mkg

We are thinking about a villa on St. John for our honeymoon in May. Neither of us has rented a villa before, and we're not sure how the transportation aspects of this work. How do we know where our villa is and how to get there when we arrive from the ferry? How do we get a rental jeep? Is there plenty of parking at the beaches and restaurants on St. John? I know that driving can be a little tricky...we are aiming to be closer to the Great Cruz Bay area. I know my questions probably seem a little silly to those of you who frequent St. John. I'm just wondering how much of a hassle it is to stay in a villa as opposed to a resort where we would be on the beach and not be so dependent on a car (not nec. on STJ.) The privacy and ability to explore both really appeal to us, we're just not sure we want to have to worry about getting from here to there. Thanks! Recs appreciated!

Mermaid

Staying at a villa on St John works just like staying at a villa on any other island. The experience is different from staying at a resort but I'll happily give up resort services for the privacy and peace of a nicely located villa.
When you rent a villa, the management agency that you rent from will have someone meet you at the ferry to escort you to the villa. Most agencies can arrange for a jeep rental or you can take care of it yourself. In either case you will be met and then shown to the villa you've chosen. The rep will then take you in, show you where everything is and how it works. They will also leave information on how to contact them with any difficulties.
If you're staying at a villa, a rented vehicle is really a necessity. Trying to get a taxi from a villa can be a problem, depending on where you're located. Driving is not that difficult, just go slowly and stay left!
The parking situation in Cruz Bay is extrmely tight. You will probably want to choose a jeep rental agency (Conrad Sutton for example) that allows you to park in their lot when you're in town. Parking at the beaches is not a problem.
If you really want resort services,like room service and concierge and such, then this probably won't work for you. If, like me, you would prefer privacy and seclusion on vacation then a villa can be a great choice.

tess53

as the previous post said , you will be picked up at the ferry dock by the management co.you are renting from.if you rent a car they will bring you to the rental co./they will then have you follow them to the villa you have rented.IMHO renting a car is a must, even if you stay at a hotel, so you can tour St.John on your own.this is a beautifull island and so much is missed just hanging on the beach of your hotel! i love the adventure and freedom to come and go as i please, well worth the expense. i also prefer a villa over a hotel but everyone is different. one option might be to check out a place called Gallows Point/Cruz Bay, St.John. they have suites with full kitchens/pool and are walking distance to town, which is nice in the evening. many restuarants in Cruz Bay to choose from, some upscale/some not but all unique. as for driving on the island it is not difficult to drive on the left. the sights are wonderfull. hope i have helped/ have a great honeymoon!!! T

liza

"Staying at a villa on St John works just like staying at a villa on any other island. "

Actually I was surprised to learn that villas in StJ are not staffed with a cook, maid, etc as they are in Jamaica.

Which one is the norm, I wonder?

mkg

Thanks for the info! If anyone is still reading this thread, maybe you can give a little advice. We have been researching villas on STJ and are wondering if a stay at/on Gifft Hill would be a bad idea for first timers on STJ. I think we are finding ourselves more attracted to the views, breezes, and privacy of those villas. Coral Bay would be an option, but I really don't think we want to have to do all of that driving to Cruz Bay and the beaches. Would Gifft Hill put us in a similar circumstance? We don't mind a 10 minute drive, but I don't think we want to have worry about driving on wild roads at night. We're not positive we're going the STJ route, but it is one of our top island choices. Any advice about Gifft Hill would be appreciated. As with all my island research though, I'm learning there is never really one "perfect" place to stay!

snowrooster

We just returned from our first visit to St John and rented a villa in Coral Bay, and would do it again in a heart beat. Personally, I would highly recommend Coral Bay (we stayed in Happy Moon Villa - perfect for a honeymoon). Coral Bay is actually just as close, if not closer, to a lot of the beaches than Cruz Bay - especially if you prefer secluded beaches rather than the crowds at Trunk Bay. Quite honestly, other than restaurants and souvenier shops, there really isn't much in Cruz Bay. We rented our snorkel equiptment in Coral Bay and found quite a few good little restaurants in the area (and a great deli to get sandwiches to eat on the beach later in the day). Our villa location (on Ajax Mtn Road) was about 8 minutes from Coral Bay and 20 minutes from Cruz Bay. We loved the tranquility, incredible view, the space, and having our own pool. If you are going to rent a villa on vaca St John is the place to do it - it's a very safe island as well and the locals are super friendly. Oh, we also rented a Jeep from Conrad Sutton and appreciated being able to park in his lot the one evening we did go to Cruz Bay for dinner.

mkg

snowrooster - hmmm...you said exactly what I was hoping to hear. A couple of questions: how long was the drive from Coral Bay to the North Shore? Is the drive treacherous? I worry about going to dinner in Cruz Bay and having to make it back to Coral Bay in the dark. Coral Bay looks beautiful - thanks for your help!

snowrooster

I'm so happy to help - I posted here for months prior to our trip and now that it's over I'm thrilled to be able to contribute my thoughts.

Here is the link to the villa we rented:
http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/happy_...appy_moon.html

It's actually not in Coral Bay but in between Coral and Cruz Bay (just closer to Coral). The north shore beaches were just a few minutes away (the beaches closer to Coral Bay are less crowded). One of our favorites, Waterlemon (on Leinster Bay) was really close and it was some of the best snorkeling we found. Being close to Coral Bay vs Cruz Bay also puts you closer to the East End of the island and Salt Pond Bay and Little Lameshur, which have nice beaches and snorkeling.

We had planned on going into Cruz Bay for dinner a lot, but only went once. Not because of the drive, but because we fell in love with Coral Bay. When you first drive through Coral Bay, it doesn't seem like much, but there were some good restaurants - Skinny Legs, Island Blues, Shipwreck Landing. We went to the East End for Vys Snack Shack which was fun and Pickels Deli is great. Sputniks is supposed to have awesome breakfasts but we missed it this time (we plan to return!).

The driving on St John is different - curves and more curves - but as long as you go slowly it's really not bad. We just found Coral Bay to be perfect for us (and you get more for your money villa wise too). We'd get up, enjoy coffee and our incredible view. Then we'd head out with our snorkeling gear (rented at Crabby's in Coral Bay) to the destination for the day. We'd come back to the villa early afternoon and splash in the pool and take a nap; then venture out again for dinner. It was perfect. Coral Bay has a special spirit. Everyone we met was so friendly and it is just wonderfully laid back. If you have any other questions, let me know!