Travel Weekly Editor at Large Johanna Jainchill earlier this year spent a week at two Caribbean villas, named Exclusivity and Day-O. Her impressions on Day-O follow:The Day-O Villa, located in a gated community of independently owned villas on St. Martin, offers the traditional villa experience of a private home with minimal staff.
This three-bedroom property -- with an open-air kitchen, dining and living area, and a large pool surrounded by lush tropical gardens -- features a gazebo overlooking the pool on one side, and the ocean on the other. A gate swings open to the sands of Plum Bay Beach. (
View a slideshow of Day-O and Exclusivity here or by clicking on the photo.)
Day-O has a housekeeper and groundskeeper who come only in the morning, and both of whom live on the grounds, but out of sight.
Any guest here would need a car, which Villas of Distinction throws in with each villa rental on St. Martin, giving guests the ability to buy provisions for the house and visit the restaurants for which St. Martin is famous.
At Day-O, you feel you own a home for the week. You mix your own drinks, make your own meals and snacks, and experience the privacy that comes with that kind of independence.
But guests are not alone. Upon arrival at Day-O, a staff member from the local management company, Pierres Caraibes, greets you, and there are at least three numbers guests can call to request anything they need.
If guests want meals prepared on site, the local management company will arrange for a chef to come to the house, prepare and serve the meal and clean up afterward. Prices vary according to the menu.
Upon arrival, the refrigerator is stocked with basic essentials, including water and other provisions.
Through April, Day-O costs $1,429 per night for three bedrooms. With a free seventh night thrown in, it comes to about $8,572 for the week. If booked with Villas of Distinction, a free car rental is thrown in for the week.
Villas of Distinction offers dozens of villas on St. Martin of all types -- some like Day-O, others that are fully staffed.
Judi Chaitman, who works exclusively with Villas of Distinction, recently booked clients in a different St. Martin villa and was very impressed with the service on the ground.
"They contacted the client directly to see what food and beverage they wanted upon arrival," she recalled. "And if you need anything, you call them. They set up chefs, cooking classes."
Her clients seemed pleased, as well.
"They love it so much they emailed me and said they want to book it for next year," Chaitman said.
Follow Johanna Jainchill on Twitter @jjainchilltw.