The Reef House - The Art of Tropical Living
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 5 |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Sleeps | 11 |
| House | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| No Pets |
| Smoking Allowed |
| Suitable for Children |
| Suitable for Elderly |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 8 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
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Details
| Rental type | House |
| Minimum Stay | 5 nights |
| Living space | 540 square meters |
| Bedrooms |
5 Total
Show Details ►
|
| Bathrooms | 3 Total |
| Sleeps | 11 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyNo Smoking allowedYes Suitable for childrenYes Suitable for the elderlyYes Wheelchair accessibleNo |
| Theme | Luxury, Beach, Ocean, Tropical |
Description from the owner
One of Vanuatu's most exclusive holiday homes.
The Reef House is located on the ocean shores of Teouma Bay, just fifteen minutes drive from down town Port Vila and 25 mins from the airport.
It is blessed with the most fantastic snorkelling and swimming immediately in front of the property along the pristine reef where tropical fish are in abundance.The bay is sheltered for swimming and perfect for children and adults taking those long refreshing dips with great rockpools and reef diving.
The 540 m2 house has three building elements, cement, timber and stone. Six meter high ceilings and louvers combined with long breezeways c...Read more
Amenities
Location
The Reef House - The Art of Tropical Living
Port Vila, Vanuatu
What's Nearby:
Additional Location Information
Teouma Bay is on the South Coast of the island of Efate. Efate is the island on which the capital of Vanuatu Port Vila is built. Situated on one of the worlds great Harbours, Port Vila is a bustling seaside town that boasts a population of some 30000 people of which around 5000 are expatriate Australians, New Zealanders, French and other nationalities.
The south coast of the Island has somne glorious coastlines often rugged with some long beaches to walk upon as well. The Reef House is in in a sheltered and secluded bay which is perfect for swimming snorkelling or Kayaking
Location Type Beach, Ocean, Tropical
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (Rental listed originally in AUD) (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $466 - $560 | $466 - $560 | $3,262 - $3,921 | $0 | 5 nights |
| Apr. 3 2013 - Jun. 29 2013 2013 |
$466 | $466 | $3,262 | - | 5 nights |
| Jun. 22 2014 - Aug. 16 2014 Peak |
$560 | $560 | $3,921 | - | 5 nights |
| All Other Dates | $466 | $466 | $3,262 | - | 5 nights |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
Additional notes from owner
Rate is inclusive of our wonderful staff onsite to take care of house cleaning and provide lots of free friendly smiles!
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: June 11, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
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Ash
Napier, NZBrilliant!
Left on 06/17/2013 for a stay in February 2013
Stayed at this fantastic upmarket holiday bach in Feb. The architecture is fantastic & is equally complimented by the great location.
Even with a group of 6 & it still felt at times like there nobody was around. Easy enough to find a place & hide away from the kids, only if you need to!
The snorkeling off the private beach was brilliant, never have I seen so many Clown fish before in such a small area. There is also a nice deep swimming hole within the volcanic rock that is sheltered from the breaking waves if you tire of the pool.
Watching the sunsets from the sunken seating "pit" were highlight of the day, even better with storm clouds brewing! A great place to enjoy your meal if you're self catering.
You're only a pleasant 15 min drive from Port Vila with the dense forest on 1 side & smiley faces of the locals on the other. Remembering to drive on the "wrong" side of the road only added to that holiday feeling.
Don't forget to try the curry house 4-5 mins up the road, is well worth it & keep an eye open for the resident Moray eel in the swimming hole!
Glen was a great host with all needs catered for & the "revolving pantry" is a fantastic idea. We were even "stuck" in Vanuatu for another 3 days after plane issues & he took this in his stride & made us feel like nothing was a problem.
If you're after a relaxing holiday to sit beside the pool & read a book, or you're a after a place to chill-out after a busy day trying on what Port Vila has on offer, this is the only place to stay! -
IFC_13
Brisbane, AustraliaFabulous but Quirky
Left on 01/14/2013 for a stay in December 2012
The Reef House is an architectural marvel in a spectacular location.
The house is on an essentially private inlet with a private beach which has good snorkeling. The living area and master bedroom are spectacular with excellent outlooks and the pool is very good.
The house is 20 minutes from Port Vila on mainly dirt road.
While in the house I read a number of the architectural publications that were there. Harry Seidler is quoted as wanting to make buildings art essentially saying that users must accommodate the art not the other way round.
I suspect the Reef house was designed by an architect of that school.
For our purposes, as a family of six, the Reef house was perfect. If we go back to Vanuatu we will stay in the Reef House again.
I would highly recommend the Reef House to any group which can accommodate its idiosyncrasies. It would also be a great Wedding venue. -
LisaLou_04
Mount View, New South Wales, AustraliaMy dream house
Left on 01/01/2013 for a stay in November 2012
The Reef House is truely a unique tropical paradise. Walking in the front door we were in awe of what I saw. Was love at first sight.. It has fantastic indoor outdoor living with huge bi-folding doors that open up to the most spectacular view. The large open living areas are impressive as is the huge kitchen. The pool which had just been recently fenced with glass panels was a welcome addition with those with young kids ( although I was lucky enough to be child free this trip!) to cool off. When we weren't in the pool we were snorkeling directly out the front of the house which was simply breath taking, Nemo fish everywhere.
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Travelswithbeck
The ultimate place to stay
Left on 11/05/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We recently had the pleasure of staying at The Reef House while on a family holiday and it was all we had hoped it would be and more! We had to pinch ourselves several times while there to remind ourselves it was real! We enjoyed sharing some wonderful family time in the privacy and tranquility of The Reef House. We left feeling completely rejuvenated. It was amazing to feel completely “away from it all†yet being only a 15 minute drive from Port Vila (definitely worth having a rental vehicle to independently get around the Island and Port Vila).
The house had everything we could need (including Wifi) and was very comfortable with great indoor-outdoor flow. The kitchen was well appointed and we enjoyed self-catering using beautiful produce from the markets. There was even a great collection of cook books on hand. Having said that, the quick drive down the road to Tamanu’s restaurant should not be missed.
We had our 2 1/2 year old son with us and this property was a little boy’s idea of heaven – lots of space to roam, a great swimming pool (with small children’s pools at the end of it), and rock pools to explore.
Owner, Glen, made sure we had everything we could need. The domestic staff were brilliant with our son and quietly and quickly attended to any of our needs when we needed them to while also respecting our space and privacy.
The home and grounds are very spacious and would easily accommodate large families or groups. We are thinking of bringing back a larger group to stay there.
This property is truly special and Glen has every right to be proud of it. We know he has big plans for the Reef House and we cannot wait to come back next year to see what he has done, to see Jenny and Jeffrey again and to enjoy the beautiful home and surrounds at the Reef House. We highly recommend it. -
JustmeHobart
HobartVery comfortable and very spacious, but...
Left on 09/19/2012 for a stay in September 2012
I'm not altogether convinced that the term "luxurious" is appropriate to categorise this property, albeit the house is very large and very comfortable. But I sense that the Gallery photos were taken when the house was rather new, because it seems to have lost some of the lustre depicted in the shots provided on the website.
The design of the house is interesting, and I'm sure that it does "create breezeways" that help to cool the house in hotter months.
That said, the "breezeways" include the absence of a ceiling in the main bathroom (which seems rather odd). My wife was stricken with food poisoning half way into our holiday, the audible consequences of which were broadcast to the upper landing of the house for the best part of two days and nights. And whilst on the subject of "noise", it's worth noting that the wall dividing the two separate bedrooms on the upper landing is made of 12 mm plywood, and provides no sound proofing at all.
There are no doors on the two secondary bathrooms / toilets. It would be easy to install doors which would afford guests more privacy - particularly in view of the lack of any effective sound proofing, and the tendency of the maid (who was very sweet and helpful) to make sudden appearances when you were least expecting her.
There were problems with the lighting during our stay. Half the lights in the living room were not working. The owner responded very promptly when we brought this to his attention, and called in a team of electricians who worked there for most of the day. They installed a new fluorescent light in the lounge but, in the process, disconnected the remaining lights and fan, with the result that we had even less light than before. It was not possible to read a book in the living room after 5.30 pm.
The upper landing of the house has no lights at all. It gets very dark at night unless you leave the lights on in the bedrooms which we were reluctant to do because of the insects. The absence of light at the point where the upper landing passage meets the stairwell is, in our opinion, very dangerous. A person (particularly a small child) could very easily trip on the uneven floor surface and be pitched head-first down the concrete stairs. This is an accident waiting to happen, and I would strongly urge the owner to either light the stairs, install a guard rail or both. Bring a torch with you!! You'll be very pleased you did.
The beds and chairs in the lounge are very comfortable and the showers, though somewhat rudimentary in appearance, are fantastic! The bath looks a bit like a cattle trough in urgent need of some paint or some tiles, but it's huge and it's a great place for the kids to splash around in when they tire of the pool.
The garden (and pool) is even better than it looks in the pictures. The beach seems closer and the sound of the waves breaking on the shore will lull you to sleep (or drive you mental) - depending on your particular bent. We loved it.
The kitchen has everything you need except for a dishwashing machine and microwave oven. There are two Miele ovens, a six burner gas hob and lots of bench space. The outside BBQ is a good quality unit and very substantial. A few new, non-stick pans would come in handy, and be warned: the toasted sandwich maker should be avoided at all costs! Actually, I think it might be time for the owners to have a look at replacing some of the cooking utensils.
The house itself is quite secluded. It may only be a twenty minute drive into Port Villa, but I wouldn't call it an "easy" drive unless you are accustomed to driving in these regions. One cannot easily 'pop down to the shops for some milk', but then again this might be considered part of the property's charm.
The house has Wireless internet which is free to use. The wireless signal is very strong, but the internet connection is extremely slow (think dial-up or slower).
My advice: a four wheel drive is not essential, but is probably a better choice than an ordinary sedan. Bring a torch, plenty of insect repellent and Reef Shoes (many of the beaches are not comprised of soft white sand, but of volcanic stones and dead coral. They are not easy to walk on in bare feet!
We had a great meal at Eretap Beach Resort. Good food and great atmosphere at night, but avoid the Thai Fish Curry!!!Response from Glen Craig - 11/27/2012
Owner
Hi Nicky, thanks so much for your review. Im the new owner of The Reef House and its great you had a wonderful time.You will be glad to know we have carried out an extensive upgrade of the property over the last two months since your stay in September and when I purchased it at the end of that month. I agree it was in need of a spruce and no expense has being spared. We have added a large sunken den by the beach to enjoy the sunsets, a huge double person outdoor bath off the master bedroom. New modern LED lighting is installed throughout the entire house including the grounds. The rear bedrooms have been insect screened, bathrooms have had doors installed ( Im with you you on that one never could figure out what they were thinking here:). I commissioned lots of custom built furniture including a new solid timber 4 meter long dining table. All new kitchenware including espresso machine, microwave, cutlery, plates etc. Final touch was putting a frameless glass fence around the pool to make it a little safer for those with little ones. So in summary Im pretty confident it looks even better than the photos and Im having new photos done in the next month. Ill make sure to send some to you and hopefully we will see you back again in the future. All the best and thanks again. Glen
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Jiselle
AUcklandFantastic
Left on 07/19/2012 for a stay in July 2012
House fantastic, service wonderful.
We would happily stay here again - lovely spot, sheltered from the wind (July visit)kids loved it. Be sure to go to Ripples for a snorkle, cocktail and tasty dinner. Jenny the house lady is wonderful, beds are comfy - this place has everything you need for a great holiday. One of our favoutire holidays ever. Thanks to Bryan for his great service. Bit of drive to Prt Vila (20min) but not really an issue. -
Family of 8
AucklandFabulous lazing in the tropics
Left on 08/31/2011 for a stay in August 2011
Fantastic accommodation; close to Port Vila, but far enough away to be completely private and peaceful.
Excellent amenities- great BBQ, easy kitchen, fabulous swimming pool.
Sleeping arrangements very suitable- lovely to go to sleep to the sound of the waves and wake up to the birds!
We had a 2.5 year old and it was great for him- the pool, exploring the rocky beach and the wildlife.
Highly recommended, though definitely get a 4 wheel drive! -
maginness
auckland New Zealandpeaceful!
Left on 08/09/2011 for a stay in August 2011
peaceful!!! only the sound of crickets frogs waves and the morning call of the local rooster! 5 plus star gorgeous house and grounds great pool right on the rocky shore... very easyproperty to totally relax in. Great location in the fact that we also encountered local people going about thier business met land crabs moths lizards frogs and beetles while staying in what felt like rugged luxury. Close to attractions and to market and supermarket for supplies. Need 4 wheel drive (which was easily organised for us) Anything we required was nicely and promptly provided. We loved it and would recommend it hands down!!!Thank you Brian and team
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