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At Blue Sky Luxury, health and safety are important to us as it is to our rental clients. Regular inspections result in safe living accommodations and our printed property information give tips on health and safety. We highly recommend reading these tips provided to be informed and aware.

Here are a few tips that will help you stay safe while on your next holiday vacation in Barbados:

To find out more about how we manage properties and what we do to promote a safe holiday, click here!

Following these tips will result in an incident-free holiday. Help us help you stay safe!

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

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Arrive in Barbados with your negative test results and voila, you’re free to go. It’s that simple. Have breakfast, a dip in the pool, (at your private vacation villa), or visit one of our Top 5 recommended restaurants – all with no time spent under restrictive movement. If you have not yet already done so and you have an upcoming stay with Blue Sky Luxury, please confirm to our team the vaccination status of all adults in your party so that we can ensure arrangements are made accordingly. Before you get to roaming the Barbados countryside, here are the full details for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers in the new Barbados Travel Protocols.

What’s a fully vaccinated person?

A fully vaccinated person has been classified by the Barbados Government as having received an approved vaccine in a two-dose regime and has received both doses plus 14 days, or a one-dose regime, one dose plus 14 days. Your vaccination status will be fact-checked by the Barbados Government and persons who do not meet the criteria will fall under the travel protocol for unvaccinated persons. That’s not a terrible thing, it may be a slightly longer wait but the safety of Barbadians and visitors alike has always paramount. However, if you are looking forward to the roaming of said countryside, being fully vaccinated certainly fast tracks you there… ahem, as do our Concierge Can team.

How Can we at Blue Sky Luxury Help?

Protocols are constantly changing; Barbados has been quite forward-thinking in ways to operate safely while placing the value of lives at the forefront. Our Concierge Can team can help you:

· Secure your PCR appointment with an approved medical practitioner

· Arrange for the medical practitioner to test you privately at your villa

Stick with the holiday home experts at Blue Sky Luxury to receive optimistic travel news as it happens. We will keep a close eye on travel trends so you stay updated. We are happy to share Barbados travel news with you as it happens. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @blueskyluxury for updates and stunning vacation rentals.

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

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Vroom, Vroom, Vroom – Not to be too cheesy with it, but we are excited for the upcoming motor sporting event this June with amazing local, regional, and international drivers, the 2022 Sol Rally Barbados event! Even more exciting, after the 2-year hiatus, the event is back and promises to be more thrilling than ever! Maybe you’ll catch our CEO of The Terra Group, Andrew Mallalieu behind the wheel this year or Rob Swann flying the rally flag for Blue Sky Luxury.

Key Dates of the Event

With an adjustment to the structure of the event due to the safety protocols, there are a few important things to note especially the dates. Here’s a little overview:

The Rally Show – Saturday, May 28th

King of the Hill – Sunday, May 29th

Sol Rally Barbados (Day 1) – Saturday, June 4th

Sol Rally Barbados (Day 2) – Sunday, June 5th

SuperSpecial Finish – Sunday, June 5th

Sol Rally Barbados Prizegiving – Monday, June 6th

Where can you stay?

Well, with us of course! Blue Sky Luxury has several select villas perfect for the event duration and able to accommodate large groups should you be travelling with fellow motoring fanatics!

Need something to do in your free time?

Around the event time, it will be the prime of summer! Sunny days and sandy beaches await you. Our Concierge Team can help arrange a full itinerary for you before you arrive on the island including restaurant bookings, car rentals, and baby-sitting services all surrounding the event. You never have to worry about what you’re doing next!

Stay tuned to more details as the Sol Rally Barbados event gears even closer. (See what we did there?)

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

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Suitcase on the beach

Your Barbados vacation is booked. Your bags are packed. But, are they PACKED packed? Let us offer you five must-brings (or at least good-to-knows) that you may not have on your checklist to add an extra serving of ‘wow’ to your Barbados experience.

Extra charge…

It’s not what you think, so please put away your wallets. Barbados is chockfull of gorgeous scenery and Insta-cool experiences that are sure to turn you into a shutterbug. So, if you have one, be sure to pack your power bank – or battery chargers for the professional content creators out there – so that you won’t be left hanging mid-click! And, don’t forget to bring the necessary electrical plug converters to charge your devices.

A nice outfit

We know you’re probably at ten-and-counting beachwear and casual options when it comes to your Barbados vacation fashion haul, but have you even packed a formal wear option? Trust us with this one, since you’ll probably want to have a chic, fine dining night out while on the island. And for the night owls, don’t you want to take in the full Barbados nightlife offering in style?

A pair of sneakers

While we’re on the topic of your vacation fashion, go ahead and make some space for your flip-flops’ more athletic and adventurous sibling. In Barbados, we call them sneakers, but maybe you’ll relate if we say tennis shoes… or gym shoes… or runners. Whatever you prefer to call them, the point remains that you’ll have several more options of Barbados experiences if you have them. This includes hiking through nature trails, parks, and gullies, scenic walks, or even spelunking through the island’s caves. Or maybe your lovely holiday home has a tennis or basketball court and you want to capitalize… in this case, you can!

Pack the romance

This one is a bit more figurative than the others. But, with villas this gorgeous and island vistas so memorable, we couldn’t resist hinting at a love-themed stay. You will be luxuriously spoilt for choice with the options of a stunning garden, seaside or even underground cave wedding. Or, be the envy of your friends with a beautiful Barbados honeymoon. Propose to the love of your life in paradise, or for those veterans at love, renew your vows with the island’s blessings.

Pack up house…

Unlike the romance, we mean this literally. If for some reason you haven’t heard, Barbados is offering you the amazing opportunity to live where you vacation. This has been made extremely easy thanks to the Barbados Welcome Stamp Visa, which is a programme launched back in 2020. So, if you have professional flexibility that allows you to work remotely, have a slice of paradise for a little longer than normal! And, what’s amazing about this prospect is that you can bring the whole family – even your fur babies!

Book your Barbados adventures and experiences with our Concierge team – they’re waiting to make your next trip an unforgettable one!

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

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The importance of keeping a complete, cataloged inventory listing of all of the items (including appliances, equipment, furniture, soft furnishings, cutlery, towels, and linens) at your home cannot be overstated. All items in all buildings such as garages, storage areas, and gazebos should be included. This is very important when requesting insurance coverage and having the necessary documentation should an insurance claim need to be made.

For Blue Sky Luxury holiday rental properties, your property manager will count, itemise and log all of the property’s effects and complete a thorough check of the quantity and condition of the items. Your property manager will be required to conduct spot checks after each guest’s departure. You will be notified of any proven damages or losses at any replacements needed at that time will be purchased. These replacements and any other additions that may occur during the year will then be itemised on the annual inventory listing when retaken.

For homes that rent long-term, full inventories are always taken and updated in between tenancies. In both cases, your property manager will be responsible for checking the home after each departure. The reconciliation of the security deposit can be completed with wear and tear expected depending on the length of time the tenants resided there. Similarly, any replacements and additions will be captured on the updated listing for the next expected tenant.

Good To Know

When offering your home for holiday rental, it is important to know and provide adequate par levels for all glassware, cutlery, dinnerware, linen, and towels. For example, you want to ensure that the home has place settings, matching glassware, and cutlery for the advertised number of guests that can be accommodated at the property + 50%. For example, for a 4-bedroom rental property that accommodates 8 guests, the catered capacity will be 12 people.

Similarly, adequate par levels, while different from the expectation of a holiday rental home are also expected when a property is offered for long-term rental.

When the inventory listing is created, the location, make and model of all appliances and equipment is noted. During this process, it is a great opportunity to create an asset register of these items. The asset register will have all of the above details and photos plus the serial numbers are included. Information, where available, on the age and value of each, will be recorded.

Many services are offered during the onboarding of new homes to Blue Sky Luxury. Contact us for a quote, if you are interested in any of these services as a one-time, separate service. We can’t wait for your call!

Written by Peter Layne, Team Manager of Residential Property Management at Blue Sky Luxury

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1-246-622-4466

Freephone UK: 0-800-088-5574

Toll Free US/CND: 1-866-404-9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

Go back to our website

Find a villa here

 

At Blue Sky Luxury, we value our property inspections, our detailed and consistent twice annually inspections, which are crucial to protecting our valued tenants and homeowner’s investments, as well as the continuous reinforcement of our ‘Blue Standards’.

As Barbados’ leading property management company – Blue Sky Luxury holds a vested interest throughout our managed properties. But more importantly, we help our tenants and homeowners, breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that we are truly safeguarding their interest.

In our world of Property Management, inspections from time immortal, are our best line of defense against property damage, and oftentimes, personal injury, as we focus on the health, safety, and wellness of our tenants and homeowners. As you can appreciate, whether it is due to tenants’ misuse of a property or maintenance issues that go unchecked, property damage can lead to hefty repair bills – especially when it goes unnoticed for long periods of time.

As our mission, we prefer to be proactive, rather than reactive. Over time, you perhaps heard of many nightmare scenarios of tenants turning beautiful homes into anything from brothels to drug labs to party houses.

While we appreciate that not every tenant can be painted with the same brush, we are committed to ensuring that all our tenants are held to the ‘Blue Standard’, so that our homeowners’ investments remain protected.

In this topic, we will examine the below listed key areas.

What is a Property Inspection?

A Property Inspection is a detailed and systematic visual inspection of the property, its structures, design, and fixtures that will provide a transparent understanding of the property’s ‘vital signs’ and condition as observed on the inspection date.

The Value of a Property Inspection

Like most homeowners, the purchase of standalone homes, villas, or condominiums, or even the most luxurious multi-million dollar homes, purchasers have very little to no prior knowledge of, or expertise in or property management.

Property management companies, such as Blue Sky Luxury, specializes in property management professionals, who have the knowledge, skills, and experience to detect costly problems. For example, most of the value of residential land comes from the house. To explain further, a house with one or more severe structural, electrical, or even plumbing issues can cost tens of thousands of dollars or even more. Consequently, scheduled property inspections are necessary in ensuring your investment remains in pristine condition. Property inspections are an added value mechanism, every homeowner with a vested interest in his or her property should maintain. After our annual inspection, as a homeowner, you will have a much clearer understanding of your property’s condition; highlighting the necessary maintenance and preventative maintenance measures you need to undertake.

There’s Even More Added Value…

The Inspection, Key Areas of our Focus

Depending on the age, size of the property, and its general layout, inspections can generally be lengthy, ranging anywhere between 2 and 6 hours, in terms of navigating the property. The property manager will examine the property and its structures, to include, but is not limited to:

Our Final Word – The Value in conclusion!

Property inspections are essential if our tenants and homeowner rights are to be protected while ensuring that our homeowners get maximum returns on their investment. The property management team at Blue Sky Luxury is committed and will continue to go the extra mile, to ensure that our wide-ranging portfolio of properties is magnificently maintained, such is vital to the longevity of the property.

Here, we have highlighted the value and equally so, the importance of property inspections and their importance to the tenant and our homeowners. As a tenant or a homeowner, you don’t have to worry, we have your safety and comfort, as our top priority.

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

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Experience Real Moments

It’s time for you to unwrap a vacation of a lifetime. This Christmas, relive the camaraderie of simply celebrating together. Capture the moments you missed with loved ones over a family meal, the tinkle of Christmas music, and the warmth of a long-overdue embrace. Enjoy these experiences on the gorgeous island of Barbados. With white sandy beaches welcoming you and your loved ones, experience these real moments with Blue Sky Luxury.

Need some inspiration? Here are just a few of our featured villas for the best vacation experience!

Kiko
9 Bed | 9.5 Bath | Ultimate Luxury

Onyx
5 Bed | 5.5 Bath | Swimming Pool

Crystal Springs

 10 Bed | 10 Bath | 2 Powder Rooms | Swimming Pool

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

Go back to our website

Find a villa here

Travel is back in the foreground! Our Property Management team is ready to welcome visitors to our villas. The team is proactive and as experts in the property management arena, we know that more holiday rentals, mean more cooking, and hence, Grease Trap Maintenance needs to be scheduled. So, let’s talk about it!

Importance of a Grease Trap

Grease traps are a requirement for any holiday rental accommodation. A blocked grease trap could fast become an expensive plumbing undertaking; therefore, scheduled grease trap cleaning could save our client’s money. The residual grease from cooking will harden in the pipes, leading to a steady grease buildup, and eventually blocked pipes. You also run the risk of having the sewage system blocked especially when your kitchen is without a grease trap, or more importantly having one that is not maintained often.

How the Grease Trap Works


Importance of Scheduled Cleaning

The installation of a grease trap is only the first step. A preventative maintenance schedule is then set up to ensure routine cleaning is conducted. Depending on the occupancy levels and the frequency of kitchen sink use, emptying and cleaning the grease trap forms part of our regular scheduled property maintenance in order to avoid blockages.

Tips from the PM Team

Scheduled cleaning of grease traps will keep them functioning efficiently. This saves our clients money in the long run by avoiding costly plumbing repairs.

Tip #1: Ensure correct installation

Some grease traps are ready-made out of a fiberglass design while some are actually built on the location of a concrete design. Some companies and contractors are not consistent in their workmanship with the construction of grease traps, and often time design flaws create a lot of issues, which result in having to clean the grease traps too frequently. The cleaning and other services required to clean blocked grease traps could end up creating substantial expenses.

Tip #2: Reduce solid food

Staff and guests alike are reminded to reduce solid material from going into the drain that will end up in the grease trap. While the grease trap is intended to hold the oils, fats and grease, the use of a strainer is your best bet to eliminate the excess solids entering the trap. Remove these solid food items from the dishes before being placing them in the sink. By keeping food out of the grease trap, will maximize the time between cleaning.

Tip #3: The grease trap is not for grease storage

We advise staff not to pour grease directly into the drain but instead store it in the appropriate containers. This helps to avoid the grease trap from reaching its maximum capacity too quickly. This will reduce the likelihood of having to deal with clogged drains.

Tip #4: Schedule Preventative Maintenance

Routine cleaning is essential and it is important to keep a maintenance schedule. Homeowners can get grease traps cleaned on a more infrequent basis by using less grease. It is still important to maintain minimum standards for cleaning times. Even if there’s not much oil, fat, or grease inside the tank, it will still turn rancid and emit a pungent odor. The property managers actually keep a log through a mobile work order app, which comes in handy for reporting to owners and tracking any technical issues.

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

Go back to our website

Find a villa here

Equipment Suitability for Rental Properties in Barbados

Turning your investment into a rental property can be a great way to earn income. It is all about providing a functional and comfortable experience for your guests when they choose to stay at your property. One of the key things needed for success in your new venture is having suitable equipment. From smart tech solutions to appliances, furnishings and IOTs, equipment for a particular property must make sense for its use and situation. Simply put, having suitable equipment will enhance your guests’ stay, meet and exceed their needs and wants and ultimately deliver on customer satisfaction. The result? Advocacy + loyalty= ROI. It’s a complex formula but the Property Management team at Blue Sky Luxury is here to assist you in choosing suitable equipment to maximize earnings.

Identifying your property niche

When deciding to enter your property into the rental market, it is important to identify what type of rental property you would like to have, a long-term or a short-term holiday rental. Your choice helps to determine the type of equipment needed. Additional factors impacting equipment choice are:

1. The type of rental property 

2. The location of the rental property. 

To be considered, is the property an apartment /condominium, townhouse? Is it in a maintained gated community? or is it a standalone villa with gardens and a swimming pool? Here is how you choose the right equipment for your rental property.

Furnishing a long-term rental property versus a short-term holiday rental property.

A long-term rental property can be rented fully furnished, semi-furnished or unfurnished. A holiday rental property is a fully furnished and outfitted property that is rented on a nightly rate basis to a range of clients. A long-term rental property can be rented furnished or unfurnished, to an individual or entity for a minimum of 6 months with a signed agreement. Fully furnished entails all necessary furniture, major & minor appliances, a fully outfitted kitchen, enough linen and towels for how many people the property can accommodate. 

If any services are included in the rental agreement, it is necessary to provide the equipment for those services, e.g.– laundry, cooking, gardening, pool maintenance, irrigation systems.

Equipment choice based on location

If your property is located on or near the coastline, you may want to consider investing in stainless steel equipment for large and small kitchen appliances to combat the effects of the salty air. If your property is near a Gully, window screens would be recommended for flying insects or birds.

Is your property isolated? If so, you might benefit from a security system. If it is in an area affected by regular water outages, a water storage tank would be helpful. 

For condominium properties, choosing a stacked washing machine and dryer would aid with limited spaces. 

Must have equipment for property rentals

Do you have a generator? Depending on the type of equipment you have and how essential they are to keeping the property functioning, it is important to make note of what is run by electricity and what you might be without in the event of a power outage. Consideration should be given to having a generator to run power to these pieces of equipment. For example, electric gates, elevators, water pumps for drinking water or even sewage pumps. 

Preventative maintenance is crucial

Be proactive, not reactive.

Ensure that all equipment in your rental properties is maintained and serviced regularly. Maintenance should be scheduled in three or six months periods or annually. Governed by The Blue Standards, our definitive 300 pt. checklist for property care, The Property Management team at Blue Sky Luxury has a thorough and innovative Preventative Maintenance Plan. Our Property Care Mobile App ensures that all results are reported in real-time and done right.

Learn more about our Barbados Property Management team 

Locally we are known as the Property Management Experts. Our team of 17 Property Managers maintains 200 plus villas, apartments, townhouses and condominiums across Barbados.  

Our Property Management Services include:

1. Routine & Preventative Maintenance

2. Human Resources Provision and Management

3. Administration, Account Management and Reporting 

4. Insurance

5. Smart Staffing

View our Brochure to learn more about our range of Property Management services and why choose Blue Sky Luxury to manage your investment.

Learn more | Get your Complimentary Quotation

Contact Property Management: management@blueskyluxury.com

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

Go back to our website

Find a villa here

 

On May 8th, 2021 Barbados will bring into effect a new protocol that allows persons who have been vaccinated free movement in a shorter time than before. What does this mean for visitors? You arrive in Barbados, have your test done, have breakfast, have a dip in the pool, (at your private vacation villa) receive your negative COVID 19 results, and voila, you’re at one of our Top 5 recommended restaurants with hardly any time spent under restrictive movement. Before you get to roaming the Barbados countryside, here are the full details for the new Barbados Travel Protocols for fully vaccinated persons.

What’s a fully vaccinated person?

A fully vaccinated person has been classified by the Barbados Government as having received an approved vaccine in a two-dose regime and has received both doses plus 14 days, or a one-dose regime, one dose plus 14 days. Your vaccination status will be fact-checked by the Barbados Government and persons who do not meet the criteria will fall under the travel protocol for unvaccinated persons. That’s not a terrible thing, it may be a slightly longer wait but the safety of Barbadians and visitors alike has always paramount. However, if you are looking forward to the roaming of said countryside, being fully vaccinated certainly fast tracks you there… ahem, as do our Concierge Can team. 

How it Works – The New Protocol for Fully Vaccinated Persons

1. Have your vaccination single or double completed + 14 days. Ensure you receive certification from the medical fraternity.

2. Bring to Barbados your PCR test that is negative within the last 72 hours. Ensure you have copies of your certified negative results.

3. Within 24 hours of arrival in Barbados, you will take a rapid test or a classic PCR test. After this, you will have limited movements. (Government has put new measures into place to handle high volumes)

4. Receive negative results of your COVID 19 test and restaurants and roaming will be open to you asap.

How Can we at Blue Sky Luxury Help?

Protocols are constantly changing; Barbados has been quite forward-thinking in ways to operate safely while placing the value of lives at the forefront. Our Concierge Can team can help you:

· Secure your PCR appointment with an approved medical practitioner 

· Arrange for the medical practitioner to test you privately at your villa

 

Stay in touch, we love to hear from you!

Direct Barbados: 1.246.622.4466

Freephone UK: 0800 0885574

Toll Free US/CND: 1 866 404 9600

Email: experts@blueskyluxury.com

 

Go back to our website

Find a villa here

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