What Grand-Cul-de-Sac is actually like
Grand-Cul-de-Sac sits behind a reef. The reef closes the bay, so the water inside stays shallow and flat, with no real swell. That suits small children and it suits board sports, this is where people go to kite, windsurf and paddle. It is a different kind of water from the open-ocean beaches such as Flamands, Gouverneur or Saline, where the swell is real. If you want waves, this is not your side of the island. If you want water a child can stand up in, it is.
Ten bedrooms, twenty guests: be honest about the fit
Ten bedrooms and twenty guests puts this house in a narrow category: a family reunion, a wedding party, several couples travelling together. For four people it makes no sense. Two things are worth settling before you book. The first is the bed configuration, ten rooms for twenty people can be organised in several ways, and I will get you the exact layout rather than describe one I have not checked. The second is logistics. Twenty people means several rental cars and a real plan for provisioning. I would rather sort that out with you in advance than watch it improvise itself on arrival.
What is included, and what I will not claim
The villa has air conditioning, wifi with a high-speed connection, television, and a private pool that is heated. An airport transfer is listed among the services. Beyond that list I am not going to describe rooms, terraces, levels or outlooks I have not verified for this particular house, and I will not tell you how far anything is from the door until I have checked it. If something matters to you, ask, and I will confirm it before you book.
What you trade for the space
The trade on this side is the car. You will drive for shopping, for restaurants, for most beaches, nothing here is walkable the way the quays of Gustavia are. If part of a holiday, for you, is stepping out the door and going to dinner on foot, weigh that before you book. When you ask, I will give you real drive times rather than round numbers I have not timed myself.
There is also the wind. This is not a corner for a still, silent terrace; if that is the picture in your head, another part of the island will serve you better. This side suits a large group happy to have room to itself and unbothered by the car, if that is your group, the daily driving stops registering within a day or two. If it is not, if what you pictured was dinner on foot and a quiet terrace, tell me early, because that is better settled before you book than discovered on arrival.
What the villa has
- Air conditioning
- Airport transfer
- Wi-Fi
- High-speed internet
- TV
- Private pool
- Heated pool
Common questions
How are the twenty sleeping places split across the ten bedrooms?
I will not state that from memory. Ten rooms for twenty guests can be arranged in more than one way, and the difference matters if you are placing couples, children or friends. Send me your group and I will confirm the exact configuration in writing before you commit.
What does Tourmaline Estate cost?
Rates on request. I do not publish a figure for this villa, because the only number worth having is the one for your actual dates and party size. Tell me when you want to come and how many of you there are, and I will come back with the real quote.
Is Grand-Cul-de-Sac the right base for a group of twenty?
It depends what you want from the water. The lagoon is closed by a reef, so it is flat and shallow, good for young children and for kite, windsurf and paddle. If your group wants open-ocean swell, you will be driving to another coast most days. Either way, plan on several rental cars and book them alongside the villa.
Rates and availability
Rates depend on the season and the length of stay, so I quote them case by case rather than publishing a figure that would be wrong half the year. Tell me your dates and who is travelling, and I come back with the real number and what is still open.