The $3 million luxury home where the Biden family is vacationing in St. Croix is available for rent to the public and the owners are using the president's name to advertise the mansion on Air B&B.
The owners of the private, oceanfront Two Palms Villa have listed it on the vacation rental website for $700 a night and boast that it has “hosted President Biden on his numerous trips to St. Croix and is ready to host yours.” “To fulfill your holiday dreams”. to.'
While federal ethics regulations prohibit federal employees from using their office to endorse “any product, service or company,” it is highly unlikely that the president would know that his name was being used in the listing.
The Bidens consider Bill and Connie Neville, who made their fortune in the technology industry and attended the White House state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron, as personal friends and do not pay to stay in their home.
The Two Palms Villa is listed under the name “Rich,” which is likely a property manager, and the Bidens would have no control over what is posted on the rental website. Other commercial properties – such as hotels – have advertised when presidents stay in their properties.
“The President and First Lady have been visiting St. Croix for the holidays for more than a decade and traveling to the USVI for more than 20 years,” a White House official told .
The Bidens live in the private home of Bill and Connie Neville, who also advertise their Virgin Island property with Air B&B
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and granddaughter Natalie Biden stepped off Air Force One at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on Wednesday afternoon
The Neville home is listed on AirB&B for $700 per night
According to the real estate listing, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home includes a “dedicated workspace,” a tiled infinity pool, a chef's kitchen and even a laundry room.
“Two Palms has a long history of hosting distinguished guests, including the President of the United States on his frequent visits to St. Croix. Now it is ready to welcome you and fulfill your vacation dreams. “This gated beachfront oasis is surrounded by lush tropical landscaping, ensuring your privacy and tranquility,” the listing reads.
The house is listed as booked until April 1, 2024.
The White House had previously made clear that it was the administration's policy not to use the president's name for commercial purposes.
It was a theme during Biden's first month in the White House when his brother Frank promoted his relationship with the president in an ad for the law firm he advises.
“It is the policy of this White House that the president's name should not be used in connection with any commercial activity to imply his approval or support or to imply his approval or support in any manner that could reasonably be understood to do so,” an official said at the time .
The president and first lady stepped off Air Force One Wednesday afternoon with their 19-year-old granddaughter Natalie, daughter of their late son Beau, for a break on the sunny beaches of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
They will stay on the island throughout the New Year.
The Bidens also stayed at the Neville home last year when they visited St. Croix.
Located on Solitude Bay, the home features a private pool and beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea and its bright blue waters.
It also has private beach access and is located in the southern part of St. Croix, allowing the first couple to ring in the New Year at one of the easternmost points in the United States.
One of the three bedrooms in the St. Croix home where the Bidens live
The $3 million home features a chef's kitchen
The house is colorfully decorated and has a private beach
The villa is located on Solitude Bay, which has access to a private beach
The Air B&B listing states that President Joe Biden stayed at the home
The Bidens often spend the New Year in the US Virgin Islands. Since it is located at the easternmost point of the country, it is the first place in the United States to witness the New Year's sunrise.
Photos of the house show bedrooms with bright paint on the walls. There are bright, multi-colored carpets on the floor. Colorful decorative pillows are available in abundance. The kitchen, dining room and living room are in one open space and offer plenty of time for family conversations and social gatherings.
Both the President and First Lady are known to enjoy time at the beach. The Bidens own a beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.
According to the documents, James Biden, the president's brother, bought land in the territory of the Virgin Islands with his wife in 2005. The couple bought a one-acre property on Water Island, about eight miles from Little St. James.
Bill and Connie Neville are Democratic donors estimated to be worth a billion dollars
Bill and Connie Neville are major Democratic donors. He made his fortune in the technology industry while she worked as a freelance designer. Its value is estimated at a billion dollars.
The couple are natives of Alabama and made the largest single donation in the history of Auburn University athletics, resulting in the basketball arena being named after them.
The Nevilles are also active in the charitable field and have even raised money for an animal rescue group in St. Croix.
The house has a tiled infinity pool
It also features an outdoor seating area
The house comfortably accommodates six guests
The Bidens will remain on St. Croix until New Year's Eve
The bedrooms are colorfully decorated
Solitude Bay is a private community with its own beach
President Biden speaks with Bill and Connie Neville at the Henry E. Rohslen Airport in Christiansted last year after spending the night at their home
The Bidens have a long family tradition of spending time on St. Croix, visiting there almost every year since 2008.
During his time as vice president, Biden vacationed on St. Croix in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Last year, he became the first president to visit the island since former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Barack Obama visited in 2007 when he was a presidential candidate.
Before Biden, the last sitting president to visit St. Croix was Harry Truman in February 1948.