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Description
Betsy
Know Before You Go...®
If you want to relax in a private swimming pool next to the Virgin Islands National Park, then Caneel Trailside Cottage is the place for you. The villa feels tranquil and serene, even though Cruz Bay’s art galleries, restaurants, bars, and shops are only one mile away. This is the perfect location for hikers and explorers. A 1/4-mile hike leads to the Caneel Hill Observation Platform, where you can enjoy a 360º view of the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and the entire western half of St. John.
Caribbean views from every room in the house!
Caneel Trailside Cottage sits one mile outside Cruz Bay, high up on a ridge between Caneel Hill and Margaret Hill. Everything guests could desire is within a short walk or drive, including the Virgin Island National Park Lands.
Lush gardens surround the brick sundeck, which encloses the villa’s private swimming pool. Teak poolside loungers enjoy sun and shade, thanks to large umbrellas and palm trees. Guests can enjoy al fresco feasts fresh off the grill, and dine in the shade beneath the wide veranda. The veranda overlooks the southwestern end of St. John and offers expansive ocean views all the way to St. Croix. Inside, Caneel Trailside Cottage’s warm living room and kitchen share the common area. The living room has cable/Dish TV and the kitchen is well-equipped with standard appliances, a blender, and a coffee maker. The air-conditioned bedrooms lie on either side of the common area. Both have ensuite bathrooms, exterior access, and individually zoned air-conditioning. One suite has a king bed and the other has two twin beds which can be made up as a king.
Caneel Hill Trail is forty yards from Caneel Trailside Cottage’s backyard, and secluded white sand beaches on the North Shore are within a scenic drive. Cruz Bay is minutes away, and home to the majority of the island’s restaurants, shops, and activities.
Rates
| Dates | People | Nightly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2024 to Jan 6, 2025 7 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $729 USD | $5,100 USD |
| May 3, 2025 to Nov 21, 2025 5 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $500 USD | $3,500 USD |
| Nov 22, 2025 to Nov 29, 2025 7 Night Minimum | 1-4 people Thanksgiving |
$529 USD | $3,700 USD |
| Nov 30, 2025 to Dec 16, 2025 5 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $500 USD | $3,500 USD |
| Dec 17, 2025 to Jan 4, 2026 7 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $729 USD | $5,100 USD |
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Notes on Rates:
- Rates range from $500 to $729/night.
- This property charges rates in US Dollars (USD).
- Rates do not include: tax of 12.5%, damage waiver fee of $50.00.
- Rates are subject to change.
- Holiday bookings may require longer stays or whole house rate.
Personal Concierge Services
Choosing the right villa is just the first step in creating the perfect vacation experience. We help you plan every element of your villa vacation, from rental cars to spa treatments, completely personalized to you.
- grocery provisioning
- car rental
- spa services
- chef/cook services
- butler service
- restaurant reservations
- activities and sightseeing
- ferry/airport transfers
- laundry service
Details
Beds & Baths
Main House
- Bedroom 1
- 1 King, Air Conditioning, Private terrace
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
- Bedroom 2
- 1 King or 2 Twins, Air Conditioning, Private terrace
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
- Great Room
- 1 Queen Sofa Bed, Air Conditioning
Features
Interior
- Blender
- Board Games
- Cable TV
- Ceiling Fans
- Coffee Maker - Drip style
- Dishwasher
- Docking Station
- Fridge
- Hair Dryers
- Ice maker
- Internet Access/WiFi
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Microwave
- Oven/Stove
- Safe
- Satellite
- Stereo System
- Telephone
- Television
- Toaster
- Washer/Dryer
Exterior
- Balcony
- BBQ Outside (Gas)
- Beach Chairs
- Beach Towels
- Cooler
- Pool at Villa
| Pool | pool size 10 ft. x 20 ft. |
|---|---|
| Location | Cruz Bay - ridge between Caneel and Margaret Hills |
| Built | 2005 |
| Sq Ft. | 1200 ft² |
| Beach | Caneel Bay/Honeymoon beach are the closest beaches to the villa - a 45 minute hike on a National Park Trail or 10 minutes by car to several North Coast Beaches. |
| Groceries | 3 minutes by car |
| Restaurants | 30 minutes walking, 1 minute by car |
| Transfers | You will be greeted at the Cruz Bay ferry dock on St. John, accompanied to pick up your rental car and then led to the villa. One arrival greeting is included. You may schedule additional arrivals as needed at an additional cost. |
| Notes | Dining room seats 6 |
| Children | Welcome - children are counted as guests except for infants sleeping in a crib and not yet walking. |
| Additional | Car rental, private chef, butler, server, daily maid service, grocery and beverage shopping (pre-arrival and during your stay), liquor and wine delivery, nanny service, baby equipment, spa services, yoga and personal training, photography, and private airport transfer/car service can be arranged for an additional fee. |
Calendar
Reviews
5.00/14
(14 reviews)
100% traveler satisfaction
Caneel Trailside Cottage
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
Was great except lost power
Will not rent anything without generator in the future
See notes below
Tks
Wonderful
Posted by Cynthia F
Great Cottage
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We enjoyed our stay at Caneel Trailside Cottage. It was my husband & I and our two girls. It was perfect for the four of us. The cottage had everything you would need. The beach chairs, towels & coolers came in handy. The kitchen had anything you would need to cook with. The pool was nice to take a swim when we got back from the various beaches. It was super close to town to go eat, walk around or go to the grocery store.
Everyone with Where To Stay was very helpful and made it easy to book with them. We have been to STJ before and have never had anyone bring us to where we were staying.
Posted by Abagail M
Perfect place in an excellent location
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
The Villa was perfect for our family of 4. Our teen kids shared one bedroom/bath and my husband and I had the other. The Villa was immaculate with nice toiletries and everything we needed for our stay. The kitchen was well equipped and we cooked in a few times during our stay, using the grill as well as the stove. The coolers and beach chairs were perfect and we used them every day. The blender was a thing of beauty and generated many icy pina coladas without hesitation. We loved hiking the trails from our house and the proximity to Cruz Bay and the Northside beaches. The pool was welcoming and we spent a lot of time there enjoying the privacy and the gorgeous setting. We found the views from the bedrooms and the deck to be magical and spent most of our time on the deck. Would absolutely return! Thank you for a terrific stay.
We had excellent service from Betsy and the team. They anticipated most of our questions and answered the ones we had promptly.
Posted by Kate W
Perfect week in Paradise
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We were greeted by Winnie and followed her the short drive up from Cruz bay ferry to the cottage. It was perfect for 2 retired couples. Everything we needed was there including beach chairs, towels and coolers. We did not use the pool as the water was a bit too cool for us, but it was a nice place to sit and relax. We would definitely return!
The ONLY negative we can think of is maybe a sign at the bottom of the driveway. So many look alike we had a hard time finding our way home, especially after dark! (Our Apologies to Tom next door…)
Easy!
Posted by Leslie G
Caneel Trailside Cottage
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We cannot say enough great things about this villa. It was the perfect location, very easy to get to all restaurants, shops, etc. It was extremely comfortable for our family of four. The villa was clean and cozy with an amazing view. We enjoyed the pool and the beautiful landscaping and wildlife right outside our door. We cannot wait to return!
Wheretostay.com and Betsy made this trip so easy to plan!!! From all of the helpful recommendations to helping us set up an airport transfer, everything was seamless. Also, the greeter, Abby, was so friendly and made sure we had everything we needed upon arrival.
Posted by Kate F
Caneel Trailside vacation
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
Upon arrival we met our greeter who took us to the cottage and walked us through the villa. The villa was very clean and comfortable, and the kitchen was supplied with cooking items needed to make in-house meals. We bought breakfast food and enjoyed cooking and eating on the deck. The view is relaxing with view of water off in the distance. Our stay was very enjoyable!
Andrew did a great job keeping in touch from the beginning of villa search to the end of our stay. It was very helpful working with him to make sure travel, transportation, villa, car rental was all taken care of.
Posted by Jodie G
Perfect for our needs
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
Our stay at the Caneel Trailside Cottage was very enjoyable. The layout of the villa is very functional and it is nicely furnished, lending it a homey and gracious feel. We especially enjoyed the pretty patio with pool and surrounding garden and potted plants. Storage place is ample and the kitchen is well equipped. Gas grill and blender, along with large and small coolers were well appreciated. The view from the large veranda covered the south, and on clear days even St. Croix Island. My favorite feature was the proximity to the hiking trails - an easy 1/2 mile to an overlook on Caneel Hill, a 1/2 mile trail to the North Shore Road, and an even shorter walk to Margaret Hill. The driveway looks steep and daunting at first, but the Jeep climbed it nicely. A couple of times when we had questions for the management, our phone calls were answered immediately and professionally. We did not need to use the air conditioner in our bedroom because the screened windows and ceiling fan kept us cool enough at night. All in all, we loved every bit of it, including geckos and the nightly cricket chorus.
Very efficient and pleasant. Shawna was very responsive to our questions.
Posted by Rich and Kathrin S
Just Perfect
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We stayed at the Caneel Trailside Cottage for our wedding/honeymoon on St. John and it was perfect. First, on arrival, John McCann Realty was very prompt, polite and welcoming. They had us follow them to the villa, gave us a tour, let us know must see places around town and left us with a bottle of rum and snacks.
The Caneel Trailside Cottage is about 2.2 miles from the main traffic circle in Cruz Bay and sits very high up on the hills. On a side note, these hills should be considered mountains, because they are impressively large and stunning. There is a similar villa rental (same developer/builder) next door, but it is obscured by the driveway, 100-ft of distance and substantial buffers of tropical vegetation. Otherwise there are no adjacent homes visible from the property. The entrance side of the house faces the National Park and a connector trail is accessible at the driveway.
The villa is essentially two bedrooms, separated by a wonderful high-ceiling, and an open air living room. The living room and kitchen are separated by a 6-ft breakfast bar, and the kitchen has EVERYTHING you’ll need to cook. Washer & dryer are deluxe, large capacity and everything seems to be of high quality. The living room opens out to the back porch, which spans the length of the house and has an unbeatable view of the Chocolate Hole/Great Cruz Bay/Cruz Bay and the ocean beyond. The bedrooms also have doors to the porch. A Pearly Eyed Thrasher had built a nest on the porch and enjoyed dive-bombing anyone who ventured into her territory.
The bedrooms both have King Size beds with very comfortable mattresses & linens. Only the bedrooms have AC, but the numerous, large fans allow you to push the air around the house. Bathrooms are deceivingly large and both have great open, stone tiled showers.
The outdoor, brick patio is on the entrance side of the house and has ample room to sit 6 around the pool. Besides large, cotton beach towels, the pool area includes 4 luxurious day beds, side tables, folding chars, pool toys, floats and two coolers. The gas grill is setup at the opposite end of the patio and I found it very easy to use. All landscaping was lush, exotic and tropical and the landscaping company came twice to spruce things up. Oh, and the driveway into the villa is something you’ll have to see to believe!
Posted by
FABULOUS!
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
Our family of four (2 adults, 2 young sons) spent a wonderful week at Caneel Trailside Cottage. It was absolutely perfect for our family. The home and landscaping are beautiful! No pictures can do it justice. All amenities are just as listed and everything is in top condition. The beds were very comfortable and the bathrooms are spa-like. The kitchen has everything you need to make full meals. We loved the convenient location and very easy access to the National Park trails right out the door. The view from the deck is spectacular. We hope to return!
Posted by
Caneel Trailside Cottage will provide the ideal home away from home.
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
If your vacation destination is St. John USVI, Caneel Trailside Cottage will provide the ideal home away from home.
We were welcomed at the ferry and escorted to the house, with a stop to pick up our rental jeep. We reached the house after a short drive from town, and were struck by the luxurious comfort and privacy of the setting.
As we entered the gate to the main patio, it was hard to resist the invitation of the pool. Upon opening the front door to the Caneel Trailside Cottage, we were speechless at the breathtaking view of the ocean – which is enjoyed from every aspect of the house, but best experienced from the back deck.
We stayed over the week of New Year’s Eve, and we were able to see the fireworks from the house! There was a wealth of wildlife to observe: several types of birds including hummingbirds, small lizards, and the occasional chicken.
The spacious living and dining areas were tastefully decorated, yet comfortable. The kitchen was well-appointed and made us want to cook even though we were on vacation.
The bedrooms at Caneel Trailside Cottage were comfortable and allowed a good night’s rest for us to feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready for a fun-filled day of hiking, snorkeling, or just lying on one of the beautiful beaches.
With the windows open, we felt the cool Caribbean breezes, but each bedroom had its own AC unit, if you prefer. Also, the showers were spa-like.
The house was provisioned with everything we could possibly need: linens, beach stuff, kitchen basics, entertainment (books, games, DVD/VCR, stereo), and a basket of snacks (including a bottle of rum!) that lasted us the entire week.
It was also apparent that the owners have made every effort to make the house as “green” as possible. The Caneel Hill Trail was located behind the driveway, and it was worth the short hike to get amazing views of the island and the sunset.
In addition, town was less than five minutes away for the convenience of the food market, restaurants, and shopping.
This was our first visit to St. John, but likely not our last – we have fallen under the spell of this magic island and can’t wait to return. We will definitely being staying at Caneel Trailside Cottage again!
Posted by
It was beautiful!
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
The house was perfect. It was very comfortable, and just two minutes from town, and a five-minute hike to the National Park observation platform on top of Caneel Hill.
We really loved having the National Park as a neighbor. The resident birds visited us daily; and, at night, the sounds of the forest lulled us to sleep.
Also, the views were as nice as we found anywhere on the island - we could literally see out to St. Croix on clear days - 40 miles away. It felt ten degrees cooler at the cottage than at the beach or in town - yet still very warm if you are accustomed to Boston weather.
We were on a budget, so we cooked at the house for most meals: the kitchen was better than what I have at home.
We hope to stay here again one day. We did not notice any nearby construction - but we did see a beautiful new house on the road up to the villa.
Posted by
I loved the view, the villa, and the breezes.
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
Everything was perfect. The house had everything we wanted, and we enjoyed just sitting around by the pool and looking out over the sea. It was exactly what we wanted.
The Caneel Hill trail was steep, and the forest behind the house was teeming with birds and other life. The villa’s location had cooling breezes every day… what a relief it was to come back to the villa on hot days.
We were a little worried because we were told to expect construction noise, but to our surprise we heard none at all during our two-week stay.
The owner was easy to work with, and seemed to really care that we had a nice time. We will stay here again.
Posted by
This was a wonderful getaway.
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We had an incredible stay at the Caneel Trailside Cottage. The view from the deck was incredible. We definitely felt like we were "away from it all", while still being close to great restaurants and beaches.
Posted by
We enjoyed our island return.
Caneel Trailside Cottage, St. John villa review
We have visited St. John a number of times over the last 25 years. We were suprised at the many changes since 2001.
We were not bothered by the construction next door as much as the general construction vehicle traffic on the Cruz Bay side of the island.
That said, it was still a wonderful place to visit, and the villa was a great place to stay. The veranda overlooking the ocean was our favorite spot. It made cooking my own dinner a pleasure, as there is no restaurant with that kind of view.
Posted by Cindy L
