Ultra-Private with Incredible Views, Minutes to North Shore Beaches!

06/02/2011

VRBO Bear stayed here:

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This little bear just had the experience of a lifetime! If you come to grab a taste of the Caribbean, look no further. From the amazing views to the amazing tranquil atmosphere of this property, Areca Peter Bay takes the cake! A long winding driveway reveals a beautiful private gate welcoming you to your home away from home. All the amenities were exquisitely maintained and the surrounding landscape was crafted with the utmost expertise, including lush tropical plants and fruits ripe for the picking at every glance. A true kaleidoscope of color!

The beautiful infinity pool was a great place to spend time at sunrise or sunset and was often frequented. Truthfully the view was spectacular from anywhere on the property! Most nights were spent on the magnificent patio area, poolside, with the BBQ grill smoking and the gentle bay breezes blowing, creating the most relaxing evenings.

The local town, shopping and white sandy beaches were mere minutes away and the local residents were always welcoming. The cleaning crews that came during the week were cheery and very hospitable. Not to mention the owner, Diana was extremely helpful, available for anything at anytime and was a real treat! She pointed out key places to dive, kayak and snorkel near the area and they did not disappoint. This little bear will be returning again and again and you should do the same!

The VRBO Bear

The VRBO Bear

• In one word....paradise!!

  In one word....paradise!!

  • Guest Michele a. N.
  • Date of stay 03/03/13
  • Review Submitted 03/15/13
  Our adult children, spouses and significant others vacationed at Areca (eight of us) and it is difficult to put into words HOW wonderful our stay at Areca was!! We all needed to get away from it all and relax and total relaxation is what we got! The villa is absolutely beautiful with all the amenties you can ask for. The home and guest house and beautifully designed with large bedrooms and bathrooms, private balconies, and the outside veranda on the main house is the perfect spot for morning coffee and more than 180 degree views of the Caribbean. Our guys went deep sea fishing and caught Mahi Mahi and tuna which we ended up grilling for dinner. Eating in the dining area outside made it so enjoyable. The turquoise waters and white beaches lay just below the shoreline and if relaxing there isn't enough, the infinity pool, with chaise lounges and a hammock will certainly do the trick! Even tho' we had a few overcast days and a little rain, the warm trade wind breezes made those days equally enjoyable and everyone had a turn napping in the hammock. There are beautiful tropical plants all around the house and grounds and extremely private. Only the sound of the waves from the ocean and the tropical birds could be heard. Diana and Sam were so wonderful to deal with as well. Not having been to the islands, I had a million questions to ask before embarking on our trip and Diana was always quick to respond with very helpful information. Sam greeted us at the ferry dock and drove us to the villa, explaining everything about Areca and making us feel comfortable from the very start. We loved it at Areca and were actually depressed when we had to leave. You will NOT be disappointed with anything at Areca! It truly IS paradise. Next visit will have to be for TWO weeks!!! Thanks Diana and Sam for sharing your beautiful home with us!!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Wonderful villa -- stunning views!

  Wonderful villa -- stunning views!

  • Guest Janet Hartz
  • Date of stay 07/28/12
  • Review Submitted 08/05/12
  For our first family visit to st John, we wanted a great villa to accommodate 7 adults and a baby. The owner, Diana, was so easy to work with and so quick to help and volunteer all sorts of good info. She met us at the dock with the rental car keys and then took us for the orientation tour. The drive to the villa is so gorgeous, we knew we were in for a great experience. Bur when we arrived to Areca, we were just thrilled with what we found. That view(s )!!! The pool is beautiful and a nice size and gets sun all day! We loved sitting outside in the comfy lounge chairs or on the pool floats or pool bench watching the view. The interior of the villa is quality everywhere and classic good taste. A fully outfitted kitchen was used a lot, and we cooked out on the grill several nights in order to eat at the big table with the best view on the island. An outside ice maker , fridge and sink were handy. The furniture in the great room was the most comfy of any villa I have ever been in! Then, we had the same furniture upstairs in the smaller living area! Beds were amazing with wonderful linens and pillows! Wish I had the same! The master was so big and spacious ( and bath and closet huge, also) with a big balcony and more comfy lounging area and VIEW! There is a nice king guest room upstairs, also, with balcony. The 3rd king guest room is on the main level, and was good for the person with a bad knee not to have to do stairs. The pool house has the other 2 bedrooms, and we only used the upstairs one ( only because of that upper view)! It is nice with a swell outdoor shower ( did I mention the view?) and plenty of room for the baby bed ( christys provisioning) , tho the villa has a nice pak n play we used, too. They have plenty of pool floats and chairs -- ice chests to take to the beach, gobs of nice beach towels and washer dryer. The hammock on the pool deck was a great addition. They have landscaped this area so that you know you are in a tropical and private paradise. I really appreciated that they leave some kitchen necessities as opposed to cleaning out everything. We had a variety of liquor, some cokes and beers, paper goods of every kind ,spices, oils , vinegars, coffee, teas, sweeteners, etc You will not want to leave!! It was just perfect for our needs ( and wants!). The beautiful north shore beaches are right below ! Exceeded our expectations and much better than pics show!! You will have a wonderful vacation at Areca...so don't hesitate to book this !

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/1

• Excellent Experience

  Excellent Experience

  • Guest Jason
  • Date of stay 12/03/11
  • Review Submitted 01/07/12
  We stayed at the Areca Villa the first week of December of 2011. It was a wonderful experience. There was not a bad view from any room of the villa. We spent a lot of time taking in the majestic views from the infinity pool and from the outside living areas. It was a peaceful experience due to the views, comfort, and privacy after spend the day exploring the different beaches. Diana was a great host. She helped a great deal before the trip and during the trip. She proved to be a great resource in making suggestions in planning the trip. She also sent a few e-mails to check in during our stay. She was accessible while we were at the villa incase there was anything she could do to make the stay more enjoyable. Overall this was a great vacation due to Diana's hospitality and the magnificent villa.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Wow, Wow, and Wow

  Wow, Wow, and Wow

  • Guest Bob Oldfield
  • Date of stay 07/15/11
  • Review Submitted 08/04/11
  This is an outstanding property and it is abundantly clear from our two week stay that Diana personally insures that everything you could need is right at hand. The villa details are beyond compare and the 180 degree view that stretches from St. Thomas, across Jost Van Dyke, and across Cinnamon Bay through to Sopers Hole on Tortola's West End is the best villa view I have seen in my 16 years of visiting St. John. Looking down on Lower Peter Bay from 500 feet above the Caribbean from the table for ten on the wrap around porch makes for some special dinners. As I left I told Diana and Sam that it would be a struggle to come up with anything she might add to the experience. It's that good. The driveway itself it something to behold and enjoy, much like entering your own private secret paradise. This is perfect for families and the Master Suite will disapoint no one with its private deck and huge sitting room with flat screen and DISH TV. The pool is a huge treat and almost avery day we hung on the infinity edge, checking out the view, favorite music playing on the Bose Sound Dock, cocktail in hand. The North Side of St. John has the best views and the best beaches, and this is the best of the North Side! In my opinion, it would be impossible not to be pleased, impressed, and captivated by this lovely Villa. Full of stone, tile, and mahogany, everything about this villa exudes quality. My only probelm with recommending is that I would love to keep it my secret! We can't wait to go back.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• Wonderful stay

  Wonderful stay

  • Guest rbeoj
  • Date of stay 02/16/11
  • Review Submitted 04/19/11
  The property was even better than the pictures! We could not get over the views and the setting. We have been to st. john many times before but this was our first time staying in a villa. It had everything we needed for our family (2 adults, 3 children). While the trip up the hill to the villa took some getting used to, it was worth it for the view! The only problem was we were not as adventurous as usual on this trip, because we always just wanted to stay at the villa and enjoy the pool and the view. Diana was great and always available for anything we needed. We will be back!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• We'll be back!

  We'll be back!

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 03/12/11
  • Review Submitted 04/04/11
  My husband, three grown children, and my son's girlfriend recently stayed at this beautiful property for two weeks. What a pleasant surprise! The house is very private, perched high on the hillside, with unbelievable views in all directions. It is tastefully furnished and equipped with everything needed for a fun, relaxing vacation. Days were spent at the private beach, sailing at Cinnamon Bay, exploring the island, lunch at Skinny Legs, or simply at the villa, enjoying what we considered the best spot on the island! By late afternoon we were always back at the house for cocktails by the pool, and nice, relaxing dinners out on the veranda. I love to cook, and the kitchen is well-furnished with everything one would need to prepare a delicious meal. I highly recommend stopping at the Fish Trap when in town - they have a fantastic fish market and we would load up on seafood to throw on the grill - Yum! Diana was a wealth of information and the perfect hostess. She had wonderful recommendations for meals out and activities, and was always available for any questions we had. We are so grateful for the opportunity to stay at this unique and lovely property - it was perfect!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Wonderful

  Wonderful

  • Guest Stephanie L.
  • Date of stay 03/26/11
  • Review Submitted 04/03/11
  Tastefully decorated home in a spectacular setting. The home is ideally situated on the island for trips to town and the best beaches on the north shore. After a nightmare travel experience en route to the island, Diana picked us up at the ferry late at night and had picked up some basic toiletries (our luggage was missing) and breakfast for the next morning for us. She was so helpful that evening and then stopped by the next morning to make sure we were settled in. We loved sitting out by the pool and on the veranda. And the private beach in Pete Bay was absolutely fabulous. We'll definitely be visiting the island again, and would be a repeat visitor to this beautiful home!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Exceptional Villa - Best Location in St. John

  Exceptional Villa - Best Location in St. John

  • Guest GoState - EL
  • Date of stay 03/03/11
  • Review Submitted 03/14/11
  We just returned from an 8 night stay at the Areca Villa and it was by far the most relaxing and enjoyable vacation we have ever taken. We traveled with two other couples and as soon as we arrived at the Villa we were all grinning ear to ear as we soaked up the beautiful view. The Villa is located in the best neighborhood/spot on the Island with close proximity to Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, and Little Cinnamon beach and it is an easy drive into Cruz Bay for dinner and groceries. In addition to the location, the Villa is immaculate. All the bedrooms are wonderful and perfect for even the pickiest tastes (in our case this was very important as we had three couples staying in the main house and we did not want a converted kids room). More importantly the common areas are incredible. In fact, on the last day of our vacation we spent the morning staring out at the Sea and debating what beach to visit...after a short discussion we all agreed that the best bet was to simply lay around the infinity-edge pool and soak up the best views on the island for one more day. If you want to quick back and relax, there is no better place on St. John than this villa. Alternatively, if you want to run around exploring the Island, the Villa is perfectly located for that too. In addition to the physical amenities our interactions with the Villa owners and their service workers were exceptional. The owners picked us up at the dock in Cruz Bay, escorted us to the Villa, gave us a complete tour of the facilities, and shared some great advice on restaurants and activities to check out during the week. Also, they were very helpful in answering questions prior to our arrival. During the week, we were amazed at the quality of service provided by the cleaning crew. We returned from a Daysail (check out www.blacksailsvi.com) on our fourth day and found the Villa looking like a model home. The crew even removed our laundry from the Dryer and left it for us folded in the bedroom. Overall, this villa is truly amazing and will not disappoint. We are already looking at the calendar to figure out when we can return.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Paradise Found!

  Paradise Found!

  • Guest Becky
  • Date of stay 11/27/10
  • Review Submitted 12/07/10
  What a wonderful, fabulous, incredible week….Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay, Francis Bay, snorkeling, day trip to Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, shopping in town (Mongoose Junction) with the twins, Skinny Legs and so much more. One of the family’s favorite daily outings was walking from the villa to lower Peter Bay and back. What a workout! Your villa is beautiful and works so well with family. We loved the mornings and evenings eating on the veranda. The pool was great. We swam each day. I can think of nothing that could be different for our family. You have the finest of everything. The pots, pans, appliances, etc were great as we cooked every meal at home. Also we grilled several times. We appreciated the mid week cleaning by polite and efficient ladies. Looking forward to returning to enjoy the sheer beauty of your villa and the fantastic views.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Fantastic House!!

  Fantastic House!!

  • Guest John
  • Date of stay 07/17/10
  • Review Submitted 08/11/10
  This was our first rental on the north shore after several visits that included stays at the Westin, Caneel Bay and other rentals around Great Cruz Bay. The house is even better than the pictures. With amazing views from so many different locations around the property it is a very relaxing and beautiful setting. There are views of Peter Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Jost Van Dyke and Tortola. We rented the main house which is a large three bedroom. The master suite has a fantastic bathroom with large shower area and a large jet tub. It also has a very large balcony with a couch and two chaise lounges that are great for reading, watching the boats in Peter Bay and Cinnamon Bay, or an afternoon nap! There are two indoor living areas and an amazing main level wrap around deck that had a dining table, ice maker, mini fridge and lots of seating areas along with more great views. The two indoor areas have large flat screen tv's but given the outside activities and views we did not use these much during our visit. The kitchen is a great entertaining area and is very well equipped with dishes, glassware, cookware..... everything you need to cook all of your meals if desired. The pool deck separates the man house and the guest house and is very large, again with incredible views! The infinity pool has views of Peter Bay and is great for a relaxing swim or float any time of the day. This area also includes a covered area with chaise lounges and ceiling fan, and arbor with a large hammock. The guest house and main house are separated by the pool deck. While we did not rent the guest house, we did look in the windows and both floors have a large bedroom. We also noticed that each floor of the guest house has a large outdoor shower with privacy provided by the foliage. The owners live in the VI are very easy to work with and helpful with information on transportation, activities and restaurants. I also want to comment on the furnishings which are all high quality. Everything from couches to patio furniture to bedding was top of the line. You will definitely need a rental car (I would think 4WD a must) to get to and from town and the beaches. the house location is about midway along north shore road so it is easy to get back to Cruz Bay or to Coral Bay on the east end of the island. We also did a day excursion on Blue Tang to the BVI that we very much enjoyed. Areca is an amazing property and we will return and stay here again!!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

Additional information about rental rates

RATES ARE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND GUESTS. BASE RATES ABOVE ARE FOR THREE BEDROOMS (MAX 6 GUESTS).

Low Season: 4 bedrooms (max 8 guests) $9000 per week.

5 bedrooms (max 10 guests) $11,000 per week.

High Season: 4 bedrooms (max 8 guests) $13,000 per week.

5 bedrooms (max 10 guests) $15,000 per week.

50% deposit due at booking; balance of rent, hotel tax, and damage deposit due three month prior to arrival.

Cancellations are re-booked on a space availability basis.

Additional Fees and Taxes:

VI hotel tax rate of 10% or rental amount; refundable damage deposit of $1000.

Cleaning is provided prior to stay and after departure at no additional cost. Mid-stay cleaning is available at an additional cost.