We (myself, my wife and two grown-up children) had a wonderful time at the Seascape Inn. We stayed for 6 nights. The weather, in January, was like an English summer, only with more sunshine. We woke up in the morning and looked out of the window of our beach cabins to see the palm trees waving in the breeze, the white sands and the turquoise sea. Our hosts, Mickey and Joan, could not have been more welcoming or helpful.

The Inn’s garden merges into the beach, giving plenty of space for deckchairs and hammocks. The sea is shallow, especially at low tide, so it’s not the ideal place for swimming, but we came for a family holiday, to relax and go snorkelling. Mickey told us where to find some Blue Holes, around 100 yards off shore, which we could wade out or swim to. These were amazing, teeming with fish and with coral gardens around the edges. There are kayaks for those who want to head out for deeper water and boat trips can be arranged. One day we walked for an hour and a half through pine woods and scrub to an inland Blue Hole, which was quite different. The water was cloudier, not crystal clear like the sea, with only a few tiny fish, but very refreshing to swim in after the walk.

The beach cabins were clean and comfortable, and the food excellent, with a large plate of fresh fruit and Joan’s home-made bread, muffins and cake for breakfast, and lobster, fish, beef or chicken in the evening, washed down with fruit cocktails, rum daiquiris or Bahamian Kalik beer.

The island of Mangrove Cay can appear a little ramshackle and run-down to European eyes, with some empty homes where the owners have left and moved away, and some half-finished new houses, where the owners have run out of money to finish them. But everyone we met and talked to was helpful and friendly. We rode the bicycles provided by the Inn (free of charge) from one end of the island to the other and stopped off one day at a conch stall – ‘Boston’s hot spot’ - for a brilliant conch salad and on another day at the ‘4 Kids Bakery’ for a delicious lunch of fried fish with peas ‘n rice.

Downsides? We didn’t see any mosquitoes, but the sandflies (no-see-ums) - tiny insects which reminded us of Scottish midges - could be annoying at times. They were no problem during the day, when there was a breeze, when we were swimming or snorkelling, or inside in the cabins, but came out at dusk or when the air was still and forced us to go inside on a couple of evenings.

In summary, as well as enjoying the sun, sea and sand, the coral gardens and the sky-blue pink Caribbean sunrises and sunsets, we felt we had seen something of the real Bahamas, far removed from (and much better value than) the sanitised and artificial so-called ‘luxury’ resorts.

I am writing this review because I feel I at least owe it to the owners of the Seascape Inn for being such great people. My wife and I just returned from our stay there the end of November into the first week of December. We had a blast. We met another couple that originated from Louisiana while we were there and spent a few days with them snorkeling and eating around the island. Mickey and Joane own the place and were nothing less than the most hospitable and respectful people you will ever meet. They greeted us each morning for breakfast and then served our fresh (hot to the touch), breads, muffins, pastries, rolls, croissants, and fresh fruits, with juice and coffee. We often eate out for lunch, ponly to later find out that Mick makes one of the very best cheeseburgers I ever had. As terrible as it may sound, dinner was always the same; fresh lobster, fresh fish, beef tenderloin, chicken or a special request you might even think up. We even had spiney lobster cocktail one night that Joan prepared for us. A local conch stand on the Northern part of Mangrove Cay called 'Shines', served the best conch salad. Although Shine (Ornand Greene) [--] makes it very well, his son Mario does it even better! Edney is Ornand's brother and took us out on snorkeling as well as lobstering trips at very reasonable prices. As you can tell, the lobstering trip was quite successful. Needless to say, we are definately staying there again next year. They have only 5 cabanas, so book early. Join us if you will. Bring bug spray for your legs. The no see ums are pretty intense at times of no wind. Wireless internet is available and free. I would also recommend bringing some dvd's and starting a dvd swap out at their hotel. A book program already exists. Good luck!

If you are looking for a beautiful, tropical, quiet place to relax, the Seascape Inn has a lot to offer. This intimate Inn offers five cottages located on a sandy beach complete with palm trees and a green space where many varieties of flowers bloom. Mickey and Joan, the owners, offer hot, tasty baking and fruit in the morning and amazingly delicious creations for dinner with fabulous, artistic desserts. We immediately felt welcomed and pampered in their care. We feel that we came as guests and left as friends. No charge use of bicycles and kayaks was a big bonus, as well as the friendly welcome from all the locals we met on our daily outings. A return trip is definitely in our future plans- we'll bring some friends.

My wife and I were looking for a getaway to a peaceful place for some much needed relaxation and found the perfect spot. At Seascape Inn, we felt like we were thousands of miles from home, but were able to travel there in less than 5 hours, door to door, from the east cost. Mickey and Joan were very gracious hosts, cooked up several excellent meals, stocked plenty of cold Kalik, and helped guide us to many of the local blue holes for snorkeling. This B&B would be a great choice for couples or small groups of friends who aren't looking for the posh and artificial big-resort experience that many associate with the Bahamas.