This is a review of the private 4 bedroom villa "Amonoka," located at 7b Reef Road, just off East End Road on St. Croix on the island's east end. It is located (approx) at 17 45'00.30" N 64 36'26.29 W
Our rental was arranged and handled entirely by Vacation St. Croix property management. I posted a review on that business as well, but the short of it is they are excellent. We paid a rate of $4714 for 10 nights. This price included the obligatory tax (10%) that the wise government of USVI has seen fit to hoist on all tourists.
We are avid scuba divers, and we selected this house based on its location (15 minutes from Christensted and our dive shop, St Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures), its privacy from other villas, the pool, and its overall size. This villa did not disappoint in any of those categories and was EXACTLY as described on its website. No negative surprises. Privacy is an understatement-- you could walk around naked all day without any worries. Not saying we did. Just saying.
The house was spotless when we arrived. We found everything working as expected, even the clothes washer and dryer. There were supplied rolls of paper towels, TP, dishwasher soap, and laundry soap. All towels were clean and ready for action. All light switches were labeled too, which was really nice. Finally, the owners have provided a comprehensive binder in the kitchen (next to a generous library of caribbean cookbooks and guides) that describe the house and local amenities, especially restaurant reviews from the owners themselves.
Some welcome extras you might not be aware of: The bbq is a Weber with two supplied tanks of propane. It worked awesome and seared up steaks like a jet engine. There are 6 beach chairs for use at the local beaches (I recommend the ultra private Jack's Bay just a few minutes away). The outdoor shower off the master bedroom is bitchin. I didn't take a single shower inside my whole stay. The TV is set up on DISH network with basic channels, but nothing local or network (no American Idol for the girls this week). There's a decent selection of DVDs in the TV room too, but they are mostly depressing dramas and nothing goofy or funny (IMHO). Lots and lots of novels in here too, in case you forgot a good book. If you can't find a good novel in here, you're either too snooty or illiterate. The kitchen is FULLY equipped with everything you will need-- really, they've thought of everything. Two fridges, ice maker, large cooler, blender, coffee maker and grinder, sharp knives, Cuisinart pots/pans....everything! I am an amateur chef, and I was very happy here. Wi-Fi is adequate for text and low-bandwidth apps, but if more than one iPad fires up things get very slow, so be advised on that. You will not be streaming American Idol here, even if your wife demands it.
This house is HUGE, and it's fantastic for two couples looking for their own privacy (our case), or large families with kids. In fact, if we ever return, we will bring the kids (8 and 6). The pool is safe enough and the house is great for the little ones.
The only downer on this house is the wicked wind. In the master suite (northeast side), it gets pretty severe. Rain frequently accompanies the wind, and those windows need to be shut in a hurry. We jokingly wondered if hurricanes were arriving at 2 AM a few times as absolutely crazy wind and rain arrived without warning.
Even with the minor negative on that wind, this is a phenomenal house for the price, and it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for your vacation needs. My only regret is that I don't own something like it myself. Rent this villa without any reservations: It's a bargain and a great time. read more
