Villa Mistral

The Skinny On St. John’s southwestern coast, this five-bedroom beachfront home overlooks the rocky shoreline of Hart Bay. Villa Mistral’s location means ocean views and omnipresent breezes – the potted plants sway, the curtains billow – and you could easily imagine days spent doing absolutely nothing but kicking back and taking it all in.

The Look On the outside, Mistral – with its pillared balconies, columned terraces, arched windows and marble pool decks – has an Italianate feel. Inside, it’s less Amalfi Coast, more eclectic: Two of the beds are Balinese, as is the nine-foot slab of polished wood in the Great Room, while mahogany furnishings throughout were inspired by the owner’s home in South Africa (and custom-made in New York). There are other African accents as well – grass mats, coconut tree bowl drums and wall hangings – and local shells and rocks make an appearance in the kitchen and Great Room. The overall feel is arty without being overdone, organic but refined.

Would Suit Art buffs and globetrotters will appreciate the home’s diverse collection of furniture and objets d’arts. With equitable sleeping quarters, the villa is also ideal for a couples’ getaway.

Room to Nab All five bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and ocean views, but the call dibs on one with a four-poster bed draped in gauzy white netting.

The Wow The Great Room, with its liquid copper-painted cathedral ceilings, boat-like hammock and gorgeous wood furnishings, has no shortage of conversation pieces – plus, it has huge picture windows that look out on the bay.

About the area

Nearly two-thirds of St. John is protected national forest, making this tiny isle, which stretches just nine miles from coast to coast, a pristine wonderland for hiking, swimming, diving and snorkeling. Cruz Bay is a five-minute drive away, but other parts of the island — from the sugary beaches of the north shore to the secluded south shore and tranquil Coral Bay — are worth exploring. And St. John’s small size means it’s infinitely navigable — though you’ll want a 4X4.