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Style: A truly captivating setting, part Garden of Eden, part rural, very much in keeping with the farming origins of the 10 acre estate. This is the ultimate hideaway in which to spend halcyon days in comfort and amongst nature, and is a particularly magical setting for weddings
The Beach: There are a number of small beaches within a 5 to 10 minute drive on the north-West Coast, in Half Moon Fort, Shermans and Six Mens Bay - beach access from the estate down to Half Moon Fort. Use of beach facilities at Port St Charles
The Rooms: 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms with 5 en suite
Key features: Unique Barbados villa, lagoon-like swimming pool (48ft x 17ft), pond, Zippa speedboat, games room with table tennis and board games, children’s swing set, fax, ADSL internet access, WiFi, library with 37" flat screen TV, Bose CD/radio players in bedrooms, cable TV with DVD in the Master bedrom, and flat screen TV/DVD in Plantation Wing bedrooms, Bose stereo system in main, use of beach facilities at Port St Charles and membership of the Port St Charles Yacht Club with restaurant, bar and swimming pool.
Children: Welcome, but must be accompanied by a nanny
Staff: House manager, butler, chef, cook, 2 housekeepers, laundress, maid, 3 gardeners and 2 night watchmen |
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Description
Surrounded by cane fields and farmland on a tree lined ridge overlooking the north-West Coast, Fustic House has an unexpected setting for Barbados. It is set in ten acres and has a diverse landscape that few visitors would ever imagine Barbados to have. You approach along an impressive driveway that leads through a tree lined avenue of Pride of India behind which are lawns dotted with Mahogany trees. At moments the estate seems like a park, but then it is more like a private botanical garden, with a palm grove, water garden, a fruit orchard, a well established duck pond teeming with fish and various lilies including lotus, a natural gully and a collection of exotics and flowers, including an Anthurium theatre.
Previously called Seaview, Fustic House dates back to the eighteenth century, when it started out as the farm house to the then sugar estate. It was built on the foundations of an earlier building whose original 17th century fireplace now stands in the formal dining room. Over the years buildings were added, including the Messel Wing in the early 1970s, when theatre designer Oliver Messel’s love of the property prompted him to add his hallmark the sage green paint to all of the woodwork (the colour is now known as Messel Green in Barbados). The weathered coral stone walls of Fustic House are the perfect counterpoint to the verdant surrounds, another of Messel’s trademarks was to incorporate the theatre of nature within his designs.
The original main house is located close to the edge of the estate’s ridge, affording views of the Caribbean Sea through the tree tops. A typical Messel façade is reflected in the lily pond, and flanked by a set of low steps leading onto a furnished terrace and the main entrance to the house. A small terrace set with a couple of loungers leads into the main entrance and a small sitting area. From here you move through to the library, which is comfortably furnished with plump white sofas and chairs. This area of the house is actually the upper level and it has two bedrooms. The Wisteria Suite with king size bed has its own mosaic tiled bathroom located across the hall. The Master Bedroom is a vision in white, with a super king size bed with white padded head board, white linens and almost all white furnishing. It has an en suite bathroom with separate marble edged bath and tiled shower, cable TV and DVD, and leads out to a white washed, wood decked wrap-around veranda, which is furnished in white wicker.
Downstairs, the formal dining room has made a feature of the original 17th century fireplace and unusual brick flooring, and leads out to the paved courtyard which is used for both relaxing and dining. Probably the most used areas of Fustic House is this outside courtyard, and what is known as the covered courtyard. This is a very pleasant sitting room with open arches giving views to the gardens and ocean. With a combination of comfortable white upholstered chairs and natural fibre seating and low coffee table, it is the perfect place to settle with a good book. In the late afternoons is filled with a glorious golden light as the sun dips toward the horizon.
Adjoining the main house is the two storey Messel Wing, whose upper floor extends over the covered courtyard. It is known as the Moon Deck, and has a double day bed for star gazing. There are two bedrooms in this building, the upper floor Sunset Suite and ground floor Seaview Suite, each with twin beds. Both are en suite with tub/shower in Sunset and a walk-in shower in Seaview. The décor is simple and mostly white with green painted floors to match the wooden shutters.
The Plantation Wing is set in the gardens and has a delightful central sitting area with natural fibre seating and an extremely attractive mahogany cane day bed. It looks out onto the fruit lawn and palm grove. A games room with table tennis and board games is located close to the entrance. Then you move into a covered courtyard and the sitting area, off which lead two beautifully furnished bedrooms, one on either side. The Wicker Suite has an oriental flavour and a king size sleigh bed with caned ends, and the Mahogany Suite has a splendid mahogany king size four-poster with matching furniture. Both bedrooms have flat screen cable TVs with DVD, ceiling fans, en suite bathrooms with tub/shower and large outside showers with coral-stone walls topped by green latticework. All bedrooms at Fustic House are air-conditioned and have a Bose radio/CD player.
Although the property has a perfectly nice dining room (which seats up to fifteen) it is seldom used, as guests generally prefer to eat out under the trees on the terrace. This takes on magical air when lit by candlelight, as does the area on the lawn in front of the south façade of the house, another romantic dining spot. In fact guests have the entire run of the estate and can choose to dine wherever the fancy takes them. Lunch on the lawn by the pond and hammocks is a popular choice. Kenroy Hunte, the chef, will prepare daily menus using the freshest local produce in season and he will bring the catch of the day from a nearby fish market. Herbs come from Fustic’s kitchen garden and all bread, cookies and cakes are home baked (bread is never purchased). Also ice creams and sorbets are prepared in the cavernous and professionally equipped kitchen. Finally, there is a wood-burning oven on the lower terrace below the main dining area, which is used to cook pizzas, roasts and salt-crusted fish.
Sample menu: Assortment of breads, Cappuccino of roasted pumpkin soup with toasted pine nuts with a drizzle of thyme oil, Rocket and zucchini salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and a tangy lemon dressing, Basil sorbet with candied cherry and a drizzle of 100-year old balsamic vinegar, Oven roasted whole catch of the day scented with herbs and spices with peppers, celery and roasted vegetables, and finally Apple tart tatin with rum and raisin ice cream.
See short History and Tour of Fustic House by the owner |
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Beach & Swimming
Fustic House has an unusual lagoon-like swimming pool designed by Oliver Messel, which he sculpted out of the side of the estate’s coral stone ridge. The pool is approximately 48ft by 17ft and varies in depth from 3ft to 6ft, with stone steps leading down from the stunning tropical foliage which envelopes the pool, creating a little oasis. A new sun deck overlooks the Tropical Ravine.
There is now beach access from the grounds. This is through the Tropical Ravine which leads down to the estate's west gate and Half Moon Fort beach nearby. Guests of Fustic House can also enjoy selected services at Port St Charles, which includes the use of the newly constructed Port St Charles Yacht Club and its membership only restaurant, bar, changing rooms and lockers, and swimming pool.
There are a number of small beaches within a five to ten minute drive down on the north-West Coast along Shermans and Six Mens Bay. When swimming in these areas it is advisable to stay close to shore and heed any warnings given by locals – do check with the villa manager before setting off to the beach to make sure that you find the right spots. |
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Sports & Recreation
Fustic House has a games room with table tennis and board games. A small Zippa speedboat is available for guests use. The nearest golf course is Royal Westmoreland about 20 minutes drive away, which has some tee times open to outsiders in the mid morning. Otherwise there are two courses open to the public at Sandy Lane about 30 minutes away. Tennis is available through Sugar Hill about 20 minutes away and the nearest gym is West One in Holetown, which will take approximately twenty-5 minutes by car. |
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Locality
Fustic House is situated in farmland and cane fields, with the fishing village of Half Moon Fort a short drive down the hill. Sherman’s fishing village is a little further along and you will still see boat building taking place. Speightstown, the island’s second largest town and formerly known as Little Bristol is approximately 15 minutes by car and still has a feel of old time Barbados about it. There is a small fish market on the sea front, fruit and vegetable sellers known as ‘hucksters’ on the road side, a couple of local restaurants and bars and a smattering of shops, plus a reasonably well stocked supermarket.
The nearest good restaurants are all south of Fustic House. The closest is the Fish Pot at Little Good Harbour, then La Mer at Port St Charles, followed by Mango's by the Sea in Speightstown. On weekends there are fish fry nights along the road sides in the fishing villages below, where the fish stalls mingle with make-shift bars and the occasional rustic dining area perched above the beach. |
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Useful Hints
Ask your travel organiser or the management company (if booking direct) to make sure that the chef is aware of your food preferences before your arrival, so that they can do the shopping and prepare a welcome meal. There are no grocery packs involved for the larger villas with butlers, and staff will shop accordingly. Once you have settled in, all meal requirements are discussed and planned with either your butler or chef, who will prepare menus and do all of the shopping. You will be billed for food and beverages toward the end of your stay, and a 5% service charge plus VAT will be levied.
Miscellaneous items such as airport transfers, extra beds and baby equipment are payable in advance (see here for a price list). In the event that Bajan Services can only provide an estimated cost for customized shopping lists, or where the final payment for your villa has been made prior to other requests, you will be required to complete a credit card authorization form.
Please note that rental rates for villas in Barbados do not include ‘tips’ about which you will find advice in the guest information book at the villa. |
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Rates
| | 15 Apr-14 Dec 2008 | 15 Dec-14 Apr 2008-09 | 15 Apr-14 Dec 2009 | | Fustic House 6 bedrooms | 3,000 | 3,900 | 3,000 |
Rates are quoted in US$ per night and are subject to 7.5% VAT. Minimum stay 7 nights. All rates are subject to change without notice. Separate rates apply for the Christmas & New Year period - prices on request. |
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How to Book
If you wish to book direct, reservations should be made through the local managing agents, Bajan Services Ltd. You will need to send a deposit of 25% of the total rental fee (50% for Christmas/New Year bookings) to confirm a reservation. Payment of the remaining 75% is required 30 days prior your arrival, as is payment for transfers and baby equipment. If you are booking within 30 days of your arrival, full payment must be made to secure the booking. You may contact Bajan Services by using the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number. For a review of Bajan Services Ltd and details of their services please see here. |
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UK Tour Operators
If you wish to book through a tour operator or travel organiser that features this property, please follow the link.
See List of UK Tour Operators
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Airport Meet & Greet
If you are booking direct ask the villa management company to send a taxi to meet you at the airport. Your airport transfers take approximately an hour and should be paid for in advance with the final payment for your villa. Alternatively, if you would prefer to be taken care of from the minute you arrive at the airport, with a range of services that can include limousine transfers, a Concierge Service is offered by St James Travel & Tours.
If you are booking through a travel organiser, it is likely that their representative will be at the airport to meet you. This service and your return airport transfers should be included in the cost of your holiday. Please check at the time of booking. |
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Getting Around
Due to the location of Fustic House a hire car is absolutely essential, unless you prefer staff to call taxis for you as required. A car will give you the freedom of setting off at a moments notice and is especially practical for getting to the beach and exploring Barbados. If you intend to dine out a lot, a car will be invaluable. Book via your travel organiser or direct with Stoutes Car Rentals and ask for your vehicle(s) to be delivered to the property approximately 3 hours after your scheduled time of arrival on Barbados or the following morning. Vehicles can be returned at the airport or be collected from the property at a pre-arranged time on your departure day. |
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