LOCATION. Gull Cottage is located in a highly desirable beachfront setting a few feet from the tranquil, sparkling waters of Great Cruz Bay. Because Gull is surrounded by lush vegetation you can barely see its neighbor, the lovely villa Splash, but the location description for Gull is pretty much the same as that for Splash. Both villas are located in an upscale neighborhood of luxury villas, but only a handful of these villas are fortunate enough to be beachfront properties. The views from Gull are superb, with sailboats floating peacefully on the palm fringed bay in the foreground, and picturesque views of Great Cruz Bay, Pillsbury Sound, St. Thomas and blazing sunsets in the background. It's a short drive (5 minutes) on paved roads to the restaurants and boutiques of Cruz Bay. It’s also a short walk (5 minutes) to the three restaurants, beach, fitness facilities and shops at the Westin Resort, but Gull remains a world removed from this upscale resort. For those who love to be in and on the Caribbean, this is one of our favorite settings.

The view from the pool

The view from the sunset patio on the sea wall

DESIGN. After 16 months of construction Gull Cottage was completely rebuilt and reborn in 1995. The new Gull resembles a picturesque chateau of the French countryside that has been blended with the best design features of an elegant island home. You enter into the living room, which is the center of the house, and the kitchen, dining room and study all adjoin the living room. The two master bedrooms are located on opposite sides of the living room and offer excellent privacy, a/c and gorgeous stone baths and showers. A large study adjoins the left master bedroom and also serves as an extra bedroom. This is essentially a one level home, with only the third bedroom on the upper level. The large deck is located outside the living and dining rooms and has exquisite views, comfortable furniture, dining for 8 and an oval pool. A small, very sunny sand beach is located between the deck and the sea wall. The stone sea wall was built for storm protection and part of the top of the wall is tiled to create a cozy sunset patio. There is an opening in the seawall for access to the 82 degree, tranquil Caribbean waters. Surrounding the villa are paved and sand walkways that weave through very lush, carefully maintained tropical gardens.

The entrance to Gull Cottage

LIVING and DINING ROOMS. With its varnished mahogany floors, stone walls, mahogany French doors, Ficks Reed wicker and antique furniture, and cathedral ceilings with skylights, this is the very essence of casual tropical elegance. An antique armoire contains a 25" cable color TV/VCR and a stereo/cassette. There are with 3 sets of wall mounted speakers including deck speakers. High speed satellite internet access is provided.
An ocean front dining room was added to Gull in the fall of 2000. Screened windows on three sides give this beautiful dining area an indoor-outdoor atmosphere and the wooden table seats 6-8. Another lovely place to dine is on the deck, 5 steps from the BBQ grill at a table also seating 6-8.

Dining with a harbor view

KITCHEN. Except for the stone walls, the beautiful kitchen looks like it was handcrafted for an elegant yacht. It includes terra cotta tiled floors, custom built mahogany cabinets and first class appliances, including a 4-burner gas stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, garbage disposal, blender, coffeemaker, anodized commercial cookware and quality dinnerware. A gas BBQ grill, telephone and washer/dryer are also provided.

BEDROOMS. The 3 air conditioned bedrooms (2 queens, 1 set of twins that can convert to a king) were designed to insure lovely views and maximum privacy. The romantic French countryside master bedroom on the left has a beautiful view of the harbor from the antique bed. A large private office/study with a 9' mahogany desk and a futon couch adjoins the left bedroom and can serve as a fourth bedroom for kids. The master bedroom on the right continues the French theme with handsome stone walls, antiques and a queen wicker bed. The guest bedroom (twins) on the upper level is accessed by exterior stairs, has a private deck and is loved by older children. Each bedroom has a private tiled bath and the two lower baths have gorgeous hand cut stone showers trimmed in mahogany.

The second master bedroom

The master bedroom, looking at the harbor

The study off the master bedroom

CARIBBEAN VILLAS' COMMENTS. We rate Gull as one of St. John's most appealing 3-bedroom waterfront homes because the house itself represents a superb combination of function and beauty. The rich mahogany floors, stone walls and quality furniture, seaside decks, pool, private beach, gourmet kitchen, sound system, a/c bedrooms, lovely views and peaceful location all combine to produce a premiere island home, while the gentle sounds of the sea just outside your windows, the soft lights, and the magical tropical nights create an ultra romantic environment.
This location really is superb. Although you’d never know it, you’re only 5 minutes from Cruz Bay and some of the Caribbean’s finest dining. Even better, you’re about 10 seconds from swimming and snorkeling in tranquil, 82 degree Caribbean waters. In addition, you have access to the deep water anchorages of Great Cruz Bay, allowing you to add boating activities to the pleasures of a luxury villa.
While this is a great vacation home it’s also our top choice for the business person on a working vacation. Gull’s office/study is roomy and private and is equipped with high speed satellite access. If you have to bring a briefcase on vacation, Gull’s an excellent choice.
We also strongly recommend Gull for families and couples, especially if you're a water sports enthusiast or enjoy being on the water's edge. Gull Cottage also has a softly sensuous and romantic atmosphere that makes it ideal for honeymooners or lovers.
Gull Cottage is a non-smoking villa. If Gull is unavailable, definitely take a look at Splash (3-bedrooms), the very lovely next door neighbor of Gull, and check the Splash availability calendar.

The sunset patio on the sea wall is also a lovely spot for coffee on a quiet morning

The view from the upper deck