Has anyone been to Caneel Bay (or any resort on St. John) during the month of June? I am wondering how hot it is in the evening. Caneel Bay, the resort I am planning on going to, does not have air conditioning. They have ceiling fans in every room. They say you do not neet a.c. I am worried.... Any general comments on Caneel Bay or St. John will be useful.
Thanks!

St. John is a wonderful island -- very unspoiled, safe, beautiful and fun. It is one of my absolute favorites in the Caribbean. 66%25 of it is a US national park. Further, summer is one of the best times to go. It always surprises me that the Caribbean is not more popular among the cognoscenti in the summer. So many people race to bake on Hilton Head, Virginia Beach, and other "summer" resorts. In fact, the Caribbean is often cooler during the evening than the beaches of the Atlantic coast. During the day the air is cooled by the trade winds, so it is much more pleasant than most northern cities. There are blissfully few tourists and prices drop. I have taken two vacations on St. John during the month of August and have always enjoyed it. Friends look at me like I am crazy to go there in the summer because they believe it is hot as h-ll. This is a fallacy -- in fact the opposite is true.

Caneel Bay is a joy, or a least it used to be. 7 beaches, low key elegance. I think it has been bought and renovated, and my concern is that is may have become "chic". It was never chic before, just relaxed, first class and elegant in an old world way. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

We went to Caneel Bay the second week in June last
year. The only time we missed the a/c was when my
husband got sunburned. Caneel Bay is Wonderful!
If you like privacy and beach front snorkling this
is the place for you. The water is so clear and
clean. Hope this helps you.

I agree that Caneel is wonderful and that the Caribbean CAN be very pleasant in the summer -- but a word of warning. Several years ago we missed the hurricane that that wiped out half of the Caribbean by being fortunate enough to have airline tickets that allowed us to leave St. Martin just one day ahead of the storm. Once the storm was announced, all airlines immediately sold out and it was very hard to get off the islands.

My point is this: in hurricane season -- toward the end of the summer -- you should consider the southern Caribbean, which is outside the hurricane belt. Places like Aruba and Grenada immediately come to mind.

I used to love the Caribbean in the summer but now avoid the islands that are hurricane prone. If all this sounds theoretical, just ask the locals for stories of what it's like to be caught in a Caribbean hurricane. Had we not gotten off of St. Martin, we would have been placed in a public shelter for several weeks.

Hi Karen-
I'm going to Caneel Bay for my honeymoon in May. I've been once before (in early Sept.) and the weather was very nice. You may want to check out www.traveltalk.com - and visit the Caribtalk site. I found a GREAT deal of info there on St. John and Caneel Bay. Don't worry - you are going to have a WONDERFUL time!

Last year we went to St. John in March. We loved it and stayed in a home we rented in Hawk's Nest Bay that was directly across from one of the Caneel Bay beaches. Caneel Bay is lovely. Quiet, well secured and restful. St. John is a terrific place, but if you are expecting to be entertained, you will find that it is not that type of place. Very laid back and has things to do but most of them are for you to make happen. There is a nude beach near Caneel Bay if that interests you. We have friends that live on St. Croix, year around. They find the summers very pleasant, and I am told that the beaches on North Carolina and south are much more oppressive in the summer than those on the Virgin Islands. Try it, you will probably have a wonderful time.

Hi Karen,
To say that you are worried and to say that you are going to Caneel Bay is an absolute contradiction!! I have been there several times at varying times of the year. Although it is not air conditioned, the rooms are quite comfortable because of their openness - lots of screens - and the fact that the island cools down at night The temperature in the Virgin Islands does not vary significantly throughout the year. I spent my honeymoon at Caneel in 1970, returned several times, most recently December 1997. Caneel Bay has changed very little. It is elegant, quiet, beautiful - outstanding service, grounds, food, beaches and snorkeling.
The only problem with going to Caneel is that for the rest of your life you will be spoiled!!
Have a good time!!