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Villa Taino

May 29th, 2015
in Resorts and Villas

A house is a building where people live in order to reside in the essential comforts of necessary shelter, but it is the furnishings, adornments, and personal touch of a property’s owners, that make this residence a home.

Tastefully decorated, boasting exotic character and unique, hand-picked ornaments, Villa Taino,proudly presented by Villas of Tortola, is the fingerprint of its proud owners’ identity and their passion for the British Virgin Islands.

Nestled within the hillside of Belmont Estate in Tortola’s West End, Villa Taino is a tropical retreat, revealing the colours, architecture, and style of a traditional Caribbean home, with a unique Asian flair.

Its prime location offers unobstructed views of Smuggler’s Cove, a peaceful snorkelling spot, and Long Bay Beach, renowned for its mile-long coastline of white sand and tranquil turquoise waters.

Panoramic vistas of St. Thomas, the Tobagos, and Jost Van Dyke and all the way east to Cane Garden Bay are painted on the close horizon, and down below, flamingos can be sighted in the Salt Pond at the foot of Belmont Peak.

The villa is conveniently located a 10 minute drive from the West End Ferry Terminal, 20 minutes from Road Town, and 45 minutes from the airport. Amenities are close by, as many shops and restaurants can be found in the quaint and colourful marina, Soper’s Hole, including Scaramouche, a lounge bar and fine dining restaurant overlooking the harbour.

Less than a five minute drive away, Long Bay offers additional beach-side dining options. Secluded on the west point of Long Bay at Nature Boy’s Beach Bar, patrons can purchase alcoholic refreshments from one of the island’s famed beachside shacks.

When driving up the private road approaching the property, the fuchsia bougainvillea flowers distinctively paint the gated entrance to Taino along its driveway. The house is secluded behind meticulously landscaped gardens, with Christmas palms, zora, and award-winning hibiscus flowers, accompanied by papaya, mango, and lime trees. The island-inspired home sits behind a spacious deck area, with a 40” x 11” infinity pool, overlooking the astonishing views of the neighbouring islands.

The open architectural layout which was designed by the owners from inspiration gained upon their international travels, enables a cool breeze to travel gently throughout the house and covered, open-aired living area. An eclectic mix of furniture—including wicker sofas and hanging basket chairs—provide a comfortable space to relax. Inside the building’s concrete exterior, colourful walls embrace the sun as it filters into the indoor dining area, separated by an archway window opening to a fully equipped kitchen with modern appliances. Al-fresco dining on the porch provides views of Tortola’s West End from Carrot Bay to Cane Garden Bay, and is best enjoyed with delicious barbecued cuisine, prepared on the Weber gas grill.

Within the house is a cosy library with a unique collection of books, artefacts, and games, and a flat screen TV equipped with a full selection of cable channels. Accommodating up to six guests, Taino has three bedrooms, each with a spacious en suite bathroom. The two guest suites within the main house contain queen beds, and a master suite is located in a quaint detached pavilion across the outside patio, with a large, four-poster king size bed.

Taino pays homage to the design of traditional Caribbean dwellings, featuring bold and pastel colours distinctive to these types of homes. The classic combination of Benjamin Moore’s (BM) light pink ‘Antique Coral’ accentuated by BM’s deep blue ‘Bainbridge Blue’ is a distinctive feature, as the chosen paints are among many of the shades selected personally by the owners, who are deeply passionate about art.

In the master suite, hand-painted on the floor is a simple diamond pattern to mock an oriental rug, just as the Tortolans had done in the past to impress European aristocrats when they came to visit the BVI.

The majority of adornments that give Taino its international character were acquired in antique stores in New York City, during the time when the owners resided in the villa over the winter season. It was their intention to combine exotic worlds when designing and furnishing the house, and so the furniture and antiques are a collection of African, European, and Asian treasures.

The warm and welcoming ambiance, along with eye-catching ornaments such as monkey lamps, a life-size pouncing cheetah, and collections of Caribbean seashells are the personal touch of the owners, which entice guests to return to the charming vacation home and relish their time in paradise.