The $3 million luxury home the Biden family is staying in for their St. Croix vacation is available for rent to the general public, and the owners are using the president's name to advertise the villa on Air B&B.
The owners of the private oceanfront villa Two Palms have done just that mentioned it on the vacation rental site for $700 a night, boasting that it has “hosted President Biden on his many trips to St. Croix and is also ready to fulfill your vacation dreams.”
Although federal ethics regulations prohibit federal employees from using their offices to endorse “any product, service or business,” it is highly unlikely that the president is aware that his name is being used in the list.
The Bidens consider Bill and Connie Neville, who made their fortune in the tech industry and attended the White House state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron, as personal friends and are not paying to stay in their home.
The Two Palms Villa is listed under the name “Rich,” which is likely a property manager, and the Bidens are said to have no control over what is posted on the rental website. Other commercial properties – such as hotels – have advertised when presidents are staying at their properties.
“The President and First Lady have been visiting St. Croix during the holidays for more than a decade and traveling to the USVI for more than two decades,” a White House official told DailyMail.com.
The Bidens are staying at the private home of Bill and Connie Neville, who also list their Virgin Island property on Air B&B
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and granddaughter Natalie Biden stepped off Air Force One at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Wednesday afternoon
The Neville house is listed on AirB&B for $700 per night
According to the real estate listing, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home features a “dedicated work area,” a tiled infinity pool, a chef's kitchen and even a laundry room.
'Two Palms has a history of hosting esteemed guests, including the President of the United States during his frequent visits to St. Croix. Now it is ready to welcome you and make your holiday dreams come true. This gated beachfront oasis is surrounded by lush, tropical landscaping, guaranteeing your privacy and tranquility,” the listing says.
The property is listed as booked until April 1, 2024.
The White House has previously made clear that it is the administration's policy not to use the president's name for commercial purposes.
It was an issue 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 that suggests his approval or support, or in any manner that could reasonably be construed as implying,” 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, the daughter of their late son Beau, for a break on the sunny beaches of the U.S. Virgin Island.
They will stay on the island until New Year's.
The Bidens also stayed at Neville's house last year when they visited St. Croix.
The house is located on Solitude Bay and has a private pool and beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea and the beautiful blue water.
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 three bedrooms in the house on St. Croix where the Bidens stay
The $3 million home includes a chef's kitchen
The house has a colorful décor and has a private beach
The villa is located on Solitude Bay, which has access to a private beach
The Air B&B listing shows that President Joe Biden has stayed at the house
The Bidens often spend the new year on the US Virgin Island. It is located at the easternmost point of the country, making it the first place in the United States to see the New Year's sunrise.
Photos of the house show bedrooms with colorful paint on the walls. There are bright, multi-colored carpets on the floor. Colorful pillows abound. The kitchen, dining room and living room are in an open space, allowing plenty of time for family conversations and togetherness.
Both the president and first lady are known to enjoy beach time. The Bidens own a beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.
James Biden, the president's brother, purchased land in the Virgin Islands territory with his wife in 2005, according to records. The couple purchased a property of about 3 acres on Water Island, about eight miles from Little St. James.
Bill and Connie Neville are Democratic donors worth an estimated $1 billion
Bill and Connie Neville are major Democratic donors. He made his fortune in the tech industry while she was a self-employed designer. They are estimated to be worth a billion dollars.
The couple are from Alabama and made the largest donation in the history of Auburn University athletics, which led to the basketball arena being named in their honor.
The Nevilles are also active on the charity circuit, even raising money for an animal welfare group in St. Croix.
The property has a tiled infinity pool
It also has an outdoor seating area
The house comfortably accommodates six guests
The Bidens will remain on St. Croix through New Year's Eve
The bedrooms have colorful furnishings
Solitude Bay is a private community with its own beach
President Biden talks to Bill and Connie Neville at the Henry E. Rohslen Airport in Christiansted last year after staying at their home
The Bidens have a long family tradition, spending time there in St. Croix almost every year since 2008.
During his time as vice president, Biden vacationed on St Croix in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Last year he was the first president to visit the island since former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Barack Obama visited it in 2007 when he was a presidential candidate.
Before Biden, the last sitting president to visit St. Croix was Harry Truman, in February 1948.