Limeberry Villa is a truly unique vacation property nestling discreetly and peacefully in the lush, green hills above Long Bay on the north-west coast of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Completed for the beginning of the 2007 season, this brand-new house, which is reached via a private driveway bordered by exotic flowering plants and tropical palms, offers four air conditioned king-size bedroom suites with en suite facilities, enjoys panoramic ocean and sunset views, and is both finished and furnished to a very high standard throughout. The house is within walking distance (or else a very short drive) of Long Bay and Smuggler’s Cove, both considered to be two of the very best beaches on the island.

The property is entered through a pair of striking cornflower-blue gates, and a flight of steps leads guests down to the heart of the villa: a covered but open-sided area for cool and comfortable alfresco dining, and then an infinity-edged swimming pool, with breathtaking views of Jost van Dyke in the middle distance. To the rear of this dining area is a fully equipped gourmet kitchen with every appliance needed to provide first-class meals, including a refrigerator and freezer with an ice maker, and at the western end of the house is the restful living room. This also benefits from a generous covered verandah with a table and chairs, sun-loungers, a well-stuffed outdoor sofa, and not least a gas-fired professional barbecue. This makes an ideal setting for a morning coffee, or else an evening cocktail while watching the spectacular sunsets over Jost van Dyke. Conveniently close to the living area is a laundry room and half-bathroom, the latter with WC and washbasin.

The air-conditioned master suite, a spacious, airy and yet still very romantic room with a high cathedral-style ceiling and its own private verandah with glorious views of the ocean and outlying islands, is reached by a tiled staircase leading up from between the living area and the laundry room. The bed is a king-size four-poster, and there is also a comfortable sofa, together with a table and chairs, to create a relaxing, peaceful haven at any time of the day. The en suite bathroom, reached from either side of the bedroom, has a walk-in shower, and unique twin washbasins. Three further king-size bedrooms, all with four-poster beds and en suite facilities, are located in separate pavilions to the east side of the property; two of these rooms are located one above the other in the yellow pavilion. Both of these suites offer a private verandah with sun-loungers, and the lower bedroom also has an outdoor shower.

Decorated throughout in vibrant but tasteful and relaxing colours such as light blues, yellows and terra cotta, Limeberry Villa is as easy on the eye as it is to live in. It’s also thoroughly practical, with a mix of cool tiled floors for the inner living areas and bedrooms and pleasing hardwood for the verandahs and outdoor deck areas. Versatile, too, with the possibility of one of the bedrooms being made up as twins. Other facilities include TV in all four bedrooms and the living area, a CD and DVD player, wireless internet connection, plenty of books and games, and even a stand-by generator.

Whenever I view a property for the first time I tend to judge it not just on the basis of what I see, but also – and perhaps more importantly – by how I feel. My initial thoughts are more than likely what guests will feel, too, when they first arrive. So does Limeberry Villa have the all-important ‘wow!’ factor? Absolutely! This is an elegant, thoughtfully conceived home, and it has been both designed and finished to a very high standard – not just with excellent-quality furnishings throughout, but also genuinely enhanced with original artwork. The bedrooms are gorgeous: spacious, cool and airy, but amazingly private and romantic, too. The villa has a great layout with areas where you can enjoy family-group get-togethers, yet plenty of other places with soft, inviting sofas and comfortable seats for those seeking some quality time on their own. This property is ideal for couples, groups and families alike. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Limeberry Villa – it’s simply wonderful!