Great Expectations really is pretty fabulous. Amazing views in (and BREEZES from) two directions, catching brilliant sunrises and sunsets. Extremely private and comfortable. I've stayed there with a group of friends and just with my wife - both were fantastic vacations. We are headed back in December, looking forward to it immensely.
[It looks like the following caution no longer applies - Google Maps now finds the exact right location if you enter "Great Expectations USVI" or similar search terms]
If you're using GoogleMaps for directions, you might go to the wrong place. Type "Croton Road, Cruz Bay, St. John, Virgin Islands" into the GoogleMaps search window and it will locate the exact right spot for you.
We stayed at Great Expectations last week to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday. There were a total of 19 of us, including grandparents, adult siblings and children. We planned the trip about a year in advance and I spent many hours reading reviews, looking at the website and every picture I could find. I am pleased to say that the villa is exactly as it looks - which is amazing! Everything was just so beautiful and our large group had plenty of space. What a treat to have every family have their own bedrooms (total of 8) with their own individual bathrooms! The pool was super clean, warm and with a breathtaking view. We spent every morning at the beaches and all afternoons & evenings in the pool. We had such a nice time. Every person said how wonderful the trip was and the villa provided the perfect home base for everyone. It was a very special trip for all of us and we will cherish the memories and time there.
Great place to share time with friends each with private space or the great room for cocktails and great views. Find the path to the beach and come home with a great find in addition to fond memories.
Great vacation spot
We chose Great Expectations as our wedding party home base for our week-long St. John wedding in October of 2002 and could not have been happier. We had 14 people (including the bride and groom) stay for 7 days and had some days of activities or beach visits, and others of just hanging out by the pool. One of my groomsmen woke up early each morning and cooked ham, egg and cheese sandwiches in the Great Room as we enjoyed the sunrises. Almost every night, we found ourselves congregating around the pool enjoying the sunsets with a rum drink and some music playing! We have since been back (alone or with friends) 5 times and I am now working on a website for the owners - great place and great people!