Esencia Cottage, intime, piscine privée, Beach Front Property, naturel, serein

We had an amazing stay at the Esencia Cottage! We had everything we needed all within the Esencia property. With only a few trips to the IGA grocery store we had everything we needed and only a few other reasons kept us away from our private beach sanctuary! We had such a pleasurable time that we are planning to make this a yearly vacation stay. The blue waters are still calling us back and it’s only been a week since we left! Thanks for everything Ritama! Your properties are the best!

We had a wonderful time here! The hosts were very nice and gracious! We stayed in the penthouse and it was luxurious! The grounds are private with easy beach access. We would definitely stay there again.

This cottage is AS advertised. Very private, very quiet and perfect for a couple looking for a getaway. You are on property with other rentals, but you feel like you have the entire world to yourself. I'm not going to say "well equipped", instead I'll say "fully equipped". Everything is there ready for you. The appliances are new and in working order, the dishes might be better than what I've got at home, the cooking pans, etc, they are better than what I've got at home and everything else is there - wine opener, salad spinner, knives, place mats, dish towels, you name it, it's there. Oh and another thing, expecting cheap hotel towels? Oh no, not with Ritama and co, may be the nicest bathroom towels I've ever seen in a rental. Beach towels provided too and not those crappy things you see at the resorts, these are _NICE_ beach towels. There was a washer/dryer unit that we didn't use although we did use the "solar" powered dryer on the side of the cottage.

Bottom line, this is a great place. I will be pushing hard to come back to TCI and stay here again, loved it.

We stayed in the cottage and it was really nice, very secluded and just a great romantic little getaway amidst the flowering bushes. The cottage has it's own dedicated path, so no other guests even walk by while meandering about the grounds. The path to the beach is a short walk, about a minute and a half, through the nicely landscaped grounds. We were on the island on a very windy week, and it was indeed very windy on Long Bay Beach. It was windy on all other beaches we visited as well (probably 10 or so between Provo and other islands), but Long Bay Beach is a degree windier than most, hence the kite-boarding mecca status. (we are not kite boarders, but it does look fun and is cool to watch). The beach was beautiful with soft sand and clear waters. I should also note that despite the high winds on the beach, the bushes around the cottage and the other areas of the property (hot-tub and main pool) created an excellent barrier. Even on our extra windy week, it was calm and serene at the cottage and at the pool area, with only light breezes coming through the vegetation. The cottage bed is super comfortable and the place is kept in tip top shape. Very clean and welcoming. This is a great spot, with very easy access to the resorts and shopping at Grace Bay (5 minute drive). Thanks Ritama and Kabir !

Upon arrival Ritama greeted us warmly and gave a tour of the property and layout of cottage. She is an excellent host and very helpful.

THe cottage is quite small but tastefully decorated and has updated appliances including vitamix blender and espresso machine. As many others have stated it's secluded outdoors by tall lush tropical landscaping which makes for a peaceful getaway. The outdoor pool, chairs and lounge area is a wonderful spot to relax and soak up the sun or read while in the shade of the pergola.

You can hear dogs barking occasionally..Goji & Seven are their names. Other guests can be heard thru the trees upon arrival and departure to their villas but can't be seen. But overall serene, cozy and romantic.

We don't kite board but apparently this is the perfect place. The winds were pretty gusty during our stay and the beach did get congested a couple days with kite boarders. There was a "traffic jam" of sorts one day as the guests awaited their turns. The beach in front of the villas is a popular launching spot. We did enjoy watching them but didn't like the fact that people left their kites right beside the chairs and umbrella areas we were sitting in. Maybe one day when we return we'll give the sport a try but will be more mindful of the other guests in the area. As you walk further down the beach you will find a more quiet area with very few people if any at all.

The water is crystal clear, has gentle waves, and just a small amount of seaweed that washes ashore. You will not find many seashells but will see a lot of conch shells and coral. Conch is served at most all restaurants in varies forms.

Ritama suggested the Turkish kebob restaurant on our first night and It did not disappoint. We had takeout from their twice. Service is very slow so be prepared for island time responses.

We ate at Cocovan food truck and enjoyed duck tacos and local Turks lager beer while sitting amongst the twinkling lights and beautiful landscaping. We also enjoyed the local coffee shop Lemon2go and the florist that shares the space. The meatball pizza at Bella Luna was quite good. We didn't enjoy the food or atmosphere of crackpot kitchen. Service was terrible and food not up to par. Ristorante Via Veneto was another disappointment after reading the great reviews we tried the lasagna and it was mushy and bland.

Bring plenty of sunscreen & bug repellent. The sun is very strong and we did have to fight with mosquitoes daily inside the cottage.