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The Red Roofed buildings are all Sapphire Beach Resort (not to be confused with Sapphire Village). They are 4 levels high. The first level is suite offering 1 king bed and a sofa bed and the king bed area can be closed off with wooden shutter doors that slide across the entire width of the suite - making it like a 1BR unit. There is a full kitchen and dining area. The glass sliding doors open onto the private patio and then step down onto the sand. Doesn't get much closer than that! These units come with a little cement washing bin thing at the entrance to your patio -- just fill with water and wash your feet before you step up.

The second floor is the same as the first, but you obviously can't walk out to the sand...but you do get a better view since you re up higher.

The third and fourth floors are called penthouse villas. They are 2 story units with a bath, sofa bed, kitchen, dining area and HUGE balcony on the lower level and a large bedroom with kind bed, another sofa bed and another bath, plus another balcony on the upper level.

The resort isn't luxurious....and is kind of worn. It sits too close to the water and sand to maintain a pristine look and feel. But, the location is the best resort location on the island, IMO. Then again, Secret Harbour is awesome and just as close to the water and sand.

Thanks for the info. I'll check out Secret harbour too. I'm also looking at Absolute Paradise Villas on the grounds of the old Grand Palace Resort. I think they're on Coki Beach or Pineapple Beach. Does have knowledge of them as the rates are definetely better.

Yep....on Pineapple Beach. Those villas are in a complex rented under a few different names (because various villas are owned by various owners and agents). I just looked at the website for Absolute Paradise since I hadn't heard of them specifically, but I have been to that location many times and have walked amongst those villas - and I have also stayed at the Palace.

First, that beach on their home page IS NOT the beach at these villas. That looks like Lindquist to me. There are no villas or homes on Lindquist.

The beach at Water Bay (which is Pineapple Beach) where the Grand Palace used to be, is not a good beach. It took lots of work to rake the seaweed when the Palace was there and the water always seem murky to me - so much so that I haev never gone in and have chosen to drive ot other beaches, even when I was staying right there. Nobody goes to that beach - I guess except those staying in those villas now.

I am not sure of the condition now that the Palace is closed. I have heard that the fact that the villas are on the grounds of a closed up resort gives them a strange feeling.

Also, you would have to see these to understand, they sit back and very flat....not on any kind of hill, not even the slightest...and they are closed in. You will ABSOLUTELY NO VIEW....except that of the trees around you and the closed resort on the hill above you.

These look really nice on the inside, from the pics. But, I would only stay there if the deal was worth giving up any kind of view and the beach and being on the grounds of a large, closed resort.

Thanks so much for your info. I'm trying to get rates for Secret Harbour and am having difficulty finding a good site. Can you recommend one?

Did you try their web page? http://www.secretharbourvi.com/

I just called them. Somehow the MSN search didn't give me this address in the first few search pages. I guess that's why we've got Google. Anyhow, when I first checked Beachfront availability I was told they had it and then I called back 30 minutes later to reserve and they didn't. I think the poor guy was just too busy and confused the dates. I was hoping to be there March 2-5 and would have enjoyed buying you a drink for your anniversary, but c'est la vie...Happy Anniversary!!!