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Crystal Cove
Port Antonio, Jamaica
1/28
Originally a two-room boathouse and changing room used by Princess Nina Aga Khan as an adjunct to her house in San San overlooking the reef and bay, Crystal Cove is now a charming, idiosyncratic, three-bedroom villa in the Jamaican Georgian style; enjoying sea views from every room, a variety of living areas for sunning, reading, eating, and offering unrivaled access to the reef-protected lagoon for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. Step into the sea which laps at the walls of the living room, and swim out to the reef only forty yards away - it's quite shallow inside the reef - only about eight feet in the middle. Or snorkel along the reef in either direction, to the left leading you to Princess Nina's island, to the right to the Blue Lagoon, passing many charming vacation homes at the water's edge. Kayaking takes you through the reef-protected lagoon to either destination in minutes.
A private dock for sunbathing, or admiring the sunset, two terraces, an indoor/outdoor living room, a shady almond covered terrace for outdoor dining, a living/dining room all face spectacular views of the reef and the turquoise 'swimming pool' a step away. The kitchen has an equally perfect view, and is spacious, with the usual appliances .
The three bedrooms, each with a bathroom, all face the view and benefit from the cross-ventilation designed by the architect/owner to catch the prevailing sea breezes. Although equipped with air conditioning and fans, the bedrooms are most of the year perfectly cool enough with natural air coming in through the open louvers of the bedroom doors, making this a truly Caribbean experience of the most natural kind. Louvers and 'cooler boxes' are some of the Jamaican architectural features, along with peaked roofs for tropical rains, and plenty of outdoor living space, which made the perfect adaptation of the Georgian architecture of our colonial past to our tropical climate.
A book-lined study for avid readers, Wi-Fi, cable TV, and Bluetooth speaker are provided, as is a safe large enough for a 15” laptop.
You'll also find four kayaks, snorkeling equipment, floating sun loungers, and reef shoes.
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