La Chatiere - Best price for private house, private pool in gated community

We have often used vrbo to find accommodations for our vacations, and I have spent a lot of time reading reviews before we commit, but this is the first time I have felt compelled to submit a comment. Why? La Chatiere was an absolutely perfect spot for us and our two adult children during the recent holiday (12/24 - 12/31), with Barry and Whit as outstanding hosts. What can I say that others haven't already written about? Not much. All I can do, really, is to echo the rave reviews. First, the villa is beautifully decorated, completely stocked with EVERYTHING you could possibly need (for excursions away - beach chairs, coolers, good snorkel equipment, beach towels; for cooking in - you name it - including a BBQ grill, endless cook/barware, and an assortment of spices), and immaculate. Did I say absolutely, completely clean and stunningly appointed? The care and attention to detail everywhere including the pool area and surrounding gardens are impressive, and reflect the commitment Barry and Whit have made to provide a wonderful vacation experience. We really appreciated their attentiveness before, during and after our trip (sending a packet of tourist information; arranging for a rental car; tracking our flights and meeting us as the airport; making themselves available to answer questions, offer suggestions, and give directions): Barry and Whit are warm, friendly, and funny, and really made us feel welcome. The central location of the villa provides easy access to everything St. Croix has to offer, including beautiful beaches (don't miss Sandy Point), hiking (Isaac's Beach and the Anally Tide Pools are amazing), and great snorkeling (a visit to Buck Island is a must - we used Captain Heinz). Access to the towns (Fredrickstad and Christianstad) , grocery stores, and restaurants galore is a breeze. We especially liked the menus at Rowdy Joe's, Angry Nate's, and Salud, but there are plenty of fantastic options. Our obsession with packing in as much beach time as humanly possible prevented us from enjoying some of St. Croix's many attractions. In fact, our one regret is that we didn't allocate enough time for just hanging around the beautiful villa - we WILL be back! Believe me when I say that the pictures don't do the villa justice, and that the hospitality of Barry and Whit cannot be understated. You will be more than delighted if you opt for a peaceful, amazing, perfect stay at La Chatiere.

The Villa was perfect and I am planning on possibly making this a yearly retreat. Barry and Whit make you feel right at home first by meeting you at the airport and then providing their guests with most anything you could need to make your stay comfortable. The photos only touch upon the care which has gone into making this truly a special place to relax. The view is fantastic with a gentle breeze and beautiful sunsets, rainbows and the moon over the ocean. The pool area has complete privacy with its tropical garden foliage and still allowing you an ocean view, you couldn't ask for anything more for a romantic stay.. There are many things to do on the island such as the Botanical Gardens, Whim Estate, Beaches, Domino's Club in the rainforest where you actually give pigs non-alcoholic beer (surprising fun) and enjoy homecooked roti, Boardwalk in Christenstead (Boat Festival, shops , eating places galore), sunset sailboat trips especially the Roseway (november thru April), Cruzan rum distillary, beautiful coastline scenery. A couple of our favorite restaurants were Blue Terrace Restaurant and Rowdy's Joes. If you are an animal lover you will be delighted by the welcoming of all the cats and you will not have to leave the porch to see the anoles (friendly little lizards), frogs , hummingbirds and various other birds. I would recommend this spot as the perfect stress reliever.

We are already looking forward to next year. For those looking: Here is a place, on a hillside with fantastic views, decorated superbly and neat as a pin. Barry and Whit across the drive are the greatest hosts. Privacy, sure, but they were there if we needed to ask 'where-is' or 'how-do'. The neighborhood is in a large gated community of very nice to totally elegant homes. We had no concerns with leaving the doors open, somewhat rare today. The island has just about everything for fun day trips. A nice town minus the throngs of cruise ship visitors, laid back places to eat, good grocery stores if you decide to cook, no superhighways and getting used to driving on the left was no problem. Next year we will try some sailing, but not quite ready for diving although St Croix represents some of the best there is. This find is just too good to keep a secret, but we want to make sure there will be room for us!