Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy.

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Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

2 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 4167.2 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available
Dryer
Washer
Barbecue grill

Explore the area

St. John, United States Virgin Islands

Great Cruz Bay
‪14 min walk‬
Cruz Bay Beach
‪7 min drive‬
Trunk Bay
‪19 min drive‬
West End (TOV-West End Seaplane Base)

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Bathroom 3

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Garden

Dining area

About this property

The villa has a swimming pool, expanded deck with Pergola, and an outside eating area you can enjoy while looking at the beautiful ocean waters of Hart Bay.

We are located on St. John’s beautiful south shore, Pura Vida (Pure Life), is a beautiful island home and private estate situated on 1.5 acres. The villa is surrounded by a profusion of native landscaping and historical Dutch ruins. Our villa's plateau location makes for lots of lovely island breezes with wonderful ocean views of Hart Bay and Chocolate Hole Bay.

Pura Vida boasts a wonderful floor plan and a downright glorious screened sitting area where you can sit and enjoy a good book or a nap. The two bedroom suites are private and tastefully appointed with all new furnishings and air conditioning for warm nights. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom with tiled showers and glass walls, which will make you feel right at home.

Great for two couples or a family of four!

An easy drive from town and top-notch beaches, Pura Vida is an excellent choice for experiencing St. John. Returning home after a long day in the sun, you can cool down in the brand new pool, or have a cocktail on the expanded deck, under the Pergola, or relax in the comfortable great room, prepare an island specialty dinner in the fully loaded kitchen, or enjoy a cool drink in the breeze while you watch the beautiful sunsets of St. John before rolling down the hill for a taste of Cruz Bay’s laid back night life.

Explore the 1.5 acres of history on this one-of-a-kind property. Imagine life in the 1700's as you explore the ruins and many fascinating aspects of this property. With a 270 degree view of water, this property is unlike any other.

Sit in the screened porch and watch hummingbirds explore the native vegetation, enjoy the community of iguanas that peacefully traverse the landscape and live in harmony at Pura Vida.

Additionally, the Chocolate Hole Community has a wonderful walking/hiking trail to Hart Bay. Just past our driveway (around the bend) there is a path on the left that will lead you through the canopy of trees to the beach. Take your coffee and stroll through the woods until you reach the beach with it's beautiful gentle breezes.

Property manager

John & Maura Kelly

Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

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Ocean view
Pool
Kitchen
Pet-friendly

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Lost key fee - $50

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

St. John

Located in St. John, this villa is on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Virgin Islands National Park and Cruz Bay Beach. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

St. John, United States Virgin Islands

What's nearby

Chocolate Hole - 4 min walk - 0.3 km
Great Cruz Bay - 14 min walk - 1.2 km
Cruz Bay Beach - 7 min drive - 3.0 km
Virgin Islands National Park - 7 min drive - 3.1 km
Trunk Bay - 19 min drive - 7.5 km

Getting around

St. Thomas (SPB-St. Thomas Seaplane Base) - 60 min drive

Restaurants

‪High Tide Bar & Seafood Grill - ‬7 min drive
‪Cruz Bay Landing - ‬7 min drive
‪Beach Bar - ‬7 min drive
‪Lovango Rum Bar - ‬7 min drive
‪The Windmill Bar - ‬9 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy. have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy.?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy. located?

Situated on the waterfront, this villa is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Chocolate Hole Beach and 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Virgin Islands National Park. Chocolate Hole and Hart Bay are also within 5 minutes.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

katheen F.

30 April 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

Clean, spacious, beautifully furnished and fabulous views. We felt like we were in paradise the whole week! Jovanna was a pleasure to deal with and was there for any of our needs. We will be back!!!

Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia W.

6 April 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our Second Visit

It was again a lovely vacation for us. The home is beautiful, and the pool is perfect. We wanted a quiet, relaxing time, and that is what we got. Even with planning ahead, we were only able to rent a car for 5 of the 11 days we were there, but since we were content being at the house, that was fine with us. For those who have children and\or like more action, you would really need a car to get to the beaches and the downtown restaurants and shopping area. For us older folks, it met our needs perfectly.

Stayed 11 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rob G.

5 April 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just what we needed!

This is our second visit to Pura Vida. Beautiful, peaceful, and comfortable. Property managers were very pleasant and responsive. As usual St John did not disappoint. Looking forward to returning next year.

Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth L.

15 March 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Pat L.

1 March 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Living in Paradise

This property is fantastic for 2, 3 or 4 people. Nicely and comfortably decorated. Unbeatable views. Great pool and deck. Well stocked and very nice kitchen. Very clean. Very comfortable beds and furniture. Great location on the island. Host and local property manager are superb. We spent 3 weeks and didn't want to leave. Would definitely come back.

Stayed 23 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brent H.

7 February 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

January Getaway

The property was very close to Cruz bay. With anything on the islands a vehicle that doesn’t sit so low to the ground is a must. Lots of speed bumps and low spots to go over. The driveway takes a little momentum to get up but other than that after one or two times you get the hang of it. The house was clean and spacious, had lots of sitting areas. Nice deck with pool. Chairs and floaties to use at the beach. The only hiccup we had with the house was the basement door to the bedroom broke and we were locked out for awhile. The property manager was very helpful when we had questions.and needed assistance.

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Vicki P.

29 January 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Villa was wonderful!

We really enjoyed our stay! It worked well for 4 adults. The 2nd bedroom is very small, but it is very private and worked for us. A few more hooks in the bathroom and/or bedroom (2nd bedroom) would have been nice. The pool and deck area are beautiful and we used the area a lot to relax after a fun day. The villa is very modern yet has an island feel. It was extremely clean, and the kitchen had everything we wanted. We loved our trip and recommend staying at John and Maura's!

Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

peter k.

27 January 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

House…..comfortable, spacious and peaceful.Location……secluded and close to everything.Exterior……pool and deck; serene, clean and amazing views. Ruins and garden…..Amazing!

Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Heather B.

8 January 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful vacation

Loved the pool, space, landscaping, and location. We watched football in the evenings and TV Dish goes in and out every 5 minutes. The second bedroom is isolated from the rest of the house so our 10year old daughter unpacked and showered in the second bedroom but slept with us.

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christina M.

2 December 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing vacation

My husband and I recently stayed at Pura Vida. We had a wonderful stay. The property is as described. We found the location convenient. The home was well equipped.

Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lukas S.

18 November 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet comfortable place to stay

One of the best vacation rentals I've ever had - very clean and well equipped for a perfect week on St John.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Phil P.

15 November 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

St John’s vacation

Wonderful week in St John. Our accommodation was prefect. Highly recommend it.

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

6/10 Okay

Janet M.

24 October 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Pur Villa St John

The home was beautiful but lacked air conditioning in the central living area. Only had air in the two bedrooms. With temperatures 88-90 degress with high humitidity, this made it impossible to enjoy the indoors at any time. Grounds wer beautiful but the bugs were unbearable. There should be bug zappers or spray for the bugs. Other than that, we love our stay but these two items made it unbearable at times.

Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

James F.

6 October 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

St John

Nice place, great view, loved the pool.

Stayed 9 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristie G.

10 August 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

JoEllen R.

31 July 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful, Clean, well located home

This house was perfectly located, Gorgeous and very well kept. Property managers were very attentive and you can tell they love this place by the way it is maintained. The island loses power very often and this house does not have a generator.

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jack V.

10 July 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Chocolate Hole

We had a wonderful stay! The place was exactly what we were looking for. Nice quiet spot, plenty of privacy, nice view, and the pool was a big plus. Would recommend to anyone.

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia W.

11 May 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beyond All Our Expectations

We’ve been coming to beautiful St. John 1 week for over 20 yrs, always staying at our Westin timeshare, which we’re aiming to sell. This year we wanted to tack on some extra time so rented 5 days at Pura Vita. We were looking mainly for an uncomplicated, quiet, clean spot at a place with a private pool. It was perfect! The home was immaculate but not pretentious, with a great kitchen and everything we needed to cook nice meals here or barbecue on the patio. We felt totally relaxed. I read books and floated in the pool. The property has an interesting history; we learned about previous owners and enjoyed imagining what life might have been like for those buried in the old graves there with that spectacular view. Being older folks, we definitely did need a vehicle to get back & forth from town. But we were so pleased and enchanted with the home that we stayed put most of the time. If, however, you want to go out often, there is plenty to see and do on St. John. Thanks to the Rockefeller family, 70% of the island is a National Park, so it’s natural beauty has been well preserved. There was very good communication with Lauren and then Tori from the management group. Tori had us follow her from the car rental place to Pura Vita and got us settled in. After that, everything went so well that we had no further reason to contact her, but she would have been right there if we’d needed her. We’ve already lined up Pura Vita for 11 nights in 2025. Can’t wait!

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rob G.

24 March 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

At the risk of having this property booked the next time we want to book it, we must say that we could not have been more pleased. Check was easy. Tori (lovely) met us at the ferry dock and escorted us to the house. The house was great for the two of us. We didn't use the bedroom downstairs, but it looked very nice. The AC in the bedroom worked well. The house was built in 1960 on one of the original plantations on St. John and the owners preserved a good portion of the ruins, complete with graves from the 1700's! The landscaping was beautiful. The highlight was the deck and the pool. What a view! Tip: Be sure you rent a Jeep as the driveway is kind of rough. Can't wait to return!

Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Angela E.

20 March 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highly recommended

We enjoyed everything with our stay. The crew was excellent to work with and answered any questions we had. The location was ideal. The house, pool and grounds were impeccably kept up.

Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Karen R.

11 January 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Everything Works

House is a great location, about 5 minutes from Cruz Bay. Property and view are lovely. House is newly renovated, spacious, comfortable and clean. Driveway is easy to navigate which is uncommon in St. John. AC, hot showers, washing machine and everything else works well. We stayed a week, rented a car and explored the National Park every day. The park is truly spectacular! One suggestion for owner: shades on the kitchen side of the house would keep the sun out and make the main room cooler. The screened porch is lovely and the only cool spot in the house other than the bedrooms which have AC.

Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brian R.

1 January 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pura Vida - Great Place in Chocolate Hole

Pura Vida was a great place in a great location. Very clean and updated with new appliances recently. It was great for our group of two couples. A very nice pool to relax in. Everything you need for a relaxing getaway. Tori was very responsive with any questions we had as we arrived late in the evening and did not want to tie her up with meeting us at the ferry dock during the holidays.

Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bob M.

23 December 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful property

Our stay at Pura Vida was lovely. The property and house are beautiful, and the views are stunning. Our kids loved having access to a pool and the house had everything we needed to eat in when we wanted to. We hope to come back soon!

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Timothy M.

21 September 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful View

My Wife and I throughly enjoyed our stay. The location was close to downtown shopping and restaurants. We visited several beaches with ease and loved returning to the pool at the home to cool off. Highly recommend the home and host.

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kate S.

18 July 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gorgeous Property

Beautiful and unique property. Excellent location - close to Cruz Bay but still far enough away to feel private and away from the busyness of town. Wonderful views, wildlife and grounds surrounding the house. House itself is very nice as well. If staying with children though, it should be pointed out the 2nd bedroom has an entrance from the outside only, so this may not work for families with younger kids. We decided to each pick a room and then one of our children stayed downstairs with a parent and the other upstairs with the other of us so a parent was with each child. Not an issue for us, really but something to know before booking. I would recommend this property, enjoyed our time there and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to wake up and wind down after the day to the stunning views.

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by John & Maura Kelly

After finding St. John several years ago on an anniversary trip - and falling in love immediately - we were thrilled to purchase this wonderful and historic home in Chocolate Hole. Our villa is set on an extremely unique piece of property, with tremendous privacy, yet fantastic ocean views as well.

We live in Myrtle Beach, SC and have 8 children together - all 8 are now in college or beyond. We travel to St. John as frequently as we can as this is our favorite place in the world!

We love our Island home and we know you will love it also. We are particularly excited to have built a pool on our property - a dream we've had since purchasing it in 2013.

John & Maura Kelly

Why they chose this property

We chose this property because it is extremely unique for St. John. While all properties are beautiful on this island, this house caught our attention immediately as we drove up the long driveway, past the historic ruins to the expansive yard and surroundings. It is truly a private sanctuary in which to enjoy the island and all it has to offer. Additionally, the location is absolutely ideal for getting to Cruz Bay and the North Shore beaches.

What makes this property unique

The open floor plan is ideal for a gathering or simply relaxing and viewing the ocean. Enjoy the walking trail to Hart Bay. The screened sitting area is ideal for a late afternoon cocktail, for sitting and enjoying a book, or for taking a nice nap while enjoying glorious breezes and viewing the lovely landscaping. It's a very quick trip to Cruz Bay - great for an evening of dinner or activity. The house is equipped with everything you will need for a wonderful vacation - beach chairs, coolers, snorkel equipment, and a fully stocked kitchen in which you can prepare any meal of your choosing.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

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Private Pool overlooking ocean, large deck on Estate Property. Great Privacy.

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Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Spaces

About this property