We were a group of 4 couples, and we all loved this villa! We were in St. John 9 years ago and stayed at La Bella Vita at Virgin Grand Estates, which we also loved. Hakuna Matata is larger and quite grand. The view of Cinnamon Bay, a portion of Francis Bay, and beyond to Jost van Dyke is incredible. There is one bedroom on the main level, outside of the building with the living/dining/kitchen/laundry, one bedroom below that on the pool level, and 2 bedrooms above the main level. The huge master suite is on that top level. All were very comfortable and had nice outdoor showers. Be prepared to wake with the sun as there are no curtains or shades. (Hard to mind when you wake to a tropical paradise)
The villa is furnished with items from around the world. Look for the owners stories in the kitchen wine rack. (they also have a treasure map in there for children!) I think you would need to stay there for at least a month to notice all of the details they have included.
The kitchen is extremely well stocked with everything you need! (and beautiful). Every room was very clean, and we did not see any bugs or critters inside! We really enjoyed the hot tub, the pool and all of the floats available.
Only negative to us was the road in and out of Catherineberg. It’s mostly paved, but a challenge. Several switchbacks from villa to North Shore Rd., a bit easier to Centerline Rd. 4 wheel drive required!
We want to thank the owners of this gorgeous villa for sharing it with us!

Working with Betsy at WhereToStay.com was great! She answered all of our questions and made sure we had all of the information we needed for a smooth vacation experience.
Our greeter on arrival day was Viky from Catered To. She made our arrival super easy and even answered a few questions while were there.

Hakuna Matata is a tropical paradise, from the moment you enter the gates. The view is breathtaking, grounds are lush and immaculate, and interior is updated and clean. Large pool and working, secluded hot tub with waterfall. Daily and nightly visits from birds, family of deer, and slept soundly to the lullabies of island frogs. The villa is stocked with tons of supplies from kitchen to linens, beach towels & toys. Especially enjoyed the Sonos sound system and smart/cable tv. Best villa by far we have stayed in on STJ. Hope to return soon. Staff super-friendly and helpful too. Hakuna Matata.

Perfect, five stars!

My wife and I stayed here with our kids (16 and 10), and we had an exceptional experience. The villa is well-maintained with great amenities and it has an amazing view of Cinnamon Beach.

It is conveniently located to the north shore beaches - Trunk, Cinnamon, Maho and Hawksnest.

Shawna and her team took care of everything for us. They arranged transportation from St. Thomas and back, helped arrange to stock the villa with groceries before our arrival, and took care of whatever other needs we had.

I have no hesitations about recommending this villa, and I will definitely use WhereToStay again.

We have stayed at Hakuna matata before. And it is a superior villa. Beautiful views, grounds, pool and well stocked for any need.

Other than that it was a dream vacation in a dream villa.

Shawna had other clients the same night so wasnt able to guide us. We knew the way so it wasnt an issue. She came later and gave us the key. She is delightful.

What can I say ... Hakuna Matata is an amazing villa on St John. If you are looking for a private, secluded and relaxing place to stay then this is the place. The pool and hot tub are incredible, tucked away in lush greenery. The view of Cinnamon Bay and Cinnamon Bay Beach is second to none. Access to all the north shore beaches is only minutes away.

The amenities within the villa are very good. We cooked most of our meals at the villa and we had everything we needed.

The road leading to Hakuna Matata gets a little rough and steep in some parts so I would highly recommend renting a jeep or four wheel drive vehicle if staying at this villa.

My experience with WhereToStay.com is very, very good. I want to thank you Shawna for being so flexible with all of the changes in our travel plans.

We had the incredible experience of staying at Hakuna Matata for three weeks (thank you COVID), during which time my fiancé and I were joined by our parents and, separately, a group of friends.

The house is beautifully situated near the top of Catherineberg, within the National Park boundary but still close to Cruz Bay and a reasonable drive from Coral Bay. It’s a 3 minute drive downhill to Cinnamon Bay beach and a shorter distance to incredible hikes and ruins.

The architecture of the house is incredible, as is the view towards Tortola and JVD. Hakuna Matata is well stocked with everything you need (kitchen, beach, pool).

Our favorite characteristics (other than location and view) were the Sonos system throughout (incredible), the great WiFi (two of us working remotely the entire time) and the saltwater hot tub/pool system (I usually don’t use hot tubs in rentals).

I would highly recommend the villa for large groups of family or friends. There are A LOT of stairs in the layout so might not be great for very small children.

The House is immaculate and enormous. Perfectly located looking over Cinnamon Bay. The pool is magical. Just 10 mins outside of town - totally secluded and the ultimate getaway. Lives up to the name and then some. The master shower has the best view on the entire island. Just sensational!!

Shawna is the absolute top in her field. There is no one in the Caribbean better. No only does she match you with the absolute best property to match your dreams, she takes care of every last detail to make your trip magical. I can’t say enough about what a wonderful human being this incredible woman is. You will never stay in the Caribbean without her help again.