iamq

After lots of reading and talking, we've decided to go to St. John next June for my first trip to the Caribbean. I am looking forward to the beaches and snorkeling! We can stay for up to 2 weeks. There will be just the two of us.

We'd like to stay at Caneel Bay for part of the time just to chill out and relax and maybe do a villa rental to use as more of a base for exploring the island.

I've looked at several villa rental sites and I am a little confused about location.

1. Is getting a villa on the north shore preferred? I've noticed that they are generally more expensive.

2. Are locations like Chocolate Hole, Rendesvous Bay, Hart Bay, Devers Bay, and other south shore locations okay with respect to driving to the National Park Beaches? What about wind and water conditions on this side of the island?

3. I've found several villas on the north hillside of Coral Bay that claim to be close to the north shore beaches. Is this true and would this be a good location?

4. I've read some comments about villas in Coral Bay being to isolated for exploring the island. Any comments from those that have stayed in this area?

Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions.

-Bill

RobertoB

Like many islands, St. John is difficult to put into perspective until you’ve been there. Keep in mind that it’s only 8 to 9 mile long so it won’t take very much time to visit any area. Some visitors prefer the north shore villas but the other areas are equally attractive in my opinion. It takes about as long to drive to the north shore beaches from Chocolate Hole/Hart Bay area as it does from Coral Bay. Driving on St. John is one beautiful experience. It certainly beats where most of us commute.

The drive from Coral Bay to the north shore beaches is not long. Salt Pond and Lameshur, two great snorkeling beaches, are closer to Coral Bay. For an alternative area look at the Bordeaux/Ajax mountain area. Do ask about the access road. Some villas have long unpaved roads, which may not be your preference.

St. John is a great choice for a first Caribbean visit. Search the previous posts on Fodors and visit USVI On-Line (http://www.usvi-on-line.com/usviforum.html ) if you haven’t already done so. Enjoy your planning.

christiegr

Bill-My family and I are going to St. John in June..we have reserved a villa from www.vivacations.com that is located in Gifft Hill which on a map looks to be a good location to the North Shore beaches and to town Cruz Bay.Check out the above website.I bet the villas in Gifft Hill are cheaper than the North Shore..and are a good central location to everything.
Good Luck!!we are going the week of June 1-7th.Are you going this June also.

iamq

roberto,
Thanks for info! I had not checked out that website yet. It is going to be VERY useful. Thanks again.

christie,
Thanks. We are planning on going next June. How far in advance did you make your villa reservation?
-Bill

christiegr

We put a deposit about 2 weeks ago and now the balance I will pay tomorrow..the total with vivacations is due 2 months in advance.

I would find the villa that I like and put a deposit on it ASAP because we had a hard time finding one to accommendate all of us..because we waited so long to start looking.

We were required to pay a $500 deposit..were as alot of the places require a $1000 deposit.

You would probably be safe to reserve it atleast 5 or 6 months in advance.

iamq

Thanks christie.

Anyone else?

-Bill

brennynp

hi Bill, for your fitst visit to SJ, I would suggest renting on Cruz Bay side of island as it has more services, activites. Coral Bay area is beautiful but can be quite a drive at night. We are renting our 4th villa this Sat. We generally rent near Hart,Rendevous,Chocolate Hole area. The north shore villas can be quite expensive and there do not seem to be many of them. Keep in mind what kind of view you would want from the villa. I generally like villas on the south side sitting low on a hillside overlooking water. If you rent on Gift Hill or on Bordeaux Mt. you could possiblly be more in the interior of the island with a different type of view. You will love Caneel, spent my honeymoon there. If you are staying for 2 weeks you should definaley take a trip over to the BVI.
Have a great time!

iamq

Thanks brennynp. Do you have any specific villa recommendations in the area(s) you mentioned?
-Bill

xkenx

The is an outfit, www.cateredto.com which has villas. One of them, Terrahawk, is just up a driveway above Hawksnest Beach (the public part). One of the very few villas where you can walk to a superb sandy beach. This is on the northshore, in the National Park. The other end of Hawksnest Bay to the northwest is Caneel's Hawksnest Beach.
BTW, you can't go wrong @ Caneel staying on Hawksnest. It faces east for the best breezes and has shade trees on the beach.

iamq

xkenx,

Thanks. For Caneel we were thinking of either cottage point or hawksnest.

-Bill

xkenx

iamq-
Cottage Point rooms are less $$$ than Hawksnest, and offer great views, but you have a short walk to Scott Beach. Hawksnest rooms are right on the sand.
If you get an upper level room on Hawksnest, there is more privacy, and you get a screened porch in back overlooking the garden, and a front porch overlooking the water. This side is on the sand, and a stone's throw from the water.

zachsarbean1

I would definately suggest a villa on the north side. The beaches are much nicer in my opinion and it's very secluded. We use privatehomesvi.com which has homes exclusively on St.John. They are a small agency that works right out of the island. There is one home in particular, Sago Palms, which is very close to the beach, but up high with a beautiful view. We have stayed at Tree House, Tesseract, and will be staying at Viewtiful this summer. If you look at their map, you'll see that Tree House and Viewtiful look like they are more on the "Coral Bay Side", but they were VERY convenient to the north shore beaches like Francis, Maho, Cinnamon, etc. I would not suggest spending much time in Coral Bay....not much to see...alittle more windy when I've been there. Good luck and have fun!

iamq

Thanks z1. Sago Palms is actually one of the homes that I had my eye on. Viewtiful looks like a good possibility as well.
-Bill

razzledazzle

Hi Bill-
We seem to enjoy some of the same
places!
Here's our favorite house on
St.John
http://caribbeanvilla.com/aria/
aria.html

We have had nothing but excellent experiences with Caribbean Villas and Resorts as on-island managers.

As a previous poster said-St.John is rather small and quite easy to navigate-
do be prepared for driving on the left-
which Mr.R5 rather enjoys!
We St.John !
R5

iamq

R5,
I'm so glad that you weighed in here! You've stayed in Aria? I had bookmarked that one already as it just looked "right". I talked to Kris at Caribbeanvillas and it sounds like the perfect spot for us. Privacy, screens, pool, nice view and not too far from stuff, etc.
Thanks!
-Bill

razzledazzle

Bill-
Happy to answer any questions about
Aria ! Caribbean Villas has done a nice job with discounting airfare (AA)
for us in the past if that is of interest. We have come to prefer a red
eye from SFO to JFK or FLL because it seems to take <i>forever</i> to get to St. John, yet oh so very worth it.
Mr R5 is going to make the Aria's
owners an offer if we win the lottery!

R5

iamq

R5,
Since you offered...
Can one sunbathe nude there without freaking the neighbors (never mind the iguanas)out?

We'll be there in late June. I am imagining very warm weather, but I've heard some say that it gets cool up on the peaks. What say you?

Are there restaurants nearby Aria, or do you drive into Cruz Bay?

Have you stayed at Caneel too? If so, do you have any recommendations on rooms.

If United does not go belly-up by then we plan on using points. Looks like you can take a red-eye from SFO to Charlotte and then US Air to St. Thomas. United also flies to St Thomas from Dulles/DC I think.

Thanks again.

-Bill

RobertoB

Bill

Aria is located on Ajax Peak and is just above Coral Bay. This gives you a choice of Island Blues, Shipwreck Landings, Miss Lucy's, or Skinny Legs. You can still opt for the drive to Cruz Bay to dine.

razzledazzle

We typically visit mid to late May
and I never found it too hot,and I never recall being chilly up on Ajax.
The tradewinds are delicious up there!

Aria is sort perched/carved into the side of a hill. You walk down to it
(a little ways) from where you park your car. From the entry it is not even obvious that there is a 2nd level -where the pool and 2nd suite are located. Because of this it is ultra private. We had no problem sans clothing. Look at the photo on the website that shows part of the pool looking back at the exterior elevation
and spiral staircase. Hidden from view
over on the left is the hot tub-which is kind of shaded. Nice to hop from pool to lounge chair to the hotub to pool. Just imagine a starry night !

The only staircase is the one you see
on the exterior, BTW.

I must disclose about the no-see-ums. Wicked bad mosquitoes that will join you around sunset-slather on the repellent-you can wash it off before bed. (Because we are divers and find ourselves in many a tropical local-I am quite certain that the gods have chosen me to be their dinner as they don't touch Mr R5.)

There are 2 good bar and grill places in Coral Bay-Skinny Legs and Shipwreck
Landing. A tad further down the road toward Salt Pond is Miss Lucy's,
also casual.

Chateau Bordeaux on the Centerline Road
is my favorite-the views are fabulous.
Continental.
Just above Cruz Bay is Asolare-Asian Fusion. Bring your wallet to both of these.
$)
You won't go hungry-there lots of good places to eat!
R5

iamq

Great!
Thanks to all.
-Bill