We just returned from our first visit to Eleuthera and had an amazing stay at Baycienda. We could have chosen a more modern property with fancy granite countertops and a dishwasher, but our vacation wouldn't have been nearly as memorable.
First, the hosts were fantastic. Tom, the owner picked us up at the airport after a long travel day and greeted us warmly, as if we were family. He showed us around the property, pointed us to restaurants and steered us towards a nearby lagoon with a rope swimg we kayaked/paddleboarded to with the boys. When the boat had a minor issue, he had someone out that night to fix it and took my husband on a ride to Harbor Island, about 10 minutes away by boat, and showed him where he parks. We were sad to see Tom leave a few days into our stay, but he flew his friend Harry in and he was just as great. He took us out on the boat to fish, with his personal fishing rods and bait, and made sure that both of our boys got to reel in some fish with him - they were thrilled! And, he took us to a special spot to find some conch shells, which turned into a great fishing spot for us. What an amazing experience! Our 5-year-old would love one more day fishing with Harry! He also took my husband snorkeling and fishing while the boys napped. Both Harry and Tom were there as much or as little as we wanted, even joining us for an occasional meal.
As for the property - the negatives are like a hotel - some of the beds are more comfortable than others, there are some cracks in the walls, and some chipped paint, and some of the doors have trouble sliding, but none of that mattered to us. Our boys loved playing in the pool and feeding turtles and fish from the dock. They got to see sting rays, barracuda, starfish, needlefish and even sharks swim right past the dock! We made most of our breakfasts and lunches at the house and the big open floor plan was great for us. We played games every night in the "great room" overlooking the water. The view from the property was even better than we imagined.
We loved the location - about 20 minutes from restaurants and a couple of shops in Gregory Town, half of which is a rough island dirt road, but fine. We spent about half of every day around the house and explored nearby the other half. I wish I could write more!
Tom and Harry, thank you for your hospitality, especially with the boys and my mom. It didn't go unnoticed. We can't wait to return! Shannon (and family)