Renting a Villa in St Barts

[eflynn]

Hi

Has anyone used a company called Personal Villas. Just checking to make sure its a legitimate company

Regards

 

[cassidain]

Hmmm

 

[dadto6]

Not familiar with Personal Villas. I have used Corcoran Villa Rentals for many years and even before when they were named Happy Villa Rentals www.corcoranstbarth.com/en/stbarts-villa-rentals Guillaume and Olivia own the company, they are residents of St. Barth and know the Island extremely well which includes all the Villas they represent. Currently, they offer 318 Villas for your consideration. Look them up, you will be very satisfied with their services. Furthermore, they have no service fees like all other rental companies. Last week I returned from my 38th visit to St. Barth. I always have rented Villas.

 

[PeterLynn]

Using Corcoran for the first time and need to note that they do charge a service fee if one uses a credit card. We considered wiring money to avoid it, but opted to use the CC (gaining some points, travel insurance, etc...).

 

[dadto6]

Hello PeterLynn,
I would not consider a service charge for using a credit card, more of a convenience fee they must pass on as they cannot cover the credit card fee when Corcoran charges no other typical service charges. Corcoran does not charge the typical 10% to upward of 15% service charges which all other Rental Companies charge. Of course, all companies must pass along the 5% occupancy tax mandated by St. Barth Government.

 

[cassidain]

On Corcoran's website you easily find the location of their island offices. It's not specified on Personal Villa's website. I would inquire as to the nature of their physical presence on the island.
I endorse Corcoran as well.

 

[le_reve]

There are a lot of third-party aggregator-type websites that on-island rental companies contract with to boost exposure and they pay the extra commission and then the rental is actually handed off and handled by the local company in the end. I found this to be the case when seeing my own home listed by websites I had never even heard of. Personal Villas seems to be one of those sites. If you see a villa you like, I would spend the extra time to find a verified local rental agent, or the owner themselves- - - as the"too many cooks" adage can apply and too many people involved makes for possible issues in the long run.

 

[dadto6]

Le_reve your comment is well stated.
In the past years I have had 2-instances where an unknown problem had developed with the intended rented Villa. Corcoran quickly jumped in, upgraded my Villa at no additional charge and saved the day. That is why I am a loyal customer.

 

[DaddyLeCool]

Corcoran is definitely a great agency.
But I have never heard about Personal Villas. For sure they are not on the island, probably an internet agregator like VRBO

 

[Max1030]

Hi

Has anyone used a company called Personal Villas. Just checking to make sure its a legitimate company

Regards

I’m not personally familiar with *Personal Villas*, but it’s always a good idea to do some research before making any commitments. Here are a few steps you can take to verify if the company is legitimate:

1. **Check Reviews**: Look up reviews on trusted travel websites like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, or even specific forums related to luxury rentals or St. Barts travel. You can also search for any reviews from past customers on social media platforms.

2. **Company Website**: Ensure the website looks professional, with clear contact information, detailed terms and conditions, and legitimate photos or descriptions of the properties. Legitimate companies will also offer secure payment options.

3. **Contact Them Directly**: Try reaching out to the company via phone or email to see how responsive and helpful they are. If they are legitimate, they should be able to answer any of your questions and provide references or more information.

4. **Third-Party Verification**: You can check whether the company is listed with official tourism boards, local chamber of commerce, or industry organizations that monitor vacation rentals.

5. **Cross-Reference**: Look at other well-known companies in the same field and compare the properties, services, and terms offered by *Personal Villas*. It could help in assessing their legitimacy.

 

[dadto6]

Why use a company that you have any doubts about when there are plenty of options with proven track record and offices fully staffed on the Island. Why wait until you have a problem with your villa, ie; a/c broken, pool not cleaned, electric circuit tripped, maid did not show, etc. If the company does not have staff on the Island, it might take you a long time to have simple matters or even big matters resolved. I have said it twice that Corcoran saved my bacon when an unknown problem developed and even upgraded my Villa at no additional charge, PRONTO!

 

[le_reve]

Why use a company that you have any doubts about when there are plenty of options with proven track record and offices fully staffed on the Island. Why wait until you have a problem with your villa, ie; a/c broken, pool not cleaned, electric circuit tripped, maid did not show, etc. If the company does not have staff on the Island, it might take you a long time to have simple matters or even big matters resolved. I have said it twice that Corcoran saved my bacon when an unknown problem developed and even upgraded my Villa at no additional charge, PRONTO!

Agreed. One time we rented from Ici & La and it turned out they had double-booked our modest villa in Gustavia by accident. They put us in a villa about 2x the size in Gustavia, and much nicer, at not only no extra cost - they gave us a discount!

 

[dadto6]

Awesome response from Ici & La! That is what you get by working with a reputable company. Stuff happens, what matters is how the adversity is dealt with swiftly!