This property is special, and the hosts equally delightful, having been on St John for 24 years, renting the pictured upper story of the home since 2009. House honestly looks less than 5 years old. Super clean and neat. Comfy house for 2 couples, two nice sleeping/bed choices, 4 interior seating spots. It’s “as described”, but it was actually way better. New gas grill, very reliable WiFi, satellite TV. Kitchen is amazing, literally everything needed to cook meals in when you don’t want to go out, plus great indoor and outdoor seating options to enjoy your meal. A selection of condiments, spices, and non-perishables on hand, as well as supplies, paper products, etc. coolers and beach chairs. Water is treated and safe to drink/use ice. Amazing views, good for sunrise pics and epic for sunsets - sunset is a daily wonder from this location. Hosts “Jones” and Marjorie just fantastic, know how the island works for sure. There to help, but otherwise silent, feel like you’re alone. Privacy for sure. Highly recommended.

First, the owners, Margie and Jones, are the nicest and most laidback people that you would ever want to meet. They are extremely generous and welcoming hosts. They are there when you need them while still leaving you as much privacy as you desire. Second, their property and home, Iola, is more beautiful and amazing in person than even the great photos can show. The design, the layout, the quality furniture, appliances, and personal touches and style all shine throughout your upper level space. From our 8 days here (our first time in the USVI), we can see why Margie and Jones lovingly built Iola on the “quiet side of the quiet island” and why they moved here full time over two decades ago. Go to Coral Bay, Saint John, for as long as you can and stay at Iola with Margie and Jones—you will be glad you did. But leave some time for us—we plan to return as soon as we can. Thanks Margie and Jones! With love and gratitude, Lisa & Coop

Just wonderful. Beautiful Vrbo on a beautiful island!

Iola sits on a hilltop near Salt Pond on the Coral Bays end of the island St. John. the views are stunning, Coral Bay removed from the more tourist populated Cruz Bay side. Minutes away from Salt Pond, Lamehsur beach and wonderful hiking trails that wind through the National Park landscape. The North facing bedroom provides panoramic views of the East End and Bristish Virgin Islands. Fully equipped kitchen with gas range allows visiting cooks to bring their own ingredients and cook away, with a Painkiller in hand. Cant wait to return. Bill & Jean

Staying at Iola was exactly what my husband and I needed for our trip to St. John. This was our first trip back to the island since "before the storm" and we spent a lot of time researching where we wanted to stay. Iola checked off all of the boxes for us, some for the very reason a particular type of traveler wouldn't want to stay but for us it was perfection. The location of the house was perfectly situated "off the beaten path" - just where we wanted to be! You'll need a Jeep and it'll be a little bumpy at the end, but the view from villa was totally worth it for us. The villa was outfitted with everything we needed from a spacious, well equipped kitchen to beach chairs and towels for a day in the sun. There was a large king bedroom but we couldn't resist the queen bed on the porch with the gentle evening breeze and stunning view. It was so quiet and peaceful in the evenings falling asleep to the sound of the ocean and waking up with the birds. The hosts Margie and Jones were the icing on the cake for us. They were the most gracious, welcoming and informative hosts we have encountered in our travels and are top notch innkeepers of this beautiful slice of paradise. We've been home for just one day and are already trying to figure out when we can get back!

The property is absolutely beautiful; the photos tell the tale. The hosts, Phil and Marge, are warm and welcoming while also very careful to respect privacy. This is out second stay at this wonderful villa and we will return again.

Have stayed here multiple times and always have a very relaxing vacation .

It is unfortunate we had to come home! I can’t say enough great things about the property. Margie and Phil were great hosts and very helpful when we asked for advice on beaches to visit along with places to eat. The property is gorgeous. We enjoyed our morning coffees outside looking at the beautiful landscape and views. We would go back in a heartbeat!

Iola Villa is an exceptionally built and appointed home. The views are beautiful and wonderful sunsets too. The ocean breeze is never ending and mesmerizing. Happy place!

Iola is sparkling clean, impeccably designed and appointed and quiet and safe. We loved our stay close to Salt Pond and Ram's Head with both a sunset and a sunrise view. And we were so happy with the hosts' care of the environment. We loved feeding the plants our dishwater and throwing literally all of our food scraps to the hermit crabs that call Iola home. Can't wait to return!

Iola is definitely the place to stay for a get-away on St. John. Located on the east side, away from the hectic atmosphere of Cruz Bay, it has amazing views all around and is super clean, a huge amount of space and is close to a market, several places to eat and Salt Pond Bay. Majorie and Jones are the most friendly and helpful hosts - and we really appreciated that they provided all kinds of essentials from beach towels and chairs to kitchen staples to bathroom amenities. But it was really the atmosphere of the location and home that made it so hard to leave. Both are simply beautiful. Thank you, Marjorie and Jones!

Beautiful, clean, very well stocked, so many great outdoor sitting areas! For those not familiar with the island, this area is basically on the opposite end from where the ferry arrives. You will definitely want to rent a jeep, and you must have 4x4 to make it up the road to the house. We found so many great places about 15 mins from the house in Coral Bay- Skinny Legs, Mrs Lucy’s, Surf Club Cantina, and there’s a few smaller markets on that side of the island. Salt Pond Bay is less than 5 mins. We loved being away from the crowds and busyness of Cruz Bay, but it is a 45 min drive back in to Cruz Bay, about 25 to the best beaches on the island (Maho, Cinnamon, Francis, etc). The house was very clean and very well stocked. They provided beach chairs, cooler, and bags for your days at the beach which was so nice. Overall it was an excellent stay!

Great location, beautiful property, clean, quiet, well-maintained. We would love to stay there again.

Awesome hosts, they were there if you needed them and nonexistent when you didn’t :) Gorgeous villa, large, clean with fantastic views, the landscaping and the outdoor living space was gorgeous. Just minutes from Salt Pond Bay ( great snorkeling!). It was a wonderful place to wind down. If you want low key in a heavenly place…. This is it! Highly recommend

The property is more beautiful than the photos show. We slept on the “porch” with the windows open to to trade winds every night. If you are feeling like you need to get away and just breathe in the calm of the island, this is the place to go. Decent WiFi if you still need to check work messages. But try to truly escape. Can’t wait to go back!

We just returned on 7-25-21 from a stay here, can not recommend enough! Absolutely beautiful spotlessly clean home, inside and out. If you are hesitant due to the fact the owners are on site ( separate living area) don’t be! They briefly showed us around, answered our questions when we arrived, then disappeared lol. If you have questions just ring the bell and they appear:) Air conditioner was not needed… the windows “facing the weather” supply a constant lovely strong breeze. Feeding the hermit crabs is oddly fascinating! Everything you could want or need in this home is available. Excellent location, very drivable to everywhere on this beautiful island!

This house and grounds are just spectacular. The owners are super nice and very welcoming and their house book has great, fun things like hermit crabs being "nature's garbage disposal" - at least once a day, we watched crabs eating our coffee grounds, banana peels, etc.! The house is beautiful with great views from every room and the gardens/landscaping/outside area just feels so private and secluded. An AMAZING stay! Thanks Jones and Marjorie! :)

My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon. I really loved that it was on the quieter side of the island. We enjoyed the island breeze through the large windows. The house was extremely clean and beautiful. We had lots of fun feeding the hermit crabs, and going on different adventures throughout the island. Our hosts Phillip and Marjorie were great, gave us plenty of privacy, and checked up on us closer to our departure. We will definitely stay here again!

Our stay was lovely. Unsurpassed views and comfortable bedding in a gallery like setting atop a hill. It was a pleasure to come home to Iola each afternoon.

The place is absolutely beautiful and well crafted. The position above Salt Pond Bay allows for a relatively short walk down for swimming and snorkeling. We loved our stay and recommend it to any couple looking for a gorgeous vacation. The only feedback is that the bedrooms arrangement does not allow for much privacy. The sleeping porch has a sheer drape, and the main bedroom has plenty of glass facing the patio. This would be fine for a couple, though we were a group of 2 couples. This required us to be very mindful of one another while navigating space for romantic time. This could be easily improved with some opaque drapes to allow for privacy. Otherwise, it is one of the nicest places that we have stayed. Highly recommended.

The property is well maintained with gorgeous views. It is airy, comfortable and clean. There are plenty of fresh bath and beach towels, a kitchen well supplied for cooking, beautiful decks. Everything works and the grill is ready to go. A staircase with 62 steps and several landings leads from the parking area to the house; the listing does not mention this. Loading and unloading is permitted at a lower level.. Villa Iola is essentially the top story of a duplex and the owners live on the first floor. There are no washing facilities in the Villa but the owner is willing to do “a load” if requested. They may or may not charge, depending on the length of stay. The owners are available and respond quickly to questions. Unfortunately, what was a mostly pleasant week was marred by one rather ugly incident for which the owners bear some responsibility. When we asked about a cleaning service, they mentioned that the woman who would clean also provided catering services. Intrigued by the possibility of a romantic dinner alone that we didn’t have to cook, we followed up with the woman. In retrospect, her evasiveness as to what the cost would be should have put us on our guard, but we tend to be trusting travelers. The meal was delicious, but the tab was a shocker, $425 for a three course dinner for two. Michelin star restaurants in Paris haven’t cost us that much. We paid to avoid a scene, but we were ripped off and let the owners know that we thought so. The response has been silence. This has left a very bad taste in our mouths and almost ruined what was otherwise a lovely getaway. Be forewarned.

This is a beautiful villa! The surroundings are well designed and maintained...absolutely gorgeous! The house has all of the amenities needed and more. My wife and I stayed in Iola for one month and felt at home (very very comfortable!). We highly recommend Iola! It is the best place to stay in Coral Bay! Thank you, Margie and Jones, for sharing your home with visitors! We feel lucky to have found your place on VRBO.

We spent two relaxing weeks on St. John in this beautiful home. It is very spacious for two people and could easily accommodate four. The kitchen was fully stocked with everything we needed. Even though there are houses on the same mountain, we always felt like we were the only ones around. Loved feeding the crabs everyday, seeing the Caribbean out our windows, and having Iola to come 'home to' after a day on the beach!

I second the comments of previous reviewers who note how lovely and peaceful this place is. The owners were very kind and helpful. Jones even vacuumed out our rental car for us when the agency asked us to remove all sand before returning it! We loved the composting system using soldier crabs, the incredible views from inside and out and the proximity to Coral Bay, Salt Pond Bay and the Lameshur beaches. We used our 4wd option for the unpaved part of the driveway to the upper parking and took it slowly and were fine. Thank you Jones and Marjorie for providing coolers, a large water jug, beach towels and beach chairs for guests to use. We also appreciated the suggestion to drive to Cruz Bay on Hwy 20 rather than 10 (Centerline Road) on the day we left--much smoother and not busy in the early morning. We hope to return and would love to stay at Iola again.

Beautiful home. The artwork and views were breathtaking, and the constant tropical breeze was just what these two NH travelers needed. Coral Bay is quieter than Cruz Bay, with less to do, but we love that. Private, secluded, but with everything one needs. Phil and Marjorie are lovely hosts.

The property is incredibly well maintained. The views are outstanding! So much peace and quiet, it was true paradise. We were beyond comfortable and had the best week here. We can't wait to visit again!

The house is beautiful and the views are amazing. The owners are awesome and take care of all your needs. Five stars all the way.

We had a wonderful time staying at IOLA! Jones and Margie are the best hosts ever! You stay on the second floor footprint of their awesome home with beautiful views! They give you all the privacy you need even though they are living downstairs. They were also hugely helpful with "things to do" and couldn't be friendlier. The sunsets are pretty amazing. The property's landscaping is very well done, offering just enough privacy but not taking away from the views. They have put together a cute zen garden where we enjoyed sitting and watching the lizards, geckos, and hermit crabs scurrying around while having coffee, etc. The bed in the sleeping porch and furniture is very comfortable. We did not even use the air conditioned bedroom as the trade winds and fans kept the room cool enough for sleeping. The eating and lounging areas offer plenty of places to sit and relax, BOTH INDOORS AND OUT. The views from both inside the house and out are breathtaking(Tortola and the BVI's on one side and St Croix from the other)! The house has plenty of windows to enjoy these views while inside. The view from the sleeping porch was always a good way to start the day. Star gazing from the deck at night is a must as there is very little light pollution on this side of the island. Coral Bay is beautiful and the locals are very fun. Iola is far enough away to feel secluded but close to the village where you can eat, drink, and enjoy live music. The local restaurants all had delicious offerings (and different styles of food) at what seemed to be lower prices / larger portions than what We've found on St Thomas and in Cruz Bay/St John. Make sure you visit Salt Pond for the best snorkeling and buy some local island crafts from the vendor there, Delroy "Ital" Anthony. The villa is right outside the Virgin Islands National Park, which is a true treasure, where you can enjoy hiking, history, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! I HIGHLY recommend this property and would DEFINITELY STAY AGAIN! * A JEEP OR SUV WITH CLEARANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ACCESS THE TOP DRIVEWAY OF THIS PROPERTY (Steep and rocky) *

All the pictures do not begin to show how wonderful the home is. Views are amazing and everything you need is there. Lots of information for trails, beaches and restaurants. Host have put much love and work into home. Loved feeding the crabs, watching the sunsets ❤️ Definitely recommend staying here!

The house is beautifully built, decorated and maintained, far away from the crowded Cruz bay area. The views from the house every morning and evening were outstanding. The views from the deck of the starry night on clear nights, was perfect. Jones & Marjorie are really helpful and gracious hosts, that love to share their home with their guests.

Pictures don't do it justice. Iola is a beautiful property in Coral Bay. Though we didn't see them often, Jones and Margie are great hosts. They build Iola from the ground-up, and their love and care shows. The house was spotless and well-appointed. Everything you need is there. We tried the sleeping porch with its amazing views, but the Christmas winds were howling a bit too much. In the end, we mostly used the bedroom with AC because it was quieter. Like many homes up in the hills of St. John, the driveway is a (fun!) challenge. You also are "out" there - right up the hill from Concordia, so treks into Cruz Bay take about 45 minutes. We only went to Cruz Bay twice for dinner and a few groceries. Coral Bay has Acqua Bistro, the new Danforth, Skinny Legs, a newish pizza place and now Rhumb Lines. All are good! Also heard Concordia restaurant is going to reopen one of these days. If you value the peace and quiet of Coral Bay, don't hesitate to book Iola. (Just don't take our week!)

It may seem redundant to add to all of the wonderful reviews of Iola and its owners - Jones and Margie. The property and owners really do deserve all of the exceptional reviews. Suffice it to say, the house was beautiful, spotless, well appointed, comfortable and far exceeded our expectations. The views from every spot in the house and on the wraparound deck are spectacular. It rained only one night during our 1-week October stay, but, it offered the perfect opportunity to lay in bed (in the window-wrapped sleeping porch) and watch the storm over the water and hills. The house is a bit off the beaten path, but, that was our hope. We like the slower pace of Coral Bay. Jones and Margie are wonderful hosts who add to the experience. They provided fantastic information and tips regarding driving directions, beaches, snorkeling, restaurants and overall island experiences. We will definitely return to Iola next year. John and Nancy.