There's one on Caribbeandays.com called Hawksnest Villa which might be the one you are thinking of.

We are part owners of Hawksnest Villa and it does, indeed, look down on Hawksnest Bay, about 2/3 of the way of the hillside with 6 arches across the front. It can be rented through Kathy or Dennis DeMar at Vacation Homes (314) 776-6094. (4 bedrooms, 5 baths)

The very large, gated home at the top of that hillside is called HawksView and it also is rentable. You can google "HawksView" to get rental info.

Have fun on St John. It's a treat wherever you stay!

Sorry, the phone number has area code (340) not (314)

Thanks for the information Carol. Hawksview Estate is the villa we saw and I found it on the Internet. I'm afraid we need more than the 4 bedrooms at Hawksnest Villa, we usually have 10 - 12 people when we come to St John. I'm looking for 5 - 6 bedrooms. Not sure if we can use the 7 rooms that Hawksview Estate has but at least now I know the property information.

Thanks again,
Destini

Carol,

We are considering Hawksnest Villa for a week in December. Talked with Beach Nut Vacations (Marilyn Brunet). She tells us Catered To is the management company. Are both of these companies ok? Can't find much on the net about the villa. Seems pretty basic which is exactly what we want. No a/c or cable/satelite just fine. Does it have a DVD player? We have four teenagers that will really enjoy Hawksnest Bay, Jumby's, etc. Is it a really hard climb back and forth to the beaches? What else can you tell us about the property? Any info would be appreciated.

Buzz

There is a new villa just slightly above Francis Bay called, of course, Francis bay Estate. The photos were recently published and the only place I've seen it is on www.stjohnrentavilla.com It has 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths. And is walking distance to one of the best of St John's beaches. The fact that the house is a beauty doesn't hurt! Doesn't have the view the houses higher up have, but has the advantage of a great beach access location.

Another new villa, though on the southshore and a shade less luxury in the inside,is Villa Paulette. I believe it is available from several sources including Great Caribbean Getaways Inc. It is a big 6 bed/6 bath house and, like Francis Bay Estate, just starting renting this year, but at a lower price.

The same agency rents a property called Lands End at the very far tip of the East End of St John. It is a fairly modest property by the current standards of luxury, but it does have 5-6 bedrooms, lots of deck space, a little pool and a view that's wonderful. And you'd have easy access to all the eastend beaches.

Buzz--The management company Vacation Homes is in the process of merging into Catered To (1-800-424-6641 or cateredto.com), so you can rent through either of those or through BeachNut if you prefer (some companies add a fee onto the basic fee if you rent through them rather than the one that manages the house).

RE: the walk to the beaches: at first it may look steep, but we have found that after the first day, all our guests crave the exercise of walking down & up the driveway to the beaches. Lots take early morning jogs and many even like walking to and/or from town (about 3 miles one way) as a way to work off the good eating there. Of course, you can always drive to the beach and park if you're carrying beach chairs, snorkel equipment, picnic cooler, etc. or if feeling mellowed out!

The house does have a CD player as well as tapes for music, but we find we seldom turn on the TV or VCR as we're enjoying the views, naps, and reading too much to watch anything.

The house itself is "wide open" with mesmerizing views from every room of Hawksnest Bay beaches, boats on the ocean, rainbows, and St. Thomas in the background. We have seen rays, turtles, and tarpin swimming in the reef below us (where there is terrific snorkeling). Sometimes the wildlife (hummingbirds, etc) come in to join us. There are four identical screened bedrooms with large ceiling fans (we have never needed air conditioning because of the breezes on the hillside and the hypnotic sound of the waves below), king-size beds (one can be made into 2 twins if needed), each bedroom has its own bath and shower, a full, open kitchen, outdoor patio with grill and table. The great room has seating for everyone, a dining area, and is like living on a deck with a roof for shade. There is a very large hot-tub (enough for 10 or 12 people) on the deck where we like to toast the sunsets with margueritas before dinner. Hope this helps. Have fun! --Carol