The cottage was described perfectly in the owner's title - Cute Little Cottage for Budget Conscious. It was cute, with neat places to sit and watch the birds and the ocean, either outdoors or on the screened porch. It was extremely clean when we arrived, which I think is important in a rental! It was tiny - the pictures make it seem bigger than it feels when you arrive. We guessed about 170 square feet on the main floor. However, the owner made good use of all available space, like using the framing of the house as shelf storage and putting the bed in a loft. The downstairs bedroom feels more spacious and we used it to store our bulkier items like our suitcase.

We loved the feeling of being in the middle of the rain forest with lots of birds, frogs, and other insects chirping. We even had 2 hermit crabs come visit us! From one spot on the deck, you can see the corner of the house up the hill, but otherwise it's very private. You can hear people talking from the other houses but it didn't bother us. Same with the music coming from Coral Bay restaurants - it can be heard at night if you're outside, but once you step inside (even with the windows open), you can't hear it.

The 88 steps can be tough when you're carrying a cooler, groceries, or other gear (although there is a nice bench about halfway up), and the loft bed requires climbing straight up the wall on some painted 2X4's. It was not a problem for us, I only note it as a caution to those who may have difficulty with stairs. The storage shed is useful for stashing things you don't want to haul up and down every day.

Overall it was perfect for us! St. John has a special place in our hearts. If you love the quiet, back-to-nature feel of this small island, please take a moment to check out the Save Coral Bay web site. (Google: Save Coral Bay)