2602 Bjerge Gade #2 D ~ St. Thomas, V.I. 00802 ~ Phone / Fax 340-776-1311 Email us for more information - Info@VillaSantana.com. La Cocina de Santa Anna. Toward the crest of Denmark Hill lies a historic villa built in the 1850's by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna during his third exile from Mexico. The general, after being proclaimed a hero for defeating the Texans at the Alamo, had a disastrous stint as a politician, and was exiled after a fruitless and vicious campaign against southern revolutionary Juan Alvarez. Villa Santana, built with stolen money from the Mexican treasury has remained a treasure of the Virgin Islands until a disastrous fire consumed the wooden greathouse in 1986. Although the greathouse has not been rebuilt, the ancillary buildings have been elegantly rebuilt and refurbished. This unique 6 unit country villa can accommodate up to as many as 18 guests and offers uninhibited views of the harbor and the entire town of Charlotte Amalie day and night. Guests will undoubtedly experience the beauty and feel the history and romance of this St. Thomas landmark. DSL is available. Villa Santana is conveniently located just 10 minutes away from beautiful Magens Bay. The Villa Santana is a treasure I experienced on St. Thomas, handy to shopping, beautiful ocean view, and historical richness in the architecture of the 1850's. Unbelievably inexpensive for the value and true hospitality. Don't even try anywhere else! Joanne Hall RN Ph.D. - Milwaukee, WI. Room Descriptions Daily Rates. Former library of the General Santa Anna, La Mansion offers all the features one would expect from an elegant West Indian Villa. There is a full kitchen, two full baths and a living area leading to a petite balcony. La Mansion sleeps four comfortably with a queen-size sofa bed downstairs and a queen-size four poster bed in the master bedroom. Winter $195.00 Summer $135.00. Originally the general's wine cellar, La Terraza has been transformed into a spacious one bedroom studio. This split level studio is equipped with a double bed, an efficient kitchen, a full bath, and opens onto a large dining patio. Winter $135.00 Summer $95.00. Once the central kitchen for the entire estate, La Cocina de Santa Anna is a unique one bedroom villa efficiency. This unit has a double bed, full bath and is equipped with a petite kitchen situated underneath a recently restored Danish chimney. Winter $135.00 Summer $85.00. Once the bedroom of the general's most trusted attache, La Casa de Piedra is now a spacious villa efficiency. La Casa de Piedra has a double bed, full bath and kitchenette. This unit opens up and offers a view of the pool and surrounding town. Winter $125.00 Summer $85.00. The old pump house has been converted into a modern lookout tower, La Torre. This well proportioned unit with the kitchen and living area downstairs has a spiral staircase leading up to a romantic bedroom and full bath. La Torre provides its guests with a panoramic view of the pool, garden, town and harbor. Unless otherwise noted, room rates are double occupancy. Winter rates - Dec. 15 thru April 30 Summer rates - May 1 thru Dec. 14. Contact us for Reservations or more Information. The most beautiful relaxing accommodations on the islands. The owner is most welcoming and gracious. Patricia E. Stevens RN Ph.D. - Milwaukee, WI. I have traveled the world immensely, but never have I awakened to such beauty. Erik Svensdsen - Luther Bishop of Copenhagen. For the Curious, a Little More History... The General's Palace of St. Thomas - Villa Santana The year was 1857 and the island of St. Thomas was attempting to recover from severe depression and insurrection. As news arrived that the slave revolt on neighboring St. Croix was reaching the island via trading vessels, the Danish - the colonial power - became nervous. As the administrators gathered at the Danish Consulate (now the governor's residence), to ponder a response and perhaps the ramifications of such an insurrection on the island of St. Thomas, they could see the airy glow of the famous fire burns of Fredericksted. The islands were under siege and the nervous merchants were willing to protect their investments at all costs. Enter rogue personality and former president of Mexico, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (of the Battle of the Alamo fame) who was at that time in exile in the Dominican Republic. To the international power elite the general was regarded as a military genius, statesman, scoundrel, and despot. To the Danes, Santa Anna represented a veteran warrior with an indomitable spirit and ruthless reputation who could serve to protect commercial interest in the island. The Danes encouraged the general's presence in St. Thomas and, in fact, found no reason to question his construction of a defensive perimeter just below their consulate on Denmark Hill. It is not recorded how the former president of Mexico ended up with the entire 2 acre estate titled 2D Bjerge Gade but own it he did when construction actually began on the massive perimeter fortification. The fortress and villa was to be defensible from all sides and armed with small grapeshot cannons. The villa's construction was built by extorted Mexican Silver; enough of it that records indicate that Mexican silver was a freely traded currency on the island during the mid-1800s. As Santa Anna's villa grew, so did his entourage. Needless to say, the general was certainly causing a stir on tiny St. Thomas. It was known that Santa Anna, who lost part of his leg at the defense of Vera Cruz against the French, was addicted to opium, which eased the constant discomfort of a hasty and rather crude field amputation, The General often entertained at his villa and threw lavish parties to which prominent guests would arrive by horse and buggy. The General, usually clad in full regalia with his trademark golden sash and jewel encrusted cane, wooed the guests at his magnificent villa. It is said that despite his handicap he remained an amazing dancer. He must have been a quite a spectacle, as he swept women on the dance floor with his peg leg and brilliant Spanish moves. According to legend, Santa Anna could find no peace and tranquilly because of a crime of passion. Santa Anna had become enamored with a young girl prior to leaving Mexico; the young girl in turn loved an officer who supported the enemy in Valencia. When the General discovered the young lovers he drew his pistol and shot them both. Another young woman Dona Manuela, who was in love with Santa Anna impersonated the dead girl and came to his room during the night while at his villa in St. Thomas. When the hoax was discovered, Dona revealed that the girl was not dead, but happily married in Mexico. It is unknown what happened to Dona, but a ghost of a young woman in a nightgown has been seen dancing around the property during fierce electrical storms. By 1866 St. Thomas was experiencing a renewed prosperity due to a boom in commerce. The Danes who were devoted to commerce and peaceful relations with its international trading partners were no longer impressed by the General's enigmatic and often controversial presence on the small pastoral island. The notorious Ex-General posed an internal threat with his centrally located fortress and Spanish speaking desperados running a drug and Protection Empire. Enter U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, who in 1866 came to the West Indies, supposedly for health reasons. In actuality he was in St. Thomas to further investigate the prospects for signing a treaty with Denmark for the purchase of the Danish West Indies. After a day-long meeting at the Governor's Residence, Mr. Steward arrived at Santa Anna's Palace of St. Thomas for a courtesy visit. Santa Anna was obsessed with returning to power in Mexico, and during Seward's visit such a return was discussed. Santa Anna later wrote I was extremely curious to know what he had in mind and it was implied that the U.S. Government wou...

 Guest rooms have air conditioning
 Credit cards accepted
 Ironing facilities
 Kitchen
 Laundry services/washing machine
 Smoke-free guest rooms
 Parking lot
 Private park, garden, courtyard
 Quiet surroundings
 Fridge
 Private/Ensuite bathroom
 Swimming pool
 Tea and coffee making facilities
 TV sets in rooms
 Patio, summer terrace