The weather up on the mainland has been crazy this past week. The snow in Florida, Myrtle Beach and New Orleans is unreal! I know that the chillier you all get, the more you dream of moving to your favorite island. So today, I would like to share a great home with all of you – Ananas.
(Ananas is the Swedish and Icelandic word for pineapple.)
Ananas is a well-loved, turn-key home that has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home is a nice size at roughly 1,400 square feet. Add another 1,400-ish square feet of outdoor living space, and this home is a treat!
Ananas is located in St. Quaco and Zimmerman, a neighborhood that’s less than two miles south of the main intersection out in Coral Bay. This home, which sits on .36 acres, has beautiful views of Johnson’s Reef in the Johnson and Friis Bay areas. Ananas has great easterly breezes, which help to keep the property cool. In addition to the view of Johnson’s Reef, Ananas also has views out to Haulover. St. John’s East End, the British Virgin Islands, and beyond. Every room in this home has a water view. Ananas even has deeded beach rights to Johnson’s Bay.
The main level, accessed from a level driveway, includes a great room, kitchen, primary bedroom and bathroom, as well as a large, covered porch. Stairs lead you to the lower level where you will find two additional bedrooms, a bathroom and a second covered porch. There is an ample-sized pool that sits beside a wraparound, uncovered deck. The gardens throughout the property are mature and beautifully landscaped. This property is a must-see.
Ananas is listed for $995,000 with Tammy Donnelly at 340 Real Estate Co. If you would like to know more, please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. at 340realestateco@gmail.com.
You can bid on a stay here! Sunset Dream at Sunset Ridge is up for grabs!
It’s that time of year, folks! It’s gala and auction season!
The Animal Care Center just launched its annual online auction. The auction coincides with the ACC’s annual gala. Together, they are the ACC’s two largest fundraising events. There is a reason why you never see stray dogs when visiting St. John. Well, that because of the ACC’s incredible work! Not only does the island have zero stray dogs, but the majority of the cats you see wandering about are either spayed or neuters. And the island’s cat population is also fed daily at cat feeding stations that are located throughout the island. I cannot stress how incredible of an organization they are. That being said, let’s talk about the auction now. 🙂
Here is a list of what is currently up for grabs. Please check back often as new items are being added daily.
A vacation at Sunset Dream at Sunset Ridge
A vacation at Mystical Mermaid villa
A vacation at Villa Celeste Paradis villa
A vacation at Poseidon’s Retreat
A vacation at Cruz Bay Hotel
A vacation at Lilly Villa at The Hills
A vacation at Out of the Blue villa
A vacation at Sea View Terrace villa
A vacation at Abrigado villa
A vacation at Alondras villa
A vacation at Up on the Rocks villa
A vacation in Umbria, Italy
A BVI boat trip on Bad Kitty
A sunset cruise on Vibin’ VI Boat Charters
A rental with Wharfside Watersports Zodiac Rentals
A sunset cruise with Love City Excursions
A sunset sail with Big Blue Excursions
A USVI boat trip with Sunshine Daydream Boat Charters
I love wandering the grounds at the Lovango Beach Club.
If you are looking for something new to do on your next visit to St. John, please consider taking a quick ferry trip over to Lovango Cay, and spend the day at Lovango Resort + Beach Club.
Lovango (pronounce lo-von-go) is a small island located north of St. John. Roughly half of the island is privately owned by individuals, and the other half is home to the Lovango Resort + Beach Club. The Beach Club is open to public. All you have to do is book a ticket over on Lovango’s private ferry, and you can enjoy a day at their beach club or dine at their waterfront restaurant. The ferry is quick ride, maybe 10 minutes at most.
You have three options when visiting the Beach Club. You can rent a lounge chair on the beach for $150. (Virgin Islands residents get a discounted rate of $125 per person.) If you’d like to be a little more bougie, or have some extra space, you can opt to reserve a poolside or beach cabana. Both cabanas are available $245 per person. The poolside cabanas, which can accommodate up to six people, are $275 per person during festive week, according to the website. Umbrellas, towels, food and drink service, snorkeling equipment, and showers are all included when you reserve a spot at the Beach Club.
The beach lounge chairs are right beside the water.The beach cabanas are new this year.The poolside cabanas are my favorite.Very spacious & private
(The poolside cabana is my absolute favorite. We’ve previously spent Christmas and Easter there, and had a great time both times.)
The Beach Club includes a large, 70-foot, infinity-edge pool. It has large steps that are good for lounging on, plus a sitting bench on two sides. There is a small pool beside it that’s just a few inches deep, which is a great spot for lounging and for smaller children to play. And new this year is an adult-only plunge pool.
The main pool areaSo pretty!The new, adults-only plunge pool.
There is not direct water access at the beach club; however you can access the water from other areas of the property. There is great snorkeling around the resort too.
In addition to the pool, Lovango Resort + Beach Club has three hiking trails, two waterfront dining options, six boutiques, and a gym in the jungle which can be included as a beach club add-on. There are plenty of lawn games and even a life-sized game of chess to keep the kids occupied.
Lots of lawn games
The resort section at Lovango is pretty incredible too, but I’ll have more on that another day.
If you would like to spend the day at Lovango or if you are looking for more information, please visit www.lovangovi.com.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
Sometimes you get lucky and see a waterfall near the petroglyphs at Reef Bay. Image credit: Steve Simonsen Photography
Today’s story is short and sweet. The guided Reef Bay hike is finally coming back! The announcement was made earlier today, and the hikes begin next week.
This guided hike will take place every Monday and Tuesday through May. The cost is $110 per person. The hike begins at the National Park Visitor Center where you will hop in a taxi that will take you to the Reef Bay trailhead. From there, a ranger will lead guests down the more than two-mike hike. The history of the area will be discussed, as well as plants and animals that are located in the area. Hikers will have the opportunity to check out the remnants of a sugar plantation, as well as the famed petroglyphs. A boat will be waiting at the bottom of the trail to transport hikers back to Cruz Bay.
You must reserve your space in advance. The boat is only available to those who are doing the guided hike with the National Park. Book early because spaces fill up quickly. Click here to purchase a space.
Here is the official description from the Virgin Islands National Park:
The Reef Bay Guided Hike is a challenging Virgin Islands National Park interpretive program led by a park ranger and assistant guide. This excursion includes a boat pickup at Reef Bay beach for 11:30AM departure back to Cruz Bay. This 3-mile guided hike includes a 1,000-foot elevation change, areas of uneven terrain, high steps, steep declines, and can be slippery in any weather. It takes about three hours, hiking at a brisk pace, for the group to get from the trailhead to the beach under the best conditions, ending with an additional 40-minute boat ride back to the Cruz Bay Visitor Center.
Together, the interpretive guides will lead the group on a journey under some of the oldest and tallest trees on the island and explore the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean including a stop at the sacred site of the Taino petroglyphs. The trail itself is also an old Dutch road where visitors will see dry-layed stone walls, and the remains of multiple sugar plantation structures and the Reef Bay Sugar Factory. The interpreters will facilitate a group discussion about these subjects as they proceed and stop at 4 key points along the trail.
Arrive at the Visitors Center at 7:30am. The group will depart the Visitor Center promptly at 8am and needs to meet the boat at Reef Bay Beach promptly by 11:30pm to arrive back in Cruz Bay by 1pm. There is NO PARKING at the Visitor Center so please allow time to find parking in town somewhere. Participants catching a ferry from St. Thomas must catch the 6:30am boat. The Visitor Center is just a 5-minute walk from the ferry.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO HIKE THE ROUND TRIP, approximately 5 miles and over 1,000-foot elevation gain, you should NOT attempt this hike. Ocean conditions, weather, medical emergency, or other factors may prevent the boat from picking up hikers, requiring a STRENUOUS trek back up the mountain to the trailhead. If the group is not able to make the 11:30am rendezvous at Reef Bay Beach there may not be a boat pickup, but instead a shuttle will collect visitors at the top of L’Esperance Trail after they group hikes out. The park rangers and guides will keep the group together at all times from start to finish.
You must wear your sturdy walking shoes and bring at least two liters of water; we will check. Snacks, mineral-based sunscreen, and a hat are also highly recommended.
We are lucky enough to have bees and wasps in the park pollinating–they tend to leave humans alone but if you are allergic and need an EpiPen, please have one with you just in case.
CANCELLATION POLICY Customers who have paid for an event, seminar or hike will receive a 50% refund or credit with 48 hours notice of cancellation. They will receive a full refund or credit in case of cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows or cancellations within 48 hours will not be refunded.
Thank you for your support of Virgin Islands National Park.
As unglamorous as it is, parking is a hot topic here in St. John, especially in Cruz Bay. Parking comes at a premium in town, and I have a few updates to share with you all.
New Paid Parking Lot
There is a new paid parking lot in Cruz Bay called El Gissmo. This lot is located beside Nature’s Nook and across the street from the bulkhead, which is where the Crown Bay ferry (Inter Island Boat Services) docks. This lot is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The rates are as follows:
Daytime: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
1 hour – $5
2 hours – $15
4 hours – $25
All day – $50
Evening: 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Up to 2 hours – $15
Over 2 hours – $25
Overnight – $50
Please note that these are the same prices as Slim Man’s parking lots in Cruz Bay. And yes, he recently increased some of his fees. Two hours during the day is now $15, rather than the $10 it was previously.
There is ample space at the new El Gissmo lot.
Free Spots Now Pay Spots
There are four spots in front of Mongoose Junction in the area of Made in St. John that are now pay spots. If you are looking at Mongoose Junction, this is the area to the far right. Rather than pay a parking attendant like the new El Gissmo lot, you will scan a QR code to park in those spaces. This is the only area at Mongoose Junction where you will need to pay to park. The other customer spots remain free.
FYI: Mongoose Junction has two owners. The new paid spaces belong to Mongoose Junction 2. From what I read online, the owner grew tired of policing these spots, so the meters were installed.
Curious where all the parking in Cruz Bay is located? Click here to check out Explore STJ’s Logistics map. It includes free and paid parking lots, markets, dumpsters, and other important spots. (I will add the new El Gissmo lot to this map this week.)
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.
If you have ever wanted to own your own home here on St. John, but the higher listing prices have previously scared you off, today’s post is for you! There are two, super cute homes for sale on the island that are actually affordable (by St. John standards, of course). Both of them are move-in ready, and the owners are motivated to sell. Check them out!
The Carsel House
The Carsel House is nestled in the hillside above Johnson’s Bay, which is just a few miles from Coral Bay. This two bedroom, one bathroom cottage has beautiful water views toward Fortsberg and over into Coral Bay harbor. The property features an additional pod, which can be used as a third bedroom, an office, artist’s studio or gym.
Carsel House
The second pod
You can walk across the street and over to Johnson Bay. Calabash Market, Johnny Lime, Skinny Legs, Jolly Dog and a variety of other shops and restaurants are a short drive away. This wood-framed cottage with masonry cistern is an unfinished canvas that’s ready for you to complete to your liking! This home has a certificate of occupancy and insurance is available, so it should qualify for a conventional mortgage.
The Carsel House is listed for $$603,500 with Tammy Donnelly at 340 Real Estate Co. If you would like to know more, please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. at 340realestateco@gmail.com.
Bonny’s Abode
Bonny’s Abode is a fun, eclectic and cozy cottage that has panoramic views of Hurricane Hole, Coral Bay, Fortsberg, the East End, British Virgin Islands and beyond. There is plenty of room to expand this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. You can even build a second home at the top of the parcel, which would have even better views!
The view from Bonny’s Abode
The main area of Bonny’s Abode is where the kitchen and living area are located, and just outside of that is a covered porch that leads to a bedroom, bathroom, upper deck and primary bedroom. There is a studio apartment on the lower level too. This property features beautiful rock formations and fruit trees, including mango, genip and lime.
Bonny’s Abode is listed for $646,000 with Tammy Donnelly at 340 Real Estate Co. If you would like to know more, please contact Tammy Donnelly, owner of 340 Real Estate Co. at 340realestateco@gmail.com.
Again, the sellers of both of these properties are motivated! All offers will be considered. 🙂
