After spending 10 weeks in the Sea in the Sea Grape cottage in 2014, we knew we would come back and rent the midsize cottage, the Topaz. We spent Feb & March 2015 in this very comfortable home, which is how we have come to feel about Gladys's little slice of paradise. The cottage itself (we feel) is the best on the property. We spent more time on the covered veranda than we did in the cottage. The kitchen is fully equipped and modern. Two bathrooms was very convenient, as we had a guest come fora few weeks to stay with us in the second bedroom. Hot water is plentiful, and the walk in shower in the master suite made for easy accessibility to our elderly guest. The cottage is beautiful. With Gladys's home on the property plus 4 other cottages, Diamonds has a family and neighbourly feel. The grounds are truly beautiful, and the property is fully fenced. In the 18 weeks total we spent there, we can truly say we liked each and every guest that we met during those months, and have made many lasting friendships. The staff at Diamonds, Shirley (housekeeper) and Jules (groundskeeper) couldn't be friendlier or more accommodating. We have grown to love them both, as well as Gladys and Ralph. Churchill Beach, in our opinion, is the best beach to live on on Grand Bahama. We have traveled the island and pretty much all it's beaches multiple times, and although there are some rivals , they are more remote. It was important to us to not need to rent a car every week, and to be within a cab ride to the city of Freeport & Port Lucaya Marketplace. Instead, we rented a car every few weeks, and that's when we explored the island. Diamonds is a short taxi ride away from both, yet quiet enough that we often had the 4 mile beach to ourselves. The property is located almost mid center, with a choice of 4 restaurants/beach bars all within walking distance. Other than a small resort, the rest of the pristine beach is luxury private homes and trees. It's perfect for walking, exploring, swimming, playing, and it's safe. Freeport and Port Lucaya have everything you could possibly need while staying on the Island. Large modern supermarkets, specialty stores, bakeries, local bargain shops , very affordable restaurants and upscale dining. There are plenty of water related activities and excursions within close proximity. We found so many great spots that quickly became favourites, and restaurant prices on the island are extremely reasonable. We can't wait to return!!

We spent 8 fabulous days in Topaz cottage.....clean,nicely decorated,full kitchen breath taking beach! We rented a car from Brads. Grocery shopped at Solomons.Spent time at my friends place The Sand Bar Margarita villa. We ve just booked our return for July 2015. Cant wait to get back!

This cottage deserves a ten star rating as does the whole of Diamonds by the Sea. We stayed there two weeks ago and did not want to leave. The cottage itself was very well kept. It was a home away from home. Had everything to hand that you would have in your own home but with the added bonus of beautiful weather. Shirley the housekeeper was a gem and Gladys the owner was so welcoming. It was a treat to be able to walk off your deck onto the beach which we did every morning before breakfast. A car is advisable to get around. Thank you Gladys for such wonderful surroundings and Shirley you are great . Will definitely be back next year but for a longer period.

This is a truly a little paradise! We had the most wonderful week here. I agree with reviewer Amy about the cottage, beach and shopping. Car is a necessity if you want to discover the island's gorgeous beaches. We loved Churchill beach though. This is such a long beach, made for long walks! You have Wyndham close by, (but not too close!), where you can do water sports. Did some snorkeling and kayaking at Paradise Cove on the west end. Beautiful place, decent prices on equipment and I think the greatest grouper & fries lunch! We found it a bit hard to find good restaurants, but Gladys recommended some that we liked, among them The Shaningans in Port Lucaya which had great food. We also enjoyed the Greek restaurant Zorba there. One day, coming home from one of our car trips, we found a grocery bag on the porch. Gladys had put some of her homegrown tomatoes and arugula in there for us! Wow - did we have a delicious salad and steak on the grill that night! Gladys is a wonderful host, welcoming, warm and funny! You can see the pride of ownership in the way she maintains the property. This is one of the greatest vacation places we have rented through the years. Since coming home from this gem we have told everybody we know about the wonderful time we had here. I can recommend Diamonds by the Sea and feel awesome about it because I know that you will have the greatest time. We will be back soon! Love ya', Gladys! The Gaensler's

Topaz was everything we expected and MORE! The property is pristine and offers lots of privacy from its gardens. The cottage was actually a bit larger than it looks in photos. Topaz was very clean and the beds comfy. I was expecting a queen bed, but there was a king in the MBR. The second BR had 2 queens. The daybed had been moved to the porch - which we really loved! The porch was our favorite room by far. We lounged on the daybed and sipped rum in the evenings. The walk to the beach is quite short, and there are plenty of chairs for everyone. There is a great little bar a short walk down the beach to the right. They have cold beer and conch fritters when you need a little treat. There is also Bertha's restaurant a few yards past the beach bar - best fried lobster tails and cracked conch we found on the island. Bertha's homemade hot sauce is so amazing, we brought some home. I definitely recommend a rental car for your stay. And you'll want to visit Butler's or Solomon's for groceries. The grocery stores are not like those in the US - not as much selection and they are pricey due to tariffs. Bring some non-perishables with you - like sugar, seasonings, coffee, granola, etc. Depending on length of stay, buy extra toilet paper, paper towels and garbage bags. Beer is tariffed heavily at the stores, so it is less expensive to drink rum. For example, a 6-pack of Red Stripe was $19. While a liter of good rum was $11. We were impressed with the wifi and the cable. The wifi allowed us to upload images to Facebook and check email. No need for an expensive international calling plan since we could communicate through email. There is a washer and dryer off the side porch and is shared by the 2 studios. It was nice for drying swim suits and running a load during the week. You'll need to supply your own detergent. The air conditioners were in each room. We only used the one in the MBR and kept the door closed. The rest of the cottage was comfortable with the windows open. Then again, we went in March, so it wasn't uncomfortably hot. Overall, I highly recommend Topaz - or any of the other cottages - for anyone wanting a true vacation away from the crowds. Many thanks to the owner, Gladys! We will be back!

This was our greatest rental experience ever! Diamonds by the sea and our host Gladys were just wonderful. We cant wait to go back. Thank you!

My husband and I stayed in the Topaz Cottage in September 2010 and had a wonderful time! The house is so pretty and just ideal for a couple or a couple with one child. The beach was just a stone-throw away and we have been the only ones at the beach all the time! It was just a fantatsic and very relaxig vacation and we can recommend this cottage for a romantic holiday! I hope that we will come back and thanks, Gladys, for being a wonderful host!

We feel like we discovered a hidden treasure! The Topaz was so charming and comfortable, and grounds and all were immaculate. Super location if you feel the need to explore on the island. Don't miss the restaurants at Lucaya, of course, and Banana Bay for lunch. It was a relaxing environment, and the hospitality was wonderful. We could not have planned anything better. Thank you so much, and we will definitely be back.

My wife and I spent mid-February to mid-March, 2010 at the Topaz cottage at Diamonds-by-the Sea. It was everything we were looking for and the second bedroom was great for the company that came to visit. The beach is great, not too crowded, and a small reef off the adjacent church provided good snorkeling. Gladys was a great hostess and responded to each and every need we had. You'll need to rent a car as there are no shopping opportunities within walking distance but there are two beach bars where you can get a drink and / or basic meal close by on the beach. If you're looking for a relaxed vacation with little in the way of shopping, this is the place. Good restaurants can be found at the Port Lucaya Marketplace. Highly recommended, we hope to return.

My husband and I in June 2009 spent a week at Diamonds by the Sea, Topaz Cottage. It was absolutely perfect! We were looking for a place that was away from the hustle bustle of the world, so we could relax and enjoy each others company. It was more than what we could have asked for! It was a very short walk to a beautiful beach. It felt as though, not only the beach, but the entire shore was our own. There was no one even close to where the cottage was located. A short walk down the beach was a quaint sand bar that was very personable and quiet. Also a little farther down the beach was a great restaurant called Georgie's. The food was terrific and the personnel there were so nice! The discription on the web site was right on! The cottage was really well kept and clean. We found everything in good working order. The water there, from the tap, was very good. We bought some groceries and cooked in the kitchen of the cottage. This saved us quite a bit of money. In the evenings we went out to eat. The cottage is not close to local shopping but it seems as though those shops are very commercial anyway. We intend to go back in the future and hope to bring some friends with us! I would recommend this place to anyone going to the Bahamas who want to be on their own and enjoy piece and quiet!