westin st. john and beaches
 

i'm taking my husband to st. john in late january for a surprise birthday present. i got us rooms at the westin because it was a deal i couldn't pass up. i've seen a lot of posts that say the beach there is terrible...it looks nice in the photos...what's the scoop? is it really that bad? i've rented a jeep for the time we're there, so what are the best beaches to go to if you want to snorkle or just lay on the beach? nancy

It's a smaller man made beach. Though it is far from the nicest beach on St. John, it's fine if you just intend to lay around and listen to the water lap at your chair. It's not good at all for snorkling. If you got a deal and a vehical, it will be terrific overal!<BR>Relax!

Hi Nancy,<BR><BR>The Westin beach is man-made, so many visitors feel that it lacks the charm and beauty of STJ's many other "natural" beaches.<BR><BR>However, you should be fine with a jeep -- there are lots of wonderful, accessible beaches on STJ that are within minutes by jeep, including:<BR><BR>-Hawksnest<BR>-Honeymoon<BR>-Cinnamon<BR>-Trunk<BR>-Salt Pond<BR>-Caneel<BR>-Jumbie<BR><BR>etc., etc. Few properties on STJ are directly on the beach, so it's quite acceptable to tour the island and visit a different beach each day. The beaches range in seclusion and services provided.<BR><BR>My wife and I have been to STJ twice, and we found that even if you go to a different beautiful beach each day, you'll still run out of time!<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR><BR>-eric

thanks for the imput guys! really looking forward to our trip. nancy

The Westin is a beautifully manicured property but the pool is the attraction not necessarily the beach. It is a man made one and the bay is home to many live-a-board boats. You will definately want to spend your time on the North Shore beaches, especially the Nat'l Park ones. I like HaulOver and Waterlemon (watch the currents if not strong swimmers) but each one is better than the next! Stop by www.vinow.com for some great pix and descriptions of the beaches! Also www.stjohnlinks.com has a great slide show! The NPS has a good map of the various beaches. service

Just returned from Westin in St. John. The beach is quiet and small but nice to watch the sunset. The best thing about St. John is that it is truly more tropical with a majority of the island a National Park. You will find more beautiful beaches to explore on the island. The Westin has a boat that takes guests straight to their own dock. The resort was quite nice with very open spaces on the property, a beautiful restaurant, Chloe & Bernard, and a nice pool and poolside bar. You will love the Westin "heavenly bed" (and bath, too) which is so comfy your hubby should enjoy the rest time too. Westin sells their beds, too, as they are like sleeping on a cloud. You'll enjoy the trip.

Beverly, <BR>Thanks for your post. I made reservations at the Westin for mid-Dec & have been somewhat worried about it after reading some negative comments about the Westin on this board.<BR>Did you rent a Jeep while you were there? Does the Westin charge for parking?

You should definately rent a jeep and no , the Westin does not charge for parking.

Do you need to reserve a jeep prior to arriving at St John - or can you rent one once you are there at the Westin? or do you go somewhere else to rent? Please advise

We were there 2 years ago and you can rent at the Westin. If you rent last min you may have to settle but my sencond rental was a nice jeep. We loved the Westin, going to Turks this July. Renting a car is a must in my opin, greate places to go and see. Drive to the top and you can see for miles at a bar/rest. Plus many places to snorkel right off the beaches.

Fianc&eacute; and I are heading to the Westin during the first week of August. I can't wait. I was a bit concerned after reading some of the posts on this site but after searching on the Web generally, the consensus seems to be VERY positive!! Have fun and post reports when you return so I can get even more excited!

Have a great trip...definitely rent a jeep..some of the best times on the island are going from beach to beach and exploring. My favorites we're Cinnimon and Hawksnest!

Just returned from the Westin 6/29. First time at my timeshare I bought last year. It was great! I suggest you sign up to take the Westin ferry - they will get your baggage at the claim area and you will never see it again until it is delievered to your room. You are greeted at their dock with a wet towel and a rum drink. You are then assigned to a car that will take you to your room. The pool and the resturants - esp the Beach Cafe chicken wings - were great. Yes, the beach is not as nice as the others on st john but it is a great place to sit and tan and drink and swim if you so not want to travel off the property esp near the end of your trip. Everyone was pleasant and when I encountered a problem, it was readily taken care of. Please e-mail me if you want specifics questions answered.

Hi!<BR>I read your postand thought I could ask you some questions. We will be going to St John 1st 2 weeks in Oct, 9 nights, 8 full days, then probably 3 nights in Tortola.We got a great deal on Priceline at the Westin. Are there any rooms you would recommend? I haven't rented a car yet. Can';t decide if we should just go for a week's rental or play it by ear. We plan to do some day trips, so I don't know if we need it every day. Did you Taxi or have a car?<BR>Love to hear about your trip.<BR>Many thanks,(tried to e-mail you but it wouldn't go...)<BR>Liz

P.S.--DO I JUST CONTACT THE WESTIN TO SIGN UP FOR THEIR FERRY IN ADVANCE?<BR>THANKS.<BR>LIZ

Thanks so much for your report, Michaeux. I have already contacted the Westin (via their website) regarding the ferry shuttle. They have already e-mailed me back confirming my date of arrival. The only thing that I was surprised about was the cost! $65 per person seemed a bit steep but I see that also includes unlimited use to St. Thomas. Is this something you pay in advance or something you pay at the airport? How are the rooms? We have a superior delux gardenview room reserved. They (descriptively) seemed large. Opinion?

ttt

Topping for the Westin people.

Michelle,<BR>Don't worry about the Westin, it is a nice hotel, and the pool area is beautiful. Yes, the beach is not the best on the island, but it's all relative--the beaches are so nice on the north shore of St. John that an "OK" beach on St. John is a nice beach most other places. I think that you will be very happy with the Westin. It definitely has the best pool of any of the resorts on the island, if that makes you feel better!

Thanks, Pete! Yes, I'm really looking forward to it and we will be exploring other parts of the islands including some other beaches. Since it seem you stayed at the Westin, how did you feel about the $65 transfer? Is this something new? Is this something that is only implemented during "low season"? When our friends visited the Westin last year, the ferry transfer was included.