Reviews of Property: Wintermoon, charming apartment overlooking Hurricane Hole

Located in Coral Bay, Winter Moon is easy to find and easy to get to. We spent 13 days there and loved every single minute. The apartment is the bottom floor of a private residence and is just beautiful; large, airy, and comfortable. Everywhere you look you can see the love and care that the owners have put into making Winter Moon special. Lots of windows and fans kept the apartment very comfortable and refreshing; we never even thought of turning on the A/C. Nights were quite comfortable and we slept better than we have in years.

The view must be one of the most spectacular on St John. Whether watching a beautiful sunrise over Hurricane Hole or marveling at an incoming thunderstorm, we were always enthralled. Many mornings we would get so lost in the view and the wildlife that we would forget our plans to go to the beach and end up getting a late start. For the first time I understood villa gravity and would have been perfectly happy spending the entire day at the apartment reading, relaxing, and enjoying the scenery.

Winter Moon is located in a very quiet and private area and we always felt totally safe and secure. The owners, Roy and Peggy, are friendly and accommodating hosts with lots of great stories and information about St John. They are there when you need them but never intrusive – a real art.

We found it very nice that the driveway to the house was not an obstacle course and that there is only one step up into the apartment which is all on one floor. We are not old nor are we out of shape; still, one floor makes everything easier and safer when in strange surroundings.

This was our 6th trip to St John and we felt it was our best vacation ever. I know that Winter Moon was a big reason why the trip was so special and can recommend it without any reservations. It is also a terrific deal. I just hope that Roy and Peggy can fit us in next year once everyone finds out about this great place.

We can not recommend Wintermoon highly enough. For us, it was the perfect place to stay on St John. We like the quiet side around Coral Bay with less people, less traffic and the slower pace. Winter Moon is located on a hill overlooking Hurrican Hole and the surrounding area without another building in sight. Absolutely quiet at night (no roosters crowing like at other locations) with a comfortable bed and linens you will be assured of a great night's sleep. The rental is immaculate with everything you could possibly need for a comfortable stay. It is very spacious, having a large kitchen with island, a living room, dining area, full bath, bedroom with plenty of closet space and a small deck. As an added bonus you have use of a gas grill and 2-man kayak.
We recommend that you pick up your 4-wheel rental car in Cruz Bay when you arrive off the ferry, stock up on some groceries and rum at Star Market and take the scenic North Shore Rd out to Coral Bay. Or you can pick up supplies at the grocery store at Cocoloba in Coral Bay. We like to hit Happy Hour at either Island Blues or Aqua Bistro for a "relaxer" or two before dinner. Coral Bay has good places to eat that are all very causual. Skinny Legs, Aqua Bistro, Ship Wreck, Sweet Plantains, and Donkey Dinner are our favorites. Don't miss Miss Lucy's on Sunday for a great seaside brunch. Big Belly Deli is another option for take-out breakfast, lunch or dinner.If you like to shop while on vacation, Coral Bay might not be the place for you. Just a couple of T-shirt shops. But if you like to swim, snorkel, hike, kayak, or just lie on the beach, this is your spot.
All the beaches are wonderful in their own way. Some involve short hikes, some are right on the roadside. The snorkeling is better at some than others but all have great white sand.
Your hosts, Peggy and Roy, are extremely helpful, friendly and thoughtful. They're the best! We can't wait to go back!

I am a former St. Johnian and return for my solar recharge every winter. Wintermoon is a wonderful retreat on the quet side of the island. It is convenient to most anywhere you want to be yet islolated to commune purely with nature. The views are remarkable, day and night...gorgeous horizon islands views complemented by the stars like you have never seen them before.

This lower level apartment has all the amenities of a home and is well designed, built, clean and comfortable throughout. The hosts, Peg and Roy, are wonderful, friendly and have taken care or your every needs. There are plenty of modern amenities including internet connectivity but you would be better off neglecting them for the adventures on the island and in the sea. The kayak is a great way to get close to nature on and near the water! A short walk down the hill to Hurricane Hole and you are on your way kayaking to nature...a short drive and you have your choice of some of the best beaches in the world from the world renowned Trunk Bay to little known and wildlife rich snorkeling at Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay.

Adventurous hiking is a gerat compliment to the natural spa qualities of the sea. Trails like Brown Bay to see ruins of sugar plantations are right at Wintermoon. Also recommended are the Reef Bay trail to see the petroglyphs and hiking Rams Head for spectacular views!

The island folk are friendly and helpful and always having fun. I recommend Wintermoon to anyone wishing to escape and experience true island lifestyle. Dining at Sweet Plantain Restaurant in Coral Bay is a must!

It was so amazing that we didn't want to leave. This was our first time in St. John and we went to Wintermoon for our 1 year wedding anniversary and it was the perfect place. The view of Hurricane Hole from almost every window will take your breathe away and waking up and being able to watch the sun rise up from the ocean was awesome. The apartment is new, spacious, clean, private, and beautifully done. A true home away from home.

The owners, Peg and Roy, are excellent hosts. They were so nice and helpful in every way. We wish them all the best.

We also really enjoyed staying on the east side of the island in Coral Bay but you do want to rent a jeep to get around in. The area is really peaceful and not far from the best beaches on the north shore. Definitely take advantage of using the kayak. We went one morning around Hurricane Hole and it was really spectacular. We also recommend going to Starfish Market to get groceries or Dolphin Market is good too.

Above all we definitely recommend staying at Wintermoon over anywhere else. It is very private, serene and so beautiful. We would love to stay there again someday.

My significant other and I stayed in Wintermoon for 1 week in July 2008. First I want to say that Peggy went above and beyond, treating us like guests in her home, rather than rental tenants. She was very welcoming, but we also had all the privacy we needed.

The photos on the website do not do Wintermoon justice. It is so much more spacious in person. It was clean, nice, and had every amenity we could ask for. It was also decorated very neatly, and outfitted very thoughtfully. Use of the kayak was an extra special touch that we really enjoyed.

The location is perfect for anyone who likes the quieter side of St. John. Very private, and the views of the beautiful St. John waters were just breathtaking.

I would definitely stay here again on my next trip to St. John, and would reccomend it for any couple who really wants a quiet, beautiful, relaxing place to get away from it all.

Just back from an amazing trip to St. John where we stayed at "Wintermoon" in Coral Bay. From the moment we pulled up the driveway, we knew we had made a great choice. Located on a hillside overlooking Hurricane Hole and the Virgin Islands National Park, Wintermoon beat our expectations. Our hosts Peggy and Roy actually called us to make sure we were finding our way in our rented car, and greeted us as we pulled up. The house is literally just off the main road leading out of the sleepy town of Coral Bay, making for an easy and convenient approach to the house, which can be rare in St. John, where you often have to climb steep inclines.

The sea breeze was billowing through the open windows of each room at Wintermoon as we stepped in and we were instantly awed by the view from the balcony. The kitchen was spanking new and beautifully decorated with every amenity one could need. We used the gas stove and the BBQ (!) for breakfasts and dinners, and dined often on the lovely balcony, where we saw a small rare hawk, countless hummingbirds, and beautiful trees. We enjoyed amazing sunrises (the balcony faces east), and listened to the palms swooshing at night outside out bedroom windows. We never even had to use the air conditioning because the breeze was so nice. The bedroom was perfect and everything was immaculately clean. The bathroom was spacious and plenty of towels (including beach towels) were included.
Peggy gave us books about St. John to help us plan our amazing days, which we spent hiking, snorkeling, and exploring the island in our Jeep. We used the Kayak, which is included at Wintermoon, from which we spotted turtles and starfish as we paddled around Hurricane Hole, with not a soul in sight. Coral Bay is a more laid back side of the island with great restaurants, hikes and awesome beaches. We ate at Aqua Bistro, Shipwreck and Skinny Legs, saw turtles and a nurse shark at Maho Bay, and hiked to Brown Bay. We felt at times that we had the island to ourselves.

Roy and Peggy provided us with outstanding advice on where to go and have really poured their hearts into making Wintermoon a very special place to visit. We will not soon forget our stay there, and to top it off, we got engaged! I would highly recommend it for couples or two people who are looking to get away from it all.

My girlfriend and I spent spring break of our senior year in college at Wintermoon, and we had a truly wonderful time. The location and view are to die for, and Roy and Peggy are excellent hosts. We decided not to rent a car, and we had no trouble navigating the island via the $1 bus (which travels between Coral Bay and the main town of Cruz Bay) and a taxi a time or two. We also spent two great days hiking around Wintermoon, which has several nice hiking trails close by and a few beaches with good snorkeling. There are some fun restaurants and bars within walking distance, as well. All in all, this was wonderful getaway; we can't recommend it highly enough!