Very Nice Location

Guest: heather y. (Washington DC)
Date of Stay: 01/21/12 Review Submitted: 01/28/12

My husband and I spent five nights at Rebecca's Fancy. It is in pristine condition and stocked with all one might need to spend a week. The proximity to the beach is a rare find on St. John - walking across the street to snorkel is a luxury on an island of mountain homes. The cottage itself is immaculate and lovingly decorated (though they do need a new grill and beach chair). The porch and patio do not have the best views, but you cannot beat the sunset from the front deck. When deciding whether or not to go, visitors will need to weigh the location (great) with the lack of privacy you experience as a guest on someone's property. This is definitely not a "clothing optional" situation as some other properties can be described. Our previous visit to St. John was at Windwardside Main House--- right next to another small guest house but, because of the heavy vegetation and the fact that the houses are side by side (rather than on top of) each other, we never heard a peep from or saw our neighbors unless we were arriving or departing from the parking lot. Here you have campers on the beach below you and the property owners above you. Both can be heard clearly, and I assume anything we said, or listened to, could also be heard clearly. Though the East End is considered the back of beyond on the island, we had more noise interference there than Coral Bay or Fish Bay, perhaps because it is more of a neighborhood than vacation area (tree trimming, masonry, housework, etc). Again, the prospective visitor must weigh their options - the location is magnificent. Jay and Athena are a wonderful and inspiring couple and are very hospitable. I think it's wise to understand when visiting that you will be sharing the property with your owners/hosts. Personally this is not our ideal situation and thus the 3-star review versus a 4.

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Perfect Retreat

Guest: Pete B.
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/07/11

Rebecca’s Fancy is an outstanding location. The cottage is quiet and private with a pristine beach and incredible snorkeling literally across the road. Athena and Jay were gracious hosts who made us feel welcome and provided a wealth of information about the island. The view in the morning while you have your coffee is what makes it all worthwhile. The cottage is well appointed and comfortable with an adequate kitchen area and all the various implements of destruction you need for cooking in. Special note, their water is very well filtered. We were staying for 2 weeks and brought loads of bottled water, only used it when we wandered off to other areas. Very impressive media center with access to a large library of movies and music. Very important for me was the internet access. I can manage to take time away from the office, but need to maintain communication. Internet access was true high speed registering at 3M down much of the time. Email and web access were almost as good as home! Many places offer internet access, but this is the VI, much of the time that is only slightly better than dial up. Athena and Jay put a lot of effort and care into making Rebecca’s Fancy a warm and welcoming retreat. It shows. I would without hesitation recommend Rebecca’s Fancy to anyone looking for a peaceful respite. Pete & Teri

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Adventure in Paradise

Guest: Deb (Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 04/09/11 Review Submitted: 04/17/11

We had not taken a vacation just for us for quite some time. With family and work commitments abounding, it’s easy to forget what you need. So began our new adventure to St. John, USVI. Let me explain, I am the ultimate information gatherer. After looking at many potential places to stay, we settled on a cottage in the East end. You never really know how your choice will turn out, until you go and experience. For us in one word…fabulous! From the time we stepped off the ferry and onto St. John, we saw beautiful scenery. Beaches to die for, and an endless array of things to do. Mind you, we came to spend time together and relax. That being said, here’s our story. We arrived at our getaway space, called Rebecca’s Fancy. We were warmly greeted by our host, Athena. She led us to my “internet find”, namely our retreat. It was just as I viewed on the internet. It was a beautiful space, very comfortable, spotless, with gorgeous views of the ocean from the wrap around covered deck, and just enough “tech stuff” to stay linked to the outside world ( ie internet a movie& music library) if we wanted. Each day was a new adventure, either for hanging out, exploring the very cool nature of this island, or asking our well informed host, the best places to grab a bite to eat, or the local night life. Our hosts Athena and Jay were like an encyclopedia of St. John information. Which made the trip that much more enjoyable. Kind of like having a private tour guide to give you everything this paradise has to offer. Best memories include: Swimming & snorkeling every day, since we could easily walk to and from the beach. Sunsets that were beautiful, great dining establishments and nightlife, the beauty of island all around us, and the nightly noise of nature lulling us to sleep. All in all, this place gets a high five from us. We’ll be back! Deb and Jill

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers.

Vacation in Paradise

Guest: Deb (Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 04/09/11 Review Submitted: 04/17/11

We had not taken a vacation just for us for quite some time. With family and work commitments abounding, it’s easy to forget what you need. So began our new adventure to St. John, USVI. Let me explain, I am the ultimate information gatherer. After looking at many potential places to stay, we settled on a cottage in the East end. You never really know how your choice will turn out, until you go and experience. For us in one word…fabulous! From the time we stepped off the ferry and onto St. John, we saw beautiful scenery. Beaches to die for, and an endless array of things to do. Mind you, we came to spend time together and relax. That being said, here’s our story. We arrived at our getaway space, called Rebecca’s Fancy. We were warmly greeted by our host, Athena. She led us to my “internet find”, namely our retreat. It was just as I viewed on the internet. It was a beautiful space, very comfortable, spotless, with gorgeous views of the ocean from the wrap around covered deck, and just enough “tech stuff” to stay linked to the outside world ( ie internet a movie& music library) if we wanted. Each day was a new adventure, either for hanging out, exploring the very cool nature of this island, or asking our well informed host, the best places to grab a bite to eat, or the local night life. Our hosts Athena and Jay were like an encyclopedia of St. John information. Which made the trip that much more enjoyable. Kind of like having a private tour guide to give you everything this paradise has to offer. Best memories include: Swimming & snorkeling every day, since we could easily walk to and from the beach. Sunsets that were beautiful, great dining establishments and nightlife, the beauty of island all around us, and the nightly noise of nature lulling us to sleep. All in all, this place gets a high five from us. We’ll be back! Deb and Jill

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers.

Outstanding!

Guest: Mike & Gwen (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 03/18/11 Review Submitted: 03/30/11

My wife and I spent a long weekend in St. John for her birthday and this was the perfect place! Jay and Athena were very warm and welcoming and have put a significant amount of effort into creating a great home that is perfect for a couple! The view alone made the long trip worth it and the East End of St. John was the right call. We will definitely be back and will recommend to our friends!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

The best vacation ever!

Guest: Adam & Lisa (Columbia, SC)
Date of Stay: 02/12/11 Review Submitted: 03/02/11

We so loved staying at Rebecca's Fancy. The cottage was spotless, and our hosts were so gracious. The kitchen was well stocked and we even grilled out 3 nights for dinner. We loved the Donkeys, roosters, goats on the island and of course the daily visit from the cat up the driveway. Hansen Bay is beautiful and wonderful to wake up to every morning. We enjoyed snorkeling there as well. We visited other beaches and a few National park sights, but loved coming back to the tranquility of the East end. I would not only recommend this place to my family, I want to go back myself very soon.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/23/09 Review Submitted: 12/23/09

My husband and I recently spent 6 glorious days on the East End at Rebecca's Fancy. We found the location extremely peaceful and quiet with beautiful views from most of the windows and wrap around patio. The house was very well provisioned and comfortable. We prefer this side of the island over Cruz Bay so for us, the location was perfect. Jay and Athena are lovely people and wonderful hosts. I would recommend Rebecca's Fancy to anyone looking for some peace and quiet.

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Guest: Kathie & Gary (-)
Date of Stay: 09/12/09 Review Submitted: 09/12/09

Athena's knowledge of the East End was limitless. Her willingness to show us around was more than we could have ever hoped for. Even though we were here off season and most restaurants were closed, we had great meals at Island Blues and The Tourist Trap. Our favorite snorkel was right here in Hansen Bay. We look forward to our next visit.

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Guest: Elizabeth & Robbie (-)
Date of Stay: 06/16/09 Review Submitted: 06/16/09

We had the most amazing vacation here at Rebecca's Fancy. From the fresh flowers in the cottage upon arrival, to the homemade meal Athena cooked for us, everything has been fantastic. We are so glad we chose to stay in the East End as we did not have to experience the hustle and bustle of Cruz Bay. We spent most of the days on Hansen Bay beach relaxing and snorkeling; there was hardly anyone there, which is why we loved it. We did venture out to Trunk Bay, which has the most beautiful beach, but also crowded, and charged $4.00 for admission. Francis Bay was another beautiful beach, and a lot less crowded than the others. We cooked most of our meals right here at the cottage and were able to find almost anything we needed at either Lily's Gourmet or Love City Mini-Mart. We found the best snorkeling to be right here at Hansen Bay and also Trunk Bay. We will definitely be back, hopefully for our one year Anniversary!

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Guest: K&MJ (-)
Date of Stay: 03/26/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/09

Everything and every single minute was perfect. Rebecca's Fancy surpassed how beautiful I imagined it would be..Jay and Athena are so hospitable and so rightfully pleased with their little piece of paradise. Their commitment to preserving the culture and charm as well as the environment of the East End is contagious. The cottage has everything we needed and every inch has been built with the highest standards of quality and excellence. Starting the day with coffee while sitting on the wraparound porch or closing the night with vino and the moon and stars..all possible 6 inches from any of the four doors leading to the porch. We traveled all over the island, enjoying Salt Pond on the south and the northside beaches. In the end we decided Hansen Bay, just steps off the driveway provided equal or better beaches and snorkling; even when a huge (harmless) stingray swam right under me. Next time, I am packing 1/3 the clothing and bringing most of my meals for the week to make the most of Rebecca's Fancy. If you want to sleep well, relax, swim, kayak and snorkle in the best spots on the USVI a beautiful place, this is it! We shall return! Thanks J & A!

Owner response:You are welcome!

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