Preparing for your vacation
Your vacation home is equipped with almost everything you can think of to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Most Vacation homes have coffee makers, beach going equipment and beach towels.
Most of the items found in the local grocery stores are typical items and brands found in the US & Canada however there are specialty markets that carry european, ethnic and gourmet brands. If you or someone in your family have special dietary restrictions please feel free to contact our concierge so we can assist you with sourcing these products.
Your vacation home should have a landline telephone for you to make local phone calls but there are resources on island where you can buy a prepaid cellphone for use during your daily excursions that start at $45.
Be sure to read carefully over the welcome package or home manual for further information on housekeeping and the area your vacation home is located in.
Customs and immigration
Your plane lands you will enter into the customs and immigration terminal, often greeted by a steel pan player. Please be sure to fill out the forms provided by the flight attendants for each family member correctly according to the form. To assist in making this process go as smoothly as possible please be sure to write the address of the home in the appropriate space.
Once you clear Bermuda customs/immigration you will enter the baggage claim hall. If the Duty Free shop is open and you like to indulge in the occasional beverage like a Rum Swizzle or a Dark & Stormy here is the place where you can purchase it for the best value island wide.
If you have already arranged for transportation you can find them waiting for you once you go through the frosted automatic doors. If we have arranged transportation for you then look for your name sign. In the event you do not see your name sign please call 441-705-0804 immediately. The locals are pretty friendly and will be happy to let you borrow a phone.
All of our drivers have been servicing our homes since conception. However, they, like all taxi drivers on the island are independent. Each taxi is metered by government regulation and rates are displayed in plain view of the customer. Taxis can carry 4-7 passengers depending on the size of the taxi. This will also determine the rate. Sundays and Holidays are also at a higher rate.
Things on the inside
We are certainly here to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. Each bed is fitted with fresh linens and all areas are cleaned and maintained to our exacting standards. Each guest will be provided with two towels and two washcloths during their stay. There is no daily housekeeping but should you request it during your stay we will be happy to arrange this for you. If not there is a washing machine and dryer along with other cleaning supplies for those quick and unexpected messes.
Bermuda’s architecture lends itself to a very unique design. Due to our tropical climate our homes are made of either Bermuda stone or concrete block. Depending on what time of year you are traveling this can mean it may get a little damp. Especially in the evening. Please wear socks to keep those toes nice and cozy but it’s not necessary, just a matter of comfort. Also, under our homes there are water tanks. The rain is collected on our roofs, filtered then enter our tanks. There are services to prevent us from running out of water, however, it can be very expensive. If you can help us out a little and be mindful of running water we would greatly appreciate it.
Boy! It can get humid outside. We want you to be comfortable so please feel free to use the air conditioners. However, please make sure all windows are closed when they are in use and please be sure to turn them off when you leave the house for the day. Due to the humidity they can breakdown or cause mould to form over time if the windows are constantly left open.
More tropical goodness, meaning…insects and other creepy crawlies. In the summer month’s harmless but annoying ants are in search for food. Please be sure to make sure you don’t leave any food items out for long periods of time and to wipe the counters when you are done eating or cooking. If not you will notice hundreds of unwelcome guests will gladly do it for you and they won’t be easy to get rid of. Mosquitos and cockroaches are two more insects you may encounter. The ones in Bermuda do not carry any threatening virus like the more southern islands but they can cause the expected mild skin irritation should they bite you. Please be sure to pack insect repellent for your stay.
If you notice your trash is getting full please put it in the larger trash can located outside of the house. If you do not have daily house cleaning or your check-out does not fall on a Tuesday or Thursday please take your trash bags to the entrance of the home ONLY on those days mentioned previously. This will help with pest control and the cleanliness of the property in general. Even though we would love to recycle Bermuda doesn’t have the facilities for all common recyclable items. The blue bags are for cans ONLY. Please do not place plastic in these bags as they will be discarded as normal waste.
We think that covers everything for now. If you notice anything during your stay that would be helpful to mention to any of our future guests let us know. We encourage all feedback to ensure that this home away from home is exactly that!