Our vacation house, set amid delightful gardens and right at the beach, is in a secluded part of the out-of-the-way island of Nevis.

The West Indies-style house has a lovely kitchen, a large screened porch facing the sea, a patio with views of the volcano and other hills, and a swimming pool. There are 2 bedrooms, a sleeping porch, and 3 baths - plus a sofabed in the living room. Our favorite place to refresh is the outdoor shower with the views of the gardens and the volcano. The high, vaulted ceilings, traditional wooden awnings, and ceiling fans maximize the cooling Atlantic breezes coming over the mountains behind you. The 2 bedrooms are air-conditioned for the warm summer nights. The built-in computer desk (with WiFi internet access for your laptop and other devices) offers an expansive view of the sea. Go to our website for the availability calendar and guest testimonials. Black Sand Cove’s Facebook page has lots more pictures of the island and of Black Sand Cove, and with reviews, suggestions, and photos from guests. Anyone can go there: www.facebook.com/blacksandcove

In addition to the house, we offer a cottage with a queen-size bed, a sofabed, and well-organized kitchen and dining facilities, all within one room. Both units, which are very private and separate from each other, have lovely color schemes that complement the local art work on the walls. Both have complete laundry facilities, charcoal grills on the patios and WiFi internet access.

Nevis is a small, off-the-beaten-track island, loved by those who enjoy nature, hiking, birding, beachcombing, the varied rainforest/beach terrain, and a laid-back lifestyle. Black Sand Cove is secluded, private, and unique in the Caribbean for our fabulous gardens. They show off how to emphasize local plants and native species in superb design to create a stunning garden paradise, which was conceived by Julie Toll, multi-award winner of British garden design shows. A beautiful wooden staircase takes you through the gardens and down to a secluded beach with soft, black sand. On our peaceful corner of the island, you'll hear only the sounds of nature: the wind in the banana trees, the birds, the crickets, and the waves on the shore. The 360 degree views show off wonderful sunrises and sunsets.

People who have stayed at many rental homes in the Caribbean describe ours as one of the best equipped they've seen. That's because we spend quite a lot of time there ourselves. We designed the kitchen so that more than one person has convenient space to work together, because we like to cook in teams when a large family group gathers. Every room in the light, airy house has delightful views. We designed the swimming pool with broad, shallow steps to make it user-friendly for parents playing in the water with young children. With a separate cottage, close by but entirely separate and invisible from the house, a larger group of 8-12 can fit in, so it's a great place for an extended family get-together. With that many guests, some wouldn't have their own bathrooms or private bedrooms, since they'd be using sofabeds. The maid comes every 2-3 days.