Rio rental book, and it sleeps up to twelve. ## The space Four suites, each with its own bathroom, run along a single glass-walled pavilion that opens on both sides — to the pool on one, to the hillside on the other. One of the suites carries three additional single beds, which is how the house reaches its full count of twelve; the other three are built for couples or families travelling together. Six bathrooms in total are finished in stone, and at least one is large enough to double as a sitting room. The living and dining spaces sit under the same pitched glass-and-timber roof, furnished with low built-in seating and hung with contemporary art rather than the usual rental-house prints. The dining table seats the whole party at once, glass on three sides, looking straight out at the garden. The kitchen is built for a full house: two ovens, two refrigerators, a Nespresso machine alongside the filter coffee, and its own water filtration system. A Bluetooth audio system runs through the house, and there is a home cinema besides. The main living pavilion: built-in seating, art on the walls, glass to the garden on every side. ## The setting São Conrado is a strip of Rio that Ipanema and Leblon do not have: a beach with houses right on it in places, the eighteen-hole Gávea Golf & Country Club, and the Pepino landing strip where hang gliders come down after launching from Pedra Bonita. All three sit within a few hundred metres of each other, and the São Conrado metro station on Line 4 is close enough to walk to — six minutes by train to Ipanema, or about 25 minutes by the Linha Amarela to Galeão airport. This villa sits above that strip rather than on it, high enough for the pool deck to look down over the coastline and the city beyond. It is a quieter, more residential corner of the Zona Sul than its neighbours to the east — established local families, golf members, and a long-standing community of European retirees along the beachfront, rather than the restaurant strips of Ipanema. Pedra da Gávea and the forest below it wrap around the property on the land side, which is why the pool and the living pavilion both look straight at the rock rather than at other houses. ## Who it suits This is a house for a group that wants to be under one roof rather than spread across hotel rooms — four or five couples, a multi-generational family, or friends who don't mind sharing a kitchen table for a week. The scale and the staff make more sense for a full house than a small one; two people alone would find most of it empty. It suits travellers who want Rio's beach and mountain in the same view and don't need to walk to a restaurant strip at night — São Conrado's dining is limited to the Fashion Mall and a handful of beachfront places, not the density of Ipanema. One of the villa's four suites, with its own sitting area and garden outlook. ### Good to know Sleeps twelve across four suites. Art de Vivre manages the booking calendar directly — Amorielli takes no reservations and no commission. No prices are listed here; check current rates with the property. ======================================================================== # Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse — Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/adv-ipanema/ Book: https://www.artdevivre.com.br/property/adv-005-ipanema-beach-linear-penthouse.html A family-sized penthouse directly on Ipanema beach, its wraparound terrace facing Arpoador and the twin peaks of Dois Irmãos. Ipanema Beach Linear Penthouse takes up the fifth floor of a residential building set directly on Avenida Vieira Souto, the avenue that runs along Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Sul. It is let out by Art de Vivre, the brokerage that also manages a handful of other beachfront flats and villas around the city. The honest reason to stay here is the angle of the thing: the terrace runs the full width of the building, facing the sand straight on, with Arpoador at one end of the view and the twin peaks of Dois Irmãos at the other. ## The space The flat has four bedrooms, two of them en suite, and four bathrooms across 900 square metres, laid out as a family apartment rather than a hotel-style unit. Wood floors run through a living room furnished with a deep sectional sofa and a pair of wing chairs; a separate dining room seats up to eight. The kitchen is fitted for real cooking rather than just breakfast, with a full run of cabinetry and a family-sized table of its own. A winter garden off the living room opens onto the wraparound terrace, and the carved four-poster bed in the master suite sits opposite doors that lead onto that same terrace. A housekeeper based in the annex handles daily cleaning and upkeep through the stay. The living room opens onto a planted light well at the back of the flat. ## The setting The building sits on the beach side of Ipanema, within a few hundred metres of Posto 9, the lifeguard post that marks the neighbourhood's main stretch of sand, and of Garota de Ipanema, the restaurant that gave "The Girl from Ipanema" its name. Rua Garcia d'Ávila, the neighbourhood's shopping street, is a short walk inland, and the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio's lagoon and its running and cycling path, is about seven hundred metres from the door. Arpoador, the rock outcrop at the far end of the beach, is a walk away and the usual spot to watch the sun go down over the water. The nearest metro station is General Osório, on Line 1, which reaches Centro in around eighteen minutes; Rio's international airport is roughly half an hour away by the Linha Amarela expressway. The view from the terrace: Ipanema beach curving toward Dois Irmãos. ## Who it suits It suits a family travelling together rather than a group of friends splitting a flat: the building's own rules only admit relatives sharing the apartment, and the dining room is set up for a family of up to eight rather than a crowd. Anyone who wants a working kitchen and a quiet building over a party atmosphere will find this closer to a second home than a hotel room. ### Good to know Sleeps eight across four bedrooms. Daily housekeeping is included. Dates are booked directly with Art de Vivre, through a live calendar on the property's own page or by message, with no payment taken until the stay is confirmed. The building does not accept bookings from groups of friends, only family parties. ======================================================================== # Lux Vidigal — Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/lux-vidigal/ Book: https://luxvidigal.com/ A two-storey walk-up apartment on Vidigal's hillside, with 360-degree Atlantic and mountain views and a soaking tub facing the same window. Lux Vidigal sits on the hillside in Vidigal, the neighbourhood wedged between Leblon and São Conrado that spent most of its history known only as a favela and is now just as often described as having the best view in Rio de Janeiro. The apartment is two storeys, seven hundred square feet, built for two people and a window that outperforms almost everything else in the city. The building has a gated entrance and a daytime doorman, no lift, and a walk-up that matters more on the way in with luggage than on the way out. Bruno is the host, and the reviews return to the same two subjects — the view, and how quickly he answers. ## The space The ground floor is one open room built around a sliding glass wall: living area, dining corner, and a full kitchen with cobalt-blue lower cabinets, a marble backsplash, a five-burner gas range, and a French-door refrigerator. A Los Angeles-based interior designer furnished it with a restored 1920s Louis XV chair, French-imported 1920s bamboo chairs, and antique Brazilian pieces rather than the usual rental basics. A 43-inch smart TV hangs on an articulating arm; guests rarely watch it for long, because the glass wall behind it opens straight onto the Atlantic. Upstairs is one bedroom: a queen bed against floor-to-ceiling windows, air conditioning, blackout curtains, and a second, smaller balcony that catches the morning sun. The bathroom shares that same open floor rather than sitting behind its own door — a standalone tub filled by a rooftop solar heater, deep blue Portuguese-style tile, brass fixtures, and a separate walk-in shower. It is, by a wide margin, the most photographed corner of the apartment, and the reason shows up in nearly every review. The ground-floor kitchen, cobalt cabinets included, opening straight onto the living area. ## The setting Vidigal has been pacified since 2011, and the property's own account of the neighbourhood holds up against outside reporting: a working-class hillside community of artists, expats, and residents who have been there for decades, with markets, pharmacies, and restaurants built into the same streets as the apartment blocks. Its height also gives it a wide view over the Atlantic and the mountains, which draws visitors who could stay anywhere else in the city and choose this instead. The beach is four minutes downhill on foot. Leblon is roughly three minutes by car, Ipanema about ten. The Dois Irmãos hiking trailhead is a fifteen-minute walk or a short moto-taxi ride, and the trail ends at the panorama that shows up on half of Rio's postcards. Santos Dumont, the domestic airport, is 20 to 30 minutes away; Galeão, the international one, runs anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour and a half depending on traffic. The upstairs view: open ocean, a scatter of islands, and the hillside dropping away below. ## Who it suits This is a two-person apartment in the most literal sense — one queen bed, no sofa bed, no real way to fit in a third guest. It works for a couple who would rather wake up somewhere specific than somewhere safe, and who don't mind a walk-up building and a hillside street to reach it. It works less well for anyone who needs step-free access, or for a family trying to stretch it past two people and a view. Longer stays get real consideration too — the host has taken in writers and remote workers for a month or more at a stretch, which is long enough to stop noticing the stairs. ### Good to know Sleeps two, one queen bed, one bathroom. Book through Airbnb, linked from the property's own site; the host answers there. ======================================================================== # Vista Elevador & Mar — Cidade Alta, Salvador URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/vista-elevador-mar/ Book: https://viaavantgarde.com/vista-elevador-mar/ A Via Avantgarde suite high above Salvador's old town, with windows on the Lacerda Elevator and the Bay of All Saints and a tub turned toward the sunset. Vista Elevador & Mar is one of the four suites Via Avantgarde runs in the Cidade Alta, the historic upper town of Salvador da Bahia, and it is the one built around the view. Its windows look one way to the Lacerda Elevator, the lift tower that links the upper and lower towns, and the other way over the Bay of All Saints. It sleeps two. The tub, set at the windows. ## The space The suite is one large room wrapped in windows. A tub stands on a platform by the glass, placed for the late-afternoon light and the sunset over the bay. The bed faces the same way. The decoration mixes antiques found around Bahia, textiles from local artisans, woven lamps, hanging plants and a slatted ceiling, with a few hard-edged modern lines to keep it from feeling like a museum. Looking down on the square, with the bay beyond. The kitchen is a compact corner with a gas stove, a mini fridge, a microwave, a blender and a drip coffee maker, enough for breakfast and a simple supper. There is air-conditioning and a ceiling fan, a TV, and a projector with a screen for films. Check-in is self-service with a keypad, and parking is available on the premises for a fee. Dinner at sunset, the bell tower and the bay outside. The kitchen corner, in red. ## The setting From the windows you look down on the squares and colonial buildings of the old centre, and the church towers that frame the sunset. The Pelourinho, the painted heart of the historic centre listed by UNESCO, is a short walk, and the Lacerda Elevator takes you down to the Mercado Modelo and the port in under a minute. The neighbourhood is lively and musical, especially at weekends, and the streets are steep and cobbled. The bed faces the view. Getting there is straightforward. Salvador airport is on the far side of the city, roughly 30 kilometres from the historic centre, and the drive in can take well over half an hour in traffic. Guests can ask Via Avantgarde about a private transfer when they book, which saves hunting for the door among the cobbled lanes with luggage. Once here, the old town is best on foot, with a taxi or ride-hail for the beaches further out along the coast. ## Who it suits Couples, above all, and anyone marking an occasion: the listing offers a romance set-up on request, and the sunset from the tub does most of the work on its own. It suits travellers who want the view and the old town more than space; it is one room for two, without a beach or a pool. ### Good to know One room with one bed and a bathroom; sleeps two. A tub by the windows, compact kitchen, air-conditioning, a projector and screen, self check-in with a keypad, and paid parking on the premises. A romance set-up can be requested. Booked through Airbnb, linked from Via Avantgarde's own site. ======================================================================== # Loft Histórico — Cidade Alta, Salvador URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/loft-historico/ Book: https://viaavantgarde.com/loft-historico-lacerda/ A small, theatrical loft a few metres from the Lacerda Elevator: emerald walls, gilt-framed paintings, a canopy bed in gold curtains and a freestanding tub in the room. The Loft Histórico is the smallest and most theatrical of the four Via Avantgarde suites in Salvador's Cidade Alta, the historic upper town. It sits a few metres from the Lacerda Elevator, the lift tower between the upper and lower towns, and it is made for two. Via Avantgarde describes it as an intimate retreat where every detail, from the original floors to the furniture, tells a piece of Salvador's story. The canopy bed, hung in gold. ## The space The loft is one room with a great deal going on in it. The walls are deep emerald and pale stone, gold curtains hang from a canopy around the bed and at the windows, and large gilt-framed paintings fill the walls above the bed and the kitchen. A freestanding white tub stands in the room itself, between the bed and the window, which is the loft's signature and its invitation to stay in for an evening. The kitchen and its breakfast bar. The kitchen runs along one wall with a marble-topped breakfast bar and three stools, open shelves and pendant lamps. There is air-conditioning, a TV, Wi-Fi, hot water, an iron and a hair dryer. A small bathroom in blush pink sits off the main room. The tub sits in the room, by the window. ## The setting Step outside and you are in the middle of the old city. The Lacerda Elevator drops to the Mercado Modelo, the port and the boats across the Bay of All Saints; uphill, the Pelourinho, the painted heart of the historic centre listed by UNESCO, is a short walk of churches, music and restaurants. The Cidade Alta is meant to be walked, though the streets are steep and cobbled, and the evenings are lively, at weekends especially. The counter, set for two. Getting there is straightforward. Salvador airport is on the far side of the city, roughly 30 kilometres from the historic centre, and the drive in can take well over half an hour in traffic. Guests can ask Via Avantgarde about a private transfer when they book, which saves hunting for the door among the cobbled lanes with luggage. Once here, the old town is best on foot, with a taxi or ride-hail for the beaches further out along the coast. ## Who it suits Couples on a romantic trip who want a room with a strong personality and the old town on the doorstep. It is not for anyone who wants space, minimal decoration or a big view; it is a small loft whose pleasure is its interior. Travellers who want the bay from the window should look at Via Avantgarde's Vista Elevador & Mar suite instead, and those who need a workspace at the Penthouse Jacuzzi. ### Good to know One room with one bed and one bathroom; sleeps two. Freestanding tub in the room, kitchen with a breakfast bar, air-conditioning, TV and Wi-Fi. A few metres from the Lacerda Elevator in the Cidade Alta. Booked through Airbnb, linked from Via Avantgarde's own site. ======================================================================== # Suite Colonial — Cidade Alta, Salvador URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/suite-colonial/ Book: https://viaavantgarde.com/perto-fasano/ A colour-saturated apartment between the Lacerda Elevator and the Hotel Fasano in Salvador's upper town, with a living room, a bar by the window and a bedroom under a wall of plants. The Suite Colonial is the Via Avantgarde apartment for travellers who want a little more room. It is in the Cidade Alta, Salvador's historic upper town, between the Lacerda Elevator and the Hotel Fasano, in a building with a lift, and it sleeps two. Via Avantgarde pitches it as the suite that marries contemporary comfort with the colonial soul of the neighbourhood. The living room, with its blue niches. ## The space Unlike the other three suites, this is an apartment with separate rooms. The living room has plum-coloured walls, two dark sofas with patterned cushions, a geometric rug on wooden floors, and a wall of arched niches painted deep blue that hold ceramics and objects. Along the window runs a mint-green bar counter with stools, which serves as the dining table, with the city below. The bar counter at the window. The bedroom is quieter, with a lilac cover on the bed, warm lamps and a wall of hanging plants behind the headboard. The kitchen is compact and white-tiled, with a small stove, a mini fridge, a microwave and a drip coffee maker, and shelves of jars and glassware. There is split air-conditioning, books to read, and the bathroom has a shower; this is the one Via Avantgarde suite without a tub. The compact kitchen. ## The setting The suite sits on the stretch of the upper town between the Lacerda Elevator, which drops to the Mercado Modelo and the port, and the Hotel Fasano on Praça Castro Alves, with restaurants, museums and the bay all within a walk. The Pelourinho, the painted historic centre listed by UNESCO, is a few minutes away. The streets are steep, cobbled and busy, and the city lights from the window are part of the stay. Breakfast over the rooftops. Getting there is straightforward. Salvador airport is on the far side of the city, roughly 30 kilometres from the historic centre, and the drive in can take well over half an hour in traffic. Guests can ask Via Avantgarde about a private transfer when they book, which saves hunting for the door among the cobbled lanes with luggage. Once here, the old town is best on foot, with a taxi or ride-hail for the beaches further out along the coast. ## Who it suits Couples and solo travellers who want a living room as well as a bedroom. It is the least theatrical of the four suites and the most like an apartment of your own. Those who want a tub in the room should choose the Penthouse Jacuzzi, Vista Elevador & Mar or the Loft Histórico instead. ### Good to know One bedroom, a living room and one bathroom with a shower; sleeps two. Compact kitchen, split air-conditioning, and a lift in the building. Between the Lacerda Elevator and the Hotel Fasano in the Cidade Alta. Booked through Airbnb, linked from Via Avantgarde's own site; when we checked in October 2026 its calendar showed no open nights, so message the host there for dates. ======================================================================== # Sea Sun Maui — Kihei, Maui URL: https://amorielli.com/stays/sea-sun-maui/ Book: https://www.mauibeachvacationrentals.com/best-ocean-views/ A fully renovated two-bedroom condo at Kihei Holiday, on Maui's south shore, with ocean views from the living room, the dining table and a private lanai. Sea Sun Maui trades under the name Best Ocean Views on the door, and at Kihei Holiday that name is not just a marketing line. This two-bedroom condo sits where the building meets the water, on the calm north end of Kihei, so the Pacific stays in view from the living room, the dining table and a private lanai. It is one of four bungalows run by Megan and Bryan, a Maui couple who have hosted here since 2012 under the name Maui Beachside Bungalows — guests also know them by their Instagram handle, @sea.sun.maui. This is the unit they built around the water: gutted to the studs and finished in white cabinetry, brass fixtures and wide-plank flooring. ## The space The condo sleeps four across two queen bedrooms, both cooled by central air conditioning; one looks toward the water. The single bathroom was rebuilt with a glass walk-in rain shower over a pebble-stone floor, a marble-look vanity and brass fittings — a shower rather than a tub, sized for rinsing off after the beach. The kitchen runs the length of one wall: quartz counters, a gas double-oven range, a full-size French-door refrigerator, and open shelving stacked with the dishes and glassware guests actually reach for. Past the kitchen, the living and dining area opens through a wall of glass to the lanai, where a small table for two catches the morning light. The kitchen was rebuilt with quartz counters, a gas double-oven range and brass fixtures against white subway tile. ## The setting Kihei Holiday sits on close to two oceanfront acres at the quiet north end of Kihei, on Maui's south shore, fronting Sugar Beach — at three miles, the longest stretch of sand on the island. The town's restaurants, grocery stores and farmers' markets are five to ten minutes south; Wailea's golf courses and fine dining are roughly twenty minutes further; Kahului Airport is about forty minutes away. From November through April, humpback whales are visible offshore, breaching within sight of the lanai often enough that guests mention it without being asked. In the evening, the light over the West Maui Mountains across the water turns the whole north end of Kihei gold. The private lanai looks across Sugar Beach to the West Maui Mountains — guests use it for morning coffee and evening drinks. ## Who it suits This suits two couples, or a family of four who would rather cook most nights than go out. The setting favours guests who want an ocean view and an easy walk to the sand without the busier commercial stretch further south in Kihei — quiet enough to hear the surf at night, central enough that Wailea and the drive up to Haleakala are both within reach. It is not built for a crowd: with one bathroom and two queen bedrooms, four guests is the practical limit, and check-in is self check-in, with Megan and Bryan running the condo themselves rather than through a management company. ### Good to know Sleeps four across two queen bedrooms and one bathroom. Book direct with Megan and Bryan at Maui Beachside Bungalows.