Sago Cottage is great!

Guest: Beth R.
Date of Stay: 01/15/12 Review Submitted: 01/26/12

We loved everything about Sago Cottage...the privacy and seclusion was the best part. The views were amazing! Thank you to Diane, Susan and their staff for making our stay so enjoyable. We stayed for one week during our honeymoon and it was the best choice for us...hope to return some day in the future! :)

Recommended for:

Loved it!

Guest: La girl (Houma, LA)
Date of Stay: 10/30/11 Review Submitted: 12/31/11

My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and had a great time! We pick this cottage because of the views and they were better then what we had expected. It took a little getting use to not to be able to lock the doors/window and using the outside shower, but I think that's what makes you feel like you are living the island life. Location is very private and only a short ride to north shore beaches. Must be an adventure seeker to stay here. Thanks again Diane and Susan!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Beautiful & Secluded!

Guest: Kate M.
Date of Stay: 10/09/11 Review Submitted: 10/19/11

My husband and I chose Sago Cottage as our honeymoon destination. The place seemed too good to be true, but somehow managed to surpass our expectations. The views and seclusion are what made us choose this lovely cottage and we would have never had this sort of romantic and adventurous trip in a traditional all inclusive honeymoon resort. That being said, you should definitely be sure you like this sort of vacation. You need to rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle and drive a bit to get to beaches and restaurants. We had some of the most fun driving around though and loved the freedom to go wherever we wanted. You also have to be ok with the idea that you are sleeping and staying with unlocked doors and that you are in fact in the islands, so small creatures and insects do make their way inside. We never felt unsafe and had no trouble with security. This is a vacation home for an adventurous couple that enjoys freedom, peace and quiet. The seclusion allows for the most amazing of views and it’s unbelievable to feel as though you are the only two on the island! The hot tub was perfect for late night drinks and relaxation, you can watch the sunrise without leaving your bed, and the simple but ample amenities make for a comfortable stay. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! We cannot wait to plan a trip back.

Owner response:Dear Kate and Nick, We're glad that you had such a wonderful honeymoon on St. John. Thanks for staying with us! Susan

Recommended for:

Perfect Honeymoon!

Guest: Lara (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 05/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

I cannot possibly say enough about Sago Cottage and its owners and managers (Susan, Paul & Diane, with a bonus mention to David, our greeter). It is everything represented in this listing and more. I was a little wary of spending our honeymoon in a rented cottage, but Susan and Diane took such great care of us from the moment we booked the cottage, we never had to worry about anything! They booked our jeep rental for us, they arranged our transportation from the airport to the ferry, they had some one waiting at the ferry dock to take to get the car and stock up on groceries... Not a detail was missed. They truly made the experience easy and stress-free. Add to that that the cottage is THE. MOST. PERFECT. LITTLE. COTTAGE! and I knew the second we walked in that we could never have picked a more perfect place for our honeymoon. It's very secluded...not a neighbor in sight! Very private!) The location is amazing...centrally located to everything we were interested in (north and south shore beaches) and not a bad drive to Cruz Bay (we only went once...Coral Bay is much more our speed). There are at least 5 fabulous restaurants right by the cottage! Sweet Plantains and Shipwreck's landing were my favorites, but previous guests raved about Aqua Bistro as well! We had a little bit of bad luck with the weather. It was overcast or raining much of the week, but we still went out and explored the island and the beaches (Maho Bay, Leinster Bay/Waterlemon Bay, and Salt Pond Bay are not to be missed!). I can't wait to come back for an anniversary!!!!!

Owner response:Dear Lara and Adam We are so happy that you chose Sago Cottage for your honeymoon. Thanks for taking the time to tell future guests about you experience both at the cottage and on the island. We hope to see you on a return trip! Susan

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children.

Quiet Christmas

Guest: Christmas Couple (Richmond, VA, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/10/11

My wife and I throroughly enjoyed our visit to St. John and Sago Cottage. The views from the cottage porch of the various bays and islands speak for themselves during the beautiful sunrises and the moon filled night sky. We enjoyed the access to the many beaches the variety of which allows for a good beach day. We appreciated the various amenities provided at the cottage including the beach and snorkeling gear. The concierge service was very helpful as an introduction to the island and escorting us to the cottage. The cottage was very comfortable and included many nice touches to make our visit even more enjoyable. We look forward to our next visit.

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

The best week of my year

Guest: sara e (Norwalk, CT)
Date of Stay: 12/05/10 Review Submitted: 12/17/10

We had a wonderful time and we didn't want to leave. Sago Cottage was everything it promised. The staff was very easy to work and took a lot of care with our arrangements. The location of the cottage was just perfect. The views were impressive. We were right in the middle of the north and south shore beaches and not far from many of the great hiking trails. The south side beaches should not be missed - especially for snorkling. We also loved Coral Bay and met a lot of friendly locals who made us want to move to St. John!

Owner response:We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay at Sago and also appreciate your taking the time to review your visit. Thank you for staying with us. If you ever do decide to relocate to St. John (and I can quickly think of at least five couples who stayed at Sago and did just that) be sure to look us up!

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

We loved this cottage!

Guest: Carole S (Garand Rapids, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 10/03/10 Review Submitted: 10/20/10

This was our first trip to St. John and we could not have made a better choice. Sago Cottage exceeded our expectations. It was well maintained, super clean (I'm a bit fussy) a completely adorable. The road getting up there was a bit rough but it was part of the adenture. And completely worth it for the incredible view. The owners thought of everything we could need for a perfect vacation. They arranged for a taxi to take us from the airport to the ferry where we were met. They had the jeep rental all set up. We had a great week. The hike to reef Bay was beautiful ith Sugar mill ruins at the bottom. We were also glad that we stayed in Coral Bay. Very laid back and friendly. We went to Cruz bay once and were glad to get "home" to Coral Bay We plan to make this an anual tradition..

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

relaxing place to enjoy the natural beauty

Guest: Rob&Tory (Kansas)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 10/15/10

The cottage was quaint and secluded which is exactly what we were looking to achieve on our honeymoon-vacation get-away. The management was easily accessible and extremely helpful with giving us all the information that we needed to know to enjoy the cottage and the island. We really enjoyed the outdoor shower and the hot tub looking out to the British Virgin Islands and surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers. It was so relaxing and calming to just sit in the hot tub and enjoy the scenic view. The outdoor shower was clean and just enhanced our experience of enjoying the natural surrounding. The things that we found less than perfect were the insects. There was an ant problem in the kitchen that we were unaware of, so pretty much all the groceries that we purchased on day 1 were filled with ants by day 2. This problem forced us to eat out most meals which kept us from saving money by taking advantage of the cottage's kitchen, however we found some great local eating establishments that we absolutely fell in love with. The mosquitos were also a big problem. There was netting over the bed, but it had some holes in it, so we pretty much sprayed down with bug spray before going to bed. Being in the wilderness, it should have been expected but something we hadn't thought of, the night was full of noises from all the night critters. We did get used to them after a couple of days and were able to appreciate their nightly serenade :) The road up to the cottage was an unpaved bumpy ride. My stomach was a little jolted and queasy with every trip, but it was worth it for the seclusion. We loved the location! We were happy to be on the opposite side of the island than Cruz Bay. We really felt like we were on our own little island. Some of our favorite restaurants were just down the mountain from us. We thought that the cottage had great amenities with snorkel gear and all the normal items that you would expect. We especially loved reading the journal from other renters on what activities, restaurants, etc that they enjoyed on the island. Overall, we enjoyed our time at Sago cottage. We have very fond memories of our time there and would recommend it to our friends. I would just recommend being prepared for the ants with some large ziplock bags and mosquito spray.

Owner response:Thanks Robert, for taking the time to review your week at Sago Cottage. We’re glad that you enjoyed your stay. Sorry that you had a problem with ants, though. I can assure you that the house is thoroughly cleaned and ant free before each arrival. Ants are more prevalent certain times of year than others. Living in the tropics means that most food items need to be in the fridge. Anything open will draw ants so perhaps we need to put a sign in the cottage to that effect. Since the house is fully screened the mosquito net is mostly decorative. The “holes” are actually part of the design. There are slits running across the top which we keep pinned open. Most guests enjoy the added breeze from the ceiling fan above the bed but can be closed if you want extra protection. Occasionally, guests inadvertently leave the door to the hot tub deck and shower garden open. That could let in mosquitos but if the screen doors are closed there should not be an issue with mosquitoes in the house. The noisy night critters are tree frogs and the can get really loud especially after a rain. They make sure you know that you are in the tropics! There is currently work being done on the road up to the cottage, even paving a few sections. I’d like to see the finished product before I call it “new and improved”. For now it is still bumpy but at least it is just 2/3 of a mile. Susan Brierley

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

Sago Cottage near Coral Bay

Guest: Vermonters2009 (Vermont)
Date of Stay: 11/22/09 Review Submitted: 12/02/09

The layout was perfect for two with a great porch for enjoying a world class view of the eastern end of St.J and Tortolla. Lot's of windows, ceiling fans with ocean breeze made the cottage cool no ac required. The tree frogs at night was an incredible sound that made us both very sleepy. The road to get to the cottage is dirt and very windy but fun in the jeep and may not be for everyone. This area of St.J is the best, laid back and best beaches Salt Pond and Lamshure and great hiking. There were plenty of bath and beach towels, the outside shower took some getting used to but refreshing and again outstanding views from the shower and hot tub area. The home is very well built and maintained a west indies feel all the way. The only problem we had was with the oven, it burnt everything but we were ok with that since it gave us an excuse to eat out every night. The Aqua Bistro and Lucy's were our favorites. We will be back to coral bay and would recommend this cottage for a true natural caribbean experience.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers.