St. John is unique in the Caribbean, and Hawksnest Cottage is unique on St. John. Perched above Hawksnest Bay, with unbelievable views, the Cottage is minutes from spectacular beaches yet also close to the sweet town of Cruz Bay. The house has been lovingly and completely renovated following the devastation of Hurricane Irma. Hawksnest gives guests the experience of living in simple elegance, surrounded by the sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful parks in the world. The space Hawksnest Cottage is on two floors: the living room and kitchen, dining porch, master suite (with King bed, dressing area and al fresco stone shower) with a spectacular view deck, and bridge to the pool on the first level. On the lower level, accessed by an outside stair closest to the dining room entrance: a second suite, also with a King bed, full bath and equally stunning view. The bedroom suites have air conditioning if needed. The rest of the house is not air conditioned. Ceiling fans are throughout the house. As you wake in the morning, enjoy the intimacy with the sights and sounds of nature from the house, or take your coffee to the pool deck or on a 15 minute trail walk to remote Denis Bay. Choose a different North Shore beach every day, or hop on an open air taxi to take you to the starting points for wonderful National Park hikes. Enjoy spectacular sunsets from the living room, view deck, or infinity pool. For dinner, try the restaurants of Cruz Bay (10 minute drive) or Coral Bay, or serve up fresh fish and Josephine's greens on the screened dining porch. Cap the day with a dip in the infinity pool, under stars dimmed only by moonlight or the sparkling lights of St. Thomas. Hawksnest Cottage has a history that reflects the beauty and resilience that are St. John. Built by hand, she sheltered her original owners and their guests for 25 years. A year of renovation by current owners gave old guests and new a sweet nine months until the fall of 2017, when Hawksnest lost her roof to Hurricane Irma. Ten days later, Hurricane Maria added two feet of water into the open house. With patience and care, Hawksnest Cottage has been restored again, this time with steel bones, a mountain coral floor, and an infinity plunge pool and sundeck inspired by nearby Mampoo House. It was a labor of love and stewardship, and we were able to again begin welcome guests starting in December, 2019. Hawksnest Cottage meets the rigorous standards of St. John's Island Green Living Association for low impact design and use of sustainable materials. We have used sustainably harvested tropical hardwoods wherever possible; we recycle our gray water for plant use, and we have a full array of new solar panels on the roof. We hope our guests will both appreciate this and live within this spirit of conservation during their stay. The beauty of Hawksnest Cottage and its location makes it tempting to stay put. But there is so much to explore! The National Park/North Shore road is a 7-minute walk/2 minute drive up the cottage driveway and along a hillside dirt road. Taxi-vans run along the Park road during the day; it's a quick ride to many of the North Shore beaches and just 10 minutes to Cruz Bay, with its galleries, shops and restaurants. In the other direction, the rest of the spectacular North Shore unfolds. Most guests choose to rent a car--usually a jeep--to be able to more easily explore the island, and carry cooler and other beach equipment; if so, you should reserve a small SUV or jeep on St. John. Our short driveway is steep, but wide enough to turn around with some backs and forths. Guest access Guests have full access to the house and grounds. Though their houses cannot be seen from the cottage, we do have two nearby neighbors, and their quiet enjoyment of their homes is important to us. Hawksnest is a peaceful spot; we ask that guests planning on creating a party atmosphere not book the cottage. We ask that our guests review and sign a Rental Agreement which includes this "quiet enjoyment" stipulation. Other things to note Most of our guests come via VRBO, so we are happy to share reviews from them--consistently 5 stars. Here are a few from recent years. From July 2025 "Paradise Everything was amazing. If the best is a 5 star this place would be a 10. Thank you for allowing us to share it! " From May 2025 "Pack nothing but your swimsuit! This place has it all! Lucky you if you get to stay at this glorious home overlooking Hawksnest Bay, it’s a stunning house and the owners and hosts have taken every step to ensure you have an amazing stay!There is almost everything you can think of for a great vacation waiting for you at the cottage, towels, yoga mats, snorkeling gear, beach chairs and toys. Coffee and olive oil and a good selection of spices (you might want to grocery shop after you take inventory), all right here. All you have to do is kick back and enjoy!! " From May 2024 "Privacy Perfection! This was a special trip for us as we were celebrating my retirement from a 38 yr career as an ICU nurse. I almost cried while Joey was showing us around this spectacular home. While we didn't need her, Joey was available and awesome. We have stayed in some fabulous places but this place takes top prize. I am particular about clean and this place was spotless from window sills to corners. The sunset view from the plunge pool was spectacular and we loved the screened in porch where we had daily breakfast. The best beaches in our opinion were Denis and Gibney/Oppenheimer. Both were within walking distance from the house. We are grateful the owners share this home with others through VRBO. We can’t wait to return when I let my husband retire :) in 2026." "Hawksnest Heaven! I honestly can't think of a single negative thing to say - From start to finish this place is absolute perfection! The pictures really don't do it justice, plus the hosts/property managers are extremely kind and attentive. The house is virtually spotless and stocked with just about everything you could need. In fact, we canceled all of our dinner reservations just to spend more soaking in all of the views! It truly was an amazing honeymoon, and we can easily say the house was the best part :)" From December 2023 "Incredible stay at Hawksnest Spent Thanksgiving week in Hawksnest Cottage and it was incredible. The cottage is stunning, beautifully designed and equipped for everything. The views, the sunsets, the only sounds you hear are the waves crashing and the varied sounds of all the wildlife. We had great communication with the owners, and the property manager Jen was great, she knows her stuff and will make sure your time is well spent. What an amazing property and I am grateful I was able to experience it, St John and Hawksnest Cottage are a great way to detox from life for a bit. Highly recommend!!" From May 2023 "St John Splendor A perfect stay in every way! My husband and I are retired “active-agers”. In choosing a VRBO, we look for comfort, space and beautiful surroundings and activities in the area. We loved Jumbie Beach the best…so close 10 min easy walk! The ease of driving to Cruz Bay for shopping/excursions…another plus. Jen met us after we did our grocery shopping and led the way and gave a tour. Everything was immaculate and so tastefully done… even some welcome goodies!! Prior to our arrival, the owner was in touch with us and answered any questions…we could not have had a better experience!" From April 2023 "Exceptional property in an amazing location This was such a unique vacation and everything about the stay was memorable. Without a doubt the wall to wall views and the immersion into the natural beauty of the national park was the highlight as well as close access to Gibney beach right below. Thanks to Jen for all her help both pre and post arrival as well as Polly for sharing such a special property." From December 2022 "So amazing!!! Views are incredible and minutes to spectacular beaches. We love the house. Best location between beaches and town. Total privacy where can’t see any other houses from the property. Stayed here last year and will be back next year. Already looking forward to coming back. Not an overstatement to say felt like we were in paradise." From November 2022 "Paradise in paradise One of the most beautiful and private settings with stunning views of Hawksnest Beach and Red Hook beyond. Location could not be better with the most spectacular beaches only minutes away. The home is so comfortable and relaxing we will definitely plan on making this a regular vacation stop!!!" From March 2022 "AMAZING!! We spent two glorious weeks at Hawksnest Cottage and it was spectacular! The house was simply amazing and the views were second to none. We had everything we needed as the house was fully equipped. Jen Doran, the property manager was great! She met us at the boat, helped us to get our Jeep rental, and took us to the house. There was fruit, drinks and crackers for us to enjoy and she showed us around and gave us some great ideas of things to do, where to buy groceries and restaurants to dine. My favorite part of the house was lying in bed in the evening viewing St. Thomas lit up at night, and waking up and see beautiful Hawksnest Beach through the open bedroom doors leading out to the screened in porch. My second favorite part was the outdoor shower encased in beautiful stone with a view of Hawksnest Beach. My third favorite part was everything else! The outdoor pool and deck, beautiful landscaping, outdoor cooking area, the beautiful wood inside the house, and screened in dining room. This house, on the beautiful north side of the island with the most amazing beaches, was second to none and one of the most lovely places we have stayed for vacation. We will be coming back!" From August 2021 "Spectacular Getaway This property is AMAZING! The views are absolutely incredible, straight out of a brochure! The house and the grounds were just gorgeous. We had everything we needed and more. We spent our mornings on the porch eating breakfast/drinking coffee looking over Hawksnest Bay, our late afternoons cooling off in the pool after a day of snorkeling and our evenings gazing at the incredible nighttime sky. The location couldn’t have been better. We were close to town, yet felt so far away. It was like our own little private resort. Jen, the property manager, was extremely helpful from the time of booking, to meeting us on our arrival, to helping us throughout our stay. We truly loved everything about this property and hope that we can come back soon!" From July 2021 "Forever returning! This property is even more gorgeous than the pictures and the location is one of a kind. The floor plan and new screens and pool are perfect for relaxing and enjoying the private view in the park! The house manager, Jen, is FABULOUS and she made sure we were covered on everything- food, transportation, etc. The property owner is just as attentive and the house is well equipped with everything we needed for our stay. We will be returning here again and again. Spectacular views every evening!" From April 2021: "Incredible views, private, amazing. Stayed for a week with wife and 2 teenage sons. Fabulous panoramic views. Excellent location close to town and all the beaches. Spacious and private. Pool was wonderful to come back to after a long hot sunny day. Kitchen well appointed. Everything immaculately maintained. Will definitely do this again." From December, 2020: "I'll be back!!! Beautiful home, great location. We visited 10+ north shore beaches. Can't beat the views from the house. Pool provided a refreshing dip after a day of exploring the island. The open, screened in balcony and dining area are lovely. We never even used the AC. Natural air flow and ceiling fans were enough. We thoroughly enjoyed the welcoming tray of fruit, snacks, rum in addition to the cold drinks in the fridge. Nice touch. Jennifer, the property manager, is awesome! Very helpful and responsive during the entire stay. We'll be back!" From December, 2020: "An amazing escape for the debacle 2020 has been! The property, the owner and the manager, Jennifer, made this a perfect trip. The house is perfectly equipped and the setting/location cannot be beat! Walking down a path the one of the most special beaches on the North Shore is a highlight that you cannot appreciate till you do it! Jennifer, the house manager, may be one of the most gracious and helpful people we have been in contact with on the island. She knows everyone and is so happy to help with even mundane requests. Hawksnest cottage is a special place owned and managed by special people." From November, 2020: "Fantastic cottage above Gibney Beach We absolutely loved the stay - the house is perfectly set up, with attention to every detail and all you need for a relaxing beach vacation. Impeccably clean. Luxurious and low-key at the same time: exactly the way we love it. Secluded but within short drive to Cruz Bay town. The property manager is wonderful, proactive, and very knowledgable." From July, 2020: "Fantastic stay! Highly recommend! Our family of four (two teenage girls), just spent a week in this beautiful rental overlooking Hawknest Bay and super close to world famous Trunk Bay! The view was absolutely breathtaking and the house was perfect! This house has everything you could possibly ask for and more! It’s right in the National Park, so close proximity to all the amazing beaches that St. John has to offer! The property manager Jen was amazing and answered all our questions extremely timely! Highly recommend! We will be back!" From January, 2020: "A truly amazing experience. My wife and I celebrated our marriage on St. John and we couldn’t have been more happy with our stay at Hawks Nest! The property is immaculate, the home is very well appointed, and the location can’t be beat. We were there for seven days and managed to go to a different beach each day, snorkel with turtles, enjoy many of the great restaurants in town, and do some amazing hiking around the island. Jen, who was our host for the week, was exceptionally accommodating and gave really good insight on navigating the island as well as got us a great deal on a Jeep rental with Denzel Kline. I could not recommend this property enough! Memories for a lifetime!" "Magical. We have been going to St John for almost 25 years and have stayed in many villas but this one has the best views we have ever had. Just a wonderful place." From Dec. 2019: "We highly recommend Hawks Nest Cottage for one or two couples who want to have a comfortable, relaxing holiday on St. John. We were there for a week in December 2019 and thoroughly enjoyed the open air nature of the cottage...basically like a large screened-in porch with all the amenities: a well-equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, smart TV, Bluetooth sound system, WiFi...The two bedrooms have a/c, but we never needed it in the upstairs bedroom thanks to the sea breezes and ceiling fans. The plunge pool was refreshing and sunny each afternoon. And the view! Three beautiful, very different beaches were a shortish hike (or really short drive) away: Gibney/Oppenheimer, Denis Bay, and Jumbee. The shops and restaurants in Cruz Bay are a 10 minute drive. The on-island manager, Jen, was very responsive when contacted and clearly wanted to be sure our stay was wonderful. We have stayed on St. John once or twice a year for 16 years and we like to rent different villas in different areas each time. Hawks Nest Cottage was so special that we already want to return!" Here is one pre-Irma. Note that we have added Air Conditioning to the suites in our post-hurricane renovations, as well as an infinity pool! "Unforgettable view!! The Hawksnest is a truly unforgettable experience. As you turn off the North Shore Road into the driveway, you immediately feel like you are on your way to an exclusive retreat. Sure enough, when you pull into the driveway, you see your upscale cabin situated in a convenient, yet private area of Virgin Islands National Park, complete with one of the best views you will ever see. The recent renovations Polly undertook are nothing short of amazing. Everything from the chef's kitchen, to the beautiful stonework around entry way and outdoor shower, to the hotel quality bed screams first class. And. That. View. While the pictures are spectacular, even they don't do the view justice. My wife and I just couldn't get over it." "Awesome!!!! We've stayed in many places on St John. This is the best!!" "Ideal location, perfect cottage. A very special place! Beautiful views, the sound of the surf, lovely spaces inside and out. Perfect for nature lovers ! We will be back."