We loved our week at Villa Solemare! The kids were asking when we could come back again before we even left. The drive from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay and up into the neighborhood is absolutely gorgeous! But with beautiful views like that come steep hills that require a 4x4 jeep. Thanks to Janet and our prep call when booking she made sure we rented a Jeep Wrangler to get up the hills. Brian met us after we arrived via the Crown Bay ferry. He was amazing and held our hand getting up to the house. For those that have been to STJ you know what I mean with the steep driveways etc. For those that haven't been there, don't let it worry you. You will get used to it after doing it once. Brian also gave us a tour of the house and showed us everything we may want or need to know. The reason we rented this villa was the view, the Italian character, and the infinity pool. The view is absolutely breathtaking! This is a perfect spot on island to watch the sunrise. The details in the house were amazing and so well thought out. So much had been shipped over from Italy. OMG, it was so beautiful! Janet also helped us plan everything, grocery delivery, sailing excursions, and even a private chef to the house one night. The kids loved the private chef so much that they propositioned Kent to come and live with us in our guest room. Our only complaints- and it really isn't a complaint because they were working on it immediately. The pool was having a bit of an issue, but Brian took care of it immediately! The kids were a tad disappointed that the infinity part wasn't working, but the pool was functional and still wonderful after a long day on the beach while the grownups sat outside on the veranda. Also, the WIFI was pretty crappy and didn't work in the master bedroom. BUT I knew that ahead of time and was the goal of decompressing from electronics. The kids complained but after a while, they got used to no devices. It was heavenly. But if you plan on working while there, you will need your own wifi. One thing I would recommend is to bring a lot of bug spray. We get giant welts from bites and we definitely needed to be sprayed to enjoy the evenings outside. During the day, bugs were not an issue. Oh, I almost forgot, being able to watch the sailboats in the bay while I showered. That was freaking amazing! This house is set on the hill and is super private too. You will love it! If you are thinking about booking it, just do it!

This is a great property and the layout is perfect for families or couples enjoying a friends retreat. It’s huge and there is no lack of space. The views are outstanding!!! Make sure to rent a 4x4 because it’s on the side of a mountain. The birds will sing you to sleep and you can watch hermit crabs for days. Use the supplied binoculars and watch all the yachts pull in to the bay and moore off. If you have a hard time walking on even surfaces don’t even look at it. It’s not for people who can’t walk up stairs or hills. Easy check in and check out. Grocery store within 15 minutes and some bars and restaurants in the same area. I recommend it to anyone wanting to relax on this side of St. John.

Our family tradition is to spend the last week of every year together. Adults and our children had plenty of room to relax, cook, play games and enjoy the view. This was our first time to St. John and the villa was exactly what we needed. Many thanks to Brian for the countless hours of staying in contact with us. It wasn’t easy after the hurricane last year for you and many of the island residents, but every accommodation was made to guarantee the house was ready for us when we arrived. Brian, your sincerity and integrity bring a confidence to the booking process that gives your guest confidence. The property does the rest to guarantee comfort while enjoying the islands. The villa had everything we needed...from the kitchen to the bedrooms with wonderful beds and the outdoor spaces, it was all awesome! AND... have I mentioned the breathtaking view?!!Villa Solemare may be on the “quieter” side of the island, but we loved our home atop the mountain. The drive to popular beaches or nightlife was only a beautiful 20 min drive. Closer to home were several local eateries and the market was just 5 min away. Jeeps are definitely required for the steep terrain, but we loved it for off roading and adventurous wandering! Everything was worth the journey and our memories to end 2018 near Coral Bay. Thank you for wonderful guest services and know that we will always recommend you and your properties with high regard.

Our family tradition is to spend the last week of every year together. Adults and our children had plenty of room to relax, cook, play games and enjoy the view. This was our first time to St. John and the villa was exactly what we needed. Many thanks to Brian for the countless hours of staying in contact with us. It wasn’t easy after the hurricane last year for you and many of the island residents, but every accommodation was made to guarantee the house was ready for us when we arrived. Brian, your sincerity and integrity bring a confidence to the booking process that gives your guest confidence. The property does the rest to guarantee comfort while enjoying the islands. The villa had everything we needed...from the kitchen to the bedrooms with wonderful beds and the outdoor spaces, it was all awesome! AND... have I mentioned the breathtaking view?!! Villa Solemare may be on the “quieter” side of the island, but we loved our home atop the mountain. The drive to popular beaches or nightlife was only a beautiful 20 min drive. Closer to home were several local eateries and the market was just 5 min away. Jeeps are definitely required for the steep terrain, but we loved it for off roading and adventurous wandering! Everything was worth the journey and our memories to end 2018 near Coral Bay. Thank you for wonderful guest services and know that we will always recommend you and your properties with high regard.

I know the island got a lot of damage during Irma and Maria and the main roads had a lot of potholes but were not terrible. However, the roads leading up to the Villa itself were pretty treacherous and you might want to prepare yourself for this. There is no way anything other than a Jeep will make this trip. Some of the roads are still washed away so it goes from concrete slab to pretty rugged terrain at times and all at a pretty steep incline. Once you're at the house, the view cannot be beat and the house worked perfectly for the 8 of us.

Our stay at Villa Solemare was fantastic. The Villa was completely as represented and a great place to stay on St John. We had 3 couples and the house set up was great, including privacy and great common areas. The view was incredible and the Island manager was very attentive and helpful.I'd thoroughly recommend the Villa and we look forward to a return visit.

Our stay at Villa Solemare was fantastic. The Villa was completely as represented and a great place to stay on St John. We had 3 couples and the house set up was great, including privacy and great common areas. The view was incredible and the Island manager was very attentive and helpful. I'd thoroughly recommend the Villa and we look forward to a return visit.

Our stay at Villa Solemare was fantastic. The Villa was completely as represented and a great place to stay on St John. We had 3 couples and the house set up was great, including privacy and great common areas. The view was incredible and the Island manager was very attentive and helpful.Id thoroughly recommend the Villa and we look forward to a return visit.

Our stay at Solemare was a complete disappointment. Neglected and run down things are held together with zip ties. Water smelled bad and was discussting. Window hardware didn't work or was completely broken. Way to much money to spend on such an inferior property

What an incredibly beautiful, relaxing home you have. It has been a real privilege to spend time here and we thank you for opening it up. We visited beaches, hiked, spent many hours on floats in the pool, and cooked some great meals. It is the perfect home for families to vacation and spend some memorable time together. Thank you so much!! Jim & Vicki (from NC) P.S. Special kudos and appreciation to Bob McNabb. Any problem that came up he fixed immediately. You are the best Bob!

Villa Solemare does NOT disappoint. From the moment you descend the stairs, through stunning foliage, you are wowed! And, then you see the view and your breath is literally taken away. From morning to night, the view enchants you – it is simply beautiful. The home itself is gorgeous, with large bedrooms, and MASSIVE bathrooms and showers larger than some NYC apartments (not really, but they are huge). We were at VS for one week, with another couple, to celebrate my 40th birthday and our 10 year wedding anniversary and it could not have been any better. The weather in STJ was oftentimes overcast, with rain, during our stay, but that made for unbelievably beautiful forever changing views and difference in water colors. The hardest part of the week was leaving every morning ….. If you're thinking about going, go.

Wow. Brian runs a first class operation. Great communication, fast follow up and Bob is on every detail on island. The property itself has incredible views, incredible privacy, a great pool and is decorated with first class details that make you feel like you transported an Italian villa to the Caribbean. We blended the luxury of the villa with a week of sea to summit to sea hikes and great swims on perfect beaches. We chose to cook at home so we could spend more time with the view.

Just returned from two beautiful weeks at Solemare with 6 adults. The house is beautiful but the view is extraordinary. We spent most our time on the patio and pool area because your eyes are so drawn to the beauty of the surroundings! The kitchen is well equipped and it comes with a nice grill, we cooked in a lot. Fresh fish is available at Calabash market three days a week. I loved Coral Bay and the layed back style of this sleepy little fishing village. Plus I love to hike and the trails are so gorgeous and well maintained. And what can I say about the beaches, they're some of the most beautiful in the world. I need to mention that the kitchen has all this beautiful Italian pottery to use, so fun! I could go on and on but you get the idea. Bob is also very helpful and available for anything you need.

Villa Solemare was the perfect place for 2 couples to spend a week in St. John. Located high on a mountainside with a 180 degree frontal view overlooking Coral Bay surrounded by tropical landscaping made this very secluded. The villa's layout is superb! Beautifully decorated master bedrooms on one side of the villa with a huge open gourmet kitchen and living area located on the other side of the villa,connected by a large marble floored veranda/covered Pagoda with a colorful circular table. Sandstone curving steps lead you to a lower level with a deck and infinity pool. Unbelievable layout. The property is very clean, stocked with everything you need abundant towels, beach chairs, kitchen utensil to name a few. Property manager Bob is helpful and on demand if you have any questions or needs. This is a five star place with only one slight draw back that we turned into an adventure- that being the Calabash boom road that you take to get to the property. Coral Bay Area of St. John's is a safe, laid back, pictherques area with many place to dine and have a drink and places to explore.

Great house, located high above Coral Bay, two families with college age adults really enjoyed the house, the location and more importantly the setting. Highly recommend, the house manager was very accessible if need be which is always nice if something arises. Location does require a jeep, the roads are steep and unpaved which adds to the overall experience. We plan to return!

We stayed 8 days at Villa Solemare. We LOVED it. A VERY beautiful Villa. The view is breath taking, especially at Sunrise. Great Kitchen and Bathrooms. The house was perfect for our group of 5 adults. All the bedrooms (3) were away from each other and each had a private bathroom. Bob was the local contact. He answered any questions we had quickly and even came to help us with the grill within 5 minutes!! We packed up the Jeep (a MUST) with the provided Cooler and headed out for an adventure....snorkeling, hiking and checking out every beach we could! It was so nice to come back to the Villa at the end of the day and enjoy the pool (with plenty of beach towels and floats) before we either cooked in or went out to one of the local restaurants. The road up to Villa Solemare is a MUST have a JEEP road, more interesting and time consuming than anything.....But the View at the top is totally worth it! (St. John Rental just a block from the Ferry was fantastic. Most of the rentals we saw were the 4 door Jeeps. If you plan on driving and exploring on St. John Island, you will want to have a Jeep, no matter where you are staying.) We all loved our stay and would DEFINITELY come back!

We did two weeks at Solemare and would certainly recommend it. We had a week with each set of grandparents and our two kids throughout, and it worked beautifully for everyone. The house is the nicest that we have stayed at in St. John. Fantastic view, great kitchen and layout. All of the bedrooms are very nice and comfortable. Bob did a great job of helping us with everything we needed. The only two slight issues for kids and older adults was that the pool is deep and the road to the house is quite rugged (even for St. John).

The property is well maintained and full of sea inspired European charm. Bob, the local contact, escorted us to the villa (we would not have found it on our own) and provided much appreciated food and wine for our first 12 hours when our provisioning service fell through. The road/driveway to the villa is an adventure but the view at the top is spectacular. Truly heavenly! We will be back!!

Beautiful villa, outstanding views, first class management. The whole experience was flawless from booking to our stay. Brian the offsite manager was very thorough and easy to contact. Bob the on island man Was reliable and attentive. The villa felt like home immediately. Had everything we needed. The kitchen was very well stocked with everything you'd need to make and serve a meal for a small army. This was good for us because we traveled with a pretty good sized crew. The house has several congregating areas so you could gather here or there or could have privacy without camping out in your room. The place has such good flow and sits so well into the hillside and mature landscaping you almost don't realize the enormity of it. Perfect location on the island to get the real STJ experience. Close to Shipwreck, Sweet Plantains, Aqua Bistro, Pickles in paradise and Skinny Legs. Which are some of my favorite places to eat on the island. All for different reasons. Also close to Salt pond bay. Great snorkel, try Concordia there for yoga or the Sunday brunch. A little further for Lamesure bay another great snorkel nice hiking trails some ruins and usually few people. Close to and great views of Haulover and Hurricane hole also great for snorkeling. Now that I'm writing this review I'm realizing exactly how sweet the location was. This place is great. If you're thinking about it go for it.

Our vacation on St. John was truly AMAZING and our stay at Villa Solemare was a significant part of our experience! This is our 2nd visit to the island & both times we stayed in the Coral Bay area. You simply cannot beat the incredible sunrises and breathtaking views at the east end of the island, and you certainly can’t beat them perched high atop the hillside from the verandah of Villa Solemare! The villa is just as beautiful & luxurious as portrayed in the pics and there was more than enough room for our group of two couples. We utilized the two MB's located across the verandah from the main living area because of their size and the incredible views of the island. The only improvement we can recommend for these rooms would be to upgrade the mattresses to something a little more comfortable. There is another MB located on the pool level just below the main living area, however, this room is slightly smaller than the others and the views from this room are limited. There are air conditioners in each of the BR's, but we never had a need to use them. There's also a washer & dryer for guest use which came in handy. The caretaker, Bob, was only a phone call away and he responded quickly to our questions/requests for a couple minor maintenance issues. The villa felt very private although we were a little surprised on our first night to hear voices & music while we were sitting on the verandah, as we didn’t realize the proximity of the Teahouse Treehouse which was directly above and behind us. The pool was also just as beautiful as the pics show but was only used by our group once as the water temp in Feb is VERY chilly! This wasn’t a concern for us though as we spent the majority of our days visiting the beaches & snorkeling where the water was actually much warmer. We also rented a catamaran one day from St. John Boat Rental (www.stjohnboatrental.com), which we HIGHLY recommend! Our Captain was Alex and one highlight of our day was driving to Coral Bay and photographing Villa Solemare from our boat in the water! Absolutely amazing to see the villa we were staying at from this view … we knew we were high up on the hillside but seeing it from this angle was truly incredible! Overall we highly recommend Villa Solemare! Our favorite parts of our stay at the villa were the wall-to-wall marble flooring, the beautifully appointed furnishings; we loved listening to the dolphin fountain in the pool and we can’t say it enough … the VIEWS are truly AMAZING!

Our stay at Villa Solemare was truly unforgettable. It is by far the most spacious, most comfortable home we've ever rented, in the U.S. or abroad. We spent the week celebrating three family birthdays--and so our entire stay felt like one continuous celebration. The villa was perfect for our family of six adults. Each couple had their own spacious room, well-appointed bathroom, and plenty of space to read a book, sunbathe, or just relax. The mountainside was so quiet and calming, we never heard anything besides the waves coming in on the beach far below. We would wake up every morning to the beautiful sunrises and incredible views, enjoy coffee and breakfast on the patio, and then enjoyed a quick swim before visiting the many wonderful beaches. We had plenty of towels, beach chairs, and coolers to take drinks and lunches to the beach. We spent our evenings playing cards and games, enjoying frozen cocktails, and cooking up fresh seafood from the market. The kitchen and grill were both wonderful--we only ate out one night all week--we had everything we needed at home. Bob the caretaker was only a quick phone call away if we had a question or if we needed anything. He was prompt, friendly, and immediately came by to fix a light that went out and to bring additional beach chairs. We truly did not want to leave--and we can't wait to plan a return visit to St. John and the paradise that is Villa Solemare!

Villa Solemare is not something one can simply describe in words! We climbed a steep terrane, the gates opened and we walked down a set of sculpted stairs to a view that was unreal. My husband and I actually had tears in our eyes as we stood in utter awe of the Villa. Beautifully maintained and meticulously clean, Bob our caretaker gave us the tour and was there to answer every question and fulfill any possible need. The villa has a beautiful flow, that is both cozy and inviting while capitalizing on the views of the British Virgin Islands in the distance. The kitchen features a six burner stove and for those who love to cook, as I do, found it to be a conversational area while being efficient. The cacophony of island/jungle noises at night were an absolute delight! The description of the villa is however, inaccurate, it is beyond what pictures and verbiage can communicate--it is something that one has to see for themselves! We look forward to visiting again and again....Villa Solemare is truly paradise on earth!