Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect Villa in Paradise!

Guest: Christine (Riley, MI)
Date of Stay: 04/28/11 Review Submitted: 05/12/11

What can I say about this Villa? So many things...the kitchen was wonderful, spacious and state of the art, the outdoor showers were great, furnishings were wonderful, and the views were stunning. There were six of us that stayed at Coral Rays, and we were all absolutely satisfied with every aspect of the Villa. We can all learn a lot from the people of St. John, slow down and enjoy life! (I guess because they have perfect blue waters, perfect weather, and perfect views there is so much to be happy about!). I would visit again in a heartbeat, it was one week in paradise that we will never forget! Thank you to Bob, Peter and Dorothy for everything!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Little Piece of Paradise

Guest: Jan (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/26/11

Our stay at Coral Rays more than met our expectations in every way! From the moment Dorothy warmly welcomed us and with Peter guided us to the villa we knew we were in excellent hands. After a very snowy New Jersey winter we were more than ready for St. John sunshine. The villa was lovely and beautifully kept. It was spacious and provided a variety of living spaces for our adult children to gather and spend time together. Our children joined us from Colorado and Vermont - what fun we had playing the many games that were in the villa. The kitchen provided our family the opportunity to cook fabulous meals together and the great room the perfect atmosphere to break bread together in. I was trying to come up with a favorite memory....but there are so many. Loved to hear my children laughing as they remembered other family trips. Driving the island is always a fun adventure and to my way of thinking qualifies as an extreme sport! I loved the sound of the birds early in the morning, but also loved the evening sounds as fell asleep. Also...loved deciding which beach to visit each morning. As for favorite restaurants, they include: Morgan's Mango, Shipwreck and for just plan fun Skinny Legs. The Donkey Diner is not to be missed...great coffee and real maple syrup too! Great shopping in Cruz Bay, not to be missed. It was a pleasure to deal with the property owner. All my inquiries were quickly answered and I felt very comfortable renting through VRBO. This was our third visit to Coral Bay and we hope it will not be the last.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

2010 Family Vacation

Guest: Weiser Family ( NJ, VA and Mexico)
Date of Stay: 05/23/10 Review Submitted: 06/13/10

Our extended family stayed for a week in May. The drive to the house was always an adventure. The house was beautiful, everything we needed was available in the kitchen and the seperate quest house was great for allowing everyone a space of their own. We visited Francis Bay, Maho Bay and Cinnamon Bay. The water was magnificent with white sand and few other tourists. Took a sail on the Breath and snorkeled one afternoon. Saw rays and other colorful fish. Enjoyed our breakfast at the Donkey Diner, dinner at Sweet Plaintains-unique, and lunch at Miss Lucy's-not to be missed. The traditional food was terrific! Lily's Gourmet Market at the bottom of the hill was a lifesaver. Dorothy, Peter, Huckleberry and Bandit were always welcome visitors. Even though it rained for 2 1/2 days, we had a wonderful time and look forward to returning.

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23 days of paradise

Guest: Farrell (Austin Texas)
Date of Stay: 04/11/10 Review Submitted: 07/23/10

Bob, My wife Rebecca, our kids, and I would like to thank you for sharing your villa with us this summer. It was easy to relax and enjoy ourselves at such a well appointed home. We where captured each day by the veiws of Tortola and Virgin Gorda from the decks. We loved going to the beach in the morning and returning to the villas pool in the afternoon. Our nanny also loved the separate guest house and the privacy it afforded her. Our kids speak of returning often and we will. We can definantly recommend Coral Rays Villa to anyone who wants all the comforts of home in the Virgin Islands. Caribbean Dreaming, Farrell Kubena

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Coral Rays

Guest: sdfhsdfbndmvn (Minneapolis)
Date of Stay: 03/28/10 Review Submitted: 05/14/10

We visited St. John’s and Coral Rays at the end of March 2010. Our group consisted of 2 families - a total of 10 people (4 adults and 6 teen age children) and it was our first time to the island. We had a fantastic time snorkeling nearly every bay and hiking many of the trails on the island. The unique town of Coral Bay was easy to access and had with groceries / liquor store and a variety of restaurant options. The “Coral Ray’s” home was up to date and absolutely beautiful. It is designed with a perfect combination of large open space and private bedrooms and baths. The views from the deck and pool were incredible and all 10 of us were very comfortable. I highly recommend this rental property..…we will definitely be going back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: The Steinbergs
Date of Stay: 04/26/09 Review Submitted: 04/25/09

Dear Ray Family, We had a great week at your beautiful home. The lovely house had spectacular views and lots of space. Francis Bay and Waterlemon Cay were our favorite snorkle spots. Most of the food in the Coral Bay area we tried was delicious. We found some of our favorite meals at Skinny Legs, Donkey Diner pizza and BBQ, Vie's Snack Shack and Sweet Plantains. The Love City Mini Mart was convenient and reasonably priced. Thank you for opening your home to us. Have a great season!

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Guest: The Liddicoat Family
Date of Stay: 04/12/09 Review Submitted: 04/11/09

Dear Ray Family, All of us enjoyed the beautiful welcoming home you have here. Coral Rays is well planned and inviting. We spent quite a lot of the first two days here enjoying the view and relaxing at the pool and hot tub. Went to Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay. The snorkeling was fantastic at both places. Thank you for opening your beautiful home for us to spend a week of fun. The open air showers were enjoyed by all. We hope to be able to come back again!!

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Guest: The Maitland Family
Date of Stay: 12/24/08 Review Submitted: 12/23/08

We very much enjoyed our time here. There are five of us here, Daniel & Debbie and their boys Ben, Daniel and Tim. The boys especially loved having their own private rooms below. We hiked, snorkeled, and one of my sons Daniel did a night dive out of Cruz Bay. We took in a delicious meal at the Chateau Bordeaux Restaurant for our thirty fifth wedding anniversary. We loved the well tooled kitchen, hot tub, and pool. The view is amazing as is your décor.

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 08/14/08 Review Submitted: 08/13/08

We had six people stay down here at Coral Rays – some of us have been here before and others had not. But all six of us had a great time. The snorkeling was amazing. We saw turtles, rays, a shark, jellyfish, and all sorts of fish and coral. We took a trip with Cruz Bay Water Sports to the baths and the caves. It was some of the best snorkeling we did all week – highly recommended. Skinny Legs has great burgers we ate there twice. Also, try the black cherry Cruzan rum drink there. The house was very nice but some of the appliances don’t work. The local pets that visited daily were great and very welcome. Some of the group fell in love with Gomez and Tamerind and I think they would have taken them home if they could. In terms of the island, the sugar mill and salt pond were excellent and the Ray’s book was really helpful. All in all we had a wonderful time.

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Guest: Ford and Staples Families
Date of Stay: 08/04/08 Review Submitted: 08/03/08

Our first time in Virgin Islands staying with some veterans. The experience was amazing, this is truly a destination like no other. The house felt like a home quickly particularly with neighborhood pets Tamarind and Chutney visiting so often. The beaches were beautiful and the snorkeling is like nothing I’ve seen, and the water is so calm and clear that even a non-swimmer like me can enjoy.Be prepared to meet a lot wildlife here, including donkeys, goats, lizards and frogs. Fish and fays only yards from the shore. Watch out for mosquitos and giant spiders. We were on the look out for turtles, but they were elusive this time around. Tropical weather nay seem intimidating at first, but the heat and humidity can be overcomes with plenty of time spent underwater. We got a fair share of thunderstorms which provided plenty of excitement at night. Don’t worry about the rain interfering with plans, it comes and goes in minutes. Enjoy your stay at Coral Rays we can’t wait to come back.

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Guest: Sapienza and Felt Families
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/30/08

Our first family trip to the VIs. We will be back for sure. The house was great and the view was fabulous. The best snorkeling was at Leinster Bay – lots of sea turtles and starfish. Skinny Legs became a favorite spot for burgers and sandwiches and we shopped at Jolly Dog too often. Our favorite times were when the pats did their daily visits. They gave us our animal fix and made missing our animals at home a little less painful. We spoiled the banana quits with a constant supply of sugar water in the feeder. I think every banana quit on the island came to the Birdie Bar. We can’t choose a favorite beach – they were all incredible. No Kenny Chesney sightings but we looked hard to find him.

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Guest: Bret Felberg & Heather Gibson
Date of Stay: 06/14/08 Review Submitted: 06/13/08

This was our first time in the Vis and it was absolutely amazing. I think the best snorkeling was in Salt pond. We saw a huge sting ray and tried to catch a lobster for dinner. Unfortunately we lost 2 men to sea urchloe’s and the lobster got away from us. Jost Van Dyke was awesome and we enjoyed passing out on the beach. We look forward to coming back soon.

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Guest: Lester & Kim Morales
Date of Stay: 06/14/08 Review Submitted: 06/13/08

We absolutely loved staying in your home. The views and accommodations were straight out of a postcard. The views from this house put the Florida beaches to shame. Our favorite things to do were a trip to Jost VanDyke in the BVI and lying out next to Soggy Dollar bar. We all learned to love the islands signature cocktail – the Painkiller! The drive up here was a little rough but always worth it once we got here. We will definitely make it back here one day soon.

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Guest: Nick & Brandy Young
Date of Stay: 06/14/08 Review Submitted: 06/13/08

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing home with us. This was our 2nd trip to the islands and we fell in love with them all over again. We started our trip with a mini van coming up the hill and needless to say we returned it on our second day. The hill was always an adventure. Jost VanDyke was definitely the higher point of out trip. We are very sad to leave, but looking forward to coming back.

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Guest: Steve & Janet
Date of Stay: 06/07/08 Review Submitted: 06/06/08

First trip to Coral Rays, 5th trip to St. John. House is fabulous, even though it’s a little big for just the 2 of us. Love the view, and the pool is great anytime of day or night. Took us a while to figure out how the fans worked – that would be a good thing for the agent to show people on arrival Also didn’t realize the nice lady and her dog who greeted us when we arrived was the house manager, until we saw her name and number written down. A disappointment that we can’t get network TV channels – no Good Morning America with our coffee!The road up was no big deal with 4-wheel, we’ve had worse. We hike down to the bottom of the hill and back up for exercise. Almost kills us. But we feel guilt free about the eating and drinking excess. Wildlife was fine – nice change that we don’t need earplugs this year to keep the frog’s noises out. Lots of birds and that’s fine. Great kitchen and living area – beautifully equipped, lighted and very comfortable. Beds are really comfortable too and the bathrooms and showers are perfect!Favorite local spots for happy hours – Aqua Bistro and shipwreck (great martinis). Best local dinner – sweet plantains. Keep carrots in the glove compartment to feed the donkeys you encounter. * Best tip – when leaving from St. Thomas airport, find a “porter” to take your bags – it’s worth the $20 to avoid all of the lines and speed right through.

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Guest: Birkbeck & Wertgart Families
Date of Stay: 04/19/08 Review Submitted: 04/18/08

Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us. We enjoyed every minute of it, even the drive up & down. Loved the pool. Mattresses were great! We ate in and found everything we needed in the kitchen. Huckleberry & Frisbee visited everyday. Great snorkeling at Frances Bay and got away from it all at little Canveshur Bay. A truly great vacation.

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Guest: Brugh Family
Date of Stay: 04/12/08 Review Submitted: 04/11/08

We had a great time. Our kids had never been to the VIs so were in awe of the beautiful water, beaches, etc. We took an excursion with Capt. Al & Brooke on Pirates Penny we went to Virgin Gorda (the baths are awesome) snorkeling around Norman Island and ate lunch on Cooper Island (GREAT DAY!!)We ate at Island Blues. Skinny Legs, Shipwreck landing and cooked a lot in this great kitchen. The house is terrific – loved the layout, but wished the roosters slept a little bit longer in the a.m. We will definitely be back!

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Guest: Bill & Kathy,Bob & Jean,Dave & Ri
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/31/08

There are 6 of us who traveled from Rhode Island to enjoy your lovely island and beautiful home. After our first ride up the hill feared we could not do it again – we did venture down the hill, in fact several times a day. The panic feeling to flee the car became less and less after each trip and it ultimately became fun!Your home is fabulous, the house is spectacular and the guests were very interesting. The best was the little banana quits. I think we had about 20 at one time – they loved the sugar water. The pool and hot tub were great fun and helped soothe our minds and souls. There a cute little chicken that ran around here, light brown body, darker tail and bright red crest. His name is Franchaise, my favorite chicken dinner (only kidding)

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 01/11/08 Review Submitted: 01/10/08

Coral Rays is a beautiful spot for views of the bay and tropical breezes. We loved the beaches – tried them all! Reef Trail is a fun hike and the old sugar plantation is worth the trip. Sailing on Breath is a must. Not only is it a great way to see the islands but Peter & Dorothy are wonderful hosts. Late night hot tub looking at the stars was a favorite way to end the day. The house is perfect for groups – lots of common space and enough privacy too!

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Guest: Prenosil Family
Date of Stay: 11/11/07 Review Submitted: 11/10/07

A very relaxing 2 weeks!Maho Bay – great first day out snorkeling with the kids. Easy beach to maneuver around on.Salt Pond – the hike down approx. .2 miles, but great snorkeling. We would recommend wearing water shoes because the sea urchins are plentiful.Lexington Bay – bug spray is recommended along with hiking shoes, but the beach is secluded.Trunk Bay – A bit too busy for us and the swells were high but the water trail was worth the trip out.Hawksnest – Again swells were high but at the far end of the beach there is a great shady spot to set up camp for the day.Lemeghur – If no one has told you the road has been completed and you can drive all the way to the beach. Great Snorkeling!Cinnamon (Little Cunaman) – This was by far our favorite beach and if you are in the mood for a bit of an adventure you can go to the end of Cinnamon Bay toward the force and take a trail (ok we made one ourselves) but with a bit of effort you can get to Little Cinnamon Bay for the sunken airplane just off the beach about 50 feet and 5 feet long tarpin.Doug (Dad) – “The house was perfect floor to ceiling and I really enjoyed the drive to the villa.” Peggy (Mom) – “I loved the early mornings before anyone was up (including the sun) sitting on the deck, seeing the morning stars and drinking coffee to the sound of the frogs croaking – Also enjoyed St. John inspired recipes from the book.”Thomas (age 10) – “ Loved the snorkeling as soon as we got the beach. The hot tub was the best!”Timothy (age 8) – “Swimming in the pool. Snorkeling in the ocean. Swimming in the hot tub”Maggie (age 3) – “hunting for shells, looking at hermit crabs, shopping at Big Fish, Little Fish, Jolly Dog, Lily’s Market, etc. Swimming, Swimming Swimming.”

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Guest: Mrs D and the Gang
Date of Stay: 08/18/07 Review Submitted: 08/17/07

Thank you Rays!The house enveloped us with a warm welcome! “Huckleberry” finally came to see us and solicit a “neck rub” this morning! “Frisbee” could smell breakfast from down the road! The views are just heavenly! St. John is a blessed place, you are very lucky to have this bit of heaven, and we were very lucky to enjoy it! We’ll be back!Mille Grazie!Thank you very much for a wonderful home to stay in during our week here! I’m curious though, how do you park in the lower driveway? This place is awesome! We will definitely be back.

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Guest: Nielsen Family
Date of Stay: 07/21/07 Review Submitted: 07/20/07

Wow! What a vacation!Thank you Ray family! We really enjoyed your house. We were two families together with 4 children altogether. The kids loved the beds, the pool, the outdoor showers and the cool house. Your house was very accommodating. The drive up was frightening and more adventurous as we made it through the week. We tried to get to all the beaches. We loved Hawknest the best. As you can see by the drawing we did see quite a bit above and below the water. We ate in as well as took in local cuisine. Lots of showers, a rainbow and even one beautiful sunset from the balcony here! One night the lights went out and we couldn’t find much on the island open so we enjoyed a candlelit dinner (hot dogs on the grill). The pool and its views were spectacular.Thank you again for the use of your home!

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Guest: Bagdasarian Family
Date of Stay: 07/21/07 Review Submitted: 07/20/07

Despite the adventures approach we very much enjoyed Coral Rays. The home is wonderful and very comfortable. We lost power one night and had a great meal off the grill by candle light. The kids loved the pool- waking each morning wanted to go in again. We saw lots of exciting things and visited a different beach every day – Hawksnest by far, our favorite. Maho on an overcast day is worth the tri to see the turtles. Frances Bay is fun just to float- very buoyant water. Great food all around. A wonderful and very memorable trip. We were two families of four traveling with children ages 9,7, another 7 and 4. The villa was perfect to accommodate us. The view was perfect when we needed some down time. It’s summer rainy season, brief showers daily and spectacular storms at night – very cool. Thank you for allowing us to briefly enjoy a bit of paradise.

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Guest: Ricco, Ketz, Alt & Brenson
Date of Stay: 06/15/07 Review Submitted: 06/14/07

Thank you Ray Family for sharing your lovely home with us. We for the most part are all beach lovers and sun worshipers and the weather was fabulous the past 9 days. The beaches are truly some of the best we’ve seen and Cinnamon Bay was our favorite. The views are fantastic, shopping we loved as well. We are all animal lovers and missed our pets so the visits from Huckleberry, Frisky, Breath helped fill our hearts from missing our own pets… we loved them all! Well, it’s back to Michigan for us but hopefully we will be back again some day… very restful & peaceful spot, well, except for the ride up the hill! Thanks again

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Guest: Drew & Lisa
Date of Stay: 06/03/07 Review Submitted: 06/02/07

This place exceeded my expectations. We loved deeping up and down the hill. Beautiful view and house with great furniture. Loved the hot tub.Favorite Restaurant: Agua bistro (directly below the house)Favorite beach: Honeymoon beach.Favorite Moment: Seeing a sea turtle at trunk Bay. Thank you so much will stay here if we make it back of this beautiful island. Best and only honeymoon we’ll ever have!!

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