Caneel Trailside Cottage

Caneel Trailside Cottage sits one mile outside Cruz Bay, high up on the ridge in the saddle between Caneel Hill and Margaret Hill, next to the Virgin Islands National Park. Forty yards from the backyard, through National Park land, is Caneel Hill Trail, which drops down to the secluded white sand beaches on the North Shore (Honeymoon Beach, Caneel Bay and Solomon Bay) in less than 45 minutes, and extends to the town of Cruz Bay with a half-hour hike in the other direction. A 1/4-mile hike brings you to the Caneel Hill Observation Platform, where you can see a 360-degree view of both the Caribbean and Atlantic as well as the entire Western half of St John. From Caneel Trailside Cottage’s doorstep you can literally hike through the forest to get everywhere you will need to be on the western half of St. John.

A lush garden surrounds the private brick patio that encloses a swimming pool with teak poolside chaises and a barbecue area. A wide shaded veranda for outdoor dining and relaxing adds great space to enjoy the breeze and idle away from it all. The veranda looks out over the southwest end of St John and offers expansive views of the Caribbean all the way to St. Croix.

Vacation Rental Reviews

• Close to everything

  Stayed 6 days ending in May, 2024

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  a guest from Columbia, SC recommends this vacation rental

  This home sits right off the Caneel Hill Hiking Trail in-between two different overlooks with beautiful views that are each 0.3 miles away (a steep, but shady hike). It's a short drive into Cruz Bay but note that the road & driveway leading to the house is very steep and requires 4WD. The house was clean, beds were comfortable & A/C in the bedrooms worked great! The LR does not have A/C & it got a little warm. It has a beautiful pool & view, but note that the view is pretty much what you see in the picture due to heavy vegetation. I enjoyed my mornings on the porch listening to the roosters & watching the iguanas climb in the trees. There is some noise from the industrial area down the hill, but it wasn't terrible.

  • Manager Responded on 5/30/2024

    Thank you for your feedback on your recent stay at Caneel Trailside. We certainly look forward to your next visit.

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• April 2024

  Stayed 9 days ending in April, 2024

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  a guest recommends this vacation rental

  Our week at Caneel Trailside Cottage was wonderful. Our greeter was very accommodating and professional. The cottage was just the right distance from Cruz Bay. It was well-maintained, with a quiet pool area and a great view. I would definitely book another stay!

  • Manager Responded on 5/6/2024

    This is wonderful to hear. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay at Caneel Trailside and we look forward to having you again!

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• Perfect Family Cottage

  Stayed 6 days ending in April, 2024

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  a guest from Charlotte, North Carolina recommends this vacation rental

  The Caneel Trailside Cottage was absolutely perfect for our family vacation to St John! The house was exactly what we needed - from the location close to Cruz Bay and the north shore beaches (but also an easy hop over to Coral Bay!) to the gorgeous views, to the games and amenities provided by the host. The trails right outside of the cottage led to stunning views and were great to hike. The pool was a perfect way to cool off after long days at the beach. We would highly recommend Caneel Trailside Cottage!! The whole staff at Catered To Vacation Homes were wonderful to work with and we can’t wait to stay with them again!

  • Manager Responded on 4/5/2024

    This is such wonderful news to hear! We are so happy Caneel Trailside was suited for you and your family. We definately look forward to seeing you again on our beautiful island!

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• Wonderful relaxing vacation!

  Stayed 7 days ending in February, 2024

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  Aimee D from Kensington, MD recommends this vacation rental

  We had a great week on St.John. Caneel Trailside Cottage is a gem - close to Cruz Bay, on one of the island's hiking trails and close to beaches. The cottage had everything we needed for a memorable vacation!

  • Manager Responded on 2/20/2024

    We are so happy you enjoyed your stay at Caneel Trailside and being there made your vacation a memorable one. See you next visit!

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• Amazing getaway in a beautiful site

  Stayed 5 days ending in February, 2023

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  a guest from Leesburg, VA recommends this vacation rental

  My husband and I came here for our anniversary and loved it. The house was perfect, plenty of space and gorgeous views. It was close to everything but felt so far away. The host was super accessible and amazing to work with. We would absolutely stay here again.

  • Manager Responded on 5/4/2023

    Thank you so much for your response on your recent stay at Caneel Trailside! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and look forward to your return!

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• Glorious 10 Days at Caneel Trailside

  Stayed 10 days ending in August, 2022

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  Amy A from Johns Creek, Georgia recommends this vacation rental

  Our family of 4 enjoyed our recent 10 day vacation at Caneel Trailside. The cottage is located convenient to Cruz Bay with its shopping and restaurants and all of the North Shore beaches. The size of the property was perfect for our family of 4. The kitchen was well stocked for cooking. The rental agents were great to work with; answering all of our questions before, during, and after our visit. My son left a stuffed animal tangled in the sheets. The kind rental agents helped get it shipped back to us very very quickly. My favorite part of staying at Caneel is the variety of wildlife right outside. Every morning while enjoying coffee on the veranda, we saw chickens, deer, iguanas, birds, and butterflies in the gorgeous courtyard. Biggest tip is to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The driveway is steep!

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• Christmas 2021

  Stayed 7 days ending in December, 2021

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  a guest from Venice, FL recommends this vacation rental

  Loved our visit to St John! Our home away from home, Caneel Trailside Cottage was absolutely lovely! The layout, the view, pretty little pool, nice veranda, extremely well-equipped kitchen...all great! House was clean and well furnished. Only one complaint...the driveway and lane to the house was terrifying to navigate for us, next time we will use taxis...less expensive than renting a Jeep and much less stressful! That is no fault of Catered To Vacations, just our opinion! Staff was extremely friendly and accommodating, too!

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• A Place and Time Away

  Stayed 7 days ending in June, 2021

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  a guest from SOUTHBURY, CT recommends this vacation rental

  With two friends I shared a week at Caneel Trailside Cottage. It was a wonderful respite in a place of simple beauty. The house was beautifully laid out, open and bright and impeccably clean and fresh. The great view from the front balcony was spectacular and was a perfect place to read, have a drink or just sit and take in the beauty of this place.

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• We love Caneel Trailside & Catered To

  Stayed 7 days ending in May, 2021

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  Karen R recommends this vacation rental

  Our experience was great- second time staying at this villa in 6 mos. It’s in a great location, it was clean, the staff are very helpful. Our only complaint was that the dishwasher didn’t work from the first day on. We were told that a repair man was coming but that never happened. We were also hoping that the door from one of the bedrooms to the outside terrace was fixed as it was broken on our first stay six months prior- unfortunately that was still broken so you couldn’t go from the bedroom to the terrace directly. A minor inconvenience but it would have been nice to be able to use.
  The villa is very well stocked- the kitchen has everything ( except for the dishwasher!). The bedrooms are a nice size, bathrooms are great, terrace is spacious. Two master bedrooms with a spacious great room between them.
  Ample parking space which is uncommon in STJ. The pool is a nice size too.
  

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• Relaxing Holiday Stay at Caneel Trailside

  Stayed 11 days ending in January, 2021

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  a guest from Wellesley, MA recommends this vacation rental

  We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's vacation at Caneel Trailside. The property was very clean and the amenities were very nice--beach chairs, beach cooler, sheets, towels, cleaning supplies, washer/dryer, appliances, and patio furniture, water pressure were great quality. The view from the deck and family room is just as it appears in the photo-spectacular! Each bedroom had the same view, and the setup with a bedroom on each side of the family room was perfect for our family of 4--two parents and two teenagers. The bedrooms also have the same view as the deck. The pool was very clean and cozy. The landscaping was very pretty, especially off the back deck, but we had to look down to see it, which didn't happen often because we were entranced with the view. The neighborhood felt a little sketchy with all of the abandoned cars on the side of the road, so we were comforted to know that the owners lived next door. The driveway is not for the faint of the heart due to the incline, but we quickly learned it is typical of St. John. The house truly is trailside: it was only about 10 steps from the driveway to the NPS Caneel Trail, which connects to many other trails in the park system. Everyone at Catered To was very professional and responsive, and when we asked to stay an additional night, they replied promptly and made it happen. This was a very comfortable and nice rental, and I would definitely recommend it to family and friends.

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• Great Stay!

  Stayed 6 days ending in March, 2020

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  a guest recommends this vacation rental

  We had a wonderful experience at Caneel Trailside Cottage. We were a family of 4 and we were enjoying our stay on island and at the villa; it became a stressful time as the covid-19 pandemic seemed to take over every day life for one and all. The villa became a haven for us and we had mixed emotions leaving such a peaceful, family-friendly place. The pool area and patio were fantastic; lighting was well appointed for evenings relaxing outside. The trees and plants surrounding the property were just lovely. The trails of St.John National Forest adjacent to the cottage were great to explore. Everyone at CateredTo were professional and most pleasant. Our only "hiccup" (and this one has more to do with us vs. property) would be the incredibly steep driveway but we got used to going up and down fairly quickly and our children thought it was like going up and down a roller-coaster!!!

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