Historic Sea Captain's House, Walk to Town, Beach
Guest Rating:☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Vacation rental house. people8 sleeps, bed4 bedrooms, bath2 bathrooms. Pets: None
Pine Street Governors Harbour, Governor's Harbour 11111 Bahamas (Geo: 25.197802,-76.24322)
Overview & Photos
LOVINGLY RESTORED SEA CAPTAIN'S HOUSE IN FRIENDLY, HISTORIC GOVERNOR'S HARBOUR
A white picket fence and palm trees welcome you to this elegant 19th century home, nestled on a quiet street among other colonial houses in historic Governor's Harbour, the original capital of the Bahamas.
Built by Captain John Bethel of 'Sloop John B' fame, Tamarind is an airy, four-bedroom home that sleeps up to eight guests in comfort. It has a fully equipped kitchen with a breakfast table, as well as a separate dining room. Also downstairs is a front parlour and an office space with a desk and computer screen you may use with your laptop computer.
Tamarind has one bedroom downstairs with a king bed and adjoining bathroom. Upstairs there are three more bedrooms, one with a king bed, and two additional bedrooms with two twin beds each, as well as a full bathroom.
You will enjoy the wrap-around veranda at the front of the house and private back patio, complete with an outdoor dining table, gas BBQ, lounge chair for sunning, and private outdoor shower that we prefer to use when returning from the beach.
Tamarind is decorated with country antiques, seagrass mats, ceiling fans and tasteful art. Its spacious garden is filled with tropical flowering plants and fruit trees. Our family has made every effort to maintain the charming grace of this historic home.
From Tamarind you are just a few steps from the town center and the sleepy harbour, with its lovely cove beaches and boats at anchor. You are also a ten-minute walk or short drive to one of the Caribbean's most spectacular beaches – a one and-a-half mile crescent of pink powder sand, protected by a live barrier reef, with innumerable shades of turquoise, green and blue water stretching to the horizon.
Amenities include parking at the back of the house, Wi-Fi, smart TV, and a Pack ‘n Play for our young guests.
All four bedrooms have portable AC units in addition to ceiling fans. PLEASE NOTE that, during extremely warm periods, these AC units may not cool the bedrooms of this historic home to temperatures a typical modern traveler may expect. Heat-sensitive guests interested in this rental for late July or August, the hottest time of the year, should consider this.
THE TOWN AND THE ISLAND
Governor's Harbour is a small, peaceful town on the Family Island of Eleuthera, offering a collection of distinctive colonial homes, historic churches, and colorful Bahamian buildings. The natural beauty of Eleuthera is only exceeded by the grace and warmth of its people, a primary reason vacationing couples and families return again and again to this island community.
You will find all the services you need in town, including grocery stores, gift shops, post office, library, bank, gas stations, dive shop, liquor stores and bakeries. There are also several good local restaurants to choose from, and a few colorful local bars.
Regular weekly events in town include live music at the restaurants, a fish fry most Friday nights on one of the harbour's beaches, and a Saturday morning arts and crafts program for children at the historic Haynes Library. Most of these amenities are within easy walking distance from Tamarind.
The island of Eleuthera is 110 miles long and an average of only two miles wide. Governor's Harbour is located in the middle of Eleuthera, making day excursions easy. The entire island is ringed by world-class beaches that are never crowded, and some of which you will have all to yourself.
There are many interesting settlements up and down the island. In addition, you will be able to enjoy fabulous fishing (deep sea, reef and bone fishing), snorkeling and SCUBA diving.
Rates are on a sliding scale based on the number of guests. We set the rates this way to make the property more affordable for smaller groups who use less utilities and put less wear and tear on the house. If you enter the correct number of guests, the reservation system will calculate the rates correctly.
| Unit Short Name | Tamarind (Unit Code: tamarind) |
| Property Type | House |
| Beds | 2 King beds, 4 Twin beds |
| Bathrooms | 2 bathrooms |
| Rooms | 4, sleeps 8 |
| Floor Area | 2500 square feet |
| Pets | Pets not allowed |
| Standard Amenities | Attractions: arboretum, bay/sound, botanical garden, caves, churches, cinemas, library, marina, reefs, restaurants Entertainment: Television General: Hair Dryer, Parking, Wifi, Free Wifi Leisure Activities: beachcombing, bird watching, eco tourism, horseback riding, photography, scenic drives, sight seeing, walking Location Type: Beach Sports And Adventure Activities: deepsea fishing, fishing, fly fishing, freshwater fishing, jet skiing, pier fishing, sailing, scuba diving or snorkeling, snorkeling, sound/bay fishing, spelunking, surf fishing, surfing, swimming, wind-surfing Suitability: children welcome Car: recommended Theme: Away From It All, Family, Historic Safety: Smoke detectors Health And Safety: Enhanced cleaning practices, Clean with disinfectant, High touch surfaces cleaned with disinfectant, Towels and bedding washed in water that's at least 60sC/140sF |
| Kitchen | Full Kitchen, Refrigerator, Coffee Maker, Microwave, Toaster, Cookware, Blender, Dishes & utensils |
| Living | Air Conditioning, Ceiling Fans, Linens, Washer & Dryer, Ironing Board, High Speed Internet, Hair dryer, High Chair, Air Conditioning Bedrooms only, No A/C in Kitchen |
| Business | Nearby ATM, Nearby Post Office, Nearby Internet Cafe, Nearby Bank |
| Convenience | Nearby Medical Services, Nearby Grocery |
| Culture | Fish Fry |
| Outdoor | Patio, Outdoor Shower, Grill, Beach towels, Cooler |
| Geographic | Near Beach, Close to Town |
| Entertainment | CD Player, DVD Player, Stereo System, Games, Books, TV, Smart TV |
Rates & Availability
Reviews
| Overall satisfaction: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ | Services from rental manager: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ |
| Overall satisfaction: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ | Cleanliness: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ | Location: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ | Property condition: ☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★ |
| 78 % of our reviewers would recommend this vacation rental. | |||
Vacation Rental Reviews
Historic Home
Stayed 10 days ending in December, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Freddie Z. from St Simons Island, GA Unknown recommends this vacation rental.
n/a
Great location
Stayed 5 days ending in October, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Yolanda T. from Irvine, NA Unknown not recommends this vacation rental.
Great hospitablity the location was perfect our guest were very happy.
Anecdote to Winter
Stayed 21 days ending in February, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
A guest from Mono, Ontario Canada recommends this vacation rental.
Thoroughly charming. Our vacation was exactly what we hoped for. Quiet, comfortable and low key. The French Leave beach is spectacular!
The house is, as stated, charming, and very comfortable. The property is really pretty and perfectly located if you want to avoid renting a car.
The house is little run down and could use some upgrading but definitely clean. I hesitate to criticize - the house is 150 years old and on an island in the middle of the ocean - but the bathrooms are in need of repair and hot water would be nice.
If you are looking for a four or five star vacation you will have to look elsewhere on Eleuthera and pay accordingly.
We loved it!
Manager Responded on 3/1/2023
Tamarind has a good and well maintained hot water heater. Short term power outages across the island (which were occurring during this time) may not have given the heater sufficient time to warm up a few times during these guests’ stay. We are sorry for this island inconvenience that is outside of our control.
Great Historic Home
Stayed 6 days ending in January, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
John L. from Lake Geneva, WI United States recommends this vacation rental.
Great historic home. Hate to share the secret. Hope to book again.
Love Eleuthera!
Stayed 7 days ending in April, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Karan B. from Rockledge, FL US recommends this vacation rental.
We had a lovely stay in Tamarind, great location, easy access to restaurants, beaches, shopping. The home was comfortable, had everything we needed, and the property manager was very helpful. Would stay there again!
Beautiful Historical home
Stayed 30 days ending in October, 2023
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Yolanda T. from Irvine, NA Unknown recommends this vacation rental.
Perfect location, the house is beautiful and the hospitality.
Una bellissima esperienza
Stayed 10 days ending in July, 2019
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
romina f. from vacallo CH recommends this vacation rental.
Lacasa ha un fascino incredibile, un posto carico di storia dove si vive in una dimensione unica...l'unica cosa é che se fosse mia farei deigli investimenti per migliorare i serramenti.
Comunque la consiglierei , un esperienza unica...
grazie
Tamarind is Magic
Stayed 6 days ending in February, 2022
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
A guest from White Rock, BC CA not recommends this vacation rental.
I have visited Eleuthera for many years and would pass by Tamarind and always daydream about what it was like inside. After finishing chemotherapy I decided to visit and make this dream come true. It exceeded every expectation.
Tamarind is a true gem, thoughtfully appointed and contains a curated collection of incredible decor. Each book, lamp, painting, side table, vase.. The main floor bedroom has 2 sailor's valentines in perfect condition. The kitchen has everything you might need. Bedrooms are large and have lovely linens.
My younger brother passed away recently and there was a jug on a side table that said "hermano bebe que la vida es breve" which translates to little brother, life is short". There is a print in the bedroom of cardinals, a bird that means a loved one who has passed is nearby. A drawing of a boy on the beach decorated with shells looked just like him.
Lenny, who came to greet me, was kind, funny, and so helpful.
Tamarind is located close to shopping, restaurants and beaches but still very quiet. It was a healing and restorative place for me and it will be for you. Don't hesitate to book!
Wonderful Governors Island Experience
Stayed 1 days ending in November, 2022
Services from rental manager:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Cleanliness:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Location:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Property condition:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Overall satisfaction:
☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★
Bonnie M. from Tacoma, WA US recommends this vacation rental.
I am so grateful for the wonderful experience that Tamarind House provided recently. For those of us that treasure history, Tamarind House a wonderful and gracious old home, tastefully decorated with period furnishings, but one that has received much love and updates since it was built. Its convenient location allowed us to explore the length and breadth the island, with each beach more beautiful and unspoiled than the next, fresh fish straight from fisherman, amazing natural elements, and elegant or casual dining.
Unmatched above all are the kindness of the local Bahamians; I hope I will have the privilege to return to Tamarind House again one day.
Sincerely,
Bonnie