I’ll start with the best parts….. the VIEW was GORGEOUS once we got to the house. The house was well stocked with any necessary kitchen dishes, pans, appliances, etc. Beds were comfortable. There were coolers and beach chairs (several old and a couple newer ones).
Restaurant choices were minimal in Coral Bay, they were closed some days and closed early on the days open (by 8pm so go to dinner early). There is a nice grocery store very close by. Prices are high but as expected. We had 7 adults in our party (my parents in their late 70’s and our 3 grown daughters). The guest cottage was a great addition to the property, however was not cleaned and ready upon our arrival around 8pm. We had to sweep and put clean sheets on the bed. The owner had a hard time finding anyone to clean and it took 3 days for someone to come clean, however he did text us every day about the situation and felt bad. We managed but it was very disappointing to not have that space clean, especially during Covid. The 3 girls stayed in the guest cottage due to the walk up to the main cottage. It would have been a lot for my parents.
I read all of the reviews about the driveway, but it was steeper and more rugged than I expected. With that said, the entire island is more mountainous that I knew, so be prepared. (We rented 2 four door jeeps and wouldn’t have it any other way). It was truly gorgeous though. The drive from the airport was a challenge in the dark. The manager did not meet us at the car rental so we were on our own for the 30 minute drive to Coral Bay. Every VRBO that I have rented in the USVI’s had scheduled the property manager to meet and lead us to our house. If you’ve been to St. John before it may not be a big deal, but if it’s your first time, I would be sure they meet you at the car rental and lead the way, especially in the dark. Do not take Highway 10, take Highway 20 on the north side. The view is much better and the roads are much smoother (it’s only about 5 extra minutes…… wish we had known that ahead of time). The pool was very pretty but only gets morning sun. Not a big deal for us since we went to beaches every day, but didn’t relax at the pool before dinner, like we usually do. Overall, house was as expected and beaches were beautiful. We loved St. John and hope to return again!