Reviews

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Kathleen, Germany:  April, 2018

We  loved our stay in Tarpum Bay in Culmer Cottage.  There was one problem,  though.  It was too short.  Tarpum Bay is a beautiful, small town on a  beautiful island with wonderfully friendly and open and helpful people!   Culmer Cottage itself is an old home, maybe over 100 years old that has  been completely restored and remodeled by one of the great grandsons,  Kervin.  He has done a wonderful job! The house has personality and  makes one feel at home and welcome.  It has all that one needs and a bit  more.  It even comes with a cook and maid if one desires it. A grocery  store is across the street, there are small restaurants within walking  distance.

  I wish we had been able to enjoy Culmer Cottage,  Tarpum Bay and the whole island of Eleuthera for more than the one week  we had. We do hope to be able to return someday. 

Kevin Ramm : November  2018  My girlfriend and I stayed here for Thanksgiving week for a  relaxing and yet adventurous tropical vacation..  The house was perfect.  It was very clean and well appointed.  It had everything needed for  when we cooked, good wifi and cable (even watched Thanksgiving  football), plus it is in the best location!  Tarpum Bay itself is  beautiful, but we loved being less than 45 minutes  away from tons of  beautiful beaches north or south.  We ended up seeing 10 beaches over  the course of our week long trip.

  The house has a beautiful  balcony overlooking the bay and new/comfortable furniture.  One of the  most helpful parts was the binder the owner has put together/.  She  listed restaurants, beaches, things to do.  By the end of the trip, I  felt like a local.  

   I would definately recommend staying here for an authentic Bahamian expeprience.  We can't wait to go back!

FRANCOIS PARE
Comments  : I spent 10 days at Culmer Cottage at the end of April 2017. My  daughter and her partner joined me for half the stay in Tarpum Bay. The  owner of this nicely appointed house is right about the cultural  immersion experience. The house is located on a hill in the centre of  the village of Tarpum Bay. It is close to everything: a small grocery  store, the fishermen's dock, the post office, the medical clinic, the  small Tarpum Bay beach. Barbie's with its delicious hamburgers is just a  couple doors down on Lord Street. Culmer cottage was exactly what I was  looking for. It offered a wonderful combination of true everyday life  in a Bahamian community and easy access to deserted beaches. Good  Internet access throughout the house and on the patio facing the Bight  of Eleuthera. It is essential to rent a car, not only to discover the  back roads of Eleuthera or go out for coffee at Da Perks in Governor's  Harbour, but because some of the essential services can only be found 12  kilometers south in Rock Sound. The house is exactly as it is depicted  on the website. No deception here. The two bedrooms afford a beautiful  view of the bay. We appreciated the two bathrooms. Tarpum Bay people are  always friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our evening strolls through the  settlement, sitting at the village dock watching the green herons or  sipping on a cool beverage bought at the nearby sore, Bert is for the  Best. This rental is recommended for those who would like to experience a  different kind of vacations in the Bahamas. 

Marja and Jim Sandberg, California
Comments  : We really enjoyed our stay in Culmer cottage.  All amenities have  been meticulously seen to. A very comfortable stay for a small family or  a romantic getaway.  Pack your sense of adventure and a bathing suit,  that's all you need! 1/1/2016

Maggie Hess, Michigan
Comments  : I stayed at Culmer Cottage over Christmas 2014 with my 22 year old  son. We got in very late that evening, but our car rental connection  (recommended by Lynn who owns Culmer Cottage) was ready and waiting with  a great care for our trip.  We arrived in Tarpum Bay quite late, but  the door to the Cottage was open and everything was lovely. It was a  beautiful sight for tired eyes.  We had a great sleep as it's very quiet  there and were off for a snorkeling trip the following day.  Culmer  Cottage sits in the settlement of Tarpum Bay, so you are surrounded by a  small population of very friendly, local people. The next morning, I  was off to Bert's Market a few steps away, to buy groceries so that we  could cook in our lovely kitchen. On either side of the cottage are two  churches, and directly outside the back and across the street is Tarpum  Bay and the gorgeous, emerald green waters of the Caribbean.

The  cottage is well-equipped, clean, and well-maintained by Brenda and  Kervin, the caretakers. They both showed up to say hi several times  during our stay, and Christmas Day food cooked by Kervin was delivered  by various grandchildren to our cottage, as well as some fresh fish  caught by Kervin. Everything you need is there to make your stay  relaxing, comfortable, and entertaining. The cable TV and internet work  well, which is surprising in such a small settlement, and on Christmas  Eve and Day we could hear carol singing at our neighboring churches.  There is even a local bar within walking distance where we could buy our  Kalik beer  (the beer of the Bahamas) when the store was closed for the  holiday.  

I would absolutely go to Culmer Cottage again in the  future. In fact, I would choose it over a more costly resort that  doesn't give you the ambience of being in the REAL Bahamas, with  friendly people, great food, and peace and serenity at it's best.  Don't  forget that you can drive up and down the island on its one major road,  and there are great places to eat and to visit along the way.I have now  been to the Glass Window Bridge near Gregory Town, and count it as one  of the most beautiful places in the world. 

So congratulations to  Lynn, who is great to communicate with as you make your plans, for  providing a real experience in Bahamian culture and a lovely place to  stay for a wonderful time.  We can't wait to come back.Enter comments  here!
 

Come to the REAL BAHAMAS!
Snoozenkaye(Springfield, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 12/23/15 Review Submitted: 12/27/15
Culmer  Cottage is a true cottage in the middle of a small fishing village with  grand charm! The house itself is tastefully decorated with personal  touches and art created by the owners and others throughout. It is not  just a rental it is their home away from home and we felt like we were  visiting the cottage of a family member or friend, not a place set to  rent. In Tarpum Bay you can enjoy the Bahamian people who live here year  round. We saw very few other tourists and although we sometimes  (probably always) looked like tourists ourselves we felt totally at  home, at ease and truly almost like family at times. The people here are  the most warm, friendly, open people I have ever met in any of my  travels. I felt so welcomed every place I went! When you walk or drive  anywhere, everyone speaks to you, treats you with the utmost politeness,  waves if you are driving by. Hitching a ride is common and we felt  comfortable picking up kids, older people and females- not sure if I  would pick up someone who could overpower me. This place is safe, there  is very little crime here, according to locals. We loved exploring the  island and the beaches. We wanted to relax and decided not to take the  trip all the way to Harbour Island. We went as far North as Gregory  Town, checked out Governor's Harbour and North Palmetto Point. We saw  different beaches every day. Junkanoo was a delight! You need a car in  order to get around to the beaches. Cook for yourselves to save money-  eating out here is more expensive than most places in the U.S. comparing  apples to apples. We bought fresh lobster and conch and red snapper off  the dock half a block from the house. We grilled the snapper, made a  fish boil with the lobster and had the caretaker make us a conch salad.  The caretaker is a wonderful cook and can be hired to bring you meals.  We asked her to cook extra Christmas dinner- asking her to just bring us  whatever she was making for her own family and we got turkey, ham,  macaroni and cheese (they say macaroni), yellow rice with vegetables and  dressing. Every single thing was delicious- prepared a lot like soul  food in the U.S. We fell in love with the caretakers and their family  and will always remember their kindness and the fun we had with them. We  love this place, are still here at the time of this writing and do not  want to leave. We would recommend this place to anyone who likes to  travel off the beaten path to know the real people of the Bahamas. Love,  love, love it here!

Recommended for: People with disabilities,  sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, pet owners, age 55+,  families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children.

Escape to Tarpum Bay
Jim (Traverse City Michigan) Review Submitted: 03/05/18
Culmer  Cottage is a wonderful cottage high on a hill over-looking the  Caribbean Sea, just a stones throw from the water and the fishing pier  where you can purchase the catch of the day. A constant cool ocean  breeze makes for a very pleasant stay. The second floor porch provides  spectacular views while the main floor patio provided a great spot for  morning coffee while checking email and evening cocktails. Staying in  the heart of Tarpum Bay provided a great experience where I was able to  meet and socialize with some of the local people who shared colorful  stories about Eleuthera and the other islands. The market is directly  across the street and several local eateries are within walking  distance. Eleuthera and beaches go hand in hand. A short drive in any  direction took me to beautiful beaches for sunning, swimming and great  snorkeling. A ten minute drive from Rock Sound Airport was convenient  and Tarpum Bay is a great spot for day trips to the north or the south  of the island. The cottage itself is comfortable and well appointed with  a full kitchen, 2 full baths and 2 bedrooms. Every window has a view. I  very much enjoyed my stay and plan to return to this wonderful spot!

Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, girls getaway, age 55+, romantic getaway.

Escape to Tarpum Bay
Paul (Long Lake, Michigan, USA)
Review Submitted: 02/26/19
Have  stayed here three times. Great view, centrally located on the island,  easy to maintain. Like having fish dock with daily catch a block  away.Like being in the middle of a Bahamian town. I keep coming back, so  you know I like this cottage.

Recommended for:Sightseeing,  adventure seekers, tourists without a car, girls getaway, pet owners,  age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

Culmer Cottage
Ann (Fort Myers, FL)
Review Submitted: 11/22/15
This is my idea of a perfect house for the setting. And I have never seen beaches as beautiful as those on Eleuthera.

Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, families with young children.