A Self Catering Holiday anywhere shouldn't be the last option if you want an affordable family vacation. Indeed some holiday villas have accommodation that is far better than you will get in many hotels, and the Villa Pomme D'Amour above Marigot Bay in St Lucia is certainly no exception.

The Villa Pomme D'Amour sits on a ridge above Marigot Bay which has the reputation of being the most beautiful in the Caribbean, and the views certainly back this up. It is a two villa property and the first has two identical levels, and you can easily rent both for a larger family group. Each unit has two bedrooms with balconies, a bathroom equipped with a shower, and a well equipped kitchenette and living room which opens on to a large verandah with dining table and chairs plus loungers.

The whole atmosphere is one of warmth and comfort and the design is almost South American in style and colouring.

The other villa has a first level one bedroom apartment, and a huge private balcony, and the upper level has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a very large and well equipped kitchen, a reading room and a large living area, again there is a balcony, in this case it is quite vast.

It is only a two minute walk to a secluded little cove where you can swim and snorkel, and only five minutes to not only the lovely beach at Marigot Bay, where by the way there are water sports, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. The great joy of a self catering holiday is that you can do what you want when you want and there are no timing restrictions as there are in many resorts and hotels.

As you should be able to gather from some of the detail, Villa Pomme D'Amour is quite secluded, and picturesque, beautifully positioned, and yet able to supply the affordable family vacation you need.

The beach at Marigot Bay has been described as Atoll like because of the similarity to a sand bar. If you want snorkelling equipment, or you'd like to hire kayaks or windsurfers then Aquarius Water World are the people to see. There is a new Marina Village, and whilst many think the concept detracts rather than adds to the scenic quality, it is a great place to shop.

One of the great joys of Villa Pomme D'Amour are the owners Pierre and Josee. All too often the main drawback when having a self catering holiday is ignorance of what's best to do, see, where to eat, where to shop, what to avoid, and it can take days of experimenting before you find what you want. Not so here, the proprietors are there in the background, never in your face, which can be a concern as well, but what they don't know about the area is worth knowing anyway. They are incredibly helpful, even above and beyond the call of duty.

The overriding feeling from guests is one that almost says beat that. There are other self catering holiday villas around, but it would take a whole lot to beat Villa Pomme D'Amour.