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Description
Betsy
Know Before You Go...®
Hakuna Matata is a wonderful, spacious home surrounded by flowers, palm trees, and tropical landscaping. The owners have stayed true to the natural settings by including native materials like stones and boulders, and the interior lets guests enjoy modern comfort with Moroccan overtones. All four of the ensuite bedrooms have outdoor showers and access to the covered walkways and patio. Nearby, you’ll find several beaches that offer water sports like snorkeling, scuba diving, and deep sea fishing.
Great for families or friends!
Hakuna Matata sits in the Catherineberg Estate above Cinnamon Bay, and its central location is equidistant between Cruz and Coral Bay. Lush foliage borders the property, and ocean views stretch across the horizon.
The gated entrance gives way to a jungle paradise. Step through the columned archway to the multi-tiered stone terrace, freeform pool, and hot tub. A waterfall and fish pond create ambience, and beach gear and toys waits for endless days of fun. Al fresco dining and loungers are available around the pool, terraces, and gardens. Arched French doors connect the lounging veranda and the living room, which also encompasses an entertainment center and dining table. Another archway leads to the kitchen’s stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and spacious center island. Hakuna Matata’s interiors are exquisitely decorated with art from all over the globe and fully air-conditioned. A backup generator, color printer/copier/scanner, and weekly linen service are also available. There are two powder rooms as well. Hakuna Matata’s four bedrooms each have exterior access and an ensuite bathroom with an outdoor shower. Two suites have king beds, and the others each have two twins that can be made up as kings.
Hakuna Matata is 5-10 minutes from Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay, and Hawksnest Beach. Maho Crossroads, a self-powered, energy efficient local market, is also minutes away.
Rates
| Dates | People | Nightly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 17, 2024 to Jan 6, 2025 10 Night Minimum | 1-8 people | $2,000 USD | $14,000 USD |
| Jan 7, 2025 to May 2, 2025 5 Night Minimum | 1-8 people | $1,571 USD | $11,000 USD |
| May 3, 2025 to Nov 21, 2025 5 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $1,286 USD | $9,000 USD |
| 5-8 people | $1,429 USD | $10,000 USD | |
| Nov 22, 2025 to Nov 29, 2025 7 Night Minimum | 1-8 people Thanksgiving |
$1,500 USD | $10,500 USD |
| Nov 30, 2025 to Dec 16, 2025 5 Night Minimum | 1-4 people | $1,286 USD | $9,000 USD |
| 5-8 people | $1,429 USD | $10,000 USD | |
| Dec 17, 2025 to Jan 4, 2026 10 Night Minimum | 1-8 people | $2,000 USD | $14,000 USD |
Rates shown in
Notes on Rates:
- Rates range from $1,286 to $2,000/night.
- All rental rates are based on two persons per bedroom.
- 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: Main Level
- 1 King, Air Conditioning, Exterior Access Only, Safe
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
- Master Bedroom: Upper level
- 1 King, Air Conditioning, Exterior Access Only, Safe
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
- Bedroom 3: Upper level
- 1 King or 2 Twins, Air Conditioning, Exterior Access Only, Safe
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
- Bedroom 4: Lower level
- 1 King or 2 Twins, Air Conditioning, Exterior Access Only, Safe
- Ensuite Full Bath with Shower
Other Bathrooms
- Bathroom 5: bath
- Bathroom 6: Half bath
Features
Interior
- Blender
- Board Games
- Book Library
- Cable TV
- Ceiling Fans
- Coffee Maker - Drip style
- Computer
- Dishwasher
- Fax
- Hair Dryers
- Internet Access/WiFi
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Microwave
- Safe
- Stereo System
- Telephone
- Video Library
- Washer/Dryer
Exterior
- Balcony
- BBQ Outside (Gas)
- Beach Chairs
- Beach Towels
- Cooler
- Gated Community
- Gated Property
- Heated Pool
- Hot Tub
- Pool at Villa
- Pool Shower
| Check In | 15:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Check Out | 10:00:00 |
| Pool | pool size 15' x 45' x 3'-5' deep, freeform |
| Location | Estate Catherineburg, North side |
| Sq Ft. | 3100 ft² |
| Beach | Cinnamon, Trunk Beaches and other National Park Beaches are 5 - 10 minutes from the villa. |
| Groceries | 12 minutes 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 8 |
| Children | Welcome |
| Additional | $50 fee for arrivals after 7 pm. 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
5.00/18
(18 reviews)
100% traveler satisfaction
Never disappoints
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Wonderful house as always. We’ve now stayed at this house 5-10 times. I would only ask that the master bedroom door opens/closes better and that the half-bathroom off the foyer is stocked with hand soap. Thanks
All pretty good. Betsy, I just wish you had responded to the last few emails I wrote you prior to our stay. It had to do with a billing question, car transfer arrangements, and our need for somebody to help take Christmas card pictures for my family.
Posted by Dominic L
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Hakuna Matata exceeded our expectations! The views are really amazing and can not be justified through pictures. The layout of the home is perfect for couples and for families, offering multiple gathering areas. The quality of the home furnishings and decor are well above that of a vacation rental. These two points are well noted in the description but are worth mentioning, there are alot of stairs between the levels, and you do need a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Neither point were issues for us, but should be considered. We hope to stay again at this property. I can confidently give it a 5+ star rating.
WhereToStay offered us quick and helpful information to prepare us for a wonderful vacation. All the vendor that were recommended where great! All provided us good communication. We knew exactly what to do when we arrived. Betsy helped us every step of the way, from the booking, to the payments, offering us great suggestions and very detailed arrival instructions. When we arrived Abby took over! She met us with a beautiful smile and welcomed us to the villa. She went above and beyond and seemed to enjoy our excitement as we explored the property for the first time.
Posted by Julie R
Amazing in every way!
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Our stay at Hakuna Matata was amazing! The house exceeded our expectations in every way. The views are phenomenal and kept us in disbelief the whole week. Truly a once in a lifetime experience that we are hoping to make a yearly tradition!
Our experience working with the Where to stay crew was 2nd to none. Betsy and/or Sharon had an answer and often a few great suggestions for any questions we had while planning our trip making us feel very comfortable on our 1st trip to St. John. Thank you!
Posted by Edward K
Perfect vacation!
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Excellent villa!
Second time we have stayed here. Close to beaches and Cruz Bay.
We had a great family week.
Andrew was the best!
He was efficient in securing the villa we wanted and the time frame we wanted it for.
His communication was excellent!
I highly recommend Andrew and Hakuna Matata.
Posted by Sonia S
Beautiful villa nestled in the hills
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Overall beautiful property we stayed for the second time. Kitchen upgrades tasteful and has everything you need! Clean, well kept and a luxury. Loved the outdoor showers and separate room suites joining the main house.
WhereToStay and Betsy are awesome and top notch! Kept us I formed of deadlines and tips very welcome.
Posted by Linda S
Amazing Home and Service!
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
The coordination of our stay was fantastic and the home itself was simply stunning! Hakuna Matata exceeded our expectations. We did a lot while we were on the island but one of the best parts of the trip was enjoying the spectacular view while taking a shower outside. That experience can’t be replicated and will stay with me always! If you’re considering Hakuna Matata, don’t hesitate. You won’t be disappointed.
Partnering with wheretostay.com and Betsy was a great experience. All of my questions were addressed promptly and Betsy provided detailed information that covered all aspects of our stay and made our trip very smooth. I highly recommend Betsy and team to help you plan your vacation. They’ll take the work and worry away!
Posted by Shelly B
Amazing villa and view
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
The villa is spectacular - well cared for and appointed. Our group of 3 couples had plenty of room and enjoyed the beautiful home and landscaping. It is a treasure.
WhereToStay.com was Excellent.
Posted by Anne D
Amazing
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Best vacation we have had yet. My wife says this is now her favorite Island. My kids keep saying they want to go back to the “Encanto” house. The views are amazing. The house had the best layout, comfortable with and without air conditioners on. Outside showers made the nature experience even better!! Can’t say enough good things about this villa and this island.
Everything was seamless working with WhereToStay.com. The website was very helpful. All of the contacts for people and services came through. Wouldn’t book it any other way!
Posted by Peter F
Amazing view and accommodations!
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
We were a group of 4 couples, and we all loved this villa! We were in St. John 9 years ago and stayed at La Bella Vita at Virgin Grand Estates, which we also loved. Hakuna Matata is larger and quite grand. The view of Cinnamon Bay, a portion of Francis Bay, and beyond to Jost van Dyke is incredible. There is one bedroom on the main level, outside of the building with the living/dining/kitchen/laundry, one bedroom below that on the pool level, and 2 bedrooms above the main level. The huge master suite is on that top level. All were very comfortable and had nice outdoor showers. Be prepared to wake with the sun as there are no curtains or shades. (Hard to mind when you wake to a tropical paradise)
The villa is furnished with items from around the world. Look for the owners stories in the kitchen wine rack. (they also have a treasure map in there for children!) I think you would need to stay there for at least a month to notice all of the details they have included.
The kitchen is extremely well stocked with everything you need! (and beautiful). Every room was very clean, and we did not see any bugs or critters inside! We really enjoyed the hot tub, the pool and all of the floats available.
Only negative to us was the road in and out of Catherineberg. It’s mostly paved, but a challenge. Several switchbacks from villa to North Shore Rd., a bit easier to Centerline Rd. 4 wheel drive required!
We want to thank the owners of this gorgeous villa for sharing it with us!
Working with Betsy at WhereToStay.com was great! She answered all of our questions and made sure we had all of the information we needed for a smooth vacation experience.
Our greeter on arrival day was Viky from Catered To. She made our arrival super easy and even answered a few questions while were there.
Posted by Conee S
Tropical Villa Paradise
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Hakuna Matata is a tropical paradise, from the moment you enter the gates. The view is breathtaking, grounds are lush and immaculate, and interior is updated and clean. Large pool and working, secluded hot tub with waterfall. Daily and nightly visits from birds, family of deer, and slept soundly to the lullabies of island frogs. The villa is stocked with tons of supplies from kitchen to linens, beach towels & toys. Especially enjoyed the Sonos sound system and smart/cable tv. Best villa by far we have stayed in on STJ. Hope to return soon. Staff super-friendly and helpful too. Hakuna Matata.
Perfect, five stars!
Posted by Jeff D
5-Star stay
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
My wife and I stayed here with our kids (16 and 10), and we had an exceptional experience. The villa is well-maintained with great amenities and it has an amazing view of Cinnamon Beach.
It is conveniently located to the north shore beaches - Trunk, Cinnamon, Maho and Hawksnest.
Shawna and her team took care of everything for us. They arranged transportation from St. Thomas and back, helped arrange to stock the villa with groceries before our arrival, and took care of whatever other needs we had.
I have no hesitations about recommending this villa, and I will definitely use WhereToStay again.
Posted by Shane R
Beyond expectations. Beautifully kept villa with outstanding landscape, pool and views.
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
We have stayed at Hakuna matata before. And it is a superior villa. Beautiful views, grounds, pool and well stocked for any need.
Other than that it was a dream vacation in a dream villa.
Shawna had other clients the same night so wasnt able to guide us. We knew the way so it wasnt an issue. She came later and gave us the key. She is delightful.
Posted by Christopher P
Amazing, Amazing, Amazing
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
What can I say ... Hakuna Matata is an amazing villa on St John. If you are looking for a private, secluded and relaxing place to stay then this is the place. The pool and hot tub are incredible, tucked away in lush greenery. The view of Cinnamon Bay and Cinnamon Bay Beach is second to none. Access to all the north shore beaches is only minutes away.
The amenities within the villa are very good. We cooked most of our meals at the villa and we had everything we needed.
The road leading to Hakuna Matata gets a little rough and steep in some parts so I would highly recommend renting a jeep or four wheel drive vehicle if staying at this villa.
My experience with WhereToStay.com is very, very good. I want to thank you Shawna for being so flexible with all of the changes in our travel plans.
Posted by Keith S
Stately with incredible views
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
We had the incredible experience of staying at Hakuna Matata for three weeks (thank you COVID), during which time my fiancé and I were joined by our parents and, separately, a group of friends.
The house is beautifully situated near the top of Catherineberg, within the National Park boundary but still close to Cruz Bay and a reasonable drive from Coral Bay. It’s a 3 minute drive downhill to Cinnamon Bay beach and a shorter distance to incredible hikes and ruins.
The architecture of the house is incredible, as is the view towards Tortola and JVD. Hakuna Matata is well stocked with everything you need (kitchen, beach, pool).
Our favorite characteristics (other than location and view) were the Sonos system throughout (incredible), the great WiFi (two of us working remotely the entire time) and the saltwater hot tub/pool system (I usually don’t use hot tubs in rentals).
I would highly recommend the villa for large groups of family or friends. There are A LOT of stairs in the layout so might not be great for very small children.
Posted by John C
This place is a Castle
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
The House is immaculate and enormous. Perfectly located looking over Cinnamon Bay. The pool is magical. Just 10 mins outside of town - totally secluded and the ultimate getaway. Lives up to the name and then some. The master shower has the best view on the entire island. Just sensational!!
Shawna is the absolute top in her field. There is no one in the Caribbean better. No only does she match you with the absolute best property to match your dreams, she takes care of every last detail to make your trip magical. I can’t say enough about what a wonderful human being this incredible woman is. You will never stay in the Caribbean without her help again.
Posted by Glen D
It will take your breath away.
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
As my family and I walked through the archway to this villa, we were speechless. It was the most gorgeous view and stunning villa I could think of in my wildest dreams!
It was awesome.
Posted by Dixie S
This was a lovely home with fabulous views of Tortolla and the beaches.
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
This was a beautiful Mediterranean-style home located high above Cinnamon Bay, with views of Tortolla and Jost Van Dyke.
The home provided every comfort, including a gourmet kitchen, outdoor showers, a pool and spa, and verandas to enjoy the view. The road was unpaved and curvy, so rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Our family enjoyed our stay at Hakuna Matata immensely. We will have wonderful memories of our stay in St. John.
Posted by Ellen G
I could sit on the terrace and look at the view all day!
Hakuna Matata, St. John villa review
Our stay at Hakuna Matata was absolutely wonderful! The house was beautiful, and the view was even better!
The house was equipped with everything we could possibly need. The outside showers were wonderful! The pool was awesome - but watch out for the dive bombing bat!
I have to say that we spent most of our time on the terrace! We ate all of our meals out there, spent our evenings talking out there, spent days just reading and enjoying the view!
It was very difficult to leave the peaceful atmosphere of Hakuna Matata and St. John!
Posted by Elizabeth
