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All reviews catherine perry homemade granola coral bay skinny legs every morning watching the birds magical island full kitchen private pool ram's head an adventure french press coffee octopus an amazing cook cottage porch privacy
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Reviewed 5 September 2012

This was our fourth visit to Coral Bay and our third visit at A House of Open Arms. My husband and myself hope to be fortunate to stay with Catherine {Innkeeper} three times a year. This is truly a gem in Paradise!
This is my third review for A House of Open Arms, so I would encourage you to also read my previous reviews, as I will not repeat the very positive aspects of our first two stays.
We have stayed in the Villa all three times, but had an opportunity this visit to check out the cottage. We found it to be also very beautiful, private, and romantic. We hope to stay in the cottage once a year and the Villa twice a year.
This year differed greatly from our first three stays in Coral Bay. We got to share the island with Tropical Storm Isaac!
Catherine went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable, while other villa owners were requiring their tennants to evacuate their villas. A House of Open Arms also has Solar Energy. When we lost power on the Island, we only lost the use of the Air Conditioner, Stove, and the Microwave. We were still able to use the fans, lights, stovetop, toilet, showers, etc. I was SO glad that I was staying with Catherine at A House of Open Arms and not rushed into getting to the ferry before it closed to reach St. Thomas and have to search for a hotel, which many visitors on the island were forced to do.
Everytime I review this propery, I am so afraid that I will not be able to reserve the dates that I want, however, if I had not read others favorable reviews on this site, I would not have found my most favorite place in the world. Thank you Catherine once again. See you Soon!

Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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4  Thank Trina-David-2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 27 April 2012

My husband and myself returned from our second stay at A House of Open Arms. I am a little hesitant in reviewing the House of Open Arms again, because it is not available for our next visit. When we returned to our Villa this March, I truly had tears of joy in my eyes when we arrived. If you are looking for an extremely romantic vacation, this Villa is for you.
Pros- the view is absolutely amazing
very private
extemely clean
your own pool
a fabulous hostess, Catherine is there if you need her. She was so helpful our first year, we did not know a lot about the island and Catherine was so helpful, with directions and recommendations. Because of her helpfulness, we feel like we know the island well now. She will also prepare a welcome dinner for you that is absolutely fabulous!!!!
the kitchen is very well appointed, Catherine will provide you in addition to your welcome dinner, coffee, milk, juice and her delicious homeade granola.
Cons-You need to make your reservations very early.
My husband and myself are very travel Savy. The House of Open Arms has now set very high standards for us when searching for the perfect vacation home.
Please read my review from last year also and have a wonderful vacation in our very favorite place!!!

Date of stay: March 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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5  Thank Trina-David-2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 28 March 2012

Our five night stay made us wish we could have found a way to stay longer.

We chose the small cottage on the hill on the basis of Trip Advisor ratings, since we wanted something private for our vacation and honeymoon. The cottage is perfect for two people who want to rest and relax, away from the stores, restaurants, and tourists at Cruz Bay. We spent most of our time sitting in the chairs on the balcony, gazing out at the ocean and ships. The innkeeper, Catherine, provides you with sugar to feed the bananaquits--tiny finch-like birds who flock to the feeder. We never rain the air conditioning, preferring the tradewinds and the sound of the surf about a half mile or so below the hillside.

A couple of caveats to our otherwise glowing review of this site:

1. If you want to go out a lot, whether to the grocery store, a restaurant for dinner, or to the beach, this is not the place for you. Although there is a small mini-mart in Coral Bay that stocks an incredible array of products, the drive down takes awhile and is not for the timid, even in a four wheel drive Jeep. Be prepared to go shopping on your first day and to make the food last. Catherine met us at the ferry landing and drove us to pick up the Jeep, and then we followed her to a local grocery store (with a liquor store across the courtyard) to pick up supplies.

2. At the cottage, cooking is limited. There is a mini-refrigerator in a closet, and a microwave-convection oven on a stand, along with a variety of other small appliances (toaster, blender, percolator, tea kettle) and some basic food items (mustard, salt and pepper, oil and vinegar, coffee). Catherine supplies you with a large jar of her home made granola (excellent), milk, a bottle of wine, tea bags, sugar and creamer). But space is VERY limited and you will need to be comfortable using the barbeque and the sink outdoors. We managed to make breakfasts of cereal, juice, yogurt, and toast, but I would not have attempted making a dish that required cooking on anything more than a hot pad. If this doesn't sound like you, consider renting the villa, which has a full kitchen.

3. Yes, you REALLY need to rent a 4 wheel drive Jeep. The roads around the island tend to involve narrow windy stretches, including some hairpin turns that will make you pause for breath. We are used to this type of driving, but if you are used to freeways and high speeds, be aware that the speed limit is usually 20 mph and you usually go slower than that. The real thrill was following Catherine on the dirt road up to the cottage. It had more than just potholes and ruts--in some places it went sharply uphill and the driver had to dodge big rocks, wild donkeys, and no lighting. I would avoid going out or coming back after dark. Plan on spending at least $80 a day for a basic Jeep that probably has seen better days.

4. Bring less clothes and supplies. We loved being able to walk around in shorts and bare feet, and the outdoor shower made us wish we had one of our own. The cottage is sited in such a way that no one sees what you are (or not) wearing. One day we never got out of our skimpies, lanquishing in the previously mentioned chairs on the balcony to read and relax. Catherine provides almost everything you need: shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, towels, soap, dish detergent and sponges for the outdoor sink and dish drainer, a Bose stereo with lots of CDs, books, candles, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, dishes, pots and pans, utensils, wine opener, ironing board and iron (seriously--now who is planning to iron??), a Swiffer to tidy up from sand, and other items too numerous to mention. Forget a big suitcase and save money on the baggage fees.

5. Stairs. Steep landings. After recent knee surgery, I was concerned I might not make my way up and down, and I was right. Only a last minute steroid injection saved me. You park your Jeep at the top of the hill, and make your way down a VERY steep driveway on food, watching out for stray rocks and pebbles that would hasten your journey down. There are rock steps and new TREX steps, but it is steep. Catherine helps you with luggage, but be nice and bring only a small bag, not that behemoth you often cart around with you.

We wished, in retrospect, that we had booked the villa instead of the cottage, so that we could have taken advantage of the small pool (can only be used by the villa guests, not those staying at the cottage) and the larger space for cooking and eating. Be prepared to book far in advance--many guests are repeat visitors who book lengthy stays. We booked about 6 months out.

Lastly, bring lots of cash with you. Although Catherine takes your initial deposit and final payment by check, many restaurants and taxi tours are cash only. Prices on gasoline were $4.85 a gallon in mid-March; groceries are about double what you would pay on the mainland.

Room tip: Book the villa if you want to cook or need more room than a standard hotel room
Date of stay: March 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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9  Thank Jacqueline V
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 26 January 2012

We stayed at the cottage for one week for our honeymoon and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Catherine was the perfect host. She was very accommodating and we can't say enough good things about her. The cottage had everything we needed with lots of personal touches. There was a.c., but we chose to sleep to the sound of the waves hitting the beach instead. You can sit up in bed and see the sun rising over the Caribbean Sea. We hope to return to the island in a few years and would not even consider staying anywhere else.

Tips: You definitely will want to rent a 4wd jeep on St. John. Bring some cash or plan on using an ATM - many places don't take credit and VISA charges a 2% fee for using it. The taxi, ferry, and Donkey Diner are cash only. Use strong sunscreen if you're in the sun! The second day we noticed many itchy red bumps on our bodies. There are noseeums that you don't even feel biting you and the bites show up hours to days later. Wear bug spray when you go out, it's worse once the sun goes down. Bring some itch cream with you, it's expensive on the island. The bugs were not bad at all at the cottage and Catherine has provided many deterrents. Paying $55/person for the sunset sail on the schooner Heron at Maho Bay Campground was well worth it (they are only there for part of the winter). If you don't have a good underwater camera and will be snorkeling, you should buy an underwater disposable before you leave (expensive to buy on the island). You can rent snorkel gear for $40/wk at Maho Bay Campground.

P.S. - We loved the outdoor shower!

Date of stay: January 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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3  Thank Stephen5280
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 January 2012

Our first visit to St John was perfect thanks to the weather, fantastic snorkeling and the House of Open Arms. Catherine was a fantastic host--so helpful when asked about restaurants and activities. As her website promises, she is available to the extent that you would like her to be. It truly felt like our home for (nearly) a week. We stayed at the villa and friends stayed at the cottage. The view was spectacular at both. The evening breezes kept the bugs at bay and meant a very comfortable night's sleep. The highlight of the day was watching the sun rise, feeding the bananaquits and relaxing. Perfect start to every day. The "welcome dinner" was delicious and Catherine provided use with coffee, granola and sugar for the birds. We found that this time of year, the pool was a bit cool once the sun went down, but perfect at about 9am, when the sun starts to get intense. We did not get to enjoy the cottage, but our friends seemed very happy down there. It was very private, had a very cool outdoor shower and spectacular view from their patio. I would feel lucky to stay in either the villa or cottage next time we visit. (There will be a next time!) i highly recommend The House of Open Arms.

Date of stay: January 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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4  Thank jenll
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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