Casa Lupa - St. Thomas

This new four-bedroom Casa Lupa villa, just completed in 2009, overlooks the expanse of the Bay from its location just above the shoreline. A staircase flanked by palm trees takes you down to the main level's landing, inlaid with 18th-century handpainted tiles brought over from the family's ancient Italian estate, and through the courtyard entryway to Casa Lupa's terrace and pool. Casa Lupa consists of two separate pavilions connected by the terrace.

The fully air-conditioned main pavilion offers the Great Room and kitchen, and the adjacent master bedroom/bath suite, both connected by a shady covered loggia off the courtyard terrace, just perfect for alfresco dining and languid days and nights of sheer relaxation. The plush Great Room, which shares space with the kitchen and dining tables, features comfy sofas and chairs, cable TV, and for your pleasure, collections of books, games, music CDs, and movies to watch. In the middle is a round wooden dining table, and on the other side, the well-equipped kitchen awaits. At the rear of the Great Room, french doors flanked by Chinese statues of rams open out to a pergola'ed gallery just outside, with a large gas grill and access to the laundry room. The designer kitchen is spacious and extremely well-equipped. It shares space with a mahogany dining table that can seat eight. French doors fitted with screens open outside to the loggia and the sea view. The shaded loggia is furnished with a large dining table and with a cluster of cushioned wicker seating; three steps down is the infinity-edge pool and sun deck set with cheery orange sun umbrellas and chaise lounges, all bordered by blooming tropical plants. The master suite is at the end of the loggia, an air-conditioned, spacious queen suite. An antique Moroccan table serves as a desk, and the spacious ensuite bath features a double vanity and large shower graced with an inset of old Italian tiles and windows looking out to the sea views.

Across the courtyard terrace is Casa Lupa's second pavilion, where a patio covered with a pergola roof provides access via screened french doors to two air-conditioned, main-level suites. The blue queen suite has a tiled ensuite bath and its own covered balcony overlooking the beautiful azure of Magens Bay. Adjacent is the green twin-bed bedroom/bath suite (the two twin beds may be converted to a king bed, with advance notice to us), decorated with colorful Guatemalan masks and a Moroccan dowry chest. A staircase leads down from this level past a flowering garden of vivid bougainvillea to Casa Lupa's fourth suite, a totally private haven away from it all, with a small sitting area and ensuite bath.

Trips to Morocco inspired the simple but stunning interiors of Casa Lupa. The villa's walls are lime-washed, tinted with natural pigments from India and Africa. Moroccan mirrors and a Berber dish feature camel-bone inlays stained with henna; a kitchen wall showcases a handpainted antique pharmacy shelf, and the draperies in each room were handwoven in Morocco of silk and wool and dyed with natural pigments to match each room's wall color. Bed linens are luxurious 800-count. A few carefully-chosen handpainted Chinese pieces, original paintings and artistic accessories enhance Casa Lupa's fine decor throughout. Brand new and ready to greet privileged guests, Casa Lupa is just a very short drive to Magens Bay beach, five minutes to Mahogany Run Golf Course, and about ten to fifteen minutes from Charlotte Amalie. Very highly recommended.