Avis House of Open Arms Cottage: AC, White Water Views,Romantic, Private,!

We were in awe when we arrived. Even at night, we couldn’t believe how beautiful our surroundings were and could not wait to see it all in the morning. Once we settled in, Catherine brought us the perfect meal after a long day of travel. We enjoyed breakfast and dinners on the Villa patio with my parents who stayed in the separate property above the cottage, which also has a pool and a full kitchen. Both properties were peaceful and enjoyable places to drink coffee in the morning and relax after a day of exploring the island. It was also nice having Catherine available to chat with and offer suggestions for places to visit. Her snorkeling suggestion ended up being our favorite spot. The details like the sugar to feed the birds and the outdoor shower make this a special and memorable place!

The privacy and views from the cottage are unbeatable. The cottage was well maintained and quality throughout. So many nice little touches such as the artwork in the sconces and shower tiles as well as everything to make our stay better: cooler, beach chairs, beach towels, sunscreen, plastic baggies. We enjoyed our stay immensely thanks in large part to the House of Open Arms cottage. I will warn everyone that there are a lot of steps leading down to the cottage so this is not a good place for anyone who is not fit. Also, the driveway to the cottage is steep and full of potholes so this is not the place for timid drivers.

Had a wonderful stay. Catherine met us at the jeep rental and lead the way to her place. Then made us a wonderful meal after a long day of travel. She had everything at the cottage that you could possibly need and gave great recommendations for snorkeling the bays. We enjoyed having meals on the patio and watching the birds and little lizards, less than 3” long, all around us. We had air conditioning to cool us off at night but otherwise enjoyed the breeze coming off the ocean. The views and privacy is spectacular.

I can't say enough about our great host-Catherine. She made our stay special. We especially loved our balcony overlooking Coral Bay. The cottage was clean, well-equipped, and comfortable for the two of us. Catherine even supplied a lb. of coffee and homemade granola, as well as a welcoming dinner!

We stayed in the cottage, which is the smaller building on the property. It was sublime, with ocean breezes filling the space, and the sounds of the waves and crickets lulling us to sleep at night. The view is every bit as wonderful as shown, and in fact is even better. You are treated to a sunrise in the morning, which is amazing. Catherine's decorating style is west indies lovely, and the place is immaculately maintained. The outdoor shower is truly wonderful -- watching the ocean as you shower. The little yellow birds in the videos are a delightful part of the experience, too. You can cook most of what you want there -- grill, or individual burner, etc. Be ready for a walk down the hilly driveway and then steps to get to the cottage, but it is oh so worth it. You'll want to rent a 4wd vehicle (Fun), since the road up to the property is not fully paved. Hope very much to go back!!

Our stay at Estate Fortsberg was absolutely perfect. The cottage sits on a cliff overlooking the sea- the view is spectacular - we spent every morning and evening sitting on our deck savoring the landscape and listening to the crashing waves below. Catherine was a wonderful host- she met us at the car rental place on the day of arrival , we followed her home in our Jeep, got settled and enjoyed a delicious welcome dinner that she prepared. Catherine lives on the property so she was readily available for any questions or issues we might have. The cottage is cozy , beautifully decorated and perfect for folks like us who wanted a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle. Highlights for us were the amazing outdoor shower, porch overlooking the bay and the delightful little sugar birds who came to see us when we sat on the porch each day. Catherine provided beach chairs, umbrellas and a cooler, so each day after breakfast on the porch, we packed our lunch and explored the local beaches, choosing a new location every day. It was so fun! We hope to return again !! One item to note is the the driving is challenging - the roads are narrow, steep, bumpy and full of hairpin turns and lots of wandering goats, donkey and chickens ! Oh and the left side driving takes a little getting used to! As Catherine notes, a 4 wheel drive vehicle is a must ! My husband is a former UPS driver, so he handled it like a pro, but I wasn’t brave enough to get behind the wheel. Another thing to know- the cottage is situated down a pretty steep hill, so requires walking up and down several flights of stairs when coming or going. We are 60 and in reasonable physical shape, but the stairs could be a problem for someone with health issues. This cottage and host gets FIVE stars from us - we felt like the luckiest people on the planet to have found this gem! Lynne & John England

Catherine's cottage was a perfect relaxing getaway for my wife and I. We enjoyed watching the sunrise in the mornings and relaxing in the evenings on the porch. Our favorite source of entertainment was feeding the birds throughout the day. Can't wait to visit again!

Located on the quieter side of the island this cottage was its own little paradise! Hope to someday return!

Catherine was the best host we have ever experienced. She made us feel so welcome and comfortable prior to and during our trip. She messaged us information about how to get to the island, what to expect, where to rent a car, etc. when we arrived in St. John she met us at the ferry and even cooked us a wonderful dinner! She gave us tips on where to go and when. The cottage and the view was beyond my wildest expectations. Everyone should stay with Catherine.

Beautiful property with amazing views in Coral Bay. This was our first time to St. John and we really appreciated the quiet of this part of the island. We spent hours on the porch being amazed by the view, even when it was raining, and we loved watching the birds get so excited when we put fresh nectar in their feeder. We spent our days hiking, snorkeling and swimming and couldn’t wait to get home to get cleaned up in the beautiful outdoor shower, enjoy a cocktail on the porch then either head out to dinner or cook on the grill at the cottage. The rental process was very easy, the property was just as advertised and Catherine was always accessible by text or phone call if we needed anything. We would 100% recommend this rental property especially if you’re looking for peace and quiet! As a reminder, there is no TV at the cottage but the WiFi worked wonderfully.