Three of us where on a mission/vacation trip. Valerie was so helpful and friendly. We are dog owners so her 3 dogs where nice to have around. The location is quiet with a view of the water. We had a cottage with 2 bedrooms and it was perfect for us. It has a small kitchen with everything except a dishwasher which was not an issue for us. We loved having breakfast on the screened in porch and evening drinks watching the sun set. The Tropic of Cancer Beach is a short drive away. They have the same electric current as the U.S.A., but make sure you use the surge protector to plug in your devices. We loved staying here and hope to return next year.

We had a wonderful, relaxing week here. The cottage had everything we needed, and having access to a kayak anytime was wonderful. If you are looking for night life, this is not the place for you. If you are looking for a beautiful setting and a place to get away from it all, contact Valerie. She is a gracious host and a wealth of information. We will come back again.

We just returned from a trip to Valerie’s vacation cottages on Exuma. The cottage was clean, well appointed with dishes, cooking utensils, towels and linens. Although we were warned that the WiFi could be spotty, it worked absolutely fine for us. We connected with no problem and there were also plenty of electrical plugs for charging any devices. Valerie is friendly, knowledgeable and will do whatever is needed to make your vacation a success. We loved the screened-in porch with the beautiful view and the protection from the bugs! The pool was delightful after a long day on the beaches to cool off in non saltwater, but the best was the kayak that comes with every cottage. Several days we took off with the kayak to find deserted beaches where we could swim, picnic and while away the day. Other days we would travel to Little Exuma to the beaches of Forbes Hill and Tropic of Cancer and enjoy lunch at Santana’s or Tropic Breeze. We saw one mention of Mom’s Bakery next to Santana’s for baked goods (yummy), but also just a few steps further down and across the street is a little conch fritter shack – delicious conch fritters ten for four bucks! The other store we wanted to mention is Prime Island Deli. It’s on the right side of the street as you travel from the airport, well before you get to Georgetown. It sells wonderful salads and great cuts of meat. It now also has some basic grocery items. We much prefer this store to Exuma Market. And if you’re looking for fresh fish, Valerie put us onto a little beauty parlor across from the Liquor store in Georgetown. The owner’s husband is a fisherman and she has fresh fish for sale in her shop. All in all, we cannot say enough about Exuma and Valerie’s cottages for an absolutely wonderful, relaxing vacation. We certainly hope to return next year!

What a treasure, immaculate. 30 yrs going to Exuma, never felt so peaceful. Incredible views. Near Tropic of Cancer. Valerie is the perfect hostess, there when you need her. Pool is a great addition. I can’t wait to return.

We stayed in Exuma for 2 week on Val’s gorgeous property and enjoyed every second of it. From the dogs, to the greenery, the water front, pool and of course, our host!

We had never been here before and didn’t want to book a regular hotel. We wanted to live out the Bahamian experience and truly got to do so here. It is beautiful, quiet and remote, offering us all of the peace of mind we had been craving. Val is an amazing host and made us feel so comfortable within the first day of our arrival.

The place itself is well-kept, clean and offers a home-like feeling. We loved the kayaks and often went down to the dock just to walk along the water or see the sunset and stars. Just don’t forget to cover up as those mosquitoes will start to feast! Bug spray alone will not work if your skin is exposed. Val and her neighbor Sandy were sweet enough to offer us all kinds of help with that including calamine and allergy medicine. They were so kind and were always wiling to offer us a helping hand. For instance, we couldn’t rent a car as it requires us to be a minimum of 25 years of age, due to insurance policies. Thankfully, Sandy and Val would offer to drive us into town to get our groceries! They also offered advice whenever we had questions or needed guidance, enhancing our vacation experience on so many levels.

We would recommend this cottage to anyone who is looking to enjoy a peaceful time in Exuma living one day at a time in the purpose of enjoying the island’s beauty.

Ho passato con mia moglie due bellissime settimane presso i cottages di Valerie, una signora di origini inglesi, che ci ha ospitato con molta gentilezza e discrezione.

Il cottage in cui siamo stati ha una splendida vista mare e sugli isolotti raggiungibili in 20 minuti con il kayak messo a disposizione per ogni ospite. Ci sono spiagge bianche deserte con cui si possono fare lunghe passeggiate nel bagnasciuga dove l’acqua cristallina, le tartarughe marine, le razze, le mangrovie ne fanno da cornice.

I cottage sono equipaggiati con tutto quello che serve per trascorrere delle giornate indimenticabili in pieno relax con la compagnia di due simpatici cagnolini della proprietaria sempre attenti ad aspettarti al tuo rientro per darti nuovamente il benvenuto.

I cottages hanno in comune una simpatica piscina dove al mattino e alla sera ci immergevamo per poi sdraiarci e prendere l’ultimo o il primo sole della giornata.

L’isola è meravigliosa ed è indicata per gli amanti come noi della natura.

Gli isolani sono persone cordiali e per quello che abbiamo potuto scorgere non se la passano affatto male.

Un ultimo ringraziamento va comunque a Valerie che con ogni probabilità ci rivedrà il prossimo anno.

What fun! Lovely beaches, congenial host, and lots of love from the resident pups Bridge-it and Caspar. We’ve been visiting this magical island for more than 10 years . P.S. bring doggie treats 🙂 and lots of sunscreen. If you’re a bridge player you can generally find a foursome to while away the evening hours, that’s assuming you are still awake after all the hours fishing, or on the beach and in the sun.

It was just what I was looking for…Peace and quiet…nothing to do but to kayak, explore, walk the beaches, snorkle. I am hoping to get back this fall sometime.

We just returned from 2 weeks at the Cottages in Hartswell and had a wonderful, laid back holiday. The location was perfect for a quiet getaway and Valerie was extremely helpful with our stay. The beaches are magnificent, having use of kayaks was an added bonus and the locals were very friendly. You definitely need a car for getting around and if you are looking to do some bonefishing, you will have a variety of opportunities right outside your door. We frequented several eateries and Santana’s was by far the best food! Right next door is Mom’s bakery with wonderful breads, tasty pastries and rum cake to die for! If you are looking for a laid back vacation, we highly recommend the Cottages at Hartswell.

We are just finishing a 9-day stay at Valerie’s cottage, and we would highly recommend this cottage to anyone looking for a quiet retreat. The cottage was perfect for the three of us (2 adults and one teenager) with comfortable beds, a wonderful porch, and a good kitchen for cooking meals.

We arrived late on a Sunday, and Valerie was kind enough to point out that the grocery stores would be closed. She asked us for a list and got us enough supplies so we could make breakfast the next morning. This kind of thoughtfulness was a hallmark of her treatment of us throughout the week.

Since there were three of us, Valerie let us borrow an extra one-person kayak so that we could explore Moriah Cay, which we strongly recommend doing. When we were playing in the pool, Valerie got out extra inner tubes, and she allowed us to use the laundry machine on her porch. She was accommodating, responsive, and gracious.

We took full advantage of the pool for quiet time when we did not feel like venturing very far or the beaches were windy. The luxury of having a pool almost all to yourself was delightful, and the fact that it was heated was heaven.

You do need a car to get to George Town for supplies or to explore. Our favorite places to eat were Tropic Breeze (great lobster poppers) and Shirley’s. We took a day to go up to Barraterre, and we found a little place called the Fisherman’s Inn (ask where it is because it has no noticeable sign). It was the best fish we had all week, and the cheapest meal by far. If you are cooking at the cottage, be sure to check out the meat market. Shirley let us know about their rotisserie chickens, and the steaks we got there were delicious.

All in all, our stay was lovely, and the cottage was just the quiet retreat to rest, relax, and enjoy one another’s company. Thank you, Valerie!

If you are looking for a laid back, relaxing, fun filled vacation this is the place. The water and beaches are stunning, and Valerie’s kayaks can get you to places few ever see. We have been coming to Exuma for over 30 years and this is absolutely the best deal on the island.