Absolute Relaxation

Guest: Betine (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 01/15/12

We stayed for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Year. The house, pool and surroundings lived up to expectations almost 100 % and there is not much to add referring to the last review. We would have liked a less "worn and torn" grill on the deck and an optimized function of the kitchen section but overall everything functioned OK to perfect ! A perfect tranquil sanctuary for families and friends and a splendid base for exploring the other USVI

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

The Perfect Getaway for All

Guest: Amy R (Lafayette, LA, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/09/11

We have been at Magens Fancy a month and a half. We rented it for three months. Although we are not finished with our stay, I felt I wanted to go ahead and write my review. We are a young couple with a small poodle. We were greeted by the owners at the airport with open arms. . The cab to the villa with all of my luggage was $80.00 for a short distance. So, if you can help it, schedule your flight to coincide with your car rental hours Alice and Dave are very professional and lovely people. They have helped make our transition to the island very easy. You might want to consider renting a Jeep. The driveway is a off-road adventure and being able to smell the fresh salt air and feel the wind in your hair is a great sensation, or keep the top up for A/C. The beds in the villa are very comfortable and the linens of the best quality. There are no tiny towels here. The villa is very secluded. You will see no one just walking by. Fresh fruit trees are on the property for you to pick. They make great daiquiris. We haven't visited many restaurants. We prefer to cook on the grill and eat on the deck. There is no better view for breakfast, lunch or dinner. There are plenty of places to shop and jewelry is very reasonable. The beaches are all beautiful and if you are an adventure seeker, there are completely private hidden beaches where it is just you and your family or spouse. Very Romantic! Pack a lunch and stay all day. We keep windows and doors open while we are home. I have been in the relaxing pool at least morning and at sunset. There is nothing like hearing the wildlife and ocean breezes. There is no need for air conditioning. There is a superb panoramic view from all over the property. You can see other islands and the waves crashing on the point. Even a rain storm is beautiful. We were here for Irene. Magens Bay is just below and a great beach for swimming and sunning. It is a calm waters cove. Coki Beach is some of the best snorkeling. It is also the home of Coral World, which is a MUST SEE. They offer turtle encounters, snuba and a variety of other beautiful animals. They provide a plethora of information about the marine life. Children and adults get a chance to touch sharks, starfish, conch, etc at no additional charge. I am a diver and the dive sights are amazing. 22 years of diving and St. Thomas is on the top of my list.There are also ferries and seaplanes to other islands. Thanks to Alice and Dave for the PERFECT stay. It couldn't have been better!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Honeymoon in Paradise

Guest: The Michael's (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/27/11

My husband and I just got home from spending 8 amazing days at Magen’s Fancy. It was everything we had hoped for. The view is breathtaking, day or night. We enjoy our privacy, and Magen’s fancy is quite and secluded. The villa is spacious and well taken care of; and Deon the property manager is very helpful. The infinity pool with changing lights was blissful. Make sure to rent a jeep when staying here, because the driveway is an adventure in itself! We hope to return for our one year anniversary next year! Lots of Love- The Michael’s

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Magen's Fancy--what a view!

Guest: Cherish (Washington State)
Date of Stay: 02/10/11 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

My parents, sister and brother-in-law, friend and husband all had the opportunity to stay at Magen's Fancy and it was a fantastic vacation! The whole family had room to enjoy ourselves and also have space to ourself when needed. Our favorite part was spending time on the patio enjoying the view and the hummingbirds coming by for a snack. The table on the patio was great for meals any time of day....and of course there is the pool! The view and the colors kept us enthralled. We loved going to the beaches and around the island, but many mornings we didn't want to leave our haven. It's a bit off the beaten path (long driveway!), but we enjoyed how quiet it was and that we were in our own sanctuary. We hope to be back again soon :)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Fabulous home & views!! Extraordinary!

Guest: FABULOUS Villa!!! (Mooresville)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/11

Our family of 4 was lucky enough to spend a week in December 2010 at this beautiful home. From the moment we entered the property we were greeted with AMAZING views of pool, mountains and ocean! The home was perfectly appointed and we felt completely at home. Anyone wanting a relaxing restful vacation or action packed fun-filled get-away should stay at this home. You will not be disappointed! Alice is a wonderful host and honest! We will absolutely return! Happy 2011 Alice and good luck in the year ahead!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Our first trip to St Thomas

Guest: Lori S. (Vieques)
Date of Stay: 11/10/10 Review Submitted: 11/27/10

We really enjoyed your villa...the view is fabulous! Thank you for the dining suggestions as well as the tour on the way to your villa. The house was very well appointed. Our stay was during rainy season, however our enjoyment was not hampered...we got a lot of use out of your pool (between showers) and your Monopoly game (during showers). It was a great chance for us to check out the island and have some quality family time.

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Great place to stay while in St Thomas

Guest: Tanya (Washington DC)
Date of Stay: 09/22/10 Review Submitted: 11/21/10

My boyfriend and i had to get ready for vacation on St Thomas in less than a week, and the owners of Magens Villa were very accomodating in booking the place at the very last minute. Even though we stayed at the side apartment and not the main villa, we were able to use the gorgeous infinity pool with changing lights, outside grill and beachware (incl. 2 pairs of snorkeling masks, shoes, large cooler and beach toys) any time we wanted. This place is located a little higher on the mountain with amazing views of Magens Bay, palms, other islands, etc. I am definitely glad we stayed there instead of right by the beach because we got to see so much more from being up higher! The place is nice and clean, has everything you need in the kitchen in case you decide to cook yourself inside or outside by the pool. I would definitely recommend to rent a Jeep rather than a smaller car to get back and forth from there because of the mountaineous area. If you stay there and then decide to come back next year they even give you a discount to keep regulars - what a great idea.

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

Rat infested villa

Guest: bearwool (Philadelphia, PA USA)
Date of Stay: 12/12/09 Review Submitted: 11/19/10

The villa was rat infested. When we told the owner, she moved us to a Holiday Inn pending her finding us another villa. She never found us another villa and we never got a refund, despite her promises to the contrary. She ruined our vacation. She told us they were just "island rats". But they were the size of cats and there was rat droppings throughout the house. Stay away fom this one, not only because of the rats, but because this lady doesn't honor her word.

Owner response:We never promised a refund, we promised to make it right! The tenants at Magens Fancy the month prior to this rental did not see any rats! It seems when we took our dog away with us, the rats sensed this and somehow entered the villa. Upon notification of the problem, our villa manager, on our behalf, immediately called an exterminator. We put the couple up in a hotel at our expense ($1,125.72) and had the villa thoroughly exterminated and cleaned. We found three alternative villas which they would not even look at. We refunded $3,000. Then we found we were robbed of $3,500.00 worth of electronics (TVs, DVDs etc.) while they were still in possession of the key and inventory items. All rentals are terminated by surrendering the key! We were not covered by insurance because they had failed to secure the villa (unlocked window.) The police found no evidence of break and entry. They refused to move back into the villa when it was suitable for occupancy! We had an emergency flight back to the island to replace electronics, install an ADT security system, and meet with the exterminators to insure there would be no further rat problems. Our costs far exceeded any further refund they may have felt deserved, and we kept our work by making it right! All of this happened in 2009 (why complain now?) and we have had 15 successful weeks of rentals since then, with no sign of nasty pests. Our exterminators are very good and we can guarantee there will be no rats, (which are vegetarian tree rats no bigger than a kitten, certainly not the size of a cat.) Magens Fancy is surrounded by over 50 acres of natural woodlands, and you may see an iguana, gecko, turtle, or possible a deer, but there are no rodents in the villa. Check out all the other reviews, and come see for yourself the unique ambiance of Magens Fancy.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car.

Guest: Jim & Joyce (St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands)
Date of Stay: 06/08/10 Review Submitted: 08/14/10

Alice & Dave, Thank you for the use of your home. It was an awesome family gathering, revisiting old haunts & seeing many dear friends. The 2 weeks went way too fast. The home was a good central location for everything we wanted to do.f

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I only wish I had met you in person!

Guest: Yvette Baez (St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands)
Date of Stay: 04/05/10 Review Submitted: 05/09/10

Alice/Robin, thank you for the exceptional experience in St. Thomas! My girls and I are well traveled (ages 5 and 9), but this island is the first we considered staying on, and it had all to do with the house. While I admit, the drive the first day was fairly intimidating - it was well worth it to come home to our magnificent pool and the views (oh, the views!). The amenities in the house were perfect (the flat screen was a great bonus!) and the pool made it all worth it. I would recommend Magens Bay, Lindquist, Lindbergh, the day trip to St. John, Coral World and Coki Beach, lunch at Cuzzins and Glady's (both in Charlotte Amalie) and the ice cream at Udder Delight - and Happy Hour at Iggie's is a must. Having a car made seeing all top 10 things to do in St. Thomas a breeze! You were a wonderful hostess, I only wish I had met you in person! - Show quoted text -

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