Sleeps | 8 |
Bedrooms | 3 |
Bathrooms | 3 |
Property type | villa |
Minimum Stay | 0 - 5 nights |
Cielo Vista (Heavenly View) is a modern hilltop villa built in 2005, with an off-white stucco exterior and Caribbean blue roof and shutters. The interior is pristine, clean white plaster with rich mahogany wood trim and custom Mexican tile flooring. When people come to Cielo Vista their first reaction is awe – the views are truly stunning – and then they fall in love with the architecture and layout of the house.
The central Great Room is the hub, where the vaulted two story space takes advantage of the gentle Caribbean breeze. It includes a loft with a Queen bed and a catwalk which leads directly outside to a private second story deck. The fully equipped kitchen was intentionally designed to face out into the Great Room, so the chef can enjoy the view while they cook, and they can still be a part of social gatherings as well.
The large screened-in outdoor veranda, with its proximity to the pool, is a place of easy comfort and is a great spot for relaxing, reading, visiting, and dining. With the use of the newly added screens, the space easily turns into an outdoor living room!
There are two private bed suites flanking the Great Room, each with a king bed and their own private bath that boast dual-sink vanities and amazing, spa-inspired showers. The queen bed located in the loft space provides additional sleeping arrangements for groups of 6, and for larger groups of 8 the private Pequeno Cielo is also available to rent with the property. The Pequeno Cielo apartment is a studio that offers an updated kitchen, a sleeping area with queen bed, closet and built-in storage space, an indoor living space, an outdoor screened-in porch (lanai), and a covered patio. Pequeno Cielo will only be rented with the main house to accommodate a large group, or it will be rented on its own when the Owner is in residence – it will never be rented to two separate parties.
The pool is private and inviting, surrounded by tropical landscaping and beautiful flowers, encouraging sunbathing, sunrise viewing, a morning coffee or an evening cocktail.
And always, you are surrounded by the view!
Chris is a West Pointer with a tour of duty in VN. He started his company with his childhood sweetheart, his deceased wife, Nancy. It was Nancy who chose the site, selected the name and did much of the physical work of the building. I dedicate this to Nancy with love.
Chris Bast purchased this villa in 2005
We had been stymied in our 3 year search for just the right property on St John during the real estate boom in the early 2000's.
We had made many offers but were always second bidder or too late. Returning stateside after one especially frustrating trip during which we had tendered two unsuccessful proposals, we received an urgent phone call from our realtor which needed an immediate response. A property was about to be listed and already offers were queuing up. We would have to bid 'sight unseen' if we wished to be in the hunt. We bid based on trust and the agent's detailed description - an unbelievably great view, nice neighborhood, buildable lot, well treed, convenient location, good access roads, quiet surrounds, great topography, ample space, and immediate availability. Obviously we were the successful bidder. We hurriedly returned to St John with 3 days of grace if we wanted to withdraw our bid. There was no need, it was love at first sight!
Many St. John locations can boast of great views but Cielo Vista has one of the best. In the dark of night the vista continues - no featureless black seascape here. The lights of St. Thomas twinkle in the distance. We can watch the big cruise ships as they steam in from or out to sea from Charlotte Amalie. On clear days we can see the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebras. But the best is the spectacular sunsets from the deck or balcony as we review the day.
All rooms have the great view, proximity to the pool, and easy access to the outdoors. The Great Room, a two story, vaulted space with catwalk and loft, houses the functions for a group – visiting, cooking, TV watching, game playing, etc. The bed suites each have their own verandas and are get-away spots for reading or napping with privacy. The bathrooms are spacious with special showers which feel like you're outdoors. Originally the villa was built with a large open veranda tying all the areas together around the pool. To reduce the sun’s rays in late afternoon, a special rollup screen was installed in front of the Great Room. This proved so successful that they entire veranda was screened in with overhead fans and comfy cushioned chairs. This room has become a focal point in the villa.
The pool is central to the villa. The surrounding deck is great for private sunbathing, it is often cool at night for cocktails as the twinkling lights of St. Thomas emerge after the sunset. Morning coffee or crossword puzzle are done there also.
The second floor balcony provides an elevated cafe and hammock.
My second visit to Cielo Vista. Location is great! Quick car ride to town and beaches. The home's floor plan is spacious and comfortable. The multiple sliding doors open up to a large screened loggia which really is nice. The landscaping is beautiful, provides plenty of privacy and the views are breathtaking both day and night. I love this island home and I plan a trip back next year.
We really enjoyed our stay. The owner was very helpful and even purchased swim noodles for our 3 girls. The house had everything we needed and Crandall was very helpful with our stay. The internet went down, but Craig showed up right away and took the time to get it working again. The owner did mention that he was going to replace the blinds as you do get quite a bit of light in the morning. We ended up getting up early every day, so it wasn't an issue. Our only issue was we did get quite a few mosquito bites, but you are on a tropical island. Perhaps mosquito netting for the beds would be my only request. Other than that, we loved our vacation and the house was in a good location for our daily exploring trips. We hope to come back soon!
Every detail of this home is arranged for luxurious comfort. From the incredible views to the delightful screen porch to the pleasant decor, we were in heaven! The owners have thought through every potential need for the guest including beach chairs, water bottles for hiking, and a well stocked kitchen. The removable screens and access to the pool were wonderful for our family. We traveled with our three young daughters and two shared the huge bedroom off of the kitchen and one slept in the loft area and loved her easy access to the rooftop porch. My husband and I loved the master with the bathroom view that seemed surreal. I truly thought it was a painting at first glance. We were just delighted with Cielo Vista and so grateful that we were able to enjoy this little piece of paradise!
the accommodations were perfect for our family of 4. Perfect for families with teens. Gorgeous views and well appointed home. thank you for sharing with us for the week.
Arriving after darkness, our first view from this beautiful villa was the moonlit sea and twinkling lights of St. Thomas Island. Stunning!
Then, the next morning while looking out over various islands and the Caribbean Sea, we asked ourselves, "Is this real, or just our imagination?".
This comfortable, solidly constructed, 3-level villa is nestled in beautiful foliage. It offers spacious interior living areas and outdoor gathering and viewing areas on each level, including a refreshing pool. It has all amenities available for a relaxing, carefree stay. My wife especially liked the large lower level open-air shower (very private), the peacefulness, and the "bo-peep" outdoor sounds of the night.
I enjoyed the proximity of Cruz Bay and the beautiful beaches (how many shades of blue can there be?), plus the great restaurants. It was truly a wonderful place to stay and visit!
"Cielo Vista" (Heavenly View), a most appropriate name and highly recommended!
WOW! A step closer to heaven. I departed the plane, sampled some rum and someone poked me on the shoulder. It was Chris, he was there to take me to Ceilo Vista. St. John is a beautiful island, but the view from the deck of the Cielo Vista was heavenly. I felt right at home, relaxed, happy, and most of all WARM. This was, by far, the best vacation I have ever had. Chris and Harriet thank you.
St John does not have the run-away commercialism of so many beautiful subtropical Caribbean islands. Over 2/3 of the island has been set aside as a National Park. As such the beaches remain close to pristine with easy access for snorkeling and other water sports. All the beaches have 'swim or wade to' reefs supporting schools of colorful fish.
Day trips to the British Virgin islands are easy to arrange in downtown Cruz Bay with ferry service to these differing islands.
Sometimes on rainy days the south side of the island is still clear. Try Salt Pond near Rams Head should you have some rain, (Think of the cisterns)
Waterlemon Bay almost always has turtles and rays for the viewing. It is worth the hike (20 minutes).
Wednesday nights at Mongoose Junction the local musicians jam. Great fun.
Sunday afternoon there is music at the Beach Bar in Cruz Bay. Bring a beach chair.
Property Damage Protection | $59 |
Tax Rate | 12.5% |
Rates Reflect 2-4 guests for 2 bedroom/2 bathroom and loft in main villa. For additional garden apartment: Low Season $975.00 weekly. High Season $1050 weekly.
*Contact owner for Thanksgiving and Christmas - 7 Day minimum
No Pets
No Children under 5