Upscale Historic Luxury in Frederiksted - 2 Blocks from the Best Beach on STX

Exterior
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Property grounds
Property grounds
4.8 / 5.0
Outstanding(29 Ratings)

House in Frederiksted

6 guests · 3 bedrooms · 4 baths

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Well priced for this locationProperty prices in this area are generally higher
Includes essentialsGarden, Kitchen or Kitchenette, Air conditioner and more

About this house rental

Everyone is Welcome at VILLA REGINA BELLA! This villa w/ spectacular sunsets and sea view is 2 blocks from one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. Regina Bella is a meticulously restored historic home from 1802 - luxury on the west end where English, the US dollar and no need of a passport simplify your stay. It is full of amenities, air-conditioned and includes WiFi/Cable TV. In the heart of Frederiksted Town, restaurants are easily enjoyed. Divers & LGBTQ folks especially welcome.

FIRST, A LITTLE HISTORY:
Formerly known as Davidson House, Villa Regina Bella was built circa 1802 by Mr. Davidson as a one room home (front half of 1st floor) inside an 18th century coral block wall. It was later expanded twice by the Episcopal Church (initially by extending the 1st floor and later by adding the 2nd floor); it served as its rectory for about 100 years. In 1978 it began a near 20 year run as McConnell's Restaurant where Barbara McConnell both lived and had a wine & dine establishment. She was well known for personally serving up local cuisine and providing musical entertainment for her guests! Today, her piano harp and bathtub can be seen integrated into the landscaping. Following her death, the property fell into terrible dis-repair. After nearly a decade, a multi-year restoration project was begun which additionally included restoring an antique cistern as well as a small stone shed. A large kitchen with deck was also added to the back as an addition. Attention was paid to many historic details that can be scene throughout the villa including skeleton key locks, mahogany doors and historic window shutter hardware. Enjoy the many photographs that explain the property better than words can ever do. Take special note of the most recent addition - an outdoor coral block wall bathroom with semiprivate shower, sink and footbath, and indoor private toilet.

THE PROPERTY
Though newly arriving on the market as a vacation rental in 2016, know that we, the owners, have a great deal of knowledge on managing a vacation rental as we have had a very successful condo on St. Croix available for weekly rentals for 12 years and have always enjoyed the smiles of our many guests after they have enjoyed our hospitality and the island of St. Croix! This property is located in Frederiksted Town on the west end of the island where sunsets are always in glorious evidence. One of the first homes in town to be restored following the devastation of Hurricane Hugo, we are happy to say that, now, 10 years after we began our award winning restoration, most of the other homes on the block have been restored as well...a few await your touch! The home is in town and while generally very quiet, you will hear some roosters, dogs and music during your signs of vibrant Caribbean life!

THE VILLA
With plenty of easy parking in front, you will enter the gated villa to find a lovely historic patio and garden behind which is a large open backyard. Entrance to the home from the patio is via skeleton key through a set of double mahogany shutter doors (one of 7 in the home). The living room is large with high ceilings, stone floor and wet bar with copper sink. The Brazilian cherry woodwork and granite sills stand out among the many beautiful features. There is a large comfortable futon for larger expanding the accommodations to seven or eight people. These guests can share one of the two full baths upstairs or make use of the uniquely beautiful outdoor coral stone full bathroom (in addition to utilizing the half bath off the living room - with original triangular sink and toilet). The large dining room has three sets of double doors leading out to the patio. Dine inside on the large round Indonesian mahogany table that seats eight, or, outside on the patio. There is a large working desk in the dining room with double bookcases and a collection of Caribbean Island artwork. The kitchen, in mission style, is massive and has everything you will need for entertaining. There is also a large, outdoor, Weber grill for your enjoyment.

When you ascend the gorgeous mahogany staircase, you will find two large bedrooms each with en suite bathrooms. One bedroom has a four poster king bed and access to a 20ft x 20ft stone deck looking westward out to the sea. The deck is partially covered with a triangular wind sail and includes an outdoor shower. Inside, the double vanity bath and Whirlpool tub are bedecked with lovely Mexican stone tile. The second bedroom is large and has a queen bed and a trundle single bed that can be opened up by the maid and made into a king - allowing for four guests. It's bath has a copper sink and double shower.

Regina Bella has ceiling fans and is fully air-conditioned with each room individually controlled. There is cable TV, WiFi and ADT security.

DIVERS
Divers can walk to the local Dive Shops and Pier where dive boats are easily obtained. St. Croix diving was recently highlighted by Sport Diver Magazine as a top 20 site in the world to live and dive - dive the wall, the pier, wrecks and Buck Island! Get Open-Water Certified in just two exciting days (which includes 4 dives!).

THE ISLAND & THINGS TO DO:
Much calmer than St. Thomas, St. Croix lacks the daily grind of thousands of cruise ship passengers. It is laid back but still filled with much more than anyone could do in a week of activities and sightseeing. We provide a book of recommendations. To start, you should know that St. Croix has plenty of fine dining to satisfy true foodies and pretty much any water activity you can think of. In fact, diving/snorkeling is ubiquitous on St. Croix. You can walk to the pier and jump right from there anytime day or night, or catch one of the many dive boats that leave from there. Built by the Danes, both Frederiksted and Christiansted have interesting historic architecture and each has an interesting fort to explore. Two minutes south of town, Sandcastles on the Beach Resort has a great restaurant for sunset and a perfect beach to make sandcastles! Sunset beach, two minutes north of town, has a restaurant, live music, paddle boards and jet skis. You can walk to the pier and take a sunset catamaran sail - complete with appetizers, live music and bottomless rum. Snorkeling is everywhere on St. Croix and world class diving can be easily accessed through many of the fine dive shops on island. Dive ship wrecks, Cane Bay's wall and do a night dive at the Frederiksted Pier. Our personal favorite is a day sail to Buck Island, a National Underwater Preserve, where you can dive, snorkel or play on its perfect beach. Had enough water? Drive through the rain forest where you can horseback ride or visit the beer drinking pigs! Visit Columbus' Landing at Salt River Bay where you can kayak by day or night in the Bioluminescent Bay - a truly magnificent experience fresh out of Avatar. Visit St. George's Botanical Garden, Estate Whim Plantation or the rum factories of Captain Morgan and Cruzan. Golf courses can be found at two large resorts on island. For the adventurous, hike up to the old northeast lighthouse or, out east, hike down to Isaac's bay for a massive, isolated, pristine beach protected by a nature conservancy. While there, enjoy the monument marking the easternmost point of the USA at Point Udall. Finally, a trip to St. Croix would be incomplete without attending one of the three weekly Cultural Dinner Festivals with local cuisine, music, moko jumbies and fire dancers! Many of specifics for these suggestions can be found in e-book of recommended places/things to do.

Amenities

Air conditioner
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Smoking allowed
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly

Map of Frederiksted

$$$$
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Ratings and reviews

4.8 / 5.0
Outstanding(29 Ratings)
4.0 / 5.0
star 5 empty
Mar 2024
Pros 1) A/C works great throughout the place 2) close proximity to the pier and Nep2une SCUBA 3) well stocked kitchen 4) beautiful balcony off master bedroom to catch the sunset with comfortable chairs 5) clean 6) property manager was able to answer questions upon our arrival 7) updated bathrooms and kitchen 8) beach chairs included Cons 1) Queen Street may not be the safest. There were racing motorcycles outside the property who would smash glass bottles on the street during the night. The property is locked up with padlocks on doors and windows. 2) The property is next door to a family that keeps chickens. Their roosters start crowing at 2:00 am, bring some ear plugs 3) bring bug spray. There are mosquitos inside the property, especially in the living room and dining room.
5.0 / 5.0
Mar 2024
Lovely house! short walk to the beach for swimming & snorkeling. Upper deck wonderful for sunsets.
5.0 / 5.0
Mar 2024
We had the pleasure of staying here for over a month this winter. The home is exquisitely maintained on a quiet block in the town of Frederiksted. We got to meet several of your very friendly neighbors. We had everything we needed to feel at home with plenty of space to unpack. Loved the interior design; well curated and functional. I'm an avid cook and the kitchen was just perfect! Having instruction manuals available for house applicances is a great idea! The yard was an oasis. We spent much time outside, relaxing, eating, and reading in the very comfortable hammock and enjoying the lovely landscaping. I especially loved the outdoor shower. At the end of the day, we got to enjoy the marvelous west end sunsets from the upstairs deck; another very comfortable outdoor space with great zero gravity lounge chairs. Last but not least, we have to mention the special local character, Juan, who expertly helped us change a flat tire on our rented jeep. Juan lives next door; gardener and man-of-all-work, he respecfully and unobtrusively took care of and watched over the property. We look forward to returning next winter.
5.0 / 5.0
Jan 2024
We wanted to stay in Frederiksted, the quieter part of the island, and this property provided us with the perfect location. Just two blocks from the waterfront, we could walk to everything that Frederiksted had to offer including restaurants, shops, and the best snorkeling location. The house had ample outdoor areas and a gorgeous upper patio that was perfect for watching the sunset. We would definitely stay here again.
5.0 / 5.0
Jan 2024
What an amazing house!! From the grounds outside to everything inside, we couldn’t have asked for anything more. We loved everything about the house and the location. We drank coffee every morning from the porch off the bedroom and could see the ocean. At night we caught a few sunsets from the porch when we were there at that time. Two of our favorite beaches were very close to the house. Dorsch beach by Sandcastle at the Beach and Sandy Point Beach were our favorite beaches. We had wonderful food and the atmosphere at all of the restaurants was great. The property manager, Bridget, went above and beyond to help us and answer all our questions. The groundskeeper, Juan, was so nice and helpful. We hope to make it back one day and would definitely stay at this house again!
5.0 / 5.0
Dec 2023
Our second time staying at this property. Hope to come back again and again. It's a beautiful, well-maintained house.
5.0 / 5.0
Dec 2023
St. Croix was the selection for our first month-long retirement holiday after a lifetime of hard work. We decided on the West End for a less touristy atmosphere and Villa Regina Bella on account of its handsome presentation on VRBO. Having had no previous USVI or Caribbean travel experience, we left the rest to serendipity! Our initial anxiety over Frederiksted’s slow recovery from hurricane damage was quickly and completely erased by the helpful friendliness of its residents and the spectacular accommodations of our “home away from home”. If you’ve ever been misled by photos online, you’ll probably not believe me- but the photos posted for Villa Regina Bella simply do not do justice to place. I practiced architecture in a historic coastal New Jersey resort town, so I know of what I speak. The historic rehabilitation of this property was accomplished with utmost attention to quality and detail with a discerning eye towards luxurious comfort that rarely happens. Both the house and grounds are meticulously kept and we found the onsite groundskeeper and offsite manager pleasantly attentive to all of our needs. Forty years of work stress melted away in just a few minutes of ocean gazing from the Master Suite deck. Villa Regina Bella was also the perfect selection for West End adventures and beach fun! We offer our sincere gratefulness to the owner Sid Binks for allowing us to live in and share his beautiful home in this special place.
5.0 / 5.0
Apr 2023
Villa Regina Bella was the perfect place for a "home base" during our first (and likely not last) trip to St. Croix! We had all the space, necessities, and luxuries needed to relax and recharge between dives, hikes, and beaches. We admired and appreciated the attention to detail that was put into the restoration and improvement of this truly beautiful home. The property manager and owner were both attentive and responsive to any questions we had during our stay, and they both did more than expected to make our stay great!

FAQs

How much does this house cost compared to others in Frederiksted?

The average price for a rental in Frederiksted is $524 per night. This rental is $4 above the average.

Is parking included with this house?

Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Upscale Historic Luxury in Frederiksted - 2 Blocks from the Best Beach on STX. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.

Is there a pool at this house?

We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.

Is Upscale Historic Luxury in Frederiksted - 2 Blocks from the Best Beach on STX pet friendly?

Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"

What amenities are available at Upscale Historic Luxury in Frederiksted - 2 Blocks from the Best Beach on STX?

We found 11 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, smoking allowed, and parking.

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