Our family of five had a memorable 10 day stay over Christmas and New Years. Helen's island home has spectacular views of Hull Bay and the Inner and Outer Brass Islands from the north facing covered deck as well as the kitchen, large living room, and north facing bedroom! We enjoyed coffee on the deck in the mornings before heading out for adventures and drinks in the evenings. We also enjoyed dining on the deck and just relaxing and taking in the incredible views. The back of the home has a large, private, shaded patio that is surrounded by gorgeous native vegetation, palm trees, and flowering plants. There is a nice pool and deck area off of the patio. Our three children loved the pool! We enjoyed the fresh passion fruits that ripened daily and watching the bananas grow. The grounds around the home are truly beautiful and well maintained. The friendly neighborhood goats and chickens kept us entertained as well as the dog and cat that belong to the neighbors who live in the lower level of the home.
As with most areas on St Thomas, a 4WD jeep is necessary to access this house. It is located on the north side of the island in a residential area on a bumpy, steep, dirt/gravel road with a flat, paved area at the house for parking. Some of the neighboring homes are pretty rough/run-down looking. This concerned us initially, but Helen assured us it was very safe and we had no issues. It was very quiet and peaceful our entire stay. Two of the closest beaches are Brewer's Bay (12 minute drive) and Magen's Bay (18 minute drive). We enjoyed both very much! Red Hook/Sapphire Beach area is a 25-30 minute drive. The road to access the house is right next to Puma gas station. Restaurant 13 and Nidal Mini Mart are very close by. Helen met us at the airport so we could follow her to the house. Addresses are confusing in St Thomas. I do not think there's any way we would have found the house on our own.
Helen was a thoughtful host throughout our stay and regularly touched base to see if there was anything we needed. She put out some Christmas decorations and fresh poinsettias for us to enjoy over the holidays, offered to pick up groceries for us before we arrived, and provided beach chairs and a cooler. The house was well stocked with new bath and beach towels, paper products, and cleaning supplies. Overall, we had a comfortable, relaxing, memorable stay!