Pam

We will be visiting the Westin St John in June. Yes, there are a ton of conflicting opinions. Please someone who has recently stayed there, what's up? We are travelling with 2 families total of 4 kids 9-12. Restaurant suggestions? Grocery store? Rental car deals? (they all quote the same rates!?) Also side snokel trip or to BVI? Any or all responses are greatly appreciated. Thaks in advance.

cccc

do a 'search' on this board: there are tons and tons of info on the subject and they are very recent ! I don't think anyone can add anything to that !<BR>Just type "Westin St. John" and your questions will be answered !

Beverly

The Westin on St. John is a good destination for families. The resort is clean and spacious and there is a trampoline in the water at the beach. There is a small deli/grocery on site and a snorkel catamaran tour leaves from their dock and visits the BVI's. The beach is small, not blue but easy to keep an eye on the kids and no rough surf to worry about and the pool is nice with a bar beside it for drinks and snacks. You'll like the resort restaurants, too. Exploring St. John for its natural beauty is the best. Enjoy.

e

The kids will like Duffy's Love Shack, other kid friendly restaurants include Lime Inn and Morgans Mango. The main grocery store, the Star Mkt, is between town and the Westin(you can't miss it). Do a day trip to the Baths or Jost Van Dyke. Try to get rooms on the first floor on the pool(easy in-out pool access).

Pam

Thanks Beverly and "e" for your responses. Did either of you or anyone else use the kids club at the Westin? Also has anyone rented a car in St Thomas and brought it to St John instead of renting in St John?

e

We always rent a jeep from Budget in STT and take it on the ferry to SJ.As stupid as this sounds, most of the rental agencies on SJ are anal about you putting the top down. We also like the fact that "we" are the transportation to and from the airport. And it is very easy to get the car ferry at Red Hook(no more than about a half hour wait).

sue

Hi,<BR><BR>My family of 4 were on st john for easter break (kids ages 4 to 14) and really loed it, we rented a villa that worked out very well because the grocery store was close by and my kids ate cereal for breakfast and for two nights we grilled swordfish on the barbecue (yummy). anyways at risk of sounding a prude I want to warn you about going to the baths on virgin gorda with the kids because there were quite a few topless bathers there which was something I didnt know about before and didnt want to encounter with my 12 & 14 year old sons.Susan

Pam

Thanks for everyones input. Has anyone ever hiked the Reef Bay Trail in the National Park? Do we need to take the guided tour the park service has or will we be ok on our own? I heard a new grocery store opened called the Dolphin? Where is it located? Anyone ever rent the motorized dinghy from Noah's Little Ark? Can a family of 4 fit comfortably into one? Thanks again.

Barb

We rented a motorized dingy from Noah's little Arks last August and our family of 5 had a blast. We rented the larger size which cuts down on the rough ride. We went snorkeling at a place off shore that was easily accessible by boat (can't remember the name now, but you probably have read about it), and visited several secluded beaches. It was definitely a high light of our trip. The owner of NLA hangs out in a hammock just below the beach bar. He's very accomodating and provides instruction, maps, tips on where to go etc. Have fun!

Glen

Barb,<BR><BR>Do you remeber what the rate for the dinghies was?<BR><BR>Glen

Barb

I think we paid around $100 for 4 hours.

Glen

Barb,<BR><BR>Thanks for the info

Rebekah

My husband and I just stayed at the Westin for our honeymoon. We had a great experience there! It was really beautiful and the service was great overall. Try the Dolphin Market in town for groceries. We ate at Cafe Roma, Polli's, Margarita's, La Tapa and Morgan's Mango. They were all excellent. We also rented a Jeep from the resort lobby and explored the island one day ($65). I highly suggest doing that, although the roads are a bit scary! They are steep and narrow. The public beaches are definately worth it. Hope that helps.