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First time trip report - Villa Anole Review
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SanDiegoMark
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:29 pm
- Location: San Diego, CA
First time trip report - Villa Anole Review
Let's chat about Anole for a minute before we get on about the trip. Its about 2 miles down John's Head Road from Centerline. I never really checked the odometer, but it felt like a couple of miles. The turnoff is a bit after the road starts down hill toward the North Shore. This side road is maybe about a 1/3 to 1/2 mile and fairly narrow but unlike John's Head, the neighbors must have chipped in and paved it. The turn into the driveway is tricky only because it's a very tight U-Turn. We usually had to start the turn, back up and then continue down the drive. As soon as you pull into the parking spot you're mesmerized by the view.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/263 ... 34.jpg[img]
The living room furniture is nothing terribly fancy, but certainly comfortable enough to watch a movie on the new flat screen TV.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/263 ... e9.jpg[img]
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/263 ... ac.jpg[img]
The four bedrooms are equal. Two upstairs on opposite sides of the villa and two downstairs that are accessed from the outside. You can access the downstairs bedrooms directly from the driveway without having to go through the house if you want. The bedrooms are really cool in that they are so huge. Each is a master with its own rock-walled shower. Each has a sitting area that is screened on three sides. We spent time in the twin rocking chairs enjoying the breeze and reading (or is it called napping?) So here's the rub - yes the bedrooms are equal in size, but the upstairs bedrooms have the better view and most likely the better breeze. Bear in mind that there was just the two of us on this trip so it was not an issue as to who gets which bedroom. The other consideration is privacy if you're going with a group. Since Anole is not air conditioned, the air flow through the house is important. For this reason the house is pretty open. There are two doors to each of the upstairs bedrooms. One of the doors is glass and screened so you can see into the bedroom sitting area from the living room, but not necessarily the bedroom area itself (unless you are really nosey). You pass in front of one of the downstairs bedrooms on your way to the pool which could be embarrassing to the occupants of that particular bedroom. The other downstairs bedroom is very private. Don't forget the bedrooms are all screened on three sides.
The bedroom sitting area taken from the living room. You can also see the same angle from the living room picture above.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/263 ... 57.jpg[img]
Downstairs bedroom on the way to the pool
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/263 ... 16.jpg[img]
Each bedroom has a powered wood screen privacy wall that can come down and separate the sitting area from the bedroom area, but who would want to limit the breeze and the view?
We were concerned about the lack of air conditioning, particularly since we were going to be there for 10 days in early June. This was not an issue for us. We always had a nice breeze. There was only one day out of 10 when the breeze died and it got unusually hot and sticky. Even on this day we were not that uncomfortable. There are ceiling fans everywhere and Caribbean Villas provided a couple of extra floor fans.
The deck outside the great room is terrific with the amazing view. We had breakfast there every day and watched the stars at night. The pool is accessed through a wooden walkway-stairway from the main deck or directly from the parking space in front of the villa. It was a great pool - perfect size for floating or playing. I was concerned about the temperature after reading reviews of unheated pools. I don't know whether this pool is heated by man or nature, but either way it was very pleasant. My wife is a baby when it comes to chilly water and she was in the pool every day.
I also heard comments about how the view was obstructed by overgrown foliage, but as you have seen from the pictures in my first trip report, the view was amazing. Lastly this is an extremely private villa. You have rain forest on three sides and nothing in front of you but the amazing view. If you like nature, it sounds like you are living inside of the zoo's aviary. Lots of bird noises which we found very soothing.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/263 ... 7e.jpg[img]
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/263 ... b9.jpg[img]
One last note about John's Head Road. I read lots of comments and concerns about taking John's Head Road all the way down to the North Shore Road. We did that almost every day. Its about 10 minutes from Anole since you are going a bit slow and there are a few sharp switchbacks, but nothing an experienced STJ driver hasn't done everyday.
The road drops you right near Cinnamon Bay. We did not find this any worse than the upper portion of John's Head Rd from Centerline.
Back to the trip report soon![/img]
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/263 ... 34.jpg[img]
The living room furniture is nothing terribly fancy, but certainly comfortable enough to watch a movie on the new flat screen TV.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/263 ... e9.jpg[img]
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/263 ... ac.jpg[img]
The four bedrooms are equal. Two upstairs on opposite sides of the villa and two downstairs that are accessed from the outside. You can access the downstairs bedrooms directly from the driveway without having to go through the house if you want. The bedrooms are really cool in that they are so huge. Each is a master with its own rock-walled shower. Each has a sitting area that is screened on three sides. We spent time in the twin rocking chairs enjoying the breeze and reading (or is it called napping?) So here's the rub - yes the bedrooms are equal in size, but the upstairs bedrooms have the better view and most likely the better breeze. Bear in mind that there was just the two of us on this trip so it was not an issue as to who gets which bedroom. The other consideration is privacy if you're going with a group. Since Anole is not air conditioned, the air flow through the house is important. For this reason the house is pretty open. There are two doors to each of the upstairs bedrooms. One of the doors is glass and screened so you can see into the bedroom sitting area from the living room, but not necessarily the bedroom area itself (unless you are really nosey). You pass in front of one of the downstairs bedrooms on your way to the pool which could be embarrassing to the occupants of that particular bedroom. The other downstairs bedroom is very private. Don't forget the bedrooms are all screened on three sides.
The bedroom sitting area taken from the living room. You can also see the same angle from the living room picture above.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/263 ... 57.jpg[img]
Downstairs bedroom on the way to the pool
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/263 ... 16.jpg[img]
Each bedroom has a powered wood screen privacy wall that can come down and separate the sitting area from the bedroom area, but who would want to limit the breeze and the view?
We were concerned about the lack of air conditioning, particularly since we were going to be there for 10 days in early June. This was not an issue for us. We always had a nice breeze. There was only one day out of 10 when the breeze died and it got unusually hot and sticky. Even on this day we were not that uncomfortable. There are ceiling fans everywhere and Caribbean Villas provided a couple of extra floor fans.
The deck outside the great room is terrific with the amazing view. We had breakfast there every day and watched the stars at night. The pool is accessed through a wooden walkway-stairway from the main deck or directly from the parking space in front of the villa. It was a great pool - perfect size for floating or playing. I was concerned about the temperature after reading reviews of unheated pools. I don't know whether this pool is heated by man or nature, but either way it was very pleasant. My wife is a baby when it comes to chilly water and she was in the pool every day.
I also heard comments about how the view was obstructed by overgrown foliage, but as you have seen from the pictures in my first trip report, the view was amazing. Lastly this is an extremely private villa. You have rain forest on three sides and nothing in front of you but the amazing view. If you like nature, it sounds like you are living inside of the zoo's aviary. Lots of bird noises which we found very soothing.
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/263 ... 7e.jpg[img]
[/img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/263 ... b9.jpg[img]
One last note about John's Head Road. I read lots of comments and concerns about taking John's Head Road all the way down to the North Shore Road. We did that almost every day. Its about 10 minutes from Anole since you are going a bit slow and there are a few sharp switchbacks, but nothing an experienced STJ driver hasn't done everyday.
The road drops you right near Cinnamon Bay. We did not find this any worse than the upper portion of John's Head Rd from Centerline.Back to the trip report soon![/img]
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SanDiegoMark
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:29 pm
- Location: San Diego, CA