Beach Retreat

Leave the world behind at Beach Retreat, one of those rare places where your fantasies are quite likely to come true. You’ll want to slip out of your shoes and tie on a sarong the instant you arrive—then dip your toes into the gentle waves that lap at your secluded, palm-lined cove. Crack open a coconut, sip wine on the deck, put your toes in the warm white sand, or do nothing but listen to the wind chimes and stare at the sea—this is the ultimate spot for relaxation.

Beach Retreat evokes the romance of exotic travels around the globe and the serenity of the far east, right on St. Croix’s east end. A large living room shares its seashell collection with plantation furnishings and designer fabrics from the spice isles of Indonesia. Built-in cabinetry throughout the house recalls storage crafted for a sailing schooner, and West Indian-style window shutters open to admit the trade winds that give the villa its name.

With its many charms, Beach Retreats most unforgettable feature is its white sandy beach where you can stroll, swim, or snorkel with only frigate birds for company. Search for shells each morning and collect smooth sea glass at sunset—you’ll discover a sense of well-being you’d almost forgotten was possible.