Rebecca's Fancy -- directly across from Hansen Bay

As always travelling to a new destination and property can be a little stressful, the new angle at driving the steep roads (on the Left) and managing luggage and time takes it's toll on your first day. Athena greeted us and walked us through their beautiful cottage and grounds upon arrival and she even had dinner packaged for us for that first night so we could relax and have that worry taken off our minds! We unpacked and made ourselves at home. We weren't looking for the hustle and bustle or party scene. We were looking for calm and peaceful, relaxed days and evenings. That's what you get! The bay is gorgeous and very private and has great snorkeling and gets you in the island mode instantly. The cottage was perfect for us. We drove in to Coral bay had lunch the next day and stocked up on the things we would need, groceries, beer wine etc. We literally would just sit on the patio deck and watch the clouds, sunsets and wildlife and read and just talk and relax. You can open the shutters to all the windows in the house during the morning and during the day and get a breeze through the house and at night close them to turn on the AC for a cool nights sleep. The kitchen had everything you would need to prepare lunches for your excursions or to cook dinner and sit by candle light on the deck and look out over the most beautiful sunsets and Caribbean waters. At night you could sit there and listen to the sounds of the tree frogs and night creatures, total peace! We had wonderful conversations with Jay, the host as he would take his nightly swim. We are by nature inquisitive of the areas where we stay and he gave tons of history about the East End and the Island. I can't say enough how this place fit us perfectly! If you like getting away from the beaten path and enjoy the ability to escape and relax in a beautiful setting and great private accommodations as a couple, this place is for you! You are just a drive away from low key Coral Bay where you can hit the market for supplies, Skinny Legs for a great burger, Shipwreck cove and Aqua Bistro for bay side dining with a view. You are 40 minutes away from Cruz bay and all it's entertainment and shopping as well as all the North Shore beaches. Always knowing that you have your cottage in paradise awaiting you at Rebecca's Fancy. Thanks Jay and Athena for making us feel at home and welcome. We will be back and recommend to our friends, Rebecca's Fancy! Chuck & Sandra Lewisville TX

If you like hilly terrain and not-crowded beaches, then the east end of St. John is for you. If you like night life, shopping, restaurants, and a broad selection of groceries.... not so much. This little cottage on a very steep hill is a wonderful get-away in the midst of the Caribbean madness. Just two rooms (bedroom and great room, containing a small dining table and kitchette) plus a 3/4 bath, it is great for a couple. Any more than that (even one kid) would be TOO MUCH. Clean, tidy, and comes with pretty much everything you need other than groceries: full fridge, double sink, dishwasher, microwave, stovetop, toaster-oven (in lieu of a real oven, so no frozen pizzas, no baking). Utensils, knives, openers, paper owls, dishes etc. linens, towels (including beach towels), and you can borrow their beach chairs and snorkel equipment.

It is as far away from population centers as you can get, so no dealing with the crowds of St. Thomas or Cruz Bay. But that means a 25-minute winding drive to the nearest mini-mart or mediocre restaurant (Vie's Snack Shack closed up, so no food for sale on the far east end of St. John anymore). The very pretty beach right across the road is never completely empty of people, but also never crowded, and you can rent water-sports equipment there. Great snorkeling right in that beach, a 3-minute walk from your door. Other nice beaches a mile or so away, and many others within a 40-minute winding-hilly drive. You will absolutely need to rent a jeep to stay in this place, as there is no other reliable transportation to get you to or from there.

The cottage itself is fairly new, so it is in great condition. Balcony on 2 sides lets you watch the beach in the morning and the sunset at night. Jay and Athena are great and very interesting people, who will let you completely alone if you want, or will spend all the time you need talking with you on any topic whatsoever. They are wonderful hosts and wonderful people.

Jay collects and treats his own water, so the tap water is fantastic (no need to buy bottled water, except for excursions to the beach). He has also put the whole place on Solar power, so when the power goes out (which it did every day but one of our stay), you generally don't suffer, because your power is from his solar (not from the grid). ONE exception is A/C: that's from the grid. So if you need cool nights to sleep, be warned that the A/C might be iffy at night. We would definitely return.

It started with our 1st inquiry about this property...

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

~how quick Jay & Athena were to respond~ALWAYS

~their patience in answering all our questions

~sharing tons of "need to know" info before we even left for St John

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

~how "at home" we felt the minute we arrived at Rebecca's Fancy, as if Jay & Athena were welcoming old friends

~being greeted with a freshly baked rum cake (paradise indeed!!)

~a bouquet of local flowers for the table

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

~a clean, cozy, comfortable cottage with all the comforts of home

~a well appointed kitchen with everything you could possibly need

~spaghetti & meatballs in the fridge on our day of arrival after 2 long days of travel(talk about thoughtfulness!)

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

~being directly across the street from the beach (Hansen Bay is one of the best snorkeling areas on the island!)

~the beauty and peacefulness of the East End

~the donkeys surprise visit in the driveway one evening

~the bull finches demanding some of our breakfast every morning on the deck

~the hummingbirds, bananaquits & nightly serenade of frogs & crickets

~the beauty of the East End (oh, I already said that!)

ALL THE LITTLE THINGS

~the wealth of local knowledge Jay & Athena will readily share with you (if you want to know about it)

~the conversations Jay & Athena will have with you IF you invite them for a chat

~the feeling like you are at home (oh, I already said that too!)

It was ALL THE LITTLE THINGS that added up to one incredible stay at Rebecca's Fancy. Thank you Jay & Athena for EVERYTHING and for sharing your beautiful property with the rest of us, who can only pretend for a mere week or two that we live on a Caribbean island. You, both, make Rebecca's Fancy as special as it is. Thank you for your kindness, your generousity, and for thinking of ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS!!!

We just returned from our third stay at Rebecca's Fancy. We are already planning our next visit.

The immaculate one bedroom guest house...so comfortable...one bathroom, air conditioned with solar power for possible power failures is amazingly lovely and comfortable. The wraparound deck where we had many a dinner gazing out at Hansen Bay and the night and the stars gave us such pleasure.

The cottage has cooking facilities in a well furnished kitchen area and a grill and patio in the back. It is a short walk to Hansen Bay which has wonderland snorkeling,,,both healthy, beautiful coral and all kinds of sea life. It is also a great beach for just swimming.

The owners are so knowledgable, great to talk to, make sure you have whatever you need and unobtrusive so you always have privacy. We look forward to our next stay at Rebecca's Fancy.

Judith and Stuart Parker

We first stayed at Rebecca's Fancy over Thanksgiving 2016 and loved it so much....we returned on Christmas Day and stayed through New Years 2017! It is perfect for a couple who really want to get away from it all. The cottage is adorable, very clean, comfortable, well stocked with everything one would need (minus a full size oven, but that is ok for us because we love to grill). You wake up to roosters and the sounds of the sea which is literally across the road with nothing else around you! The view is beautiful and Hansen's Bay is remote, doesn't get crowded except for Sunday Funday when the local folks love to come and bring their dogs, which we loved. We met lots of interesting people and got our dog fix especially with the official Hansen Bay pooch, Fred who is a sweet black pit bull who loves to retrieve coconuts out of the water and wants to swim with everyone! We loved Hansen Bay because we love to snorkel and the water is pretty calm there and there are lots of reefs to explore. Kayaking and Paddle boarding are great here as well. The owners of the property live above the cottage and are incredibly warm and helpful. If you're lucky, you may even get a jar of honey that the owner gathers herself! I would say that you must have a car if you're staying on the East End and that taxi's are tough to get out there. If you go at Christmas, you MUST reserve your jeep as far ahead of time as possible! Skinny Legs and Indigo Grill are a short drive away and were our favorites. We love to cook so we got a big load of groceries from Cruz Bay and stocked the fridge...I would recommend doing that because even though it isn't far distance wise, the speed limit and terrain can make that trip longer. Overall, there isn't much traffic except for downtown Cruz Bay. We highly recommend staying here if you love serenity and nature!