The girls, well, not girls, not anymore, sat at the kitchen table sharing a bottle of wine. Their men snacked on chips and salsa at the granite island, while the kids scattered to distant parts of the villa. It was to have been a pool party, a high school reunion of sorts, but passing thunderstorms nixed those plans.
I rarely play hostess on my visits back home to St. Thomas, but when offered a night’s stay at Hammertime Villa, I jumped at the chance.
The villa is hidden away in a gated community on the Peterborg Peninsula, home of some the most exclusive homes on the island, including rarely seen vacation getaways of celebrities from rock stars to former presidents. I’m not much of a celebrity watcher, but I have to admit that I was curious to see these fabled houses, and I wasn’t the only nosy islander.
Our villa did not disappoint!
It’s a luxurious retreat with a spacious layout that allowed my family to spread out. To the left of the central living room, the west wing houses a powder room, office library, and two large bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. To the right, the master suite has a sitting room, study, and spa-like master bathroom. And, although we didn’t use it, there’s also an efficiency apartment below.
Before the party, the sun played peekaboo, bringing more than the usual passing shower, but warming us enough to read (and nap) on the oversized chaise lounge.
Intrigued by the infinity pool, with its breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea’s azure waters dotted with verdant islands, I attempted to relax on a raft, but soon gave up, unable to overcome the disconcerting feeling that I would float right over the edge. This pool is not for those afraid of heights!
Instead, I lounged on the comfy living room couch, thumbing through the collection of coffee table books about island life, while my daughter baked Homemade Oreo Cookies and my husband ran to the grocery store for a ready-to-serve meal.
By the time our guests arrived, on typical West Indian time – two hours later than planned, we didn’t want to go back outside. The infinity pool is set on a patio balcony that runs the full length of the house, making it an ideal setting for a pool party or barbeque. We could have gone to the sitting area under the sheltering pergola, but my friends and I are fragile women, who don’t take kindly to temperatures below the Virgin Island’s average 82F.
Our chilled wine and dinner buffet was spread out on the kitchen counter, and we were content to stay close.
Interested in learning more about a Hammertime villa rental in St. Thomas or vacation home exchanges around the world? Visit the Demeure Club website.
Disclosure –Special thanks to Demeure for providing a complimentary stay at Hammertime Villa.
Visit the Virgin Islands with Kids
- My Virgin Islands Home
- Udder Delight Shakes Bring All The Tourists to the Yard
- Tips for Driving in the Virgin Islands
- Daydream Wedding in the Virgin Islands
- Get Scuba Certified with Kids in the Virgin Islands
- Caribbean Carnival on the Fourth of July
- A Photo Tour of the Camille Pissarro Gallery on St. Thomas
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I need to get into travel writing, too!
Lovely review, Sandra! Glad to hear you and the family enjoyed your stay with Demeure — and that the sun finally managed to peek through the clouds that day.
For others interested in family travel, you can browse Demeure’s vacation homes around the world at:
http://demeure.com/properties/start
Thanks, I wanna go!
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