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The 'Cottage' at Lion's Gate - Check for our Spring & Summer Specials

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December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for The 'Cottage' at Lion's Gate - Check for our Spring & Summer Specials

Property grounds
Exterior
Shower, hair dryer, towels
1 bedroom, iron/ironing board, WiFi, bed sheets
Smart TV

Reviews

9.8 out of 10

Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 348 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
    Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
    Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor space
    Outdoor space
  • Kitchen
    Kitchen
  • Air conditioning
    Air conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Red Hook, St Thomas
  • American Yacht Harbor
    2 min walk
  • Secret Harbor
    14 min walk
  • Secret Harbour Beach
    18 min walk
  • St. Thomas (SPB-St. Thomas Seaplane Base)
    21 min drive

Room options

About the area

Red Hook

With a stay at this cottage in St. Thomas, you'll be a 2-minute drive from Secret Harbour Beach and 6 minutes from Sapphire Beach. .This cottage is 4.6 mi (7.4 km) from Virgin Islands National Park and 7.1 mi (11.5 km) from Magens Bay Beach.
View more Cottages in Red HookOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Secret Harbour Beach - 18 min walk - 1.5 km
  • Sapphire Beach - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Cowpet Bay - 2 min drive - 1.9 km
  • Lindquist Beach - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
  • Coki Point Beach - 10 min drive - 4.6 km

Getting around

  • St. Thomas (SPB-St. Thomas Seaplane Base) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sapphire Beach Bar - ‬20 min walk
  • ‪Sunset Grille @ Secret Harbour Beach Resort - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪An Hour Late - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Tarpon’s Table - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Coconut Cove - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

The 'Cottage' at Lion's Gate - Check for our Spring & Summer Specials


My husband Chris and I have lived on St. Thomas for over 20 years. He came to dive, I came to sail. We met by chance and discovered we both have a love of the water and the Caribbean life style. Chris is very talented and knew he wanted to live here permanently, so he built a house on the top of the hill. We got married in 1995, and often talked about making the home we love accessible to guests.
In 2012 we built are prefect Caribbean Cottage. It is a Caribbean dream cottage with spectacular views. We face into the trade winds so there is always a breeze over the porch. Facing East we have stunning sunrises over Pillsbury Sound with St. John in the background.

I'm sure up will love it too. The spacious porch is a perfect way to enjoy your first cup of coffee or to sit back in the evening and watch the colors change over the islands with a cool beverage in your hand. The trade winds will keep you cool as you sit outside from breakfast to diner, and of course if needed there is air conditioning.

My husband, Chris, and I live on the property. We will help you enjoy your vacation in any way we can. Just ask for local tips on restaurants and activities.
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned cottage, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. There's a private balcony. A Smart television is provided for your entertainment. Conveniences include a microwave and a coffee/tea maker.
This smoke-free cottage features ecotours nearby, snorkeling nearby, and sailing nearby. Recreational activities include scuba diving nearby and windsurfing nearby.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property manager

Maxine Lavitt

Property amenities

Internet

  • WiFi available

Parking and transport

  • On-site parking
  • Car recommended

Kitchen

  • Fridge
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Spices
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Coffee grinder
  • Blender

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 1 bedroom
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided
  • Hairdryer

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite service

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue

Laundry

  • Near a laundromat

Comfort

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a hospital

Things to do

  • Boating on site
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Power boating nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Marina nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Sailing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Unit size: 520 sq ft (48 sq m)
  • Property does not allow children

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:30 PM
Minimum check-in age: 10

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

This property does not allow children

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

'cottage' Lion's Gate Spectacular View Lush Surroundings House
'cottage' Lion's Gate Spectacular View Lush Surroundings
The 'cottage' at Lion's Gate Check for our Fall Special
'cottage' Lion's Gate Spectacular View Lush Surroundings House
'cottage' Lion's Gate Spectacular View Lush Surroundings House

The 'Cottage' at Lion's Gate - Check for our Spring & Summer Specials Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 79 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 87 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 87 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Robin C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful Vacation
Wonderful time at this property. The sea breezes kept us comfortable. We spent so much time on the patio just relaxing. Maxine and Chris were very accessible and helpful. I would recommend to everyone.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carolee D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lionsgate Paradise
Perfection. Charming Caribbean cottage. High on a hill with unmatched views of the harbor and surrounding islands. Tradewinds that cool the warm temperatures. Cottage has many unique features including handcrafted furniture and mahogany woodwork. Hosts that are warm, welcoming and helpful. Treat it well. We will be back next year. Tom and Carolee, 2024
Stayed 29 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Lori B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful view!
The view was spectacular as advertised. The cottage was clean and Maxine was a very responsive host. If you decide to stay here keep in mind that, as described in the posting, you have to drive up a steep road which can be a bit unnerving. I walk a lot and I love to do steps and hills, but the walk up from Red Hook is not something most people will want to do. My husband got to the top and said "no way am I walking up". I wouldn't consider this a walkable location. There were parts of the unit we really enjoyed: the view, the huge shower, the use of the coolers and beach chairs. The things we were less excited about included: kitchen wasn't very well equipped compared to places I would rate 5 stars, the furniture wasn't very comfortable and the unit could use some updates, for example, most rentals have upgraded to kurig coffee makers. Also, keep in mind that this is directly above Red Hook and the noise from the road and the bars carries up the hill.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michele S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Simply lovely
This was my first to the USVI, and I’m so glad I found this place. It was perfect for a solo traveler like me and would be great for a couple (and a child could sleep on the futon in the living area.) I felt safe with Max & Chris there and the fact that it is gated is a plus. Of course Louis (the sweet dog) was an added bonus (and there a gate on the porch if you’re not up for his visits.) Speaking of the porch, the view is superb. When I was at the apartment, I spent nearly all of my time on the porch unless I was sleeping. Max & Chris are great. They were always available to answer a question or provide assistance. And they’re nice! I could not have asked for better hosts. I ate at several good restaurants in Red Hook (Urban XO, Agave), which is walkable but recommend getting a (small) car so you can more easily explore the nearby bays/beaches and other restaurants. In short, definitely recommend and hope to make it back for another amazing holiday.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dakota B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful St. Thomas Cottage with a Wonderful View
The place is centrally located in red hook with an amazing view. My wife and I had a wonderful time. Maxine was a gracious host.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jim G., Creston, OH

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful stay overlooking Red Hook.
We truly enjoyed our stay at the cottage, the views are incredible, the sun rise over St John is beautiful. Fun restuarants nearby. The drive up to the cottage adds to its charm. Maxine and Chris are wonderful hosts. thank you for a wonderful week.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Brooke H.

Great view but have a rental car!
Beautiful view to wake up to everyday, having a morning coffee on the balcony and seeing the sunrise every morning was awesome. Listen to their recommendation they give in the listing when they say to have a car. Absolutely have a rental car to stay here. We were two in shape young adults and it was brutal walking up the hill 2-3 times a day in the heat. The location is great though for red hook restaurants and bars. Catamaran dock ports and scuba diving right there. You need a cab to get to any beach but they aren’t far at all! Fav one was secret harbor beach. Definitely check out duffys love shack down the hill- super fun place.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda F.

Liked: Cleanliness
12 year anniversary
Our stay was more than we could have imagined. The view was absolutely beautiful...We woke up every morning at 6am just to see the sunrise! Butterflys, hummingbirds, flowers...they were everywhere! Maxine and Chris are wonderful people! Thanks for sharing your part of the world with us!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely guest house with incredible views!
We had a wonderful stay at the Cottage! The #1 reason we picked this place was the views and they did not disappoint! The host was friendly and easy to communicate with via text or through the app. They live next door. Pros: The views and the sunrise are incredible! Walking distance to Duffy's Love Shack, a great little Tiki bar with $5 happy hour cocktails Short drive to Secret Harbor beach resort where there is a beach with great snorkeling The host provided beach towels, beach chairs, coolers, and snorkeling equipment The host provided plenty of drinking water The host is easy to get in contact with Cons: There is only Air conditioning in the bedroom and if you leave it on when you're not home it's a $25 charge. It will be hot and humid until you run the AC for a bit The tap water in St Thomas tastes weird so the shower water also smells a little weird. Maybe it's like that everywhere? The bath towels also smelled a little weird but not enough that we asked for a replacement. Hiking back up the hill from the tiki bar to the cottage is a workout. It's ok at night but when the sun is out it's pretty brutal. There is a designated place to park but getting in and out is a little tight. We rented a Toyota Camry and it fit but it definitely struged on some of the steep hills
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Celenia L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Paradise
My partner and I took a vacation to the Virgin Islands for the first time in August. We chose to stay in Redhook because it was near many beaches, restaurants and shops. The cottage was a cozy and comfortable place and our view was astonishing! We couldn’t get enough of it, and the place was well kept and it offered many amenities that it made our stay extremely convenient. Thank you Maxine, Chris and louie for your hospitality. We really enjoyed our stay and hope to one day return to this amazing place 💗
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lee

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful view and very nice owners!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carly V.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful!
We booked this property when we had to make last minute travel plans and it was everything it advertised! Beautiful view and perfect for a couple. We loved having a full kitchen and the beautiful deck. We did rent a car and unless you’re looking for some serious cardio up that hill I’d recommend it. We loved our stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

John K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely.
We had a lovely time! Great location and view. And loved sweet Louie visits each day.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brenda S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful views and great location
Wonderful stand alone cottage with great front porch to take in the views of Red Hook harbor and St John. Location is great for taking advantage of local beaches. It was 20 minutes to Magens bay which was our favorite, Cottage is close to the town of Red Hook which has the best selection of stores, restaurants and Happy Hours!! Hosts are on site and very responsive when we needed anything. Yet you have absolute privacy. They also gave us great tips for things to do. The road up to the cottage is steep and windy ( like many of the roads on St Thomas) so make sure you rent a car that can handle it. We had a Jeep.
Stayed 9 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

renee c.

Liked: Cleanliness
Couldn't have asked for a better place to stay!!
After reading so many wonderful reviews, we knew that we wanted to stay here! Maxine and her husband Chris are THE nicest people and helpful with any questions we had about places to go on the island. The cottage was as beautiful as the pictures show and the view was the best part!! The driveway is steep but we had a compact car that was perfect to get us up and down the hill and to cruise around the island. Maghan's Bay and Sapphire Beach were our favorites beaches in St. Thomas. Per Maxine's recommendation, we LOVED the patio at Sunset Grill and the bars in Red Hook (just down the hill from the cottage). We took the car ferry one day to St. John and loved that we could drive wherever we wanted. We also spent another day at St. John without the car and everything was within walking distance or a quick shuttle ride. We just got home and already miss the cottage and Louie the sweet dog that would stop by to say hi. Anyway, you should stay here and you will not regret it! We hope to go back someday!!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Best Vacation Ever, I told Lisa (my girlfriend) this vacation experience will be hard to top! We stayed for almost 2 weeks and the cottage was perfect for us, and we will be staying again. It felt like home, or at least the home we want :) . We ate most of our breakfasts and dinners at the cottage since no restaurant could provide us a better atmosphere or view than the one from our cottage. The kitchen had everything we needed. This felt more like local living and less like being a tourist. We rented a car, but used it rarely since it is so convenient to walk to Red Hook or to the ferry to St John. The driveway is steep and you can’t get up it when it’s wet, unless you have a 4 wheel drive, which we didn’t. It only impacted us on the first day. Maxine kindly drove us up with our luggage and groceries. There are parking spots at the end of the driveway if it is slippery. There was plenty of room to park 3 SUVs at the top of the driveway, and easy to do a 2-4 pt turn to face forward going down hill. Walking up/down the hill to Red Hook may be a challenge for some, so consider getting a rental/taxi. However for those in average or better shape, it’s doable (I did some sprint intervals on it…humble brag :) We enjoyed the visits from Louie their dog, Oscar the gecko, a frog, a humming bird, and a couple iguanas even ran across the driveway. Some reviews mentioned the noise from the town, but we enjoyed seeing and hearing the sounds of activity and life going on. It’s

10/10 Excellent

Katrina S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wickedly steep hill = amazing views
We loved our stay in this beautiful cottage on a hill overlooking Red Hook. The view was absolutely breathtaking and so peaceful. As we did not rent a vehicle, it was nice being able to walk down the hill to Red Hook where there's a grocery store, several restaurants, some shopping, and the ferry to St. Johns. Walking up the hill can be brutal though (not the distance, just the incline) and we only ended up walking up once. But, again, Red Hook is a popular place, so snagging taxies outside Bernie's to take us up was pretty easy. You could hear the town from time to time, but we didn't find it excessive. In fact, except for at night, we pretty much left all the doors and windows open. The weather was perfect. The owners Maxine & Chris were very accommodating and helpful. Would definitely return to the Cottage if visiting St. Thomas again. Thank you for offering this lovely place.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dawn B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Absolutely perfect!
The house is lovely and well appointed. Everything we needed in the kitchen to have coffee and make breakfast right there. The view is amazing! Wrap around covered porch allowed us to enjoy the outside even when we had a bit of rain. Very comfortable. Maxine and Chris are gracious hosts and Louie visited regularly lol. You can close the gate if you’d prefer to not have visits from Louie. The walk up and down the hill was very doable for us. We are fairly active but not young. If you’d prefer not to walk it, a taxi will gladly take you up for $5 pp (feb 2022). We will definitely book with them again when we return to St Thomas and recommend to all of our family and friends!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rosanna B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful, Serene and Cozy
The cottage has amazing views that span over Red Hook towards St. John and across the island. The cottage was very snug, has a cistern that collects rainwater and filters in for clean water and showers. The porch had an almost 180 degree view of the sea, with beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The shower is open and is perfect for cleaning off the day's salt and humidity. We felt safe, comfortable and had everything we needed to either eat in, watch TV, play games or just relax. For the more adventurous, like us, we left our car and walked from the home down to Red Hook main strip, where we were able to enjoy wonderful meals and drinks. You won't be disappointed staying here.
Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Doris W.

Liked: Cleanliness
First time to St Thomas
The views are beautiful! The cottage is perfect for two. Maxine is a great host and easy to communicate with. The location is easy access to the entire island.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Michelle L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stay Here!
Our stay at the cottage was wonderful, and I am so glad we choose this place to stay for the second half of the honeymoon. It was a such a change of pace to be up amongst the trees with amazing views. The location was great being so close to town, however, I HIGHLY recommend a car while staying here. Is the walk back up the hill feasible? Yes, of course. But is it something I'd want to do? No way. My husband and I are both active people that go hiking quite often, but the thought of walking back up after dinner and some drinks, or a long day of hiking and exploring elsewhere, is not something we even entertained doing! That would be our biggest negative about the house, but something that is easily overcome! We were so glad to have the coolers and beach towels to use, and everything we could have needed during our stay was already at the cottage. We loved coming back after our day out and relaxing out on the porch, and especially loved when Louie would visit us!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

8/10 Good

Martie Gail M.

Review of Lion's Gate Cottage
We enjoyed our stay at the Lion's Gate Cottage and stayed a few days in October. This was our first time to St. Thomas and chose the location for scuba diving. We would recommend this place to others. Positives: - Absolutely LOVED Loui the dog and enjoyed petting him - Cottage had an inhouse water bottle refill station - Porch was lovely to sit and enjoy the view - Angi was our host for the time we spent there and was very nice and helpful (owners were out of town) - Owners were very responsive to any questions and communicated very well - Beach towels, coolers and snorkeling gear was provided to use during our stay - Location to the Red Hook Area Things That would have been helpful to Know before we Arrived: - Cottage is not fully air conditioned, only the bedroom has an a/c unit (I missed that in the posting since you don't see it unless you click on amenities). Folder with info said there was a $25/day charge if you left the a/c on all day and you were not there. It took a long time for the a/c unit to cool off the room if not left running. But one thing to note is that most places on the island only have a/c in the bedrooms. - We had a rental car, Angi had her car, and the guests staying in the apartment had a rental car which made parking a big challenge. There is just enough room for 3 cars but it is very hard to navigate and it very hard to back down the driveway (very steep hill). Luckily, my husband did not complain too much but I would not have been able to back down if I was by myself. When someone's car was missing we could turn the car around to park facing down the driveway but if the other 2 cars beat us and were already parked, there was no room to turn around. The next time we left, we would have to back down the driveway. - Our rental car was a standard Nissan sentra and if it was raining we could not get up the driveway (was too slick). The guests in the apartment had the same problem one day. We parked at the gate and the neighbors got mad and blew their horns until one of the cars was moved. Luckily it had quit raining so we could get up the driveway. - The walk down to the Red Hook area is not bad but the walk back up is not feasible. My husband would have killed me if I expected him to do that every day. Luckily we decided to get a rental car. - The WiFi did not work in the bedroom when laying in bed, which is the only place with air condition (signal too far away and kept dropping).
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Daniel M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Terrific place in Red Hook!
Max and Chris are among the best hosts we've ever had. What a delight! And the place is perfect and private, with tremendous views. It was a very special stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
We had the most amazing stay here. Breathtaking views and the most welcoming and helpful hospitality. We can’t wait to come back to this beautiful piece of paradise!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kate M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Girls get-away
Loved our choice with picking this property. Breath-taking views, cozy home with all the amenities you need to cook if you chose. Chris was so accommodating and welcoming. Loved getting visited by the dog Loui...made us feel at home.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2021