scubajean

Husband, wife & 14 year old son are looking to book a stay at a nice, but casual little hotel on the beach in St. John. Nothing too fancy - shirts & shoes can be optional (but bathing suits should be required). I hear Jimmy Buffett playing in the back ground already... Any suggestions? If not this island then where? I have done St. Thomas (loved it), but other island suggestions welcome.

steviegene

casual and not too fancy. But they have gotten good comments on this board.
These are "eco-tents" which are near the beach in st. john.

http://www.maho.org/

scubajean

Great answer! Wow, that looks really cool...I would LOVE it- but I am afraid the lack of t.v., etc. might not go over so well with my city slicker husband & son. I think I am going to have to ease them into this nature thing a little more gently. I am not saying I want to stay at a casino- just something with a/c. (I will keep Maho Bay bookmarked- it really was impressive) Any other suggestions?

iamq

It is more of a condo complex than a resort, but Gallows Point Resort in Cruz Bay might be worth looking into. We just stayed there for a couple of nights and liked it.

-Bill

steviegene

What about renting a house/villa? That can be as laid-back as you want it to be....but also offers amenities like pools, tvs, etc. It gives you the option of making some meals - and total privacy.
Dont know what your budget is...
Beachfront villas are rather expensive. But some of the hillside offerings have the best of both worlds. Gorgeous views and a short walk to the beach.

tewels

St. J is the place to rent a villa. There are only a handul of hotels on the beach, and they are pricey. So it depends on you budget I suppose.

We just stayed in a small resort in Tortola called Sebastians. You can read alot about it in this forum.
I would recommend. Also, look into Long Bay in Tortola. Theire beach houses looked cool.

Tuxedocat

St. John is a casual island all over. Even the pricey Caneel Bay Resort is pretty laid back and understated. There's precious few places you wouldn't fit right in wearing a t-shirt to dinner. I would look into renting either at Gallows Point, Lavenderhill, or Coconut Coast Studios. These places are like apartments. Estate Lindholm and Garden By The Sea are two small, nice inns with lovely water views. Inn at Tamarind Court is very basic and budget-priced, no water views but convenient to walk into town. There are also lots of smaller villas which are pretty affordable. Coral Bay is also the more "casual" of the two towns. Check out some of the selections on sites like www.caribbeandays.com

jackiehammond

i agree with Tuxedocat about caneel being laid back. we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and while i would have lid a tv (i am a HUGE tv junkie...i tivo almost 20 shows, i know, ridiculous!), i didn't miss it THAT much. caneel does have a tv (limited hours) on the grounds somewhere in one of the public rooms, and there is free internet access by the lobby. it was very pricey, but our premium beachfront room was AMAZING. i almost felt like i was in a bungalow, and it was RIGHT on the beach, about 30 feet from our room. best of luck in your planning!