Garden by the Sea is an absolutely lovely B&B within walking distance of the town, restaurants. bars and the beach in Cruz Bay, Saint John. It is far enough away from the town to feel cozy and private, but close enough for convenience. The rooms are cheery and clean, and the breakfasts were interesting and delicious. We loved sitting on the deck watching the little birds while eating our breakfast and sipping homemade smoothies and coffee. The owners, Nancy and John, were the most hospitable and helpful hosts I have ever met. They went above and beyond to make our stay in Saint John easy & pleasant. I can't recommend this place enough!

What can I say but STAY HERE! My boyfriend and I stayed here for 5 nights in July 2012 and it was unbelievably wonderful. Located at the bottom of a large hill, the B&B is an adorable island colored home surrounded by lush foliage of all types. John and Nancy are the owners and I just cannot say enough good things about them. They are both friendly and very welcoming as well as a wealth of knowledge about St John and Its activities. Each morning Nancy cooked delicious breakfasts ranging from eggs Benedict to pina colada french toast. Along with the fresh smoothies and homemade bread, Nancy's breakfasts were an excellent way to start the day. Breakfast is served out on the patios where the tiny song birds and humming birds are feeding on the sugar that John puts out for them every morning. It is so nice to watch them as you enjoy your morning meal!

We stayed in the Garden suite and everything was perfect! The queen-sized bed is a bamboo four poster bed draped in white mosquito netting. I loved the bathroom with the open air shower!! John and Nancy provide bath and beach towels as well as robes, beach chairs, coolers, water bottles, etc. They really make you feel so welcome and at home. The honor bar is also a nice touch, and since there are no children allowed at GBTS, the atmosphere is quite peaceful. It is just a short walk into town and also to a pebbly beach where there is great snorkeling.

If you are looking to escape the rat race and enjoy a unique relaxing vacation, the Garden by the Sea is where you want to be. The entire place transports you to a tropical oasis, and if I ever return to St. John, there is no where else I would think of staying.

Thanks so much John and Nancy for everything!! Karen & Zack

I just returned from a trip to USVI - St. John and stayed here for three nights and could not be happier with this choice. Both John and Nancy were very hospitable and went out of there way to make sure that everything was perfect --- from the items served at breakfast to exploring the island.

I typically stay at a resort or hotel (mostly for work) and have never felt the warmth and genuine interest in what I wanted to do / explore as I had from John and Nancy.

As other's have noted, GBTS (Garden By The Sea) is a short walk into Cruz Bay and if you are there for the 4th of July as we were, you should ask about reserving a table at Morgan's Mango (I have a review for them as well).

Our room was the first one on the right and we had an outdoor bathroom / shower (it was private) and I just have to say that I loved being able to take a shower outside and hear all that nature had to provide; there was a screen overhead.

The room was spacious, small living room and then a bedroom and each had a ceiling fan and in the bedroom there was a window air conditioner that when turned on with the ceiling fans running, kept the entire place cool --- even over the 4th of July when it was near 100 degrees!

One thing to note is that John and Nancy are very eco-friendly and provide pre-washed and frozen water bottles for you to take out during the day, and in combination with a cooler (provided) you can stop by the grocery store and get food items to be kept cold -- then you can drink the water! Brilliant!

GBTS also provides snorkel gear and beach chairs if you need them.

Basically -- stay at this place and if you forgot something, it is most likely something John and Nancy have for you to use or can tell you where to get whatever you need.

I hope that you choose to stay at this place because honestly, it is like no other place to stay at and you will come away with a sense of yearning to come back asap.

We celebrated our 15 year anniversary here earlier this month. We loved being able to walk to town, yet we being in a secluded area. The little beach that is a 2 min. walk was very convenient when we did not want to drive to one. We really enjoyed the breakfasts and convenience of having the chairs, water bottles, towels, coolers, etc. provided. We'd love to go back!