Entire home

Historic Sea Captain's House, Walk to Town, Beach

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Terrace/patio
Exterior
4 bedrooms, desk, iron/ironing board, free WiFi
Property grounds
Beach

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Outdoor space
  • Dryer
  • Air conditioning
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Governors Harbour, Eleuthera
  • Haynes Public Library
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Twin Coves Beach
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • OceanView Farm
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Governor's Harbour (GHB)
    ‪23 min drive‬

Room options

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About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Historic Sea Captain's House, Walk to Town, Beach

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.
During your stay at this vacation home, you're just a quick walk from Lucayan Archipelago. Laundry facilities are available. The vacation home includes amenities such as free WiFi and a kitchen.
  • Air-conditioned home with kitchen, washing machine, and 2 bathrooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Amenities include laundry facilities
  • Steps from Lucayan Archipelago and 9 minutes by foot from Haynes Public Library
As a guest of this vacation home, you'll find barbecue grills, a garden, and laundry facilities. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 4 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Smart TV
  • Stereo

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Desk
  • Desk chair

Climate control

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near the bay
  • Near the marina

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Spelunking nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 20

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking.
If you cancel your booking, you'll be subject to the host's cancellation policy. In accordance with EU regulations about consumer rights, property booking services are not subject to the right of withdrawal.

Property is also known as

929376

Reviews

Historic Sea Captain's House, Walk to Town, Beach Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 28 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 28 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 28 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 28 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 28 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Mark W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Enjoyable stay in a heritage property

Well situated property in a quiet neighbourhood, with easy access to the harbour and a short walk to the nearest beach. It was a pleasure to stay in this generously equipped, spacious historic colonial house. Highly recommended.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jim N.

Liked: Cleanliness

May Getaway with Family

Loved this great big antique house with large rooms and comfortable furniture (especially the beds) and proximity to beautiful beaches, restaurants, stores and bayfront. House had everything you need and property manager was very easy to work with and helpful. Really liked sitting out on the porches in the mornings and evenings and enjoying the lovely yard and foliage. Overall it was a fantastic stay.
Stayed 11 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emily H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Tamarind is Magic

We could not have enjoyed our stay more. A beautiful and historic home, full of curated decor and a wonderful collection of books. Kitchen has everything you might need and more. A restorative and healing place, you will not regret booking!
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Gail H., Massachusetts

Liked: Cleanliness

An Eleuthera Gem

History is preserved amidst updated amenities at the well-appointed Tamarind House, located on spacious grounds in central Governors’ Harbour. Walking distance from shops and restaurants (including the fun and lively Buccaneers’ Club) and a longer, but reasonable walk to French Leave beach, Tamarind offers a quiet and comfortable sanctuary, a bit rustic around the edges but in a way that preserves its historic qualities. The well-appointed kitchen (we made Christmas dinner there), airy bedrooms and thoughtful, personal decor; a lovely verandah, outdoor shower, and eclectic library all provide a setting for relaxed, leisurely appreciation of this beautiful island. We appreciated the respect for the home’s history evident in the owners’ choices and also the excellent support of the property manager and staff managing the rental. Overall the experience was like being welcomed by friends into a home they graciously share. A special place.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2019