Having a very busy year at our jobs, my wife and I looked forward to spending some down time with the family on St. Thomas. We had looked at a few villas but thought having the ocean close by and a pool for the kids would give us more time to relax. With my brother and Mother-in-Law joining my wife, 4 year old son, six year old daughter, and myself visiting the island, it made for a diverse group.
We wanted a zero stress vacation, and the Edge of Paradise certainly filled the need. To me, the best part of the property was the rocky shore below the house. Listening to the waves break on the rocks while watching the sunset over Magen’s Bay was absolutely therapeutic. Every night after the kids went to bed; we would mix up a cocktail and meet on the deck to relax after a ‘hard day’ on the beach or in town. Also, with the main bedrooms facing the water, listening to the surf would just lull us to sleep at night. The property is fully air conditioned, but we found the breezes at night and the windows open kept us comfortable (and better to hear the ocean!). However, because of the number of windows, I would recommend anyone that is not a morning person to bring a sleep mask.
Gena and her husband (the Property Managers) were very attentive and available, not that we needed her much because the house was so well equipped. Her occasional advice that was always helpful, with the most important advice being to get a jeep to get to the villa. Being right on the water and leaving the main road at about 500-600 feet of elevation, it made for some interesting driving to get down to the property. But this also gave an incredible amount of privacy. When you arrive and go through the gate, you have your very own secluded compound.
Having an engineering background as well as some general contracting experience (my brother has also been in the construction industry for 30 years) made us appreciate the property even more. The thought put into the design of the structure and grounds was outstanding, and workmanship was very good. We admired the stone, tile, and wood work, which had great quality without ostentation. The furniture was all very solid and functional, complementing rest of the property. The villa also has a generator which did come in handy one night when the island lost power.
In all, it was a great week.