Just returned from an amazing week at Areca. This was the first time we have stayed in upper Peter Bay and the views and the location were the best we’ve had on St. John. We have been coming to the island for the past 23 years and staying at different villas each time. This was definitely one of the top stays. Views from the Villa are 180° east to west so you get sunsets every night. The outdoor area including the pool are vast and expensive with many areas to have quiet time or to hang out with family and friends. We had a great experience renting a car from Amalie car rental on St Thomas (thanks for the tip from another reviewer) and also did a private boat charter with Big Blue Excursions. Highly recommend both. We also had Passion Fruit chefs cater our meal at the Villa one night and it was excellent. Diana was wonderful to work with and helped us with many recommendations throughout our stay. We will definitely be back to Areca Villa one day!

Areca is a wonderful property and was perfect for our group of 8. It has a gorgeous setting, great pool, was very clean and had everything we needed for a great vacation, including some things we didn’t expect like beach chairs and umbrellas! Our only issue was getting to the property at night. Our flight was delayed and the car rental process was very inefficient in St Thomas, so it was dark as we were making our way to the house. We had a little trouble because of the turns and the hills, but Diana was very helpful and constantly in touch and we finally made it. It was all more than worth it!! Thanks for sharing your property with us - we would definitely like to come back!!

The Areca property sits above Peter Bay and has magnificent views of the caribbean sea and adjacent islands on the north shore. The first thing that hits you is the beauty of the property and the amazing views. The villa is perfect for 5 couples, each with its own full bath and a view of the sea. The coqui frogs serenade you in the evening as the jungle awakens. My recommendations include renting your Jeeps on St Thomas from Amelie Car Rental (we loved our Jeeps). They meet you at baggage claim and drive you to their car lot (just a few minutes up the road) and hand over the Jeep, paperwork, and a map of St Thomas (directions to the car ferry) without ever going inside. Then they meet you at the airport curb to pick up their Jeep at the end of your stay. This means your luggage stays in your vehicle from the airport all the way to the villa. The car ferry ($35 / vehicle) is also much less chaotic and less expensive than the people ferry. You avoid taxi transfer from the airport to the ferry and hauling your luggage behind you all the way to the villa. Order your groceries and adult beverages online from Starfish Market (a few days ahead of your arrival) and have them delivered to the villa (you call them when the car ferry reaches St John and have to be present at the villa to accept the groceries). Just below the villa are the best beaches on the island: Cinamon, Trunk, and Maho (for Turtles). I think our favorite beach day was Maho. We also hit Hansen Bay on the Eastern part of the island (well worth the drive). The villa has ample beach chairs, towels, and a big ice chest. We did most of our meals at the villa and used the barbeque on the balcony quite a bit. Why squeeze into a restaurant when you have these views and a table for 10. Plus, our entire party Covid tested a couple of days before our trip, so we were mask free at the villa and didn't infect people on the island or during our travels. While in town, everyone did a good job masking up. The kitchen was stocked well with spices, coffee filters, paper towels, etc. The water in the main house is UV filtered which allowed us to use the ice for our beverages from the main fridge and the fridge on the balcony. Another tip...bring your Yeti's to keep your tropical drinks cold! If you plan this trip for your group or family, you will be the vacation hero! Diana, the owner was very nice to work with as I inundated her with emails and text messages.

The house had the best view. It was fully stocked with essentials and Diana was so helpful. The hous

Easy, Diana makes it very easy by having coolers, chairs, towels, etc. Gorgeous property and views!

We stayed here with four other couples and we all were blown away by the amazing views from this home. It has a great layout for families or couples. The outside space and great views are worth the stay. Dianna was very responsive anytime I had a question prior to, during and after our stay. I would highly recommend this home and we plan to stay here again.

All the comforts of home and spectacular views in this well-maintained, luxurious abode. Two families—nine adults in all—enjoyed our stay over the new year. Diana is a first-class and extremely responsive host. Do it! You won’t be disappointed.

Our family of five had a wonderful stay. The three bedroom main house was perfect for us and the outdoor dining area allowed us to have our extended family over for dinner.

Views are incredible!

We will be back.

This was a birthday escape with a few of our very closet friends and we could not have had a better time! The villa is magnificent, located in a wonderful area, easy to get to all the popular beaches and Cruz Bay , where we had fabulous restaurants to choose from ....The Terrace, Extra Virgin, Ocean 362 & great tuna tacos @ The Tap House ! You have amazing views looking out to the BVI’s, Peter Bay in front of you with your own private beach access , Cinnamon Bay on one side and Trunk on the other. Diana was wonderful and answered any questions we had promptly. We will definitely be back to Areca! Pictures do not do this villa justice! I have been going to St John for about 10 years and this was the best yet!

The villa itself is beautiful and nicely appointed! Diana is a responsive host who was quick to reply when I texted her. The location of this villa is ideally located on St. John for the things that probably matter most to most guests: 1) The views - The water along this part of St. John is especially turquoise. It's what you think of when you imagine those Caribbean seas. Was far better than the East End waters we'd seen the week before. 2) Access to North Shore beaches - Lot's of great choices within minutes of the villa. You'll need to drive to them. You could walk down to the Peter Bay beach but it's a really steep walk and not for most. The Peter Bay beach is nice because it's essentially private but it's not as picturesque as some of the other beaches in the area. 3) Access to Cruz Bay for shopping and dining. It's only about a 15 minute drive. The prior week we had stayed out on the East End so we had a basis for comparison. The East End is really remote and doesn't offer the shopping and dining options we prefer. Here's what I think could have made it a 5 for us (couple on relaxing getaway) but may not matter for others: 1) An outdoor hot tub. Maybe we got spoiled the week before at another villa that had one. Sitting in a hot tub enjoying the views, especially in January, would have been awesome. 2) Heated pool. In January it's just too cool to enjoy for us. We dipped our toes in once or twice but couldn't enjoy the water so we never used the pool. At the villa the week before the pool was heated and it makes a huge difference this time of year. 3) Better hot water in the villa.The hot water wasn't ample enough to fill the spa tub in the master. Showers were warm not hot and there were only two of us. To Diana's credit when I asked about it she offered to let me adjust the water heater. After opening the panel I decided against it but I appreciated her responsiveness. 4) This villa sits directly over and above another villa just a few yards down hill. The first several days we had no neighbors. The last couple of days a group of 30 somethings checked in. It was loud as to be expected from a group vacationing together. This won't matter to some but for a romantic couples getaway it was noticeable to us. I try to provide insightful and impartial reviews mindful that different guests have different expectations and needs. Hope this helps.

We just stayed two weeks in Areca and loved it. The villa is well stocked, has a great layout and the best views in the world. We had an issue in the separate guest house and Diana was very prompt in getting it resolved. This was our second stay in Areca and it won’t be our last.

We just completed our third trip to Areca. There were 8 in our party. There are several things that make Areca special for us and why i highly recommend a stay here. 1)The views and the breeze from the outdoor dining area are fantastic. We enjoyed eating outside and watching the sunset every night; 2) Everything you need at the villa was there with the caveat that an ice maker would be a great addition for the veranda; 3) Lots of space for our group of eight; 4) location on North Shore; and last but not least 5) Diana Hall, the property manager, does a great job taking care of your needs. Notes: north shore beaches are still very beautiful post hurricane. Less shade but still beautiful. Scuba diving is still great. First time visitors wont notice that the snorkeling on the North Shore is not great compared to before. We hired a boat with captain for a snorkel cruise and was able to find better places than North Shore.

This was a beautiful villa. The Villa was clean, neat and plenty of amenities. Fantastic Views. First class.