Renaissance Report
Jul 16th, 2003, 04:15 AM
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Renaissance Report
My family consisting of myself, husband and our 15 year old son have just returned from a glorious week in St. Thomas. (7/8 - 7/15)
I had started researching the "hotel for us" back in December. I had done extensive research both on the internet and with books such as Frommers, etc. After all of the research, I was still unsure if it was right for us, as there were so many mixed reviews of this property. Quite a few people saying the rooms were in dire need of updating, smell of mold in the room, etc. Well, I am happy to report that we were very happy with this resort!
First off, upon entering, the grounds are truly spectacular! During our week on the island, we'd been to several other properties and they truly pale in comparison. The Sapphire Beach Resort is an absolute DUMP compared to the Renaissance!
The lobby is open air and gives a magnificent Caribbean air when you check in... I've never experienced this kind of lobby and I loved it! You see the magnificent Caribbean Sea just beyond!! When checking in, there was a mix up where we were supposed to have 2 queen beds, they had us in a King. Well, although we love our son very much, we did not want to share a bed with him! Apparantly they had nothing else in the "Resort View" category which we were paying to get, they only had a "Beach Front" room.... TOO BAD THEY MIXED UP THE BED THING... OH WELL... WE GOT AN UPGRADE TO BEACHFRONT for the same price!!!!!! Well, the view was nothing short of SPECTACULAR... Every time we came back to the room I had to run to the balcony to look at my tropical paradise! Again, those spectacularly manicured lush grounds and the Caribbean Sea just beyond were what really made it a dream come true!!
The room itself was fine. It was decorated in a nice airy Caribbean style. No, it's not perfect... the knobs on the sink were a bit pitted (chrome does that in damp environments). I'd compare it to the hotel we had in Disney World... Dixie Landings. However, the view made it feel so much more luxurious!!!
The beach there was lovely! Yes, there was some seaweed on the beach but they were out there every morning cleaning it. I never saw it actually in the water... only dried on the shore. I live in NJ and EVERY BEACH here has seaweed and MUCH MORE... like garbage and such... so a bit of seaweed which is a natural thing, doesn't bother me at all. I really loved the beach because it was quite gentle... unlike some other beaches on the island.
On our first day we went to Chris Sawyere's Dive shop and got our Free Snorkeling equipment. I will tell you that it was the best mask I've ever used! My son and husband also went out in the free Kayaks and saw a Sea Turtle not far out at all!!! Is that paradise, or what!?
The other great thing about this property is its proximity to the Best Snorkeling Beach on the island... Coki!!! Coki was AWESOME!
We found the service to be fine. We felt that the people on the island itself weren't the frinedliest... and the hotel was no different. They were accomodating as far as towels... we used TONS of TOWELS and they usually came in every evening for turndown service.
Their restaurant, Baywinds, was the only restaurant there that we went to and while it had resort hotel prices, it was very good.... Like the lobby, it was open air and it had a lovely ambiance which I loved.
Not too much going on at night, but they did have Karyoke, and a few things (it is the off season). They did have the pool open 24 hours a day which was nice!
We had planned on renting a car, but decided it would be better for my husband to relax and leave it to the professionals. We utilized the SAFARI $1 BUSSES a lot of the time! Luckily for us, the hotel is on their root! We also used vans and taxis... I think we probably broke even there... thanks to the $1 taxis!
OUR ADVENTURES: Virgin Island Eco Tour: this was a 2 1/2 hour guided tour through the mangroves... EXCELLENT!!! We kayaked, learned, snorkeled... it was a great adventure!
We took the ferry over to Virgin Gorda and climbed in the Baths and in Devils Bay... now that was probably the most spectaculr thing I've ever seen!!!! I think you could say it's as beautiful as Trunk Bay in St. John!! WOW!!!
We also went to St. John and hiked to Leinster & Watermelon Cay... where we swam with stingrays and my dream, a SEA TURTLE!! (My husband & son had seen one at the hotel, but that was brief... this we were with him for over 1/2 hour!!!!!)
Well, I've got to go... I have a weeks worth of mail, laundry, etc. to get to... If anyone has any questions about anything, please feel free to e-mail me... I'd be happy to help!
Lisa
I had started researching the "hotel for us" back in December. I had done extensive research both on the internet and with books such as Frommers, etc. After all of the research, I was still unsure if it was right for us, as there were so many mixed reviews of this property. Quite a few people saying the rooms were in dire need of updating, smell of mold in the room, etc. Well, I am happy to report that we were very happy with this resort!
First off, upon entering, the grounds are truly spectacular! During our week on the island, we'd been to several other properties and they truly pale in comparison. The Sapphire Beach Resort is an absolute DUMP compared to the Renaissance!
The lobby is open air and gives a magnificent Caribbean air when you check in... I've never experienced this kind of lobby and I loved it! You see the magnificent Caribbean Sea just beyond!! When checking in, there was a mix up where we were supposed to have 2 queen beds, they had us in a King. Well, although we love our son very much, we did not want to share a bed with him! Apparantly they had nothing else in the "Resort View" category which we were paying to get, they only had a "Beach Front" room.... TOO BAD THEY MIXED UP THE BED THING... OH WELL... WE GOT AN UPGRADE TO BEACHFRONT for the same price!!!!!! Well, the view was nothing short of SPECTACULAR... Every time we came back to the room I had to run to the balcony to look at my tropical paradise! Again, those spectacularly manicured lush grounds and the Caribbean Sea just beyond were what really made it a dream come true!!
The room itself was fine. It was decorated in a nice airy Caribbean style. No, it's not perfect... the knobs on the sink were a bit pitted (chrome does that in damp environments). I'd compare it to the hotel we had in Disney World... Dixie Landings. However, the view made it feel so much more luxurious!!!
The beach there was lovely! Yes, there was some seaweed on the beach but they were out there every morning cleaning it. I never saw it actually in the water... only dried on the shore. I live in NJ and EVERY BEACH here has seaweed and MUCH MORE... like garbage and such... so a bit of seaweed which is a natural thing, doesn't bother me at all. I really loved the beach because it was quite gentle... unlike some other beaches on the island.
On our first day we went to Chris Sawyere's Dive shop and got our Free Snorkeling equipment. I will tell you that it was the best mask I've ever used! My son and husband also went out in the free Kayaks and saw a Sea Turtle not far out at all!!! Is that paradise, or what!?
The other great thing about this property is its proximity to the Best Snorkeling Beach on the island... Coki!!! Coki was AWESOME!
We found the service to be fine. We felt that the people on the island itself weren't the frinedliest... and the hotel was no different. They were accomodating as far as towels... we used TONS of TOWELS and they usually came in every evening for turndown service.
Their restaurant, Baywinds, was the only restaurant there that we went to and while it had resort hotel prices, it was very good.... Like the lobby, it was open air and it had a lovely ambiance which I loved.
Not too much going on at night, but they did have Karyoke, and a few things (it is the off season). They did have the pool open 24 hours a day which was nice!
We had planned on renting a car, but decided it would be better for my husband to relax and leave it to the professionals. We utilized the SAFARI $1 BUSSES a lot of the time! Luckily for us, the hotel is on their root! We also used vans and taxis... I think we probably broke even there... thanks to the $1 taxis!
OUR ADVENTURES: Virgin Island Eco Tour: this was a 2 1/2 hour guided tour through the mangroves... EXCELLENT!!! We kayaked, learned, snorkeled... it was a great adventure!
We took the ferry over to Virgin Gorda and climbed in the Baths and in Devils Bay... now that was probably the most spectaculr thing I've ever seen!!!! I think you could say it's as beautiful as Trunk Bay in St. John!! WOW!!!
We also went to St. John and hiked to Leinster & Watermelon Cay... where we swam with stingrays and my dream, a SEA TURTLE!! (My husband & son had seen one at the hotel, but that was brief... this we were with him for over 1/2 hour!!!!!)
Well, I've got to go... I have a weeks worth of mail, laundry, etc. to get to... If anyone has any questions about anything, please feel free to e-mail me... I'd be happy to help!
Lisa
Jul 16th, 2003, 08:13 AM
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LPOWMAC, I'm just curious why you called Sapphire Beach Resort a dump? I'm familiar with both hotels though never stayed at Sapphire Resort itself (Crystal Cove condo's which is on the same beach and shares amenities) It didn't appear to be a dump to me though the time I was there it was in season. I guess I'm looking for some examples as to why you thought it was a dump.
Glad you had a wonderful time!
Glad you had a wonderful time!
Jul 16th, 2003, 10:23 AM
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I think the main reason Sapphire doesn't look good from the outside is that they used a lot of natural wood and it has deteriorated rapidly in the salt air.
Maybe all these Caribbean resorts should stick to white stucco.
Also, the area between SBR and the road tends to be sort of an eternal construction site.
Maybe all these Caribbean resorts should stick to white stucco.
Also, the area between SBR and the road tends to be sort of an eternal construction site.
Jul 16th, 2003, 01:03 PM
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I'm not mad, just curious. I thought they both looked like ok properties. Renaissance and Sapphire Beach. Dump is a pretty strong word. We thought it looked ok when we we're there in May. If something changed about it - I'd like to know.
Jul 16th, 2003, 01:25 PM
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Ok, I said that Sapphire Beach is an absolute dump compared to the Renaissance because: It has fences and machinery for construction all over the place, although nothing seems to be getting built. The landscaping, if you could call it that, seemed unmaintained... dry, scraggly and not much of it to begin with... far from lush and magnificent like the Renaissance (the original builder/architect of the Renaissance property obviously spent great sums of money to create what they now have.
We had walked through the property (not just pass by) because we had reservations to eat at the Seagrape restaurant there. Well, the place was pretty bad... nothing seemed well maintained from their lobby to the restaurant.... every one of the ceiling fans was horribly rusted... the plastic flaps they had to protect diners from gusts of wind were filthy and grimy... the entire ambiance was just shabby... even the tennis courts looked awful... everything we saw was just poorly maintained.
Now, did I answer all of your questions?
If not, just holler!
Thanks,
Lisa
We had walked through the property (not just pass by) because we had reservations to eat at the Seagrape restaurant there. Well, the place was pretty bad... nothing seemed well maintained from their lobby to the restaurant.... every one of the ceiling fans was horribly rusted... the plastic flaps they had to protect diners from gusts of wind were filthy and grimy... the entire ambiance was just shabby... even the tennis courts looked awful... everything we saw was just poorly maintained.
Now, did I answer all of your questions?
If not, just holler!
Thanks,
Lisa
Jul 17th, 2003, 09:06 PM
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My niece recently visited and stayed at Sapphire and was very happy with her beachfront unit which she got at a very low per diem via hotels.com and for far less than I could have got her knowing people (I'm a 20 year resident.)
She had places to go to and things to do with her auntie and other people and used the condo as a waystop and thoroughly enjoyed it. Her bed-stop was lovely with great view, stove, fridge, microwave, blender, king bed and sleep sofa, big double-sink bathroom and A/C.
The construction is due to start there next month and if it looked "dry" to a former poster, that's because we just went through a dry spell of weather which had the whole island looking droopy. However, now we've had some rain and all is lush again. In fact I plan to weedwhack my property tomorrow morning. Rats.
She had places to go to and things to do with her auntie and other people and used the condo as a waystop and thoroughly enjoyed it. Her bed-stop was lovely with great view, stove, fridge, microwave, blender, king bed and sleep sofa, big double-sink bathroom and A/C.
The construction is due to start there next month and if it looked "dry" to a former poster, that's because we just went through a dry spell of weather which had the whole island looking droopy. However, now we've had some rain and all is lush again. In fact I plan to weedwhack my property tomorrow morning. Rats.
Jul 18th, 2003, 04:58 AM
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Thanks resident. Glad to hear Sapphire is still just fine. I'm like your niece and really just need a clean, safe place to sleep and shower. We don't usually eat at the resort and are usually traveling to all the different beaches and islands nearby that Sapphire fits the bill perfectly for us.
We stayed at Crystal Cove earlier this year and walked around Sapphire quite a bit. I thought it looked just fine. Certainly nothing fancy or Ritz like but for people who just need a decent place to sleep it fits the bill. Having stayed at the Wyndham, Frenchmens Reef and the Renaissance I'll stick with the Sapphire area. Saving money on the hotels is what allows us to go twice a year! I got to have my island fix! But like I said this fits our needs and may not fit others.
The beach there is fantastic. They have a pretty good reef on the right hand side and a grassy area on the left hand side where sea turtles hang out.
Everyone has different viewpoints and needs of course.
We stayed at Crystal Cove earlier this year and walked around Sapphire quite a bit. I thought it looked just fine. Certainly nothing fancy or Ritz like but for people who just need a decent place to sleep it fits the bill. Having stayed at the Wyndham, Frenchmens Reef and the Renaissance I'll stick with the Sapphire area. Saving money on the hotels is what allows us to go twice a year! I got to have my island fix! But like I said this fits our needs and may not fit others.
The beach there is fantastic. They have a pretty good reef on the right hand side and a grassy area on the left hand side where sea turtles hang out.
Everyone has different viewpoints and needs of course.
Jul 19th, 2003, 08:23 AM
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Hi Lisa - thanks so much for your report! We are staying there in January and I, too, had read a lot of conflicting reviews. Of course, we are staying with rewards points so I don't think we'll get the upgrade you did, but I'm just happy that the overall resort was so nice.
Question: were you happy that you didn't rent a car and would you do the same if you went back again to the same location? Thanks.
Sue
Question: were you happy that you didn't rent a car and would you do the same if you went back again to the same location? Thanks.
Sue
Jul 19th, 2003, 03:41 PM
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Sue, yes, we definitely would not rent a car... again. We were only 3 people and between taking the $1 Safari busses and the regular taxi transportation, we really didn't spend more than if we had had a car... in fact, we may have spent less! Also, it was more relaxing... no getting lost, no worrying about parking, no worrying about anything. I was scared for the first day and a half just being in any vehicle with those hills and hairpin turns... but I'd rather be in the hands of a "professional" driver under those circumstances anyway! When we go back next year we'll be staying on St. John and I do feel it's much less crazy driving there... so we do plan on a car there.
Any other questions, just ask away!
Lisa
Any other questions, just ask away!
Lisa
Aug 1st, 2003, 09:53 AM
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My family and I will be staying at the Renaissance in a couple of weeks. There's 5 of us, so I rented a mini-van. Would using taxis even be possible for a group that large? I'd rather not have to get "used" to driving on the left. I've done it in England, but it took some getting used to. Thanks for your post. I'm encouraged about the Ren.
Aug 1st, 2003, 12:02 PM
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To jdsprod: We were just at the Ren. and the prices to town in a cab are $8.00 pp one way even if you have 6 people. Someone mentioned about the safari bus for $1.00. You may want to check into that. Wish i had known about it B4 I went there.
