St John USVI Rental Stonegarden Cottage

"Thank you for making our stay in paradise perfect! We have enjoyed our time on St. John and wish we could stay a little longer. We also can't say enough about how friendly the people here are. We look forward to coming back soon!..The cottage truly is a home away from home, from the birds, to the frogs, to the cats and the hermit crabs in the garden, this was a tropical paradise for both of us! Thank you again for everything!"

--11/10, Carlos & Stephanie, Santa Cruz, CA (contact them at svikati@yahoo.com)

"The cottage was very comfortable and the view from the room and the balcony was beautiful. Looks north over Coral Bay and up the Sir Francis Drake Passage to the British Virgin Islands. Our hosts Thia and Raf could not have been friendlier or more accommodating. We recommend them wholeheartedly."

--12/10 Joseph from Fineview, NY (contact him at jboatr@gmail.com)

"We had a wonderful week in St. John... Stonegarden cottage worked perfectly for us with its two levels. We especially appreciated its location just off the road with a convenient, level, short driveway. Our friends had challenging drives to their rental houses. I now know that's not unusual in St. John, but I was grateful for our spot. We found the cottage very clean with fresh linens, and plenty of them. The layout and decor is charming. I loved your upper level bathrooms, such a clever design. We were greeted with fresh flowers and Christmas decorations, tastefully done. We really appreciated all the guidebooks, and the binder with info about restaurants and particulars of the cottage."

--1/09 Judy from Hopewell, NJ

(contact her at jolukotun@gmail.com)

"Our stay at the Stonegarden made our trip to St. John absolutely perfect! We felt at home and definitely felt a spiritual connection to both your property and the island. We cannot wait to come back! There is a little lizard who lives in the master bathroom and he was an added bonus! I called him Charlie."

-- 2/08, Pam from Lake Mills, WI (contact her at PamAsche@charter.net)

"We had a wonderful stay at Stonegarden Cottage. The property was extremely lush and beautiful with every attention to detail. There was a considerable amount of unique landscaping and the stone work was amazing. The views are incredible. Dorothy was extremely helpful by meeting us in Coral Bay and giving us a tour of the property. We are already planning our next trip there."

--Daniel & Theresa, Boiling Springs, Pa (contact them at koaster1@gmail.com)

"The house was much more than we expected. Your attention to details made us feel that we were a guest in your home. The cottage was very clean and attended to upon arrival. It made for a most enjoyable experience from the moment that we walked into Stonegarden...Like the house, the grounds were much more than we expected. It was a pleasure to walk the paths and sit in the shade reading. The detail in the gardens again points to the specialness of the compound...We will be back, and I intend to recommend others to you!"

-- Dennis from Shreveport, LA (contact him at dlower@biomed.org)

"We loved your cottage!! Everything was perfect...We have been to other islands and we always rent a house, yours was by far the best!!

We loved the grounds, the house itself is very comfortable, you provided us with everything we needed. We have no complaints, and we would rent from you again in a NEW YORK minute...We have friends that are interested in going to St John and we would recommend you highly."

-- Mercedes from Lawrence, MA (contact her at m.spindler@comcast.net)

"We had a wonderful experience at Stonegarden Cottage. This was our fourth week long stay on St. John. Each time we stayed at different houses. For a smaller house for only two people yours was the best yet when we considered location, ease of accessiblility and amenities. We absolutely loved the bathrooms! The house was incredibly well equipped and comfortable...We will definitely

consider using your cottage again."

-- Becky from Naperville, IL (contact her at becky_musch@ipsd.org)

"We just came back from a

WONDERFUL stay in the Lower Level at Stonegarden Cottage. Thia, Raf and Dorothy were perfect hosts The cottage is lovely, filled with lots of information about St. John and decorated in a tasteful yet comfortable manner. Nelda even had fresh flowers waiting our arrival. The walks through the substantial stone gardens were a bit of tranquility in paradise. We will recommend any one to stay here, on the quiet side of the island!"

-- Cate and Peter, Naples, FL (contact them at pjgoodin@cs.com)

"Our visit to Stonegarden Cottage was 10 times better than we ever expected. It was truly wonderful !!!!! You had everything anyone could want and we were greeted and made to feel right at home right away...We covered the island during our week and you truly have the best view of anyone!!...Thank you again for a wonderful vacation in paradise."

-- Jane from Lexington, KY (contact her at janelange4@insightbb.com)

"The house surpassed our expectations in its location, comfort, tasteful decorating, kitchen facilities and luxurious bathrooms. The view was spectacular!... We loved sitting out on the deck sipping our coffee in the morning and wine in the evening while looking over the bays and faraway islands....We are already thinking about how and when we can return and we will certainly recommend your cottage for anyone we know who heads your way!"

-- Anne from Iowa City, IA (contact her at spencer@inav.net)

Guest Comments

Here is some of the feedback we get from our guests, many of whom return year after year to this unique St. John retreat they call their "home away from home":

"We were happy with our stay at the Stonegarden Cottage. We enjoyed the home away from home feel. We loved coming back to this place every evening. What a perfect location: secluded, a beautiful view, loverly decor, everything provided to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. Thank you so much for everything. You were very hospitiable, helpful and accommodating. We truly enjoyed our stay in St. John and in your lovely home."

--3/10, Elana & Samrat, Pt. Jefferson, NY (contact them at samratpathania@yahoo.com)

"The management was exceptional. Staying at Stonegarden Cottage, Lower Level, was better than any hotel because the 'management' happens to be a very friendly family who gives the place a personal, homey feel that we couldn't get anywhere else.

The paths around the cottage were a great way to get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the island which we were able to enjoy on the many hiking trails of St. John.

After some investigation based on advice from friends who had visited St. John before and from our hosts at Stonegarden Cottage, we decided not to rent a car during our visit even though we were staying in the less urban part of the island. It turned out to be a great decision for many reasons: We didn't have to brave the very windy, bumpy, steep, right-sided driving; and we saved ourselves quite a bit of cash. We got plenty of exercise going up and down Bordeoux Mountain, and found creative ways to get around the island that involved hiking through the National Park to the North and South Coast Beaches where we were always able to find someone willing to give us a ride back to Coral Bay. Pretty much anywhere we stopped, we were able to hitch a ride within a few minutes. Locals and tourists alike were incredibly friendly, and by hitching we got to know a lot about the island, and were even invited to play at a pickup frisbee game held Tuesday evenings in Coral Bay."

-- 1/10, Katie & Casey, Greenfield, MA (contact them at katiecampbellnelson@gmail.com)

"(We) had the perfect vacation. It was just what we needed. The beauty of St John is breathtaking and has changed little since we had been there so long ago. Stone Garden Cottage was our perfect little oasis. We truly felt like we were coming home each day. One of my favorite part was each morning we would sit out on our beautiful little deck overlooking Coral Bay and enjoy our coffee and breakfast. The picture on your web site and post card was what we saw every morning. So many of the people at my work commented on the beauty of our view.

Our lower level of the cottage had everything that we needed. We did feel free enough to ask you for anything e.g. recommendations of restaurants, and we were so surprised about how many wonderful restaurants Coral Bay had...We would be more than happy to recommend your cottage to anyone."

-- 3/10, Peg and Jerry, So. Hampton, PA (contact them at pegschorn@comcast.net)

"We loved Stonegarden Cottage. The privacy and grounds were awesome...The house was extremely comfortable. It was fully equipped with everything one could ask for. The first day I woke, I actually thought I was home in my own bed because the bed was so comfortable. Since I have back problems, this made me very happy. The management was wonderful and I knew if we had any problems we could count on Dorie. She was extremely pleasant...The grounds were wonderful and I would recommend your cottage to anyone I know who may visit St. John."

--5/08, Joanne from Rochester, NY

(contact her at rjneilan@rochester.rr.com)

"Just want you to know what a wonderful stay we had at Stonegarden Cottage. It is even more lovely than the photos and descriptions on the website. So many thoughtful and charming details, and such a gorgeous and private setting. Loved the breezes and the birds. Coral Bay is a delight. Dorie was most helpful and we had a great day sailing on Breath."

-- 4/08, Dodie from Pennington, NJ (contact her at dodiest@comcast.net)

"We had an absolutely wonderful time in St. John and at Stonegarden! Everyone’s first impression of the house was even better than we all expected...We loved the surroundings with the beautiful stone pathway and all of the trees, flowers and shrubs! It gave us the island feel that we were looking for and we were not disappointed... The view from the deck was absolutely amazing! We decided early in the week that we would eat most of our meals at the house because of the spectacular view and peaceful setting. We awoke in the mornings to the banana quits at the bird feeder and they entertained us for quite some time. The cottage was extremely comfortable. It was very welcoming and a great place to come back to in the evening. We enjoyed several of the beaches, did some hiking, scuba diving and snorkeling. The week went way too quickly and we all would love to return. It was wonderful!!"

-- 3/08, Becky from Grand Rapids, MI (contact her at gbknapp@sbcglobal.net)

"Stonegarden Cottage was our home away from home when we visited St. John for a relative's wedding. We can't rave about it enough! It had everything we needed and more. Beach chairs, beach towels, coolers -- anything we might need for a beach trip was there waiting for us. The accommodations were truly wonderful. Of course, the view was amazing, but all the special touches throughout the house made us feel right at home. The Muilenbergs are kind and gracious people who really go out of their way to ensure that their guests have a wonderful experience not only at their cottage but on the island as well. In our case (and I suspect many others), it left us with a craving to return. Thanks so much for a wonderful vacation!"

-- 11/07, Christy, Powder Springs, GA (contact her at christy@soundpub.com)