Our stay at Rosemaryâs villa was nothing short of spectacular! She is, hands down, the best host weâve ever had, going above and beyond to ensure our trip was seamless and special. From the moment we booked, she offered incredible supportâhelping us preorder groceries (highly recommended!), connecting us with Chef Shelly, providing excellent dining and entertainment suggestions, and quickly answering all our questions. Even when we had a minor travel hiccup, she stepped in to smooth things out before we even arrived.The villa itself was stunningâfar more impressive in person! It was spacious, beautifully decorated, and had breathtaking views. Her son Kevin welcomed us warmly, answered all of our questions, and made sure a minor AC issue was fixed right away. Chef Shellyâs meals were delicious, and Pixie, the masseuse, worked magicâthose in our group who got massages felt completely refreshed.But the true highlight of our trip? Gus! Spending every day on the âGus Busâ was an experience in itself. His kindness, deep knowledge of St. Lucia, and fun-loving spirit made every tour unforgettable. He took us to hidden gems, shared fascinating history, and ensured we had plenty of laughs along the way. By the end of our trip, he felt like family.If youâre planning a visit to St. Lucia, look no furtherâthis villa and its incredible team will make your stay truly unforgettable.
What luxury, what views, what access to snorkeling!
Before and during our visit Rosemary was fully engaged on our behalf to see that we had a great visit. She could not have done more for us.
We brought a couple snorkel masks (necessary because there is no snorkel gear at the VRBO - We used our gear every day to snorkel around Secret Cove and it proved a very convenient place to see hundreds of fish within a short walk down the hill.
Highly recommend you use her recommended driver (Gus), he is a fantastic personality and provides such excellent insights on the island and responsive service.
We came here as a group of 7. The size of the villa was bigger than expected, and the beauty of the location for sunsets and enjoying all the comforts of home was fantastic. We did our own cooking most nights and enjoyed the sunsets almost every night as we hung out by the pool or on the upper deck. It was only 1.25 miles to the grocery which we walked to several times. Vigie Beach was beautiful and only about a 5 minute walk. We also have nothing but amazing things to say about Barbara, Sonia and Gus. Rosemary was very responsive and her sister, Barbara was available for questions and suggestions.
We used Gus as our driver and are very happy we did. He was knowledgeable, ontime, and gave great info about the island. The cost for him driving all of us wherever we wanted to go was equal to what it would have cost for 2 cars and driving a car on some of the roads in St Lucia would have been difficult (also, you can drink "on the Gus Bus"). The villa has a ton of space with the most scenic views. Itâs extremely clean and well maintained.
We also snorkeled from the rocky beach below the house which was a nice bonus.
Barbara's ( Rosemary's sister) welcome with a jug of rum punch was excellent. The property is superbly equipped in terms of kitchen utensils and appliances, drinking water dispenser, coffee machine etc. and gas bbq on the patio. There is aircon in every room if needed.
We particularly enjoyed sitting in the large lower lounge in the heat of the day before going back outside for another swim in the beautiful pool.
Although the walk down to the beach was steep it was managed by 70 year olds and a 3 year old and was well worth it for the snorkelling which was almost as good as our private charter.
A list of phone numbers left in the house book was very useful to contact Rosemary, Barbara, Pixie and Gus our driver.
The system of taxis in St Lucia is interesting as you pay per person for any trip. To do the trip to Castries for shopping and market is $ 60 US return for 6 people. A car should be considered if you intend to go out a lot.
The beautiful sandy beach is a pleasant 15 minute slow walk away and the swimming there is superb. Local food can be purchased at the beach costing around $30 EC
Gus took us on a sightseeing tour to the Pitons, and other shorter trips to Rodney Bay, and local restaurants. He was very accommodating and never let us down.
We engaged chef Eli to cook us a 5 course meal including canapes to start and lobster for main course. The meal for 6 cost $450 US and was excellently presented and served. It was very tasty.
A thoroughly enjoyable place.
Secret Cove is a really fantastic find. Our group of 6 loved our time here. What stood out:
- the people. Gus, the recommended driver/taxi/tour guide for the house was a highlight. Heâs fun, accommodating, punctual, and elevated our trips out of the home. He leant us a cooler and bottle opener as well. Thereâs no bus like the âGus Busâ. James, the chef suggested by the house was also a highlight. He made fantastic food, accommodating all requests, and making healthy options (that didnât taste healthy). Sonya, the house manager rounded out the folks we interacted with. She did a great job keeping the space clean and helping us have a stocked fridge and pantry when we arrived by pre purchasing groceries.
- the views. The house faces due west and has spectacular sunset views.
- the outdoor spaces. The patio is fantastic. 8 easily can dine together at the outdoor table. The pool is dated but fun (no hot tub). The beach directly under the property is rocky but nice for snorkeling and just getting in the sea.
- the bedrooms. All weâre comfy, all had bathrooms, all had comfy beds and ice cold AC.
What you should know:
- youâre on the domestic airport peninsula. So inter Caribbean flights are amazing from an access perspective. We actually had friends meeting us take a photo of us from the plane while we danced on the roof). This means your about 1.5 hours to international. Youâre 1.5 hours to the Pitons and Sugar beach for reference.
We had a very nice stay at the Secret Cove villa. The views of the ocean from the villa are amazing. Sitting in the pool, watching the ocean was super relaxing. Kids enjoyed playing in the pool, it is a nice size pool. There were a couple of days when we did not feel like going anywhere, not even the beach, so we stayed in, enjoyed the pool, and still had a great day.
The location was very convenient for us, close to the town of Castries, so it was easy to run for groceries. Close to the Vigie beach, but also only 20 min from Reduit beach and Rodney bay.
Rosemary responded within minutes, she recommended a chef for us and a massage therapist that comes to the house, and we booked those before we left. It was so nice to have home-cooked meal at the house on the day of arrival.
The house is very well equipped, if you want to cook your own food, everything is there (but who wants to cook on vacation).
Our only disappointment was that there is not a washer and dryer in the house actually. However, Sonya, the housekeeper comes daily (if you want her too) and she can do your laundry.
Rosemary was very helpful providing information and answering questions. The home is beautiful. Had a few hiccups but the property manager and others helped address them as best as possible. Would definitely stay again.
I was born on the beautiful island of St. Lucia. I was Educated in the United Kingdom. I travelled extensively with my job as an Air Stewardess, and with other jobs as a Regional Director. I still enjoy traveling. I belong to two book clubs and we meet monthly. I like to think of myself as a free Spirit, but Iâm not sure and really donât mind what others think. I do love life.
Vigie Peninsula is one of the oldest neighborhoods on the Island. Although only 10 minutes from the Capital it is exclusive, safe and on a very quiet peninsula. The views over looking the Caribbean Sea are breathtaking We have a Neighborhood watch group and the bantering can be quite funny at times.
Secret Cove Villa is a bit of an âOld World, large modern estate house. âIt can be called impressive. It was designed by an Architect with a lot of input from me. It is livable and relaxing.