3 buildings on right are the Main Villa, building on left is the Guest House
Location: Chocolate Hole, USVI - St. John, Caribbean (100" above the ocean overlooking Chocolate Hole & Hart Bay) View Map
Accommodations: Villa, 4 Bedrooms + Detached Unit, 7.5 Baths (Sleeps 14-20)
Great Expectations is different than most private villas which usually have one Master bedroom for the owners with the best amenities and view, plus smaller, less desirable bedrooms designed for the kids often located on a lower floor with low ceilings and little or no view. In contrast, Great Expectations was architecturally-designed to have, not one, but four equal Master bedrooms, each with private patios and spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea.
Each of the 4 spacious, air-conditioned Master bedrooms has a private bathroom with double sink vanities and indoor/outdoor showers. Each has high cathedral ceilings with skylights, ceiling fans and sofit lighting adding to the sense of spaciousness. Each is furnished with custom-made teak furniture from Bali including a California (extra long) King-size bed which can be converted into 2 Twin-size beds and each bedroom can comfortably accommodate a foldaway bed or portacrib for children (no charge when staying in the same room as parents).
At Great Expectations no one is in a less desirable bedroom on a lower level as all four Master bedrooms in the Main Villa are on the same level in two pavilions separated by the Great Room in a third building with a large living room, gourmet kitchen, and indoor and outdoor dining areas.
The Club Room, down the stairs from the Main Villa to the tennis court, has a trundle bed (two twin beds) and can be used as a 5th bedroom for one adult or a couple of teenagers (perfect to get away from the others and vice versa). A nearby two bedroom Guest House with its own living room and kitchen is available for rent for larger groups bringing the total number of bedrooms at Great Expectations to 7 providing comfortable sleeping accommodations for as many as 14 to 20 people. Not to worry; we charge only for the number of bedrooms used -- we have had as few as one couple rent the entire villa and as many as 21 people (there were a lot of kids!).
Great Expectations has 2 swimming pools (plus a wading pool for children or for adults to sit and sunbath in), 2 hot tubs, and 2 outdoor stainless-steel barbecue grills. Great Expectations has a basketball and tennis court (a great area for young children to play as it is totally fenced in). Great Expectations is one of St. John's most popular villas for both couples vacationing together as well as families with children of all ages! Best of all, when we do not have to pay a rental agent fee, we pass the savings directly onto our guests with DISCOUNTS!
Great Expectations is framed by the extraordinary "double" east/west views with both the sunrise and the sunset afforded this remarkable site. The villa is located in the southern shore of St. John, less than a 5 minute drive on paved roads to town (Cruz Bay) and 10 minutes to the famous, white sand beaches of the U.S. National Park.
The closest beach for swimming and fabulous snorkeling is just a short walk to Chocolate Hole - a sandy beach with calm, protected water on the west side of the villa. Chocolate Hole harbor has some of the best snorkeling on the island thanks to a 'salt pond' (formed during hurricanes when the storm drives the ocean inland and the water then gets trapped) which the government allows to be kept open to the harbor attracting an amazing variety of fish and sea turtles to feed on the crustaceans from the salt pond.
On the east side of the villa is Hart Bay which is the closest beach for great beachcombing and breaking waves (especially when the wind is up). There is a coral reef which comes right up to the shore leaving fabulous pieces of coral to wash up on the beach during storms. Great Expectations sits about 100 feet above Hart Bay beach which is accessible by a path from the villa. It is a very secluded beach; you cannot get to Hart Bay by car or even boat as the coral reef comes right up to the shore so it is worth the visit!
All the openings (sliding doors, windows and transoms) are fully-screened. Italian tile adorns the floors and kitchen and bathroom counters. Native stone work laced with local coral and shells frames the villa entrance and is used around the site to highlight the lush landscaping of beautiful, colored bougainvillea, hibiscus, croton, wild orchids and, and our favorite, frangipani. A number of significant palm trees as well as banana trees complement the beauty of the site.
A variety of birds frequent the immediate area which, depending upon the season, may include magnificent pelicans, frigate birds, soaring osprey, nesting hawks, heron, the largest hummingbirds, you have ever seen, even parrots, and our popular native bird, the little, but gorgeous, banaquit.
The villa is furnished with custom-made teak furniture and carvings from Bali and, we think, very tastefully decorated with original paintings, sconces and even a native mural which was written-up in the local papers. Great Expectations does not pretend to be fancy, just very, very special!
Contact owner directly for special discounts and offers including "Grandparents Stay Free" and "Bride and Groom Stay Free"!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning: in all 7 bedrooms
- Washer (3)
- Dryer (3)
- Linens Provided: plus spare linens in each bedroom closet
- Beds
- King Bed (4) : each of the 4 Main Villa bedrooms can be set-up with 1 California (extra long) King-size bed or 2 California (extra long) Twin-size beds plus a foldaway Twin bed
- Queen Bed (2) : Both bedrooms in the Guest House are furnished with 1 Queen-size bed (plus futons)
- Twin/Single Bed (9) : There are 2 Twin-size (single) beds which can be set up in lieu of the King-size bed in each of the 4 Main Villa bedrooms (for a total of 8 Twin-size beds) and a Trundle bed in The Club Room) (2 Twin-size beds one of which stores under the other when not in use) bringing the total number of Twin-size beds available to 10 (drop down menu stops at 9)
- Child Bed: A foldaway bed for children can be set-up in any of the 7 bedrooms.
- Convertible Bed (3) : There are 2 Full-size futons and 1 Twin-size futon in the Guest House (1 Full-size futon upstairs in the Owners apartment and 1 Full-size and 1 Twin-size futon in the downstairs bedroom)
- Crib (3) : We have portacribs and high chairs available for infants.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (5) : Cable TV with DVD player is available in the Great Room, The Club Room and both bedrooms in the Guest House
- DVD (5)
- Video Library (2) : In Great Room and the Owners Apartment
- CD Player (2)
- Stereo System (2)
- Music Library (2) : In the Great Room and the Owners Apartment.
- Private Hot Tub (2) : At the Main Villa and another one at the Guest House,
- Private Pool (2) : At the Main Villa (swimming and separate wading area) and a second swimming pool at the Guest House.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen (2) : In the Villa Great Room and a separate full kitchen in the Owners Apartment
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator (3)
- Dishwasher (2)
- Microwave (2)
- Ice Maker (2)
- Catering Available: Discounts available for guests of Great Expectations!
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill (2) : At the Main Villa pool patio and on the deck of the Owners Apartment
- Deck/Patio (8) : Each bedroom and the Great Room has its own private patio
- Balcony (2) : The Owners Apartment has decks on both the east and west sides.
- View/Location
- Ocean View: Two beaches (HArt Bay and Chocolate Hole) within walking distance!
- Communications
- Telephone (7) : Each bedroom and the Great Room have telephones.
- Broadband Internet: Free!
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): Free!
- Other Amenities
- Private basketball and tennis court, beach chairs, towels, & toys, Lots of hammocks and the most comfortable lounge chairs you can find anywhere!
- Suitability
- Pet Friendly
- Kid Friendly: Villa swimming/wading pool is not fenced-in, but tennis/basketball court is totally enclosed and an excellent place for unsupervised children to play safely.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Sailing
- Boating
- Parasailing
- Jet Skiing
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Snowmobiling
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Basketball Court
- Horseback Riding
- Other Activities
- 10 minute drive on paved roads to the National Park with 39 white sand beaches and hiking trails maintained by the U.S. Park Service
Rate Details (In US Dollars - DISCOUNTS)
Dec 13, 2009 - Apr 10, 2010 (plus 8% tax; contact owners for latest SPECIALS:
3-4 persons .. $ 8,000/week | 5-6 persons ... $ 8,500/week
7-8 persons ... $ 9,000/week | 9-10 persons .. $ 10,000/week
11-12 persons .. $ 11,000/week | 13-14 persons .. $ 12,000/week
Apr 11, 2010 - Dec 12, 2010 (plus 8% tax; contact owners for latest SPECIALS:
3-4 persons .. $ 5,000/week | 5-6 persons ... $ 5,250/week
7-8 persons .. $ 5,500/week | 9-10 persons ... $6,500/week
11-12 persons .. $7,500/week |13- 14 persons... $8,500/week
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Map & Owner's Profile
See Why a Wise Guest Said "Best Damn Villa on St. John..."!
Year Purchased: 1998
Why the Owner Chose Chocolate Hole
Chocolate Hole is conveniently located just far enough away from town to ensure peace and quiet in a very private setting, but only a 5 minute drive on paved roads south of Cruz Bay with lots of stores and restaurants and where the ferry from St. Thomas arrives.
The Unique Benefits at this Villa
The one aspect of Great Expectations which defies description or pictures are the phenomenal views affording both the sunrise and sunset overlooking the south shore of St. John and the Caribbean Sea!
Property Photos
- 3 buildings on right are the Main Villa, building on left is the Guest House - St. John, USVI - US Virgin Islands Vacation & Travel - Caribbean Villa Rental
- villa Great Room with dining and living room overlooking Hart/Rendezvous Bay - St. John, USVI - US Virgin Islands Vacation & Travel - Caribbean Villa Rental
- Great Room kitchen with granite counter and stainless steel appliances - St. John, USVI - US Virgin Islands Vacation & Travel - Caribbean Villa Rental
- villa pool patio with built-in outdoor BBQ and hot tub (not in picture)
- Main Villa hot tub next to Great Room pool patio
- one of four Master bedrooms in the villa all with private patios and ocean views
- the Owners Apartment, 1 of 2 bedrooms in the Guest House, with its own kitchen
- the Guest House has its own Jacuzzi pool and hot tub
- even the indoor/outdoor showers have great views!
- gated villa entrance with Great Room on left and bedroom pavillion on right
- wireless high-speed Internet is available at no extra charge
- relax the day away on one of the many hammocks adorning the villa grounds
- private basketball and tennis court overlooking Chocolate Hole harbor
- property schematic with total of 7 bedrooms, 2 pools and private tennis court
- Trunk Bay in the nearby U.S. National Park just a short drive on paved roads
- Great Expectations is just a 5 minute drive to Cruz Bay
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #7515
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This listing was first published here in 2001.
Date last modified - November 08, 2009
