The Upper Level of Stonegarden Cottage offers a beautiful, relaxed, & comfortable space for a couple, or a couple with two children. If you need more space, the Whole House can be booked. When you book from here, you are booking the Upper Level. Visit our listing called "Cottage w/Awesome View, Hot Tub, Solar, sleep 4-6+" for the Whole House, sleeps 4-6. Exceptions for Christmas week: we only rent the whole house for 7 days min. Back-up Power: The island's power company has been struggling since the hurricanes, and there are frequent island-wide outages, sometimes for several hours a day (the longest outages can last several days). So, we installed a Tesla Powerwall back-up battery for our solar panels which means you will not even notice when the power goes out on island. There will be no noisy generator to spoil your peace and quiet. And the best thing is that you will not have to run around in the dark looking for flashlights, or refrain from using the water for doing dishes and showering, because you will have power to use the lights, water, fans, refrigeration, stove and oven, etc. Now, here is more information about our home: Stonegarden Cottage consists of upper and lower levels, and you can book the Whole House or just the Upper Level. We're no longer renting the Lower Level separately to ensure that you and your party will have maximum privacy, with only one family/party in the cottage at any given time. However, the owners occasionally use the Lower Level when they are on-island and will treat you with highest regard, and will ensure your privacy at all times. Christmas and New Year's Weeks: Whole House only, 7 night minimum stay required. NOTE: This listing is for the Upper Level, 2 adults and 2 children, and the rates correspond to that level only. If you substitute an adult for child, $50 per night extra will be charged. You can rent the whole house (3 bedrooms, sleeps 6) by visiting VRBO listing # 1500675 where you'll find more detailed information, including an active availability calendar. Stonegarden Cottage offers you a private retreat where you will enjoy your dream vacation on Saint John in the US Virgin Islands. Offering the privacy, comfort and views of a villa, this unique rental home beckons many of our loyal guests back year after year. This beautiful St. John vacation rental offers a gorgeous island view and on-site nature trails, close proximity to pristine National Park Beaches and restaurants and shops of Coral Bay - the peaceful side of St. John. Enjoy the water and garden view from our NEWLY INSTALLED SPA! Simply warm up after a swim, or treat yourself to a relaxing and therapeutic soak in the spa's jets. The cottage was upgraded with all new windows & screens, bathrooms, flooring, decking, interior decor, and a new Lower Level bathroom & kitchenette! We have a new whole house UV filtration system to ensure that your water is sparkling clean and drinkable. The cottage nestles within a shady, tropical forest, high up the steep slopes of St. John’s Bordeaux Mountain. At the foot of the mountain lies picturesque Coral Bay harbor; beyond unfolds a panorama of peninsulas, islands, beaches and glowing turquoise channels that run east as far as Virgin Gorda and the Anegada Passage. This is the view Islands Magazine chose as the top spot in the world to watch the sunrise of the new millennium. NOTE: This listing is for the Upper Level only. The Whole House can also be rented (see above for more info. on how to book the Whole House). Upper Level: The fully-equipped, eat-in kitchen opens out onto the deck where you will dine or just relax while gazing at one of the most beautiful views in all the Caribbean, with an ever-changing light show of turquoise water and sun drenched islands. Walk out the kitchen onto a dining deck with a phenomenal view of the islands and harbor below, where you will want to spend every evening gazing up at the constellations or to watching the moonrise over the VI National Park and Coral Bay Harbor. There is a full-sized dining table and 6 chairs, a chaise lounge and 2 deck chairs on the deck for your use, as well as four yoga mats to spread out for your morning yoga routine. A large living room space has a picture window looking out over the islands and harbor below, as well as a pass through to the kitchen with counter height stools. The cottage is decorated with beautiful Caribbean art and stained glass windows designed and built by the owner. The master bedroom with queen-size, four-poster bed and private, fully tiled bath has an expansive island view through a picture window. The enclosed Caribbean garden shower blends traditional stonework with the tropical environment. Off the living room, there is a 2nd bedroom (called the bunk room ) with twin sized bunk bed and ample closet space. It has its own tiled bathroom - the open shower ceiling lets in the Caribbean sun and balmy breezes. Upper Level Rates: The rate quote you receive from AirBNB is for 2 adults and 2 children under 18 only. The max number of guests in the Upper Level is 4, with the exception of adding one child age 6 or under. When you add a third child, you will be charged an additional $50 per night. We can accommodate one small child age 6 or under on a kids-sized air mattress that can be placed in the master bedroom. Additionally, you may substitute up to two adults for two children, however you will be charged an additional $50 per night per adult by the owner. We can accommodate up to two adults on our queen sized sofa bed. For parties of over 4 guests, please consider booking our whole house (which includes our lower level apartment). Rates vary according to the season and can be changed without notice. The Upper Level is not air conditioned, simply because there is so much breeze at 500 ft above sea level, and with the house facing due east to catch the trade winds all year round, there is no need for energy consuming AC. The cottage has ceiling fans in every room to keep the air flowing, and create a comfortable environment. Outside amenities: Walkways from the front door lead you to our NEW HOT TUB/SPA, a spa deck for lounging and the stone paths and trails of Guavaberry Woods, where you'll enjoy bananas and papayas, tropical flowers and native shade trees. There's also a tire swing for the kids and plenty of trails to explore (see below). Onsite Nature Trails: The best of St. John’s natural beauty and astonishing biodiversity lies on-site at your doorstep. A trellised archway of hanging tropical flowers greets you as you enter and walk down a short stone stairway to the front door. The large (2/3 acre) hillside property is an ecological wonderland that invites wandering -- beautiful hand-crafted stone paths and gravel trails on several different levels lead you through the lush hardwood foliage of Guavaberry Woods, where picturesque and unique ponds, a meditation garden, bridge and benches, plus gardens of orchids, frangipani, hibiscus, bougainvillea, citrus and tropical fruit trees delight the eye. Cool Retreat: Steady trade-winds, an easterly view and the lush surrounding forest make Stonegarden Cottage a comfortable tropical getaway year-round -- cool, quiet and peaceful. After a day on blazing white sand beaches or out on the glittering sea, it is delightful to return up the mountain to your forest retreat, savor a frozen drink while enjoying the view or gaze into a lily pond while hearing the breeze rustle the treetops. Keywords: Cottage, Stonegarden Cottage, Stonegarden, Stone Garden, Coral Bay cottage, St. John Rental, St John vacation rental You will have full access the entire Upper Level of the cottage. The owners do not live on the premises, but occasionally use the Lower Level when they are on-island and will treat you with highest regard, and will ensure your privacy at all times. Important Information if you book a reservation: Passports: Passports are not required of travelers entering and leaving the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, you will need valid proof of citizenship and an I.D. (birth certificate or voter's registration card, and a driver's license) when returning to the U.S. If you plan to visit the British Virgin Islands (taking a sail boat charter?), you'll need passports, so be sure your passports are up to date. We highly recommend them. Car Rental: Though you won't need 4-wheel drive to get to the cottage (the road is paved all the way), we highly recommend a 4-wheel drive vehicle to manage St. John's steep and rough roads, avoid flat-tires and stay safe. We highly recommend renting from a company on St. John. Car rental companies abound. Call or go on-line and see for yourself which one will suit you, and be sure to check their location in regard to proximity to the ferry dock. All the companies offer a discount for 7 days or more. Some car rental companies close to the ferry dock are: St. John Car Rental Courtesy Car Rentals Making Contact Once you Arrive: We will send you arrival instructions by email approximately one week prior to your arrival. These instructions will inform you of the name and phone number of your greeter, plus instructions for making contact, meeting and being led to the cottage. Your greeter will show you the cottage, give you your keys and answer any questions you have. The cottage manager will be available to help you throughout your stay. Travel from Airport to St. John: Once you're on St. Thomas, you'll easily find a cab by the baggage claim area (they'll probably find you first!). Ask for a cab to take you to the ferry to St. John. It will cost approx. $20 per person including luggage. The Red Hook ferries leave regularly, every hour on the hour until midnight, and if you miss one and need to wait awhile, there's always the option of waiting at the restaurant/bar next door at the marina. The ferry ride takes about 20 mins. There's also a ferry that leaves from downtown Charlotte Amalie that takes 45 minutes. Check with your driver to see if you can make that ferry (preferable to Red Hook ferry, but not as frequent). Driving Directions to Stonegarden Cottage: Driving on St. John can be a new experience for 1st time travelers due to the surprising fact that we drive on the left!!! So be extra cautious, especially pulling out onto the main roads. Once in your car, take route 10 up the hill and out of town. This route is also called Centerline Road. Follow the curvy, hilly road all the way to Coral Bay. You'll come down the hill towards the town and make your first right on route 107 - you'll see the Coral Bay sign, and a bus stop on the corner as you make the turn. (The road either goes straight there, or turns right – there is no left turn option there.) Drive by the row of dumpsters on the left, and then just after the road turns to the left, you will see a steep concrete road going up on your right, named Route 108 west. This is called Bordeaux Mt. Road and is the road Stonegarden Cottage is on. Once you start driving up the mountain, the cottage is about ¾ mile up on the left side of the road. Look for our low stone walls bordering the property. Another landmark to look for: right before the house you'll see a road coming in on your right. Parking: There are two parking spaces at the cottage, one below the entry gate, and another above. If you are renting two cars, make sure to rent at least one 4x4 vehicle, as the upper driveway requires the higher wheelbase to use it. Check-in / Check-out: Please be aware that in order to allow enough time for cleaning the cottage, we must ask you to observe our 4:00p.m. check-in time. You may want to pack a towel and bathing suit near the top of your luggage so you can visit the beach on the way to the cottage, or visit Skinny-legs in Coral Bay for a Mahi-Mahi burger and a beer. You're welcome to check with the managers when you call about whether the cottage will be ready before 4pm. On the morning you leave, please observe our 10:00a.m. check-out time so that we can ready the cottage for our next renters, who usually arrive the same day. Communications Post-hurricane: There will be no phone service when you come to Stonegarden Cottage. However, it is possible to use the internet via our excellent wifi and to get cellular service in the cottage using AT&T as the carrier. AT&T also offers an international plan for $10/day (or $60/month) that allows you to utilize cellular roaming to take advantage of the superior signal coming from Tortola's towers to use your phone. If you do not have AT&T, we highly recommend that you purchase an AT&T Go-Phone for use on island for communication and in case of emergency. Internet Connection at the Cottage: We have internet connection at the cottage with wifi and cell. If you need to print something out, you can do so at Connections in Coral Bay. Solar system / Utility Outages: From time to time, we may lose electricity or internet service. Fortunately, the cottage is equipped to deal with outages as we have a solar system and whole house battery backup. You will not be affected as long as you conserve energy during the night by not running energy draining items like a hairdryer or microwave, etc. No refunds will be provided due to lack of utilities. Water Usage: Water in the Virgin Islands is a precious commodity. Rainfall is only moderate, and most houses have no access to a city water system. We have a cistern that collects rain water from the roof and store it for our use. The water is filtered, and then goes through a second carbon filter so it’s safe for drinking. However, if the cistern runs dry, we have to buy water which is expensive. We would appreciate it if you would please do your best to conserve water. That means turning off the water while soaping up the dishes, your hair and body, and while brushing your teeth, as well as reducing the amount of times you flush the toilet whenever possible. We request that you please be mindful of the scarcity of water and only use the washing machine if you are staying for 10 days or longer, preferably 1-2 loads maximum, and bring your dirty clothes home with you to wash when you leave. Additionally, please leave the house laundry (sheets, towels, etc.) for us to do, so that we can use water as efficiently as possible. After a few days, you'll probably get used to conserving water, and may even find it can be habit forming - a great thing for reducing your water bills at home. Thank you for making an effort to conserve water!! Consider the Septic Tank: We have a septic tank on the property. Waste breaks down over time, but the tank can become overloaded if paper products are flushed. We would appreciate it if you would please do your best to limit what gets flushed to only what is absolutely necessary. In other words, please deposit used paper products (toilet paper, tampons, pads) into the waste basket. You will be taking your trash to the dumpster each day (since there is no garbage service on island), so you can easily remove these items along with it. Tropical Critters: As you know, tropical islands host many exotic animals and insects, such as coqui frogs and geckos, and when it comes to getting inside houses, they are like little Houdinis. Despite your best efforts to keep the screen doors closed at all times, they will occasionally make their way inside. Here's what you should do: 1) Please do not leave food out on the counter while you're gone or asleep, since this will attract them. Store your fruit and veggies in the fridge. 2) Check your clothing and shoes before you put them on, since little critters like to crawl into dark places. 3) We provided insect spray for you and you can use it on any insect that you feel uncomfortable with. 4) If you see something that you're concerned about (eg. food that looks like it was eaten by a mouse, or droppings), please let the manager know as she will arrange to have a trap placed in the house (we already have traps around the property). Safety: St. John is relatively safe compared to most places one could visit these days. However, you still need to take the same simple precautions you would in any American town. When leaving the house at night, please remember to leave a light on outside, and to lock the doors. When parking in town or at the beach, we recommend taking your belongings with you whenever possible, and leaving the car windows down to avoid break-ins. While at the beach, bury your wallet in the sand, or simply leave it back at the cottage in the safe provided. We care about your safety and your belongings. So, please take these simple precautions to ensure a great vacation. On-site Nature Trails: The best of St. John's natural beauty and astonishing biodiversity lies on-site at your doorstep. A trellised archway of hanging tropical flowers greets you as you enter and walk down a short stone stairway to the front door. The large (2/3 acre) hillside property is an ecological wonderland that invites wandering -- beautiful hand-crafted stone paths and trails on several different levels lead you through the lush hardwood foliage of Guavaberry Woods, where picturesque and unique ponds and gardens of orchids, frangipani, hibiscus and bougainvillea delight the eye. Forest Sights and Sounds: Birdwatching opportunities abound -- the red-tailed hawks that soar past close enough to see the barred markings on their backs, the blazing green crest of the hummingbirds, the yellow-breasted bananaquits known for their love of sugar. The sounds of the island forest surround the visitor throughout the day, from the soft cooing of the turtle doves in the morning to the sweet chirruping of the little green "Coqui" frogs at day's end. The neighborhood surrounding the cottage is safe, private and quiet. Relaxation, comfort, cool breezes and extraordinary views await you at this tropical retreat on the island of St. John, USVI.. Stonegarden Cottage nestles within a shady, tropical forest, high up the steep slopes of St. John's Bordeaux Mountain. At the foot of the mountain lies picturesque Coral Bay harbor; beyond unfolds a panorama of peninsulas, islands, beaches and glowing turquoise channels that run east as far as Virgin Gorda and the Anegada Passage. This is the spectacular view that Islands Magazine chose as the top spot in the world to watch the sunrise of the new millennium. Cooling trade winds flow off the Caribbean year-round. Accessibility: Sailing, snorkeling, scuba-diving and beachcombing are all just minutes from this beautiful mountain cottage. The house is easily accessible without 4-wheel drive via a smooth new concrete road, and is convenient to the restaurants and shops of Coral Bay (two minutes) and the beautiful beaches of the Virgin Islands National Park (10 minutes). St. John Activities nearby: Hiking on-site, Swimming (in crystal-clear turquoise water), National Park Hiking Trails and Beaches, Excellent Snorkeling/Diving, Shelling and Beachcombing on Remote White Sand Beaches, Boat Rental, Sailing, Waterskiing, Surfing, Windsurfing, Kayaking, Parasailing, Fishing, Tennis, Horseshoes (at Skinny Legs), Viewing of Wildlife (and other characteristic St. John fauna), Horseback Riding, Shopping, Restaurants, Dancing to Great Live Music, Museums, Sightseeing, Ruins and Petroglyphs, Nature Trails (above and below water), Short Ferry Rides to British Virgin Islands and St. Thomas. We highly recommend that you rental a car so that you can easily enjoy what our mountainous island has to offer. Holidays: We book the Whole House only during Christmas and New Years weeks. Please use our listing titled "No Outages! Cottage w/ Water View & Hot Tub, 4-6pp" for booking the holidays. Amenities on Upper Level: Solar power with Tesla Powerwall battery back-up which provides power to the house when power outages occur, Hot Tub/Spa, whole house UV water filtration, High-Speed Wireless Internet, Ceiling Fans in every room (including bathrooms), Fresh Flowers, Flatscreen, smart TV w/DVD, DVD Collection, Fully Equipped Kitchen, Microwave, 4-burner Gas Range and Oven, Side-by-side Refridgerator/Freezer with ice on the door (Additional Deep Freezer in workshop), Cooking Utensils, Blender, Toaster-oven, Automatic Coffee Maker, coffee grinder, 100% Cotton Linens and Blankets, Beach Towels & Chairs, Coolers, 4 Yoga Mats & Blocks, Iron and Ironing Board, Hair-dryer, Kid-sized Air-mattress and Bedding ($25 extra, available upon request), Washer and Dryer (for rentals of 10 days or more), Gas Grill (BBQ); No Smoking, No Air Conditioning.