My hubby and I have decided to celebrate our 1st year wedding anniversary in St. John...our first trip to the Caribbean! Now that we've decided on our destination, it's time to research accommodations. Has anyone stayed in Cruz Bay? What is the vibe - busy, noisy, lively, city-like? I've read that staying in Cruz Bay allows for walking distance to restaurants and shops, the ferry nearby, etc. My husband and I would like some romantic element as well. The accommodations within our budget are either walking distance (Estate Lindholm) to or in Cruz Bay (Sweet Dreams) or near Francis Bay (St. John Secluded Villas). We would love to explore as much of St. John as we can fit into a 7-night stay - beaches, snorkling, hiking, good eats, shopping, etc. Any suggestions/feedback would be greatly appreciate. Thank you!

I meant to also ask if anyone has stayed at Estate Lindholm, Sweet Dreams, or St. John Secluded Villas. What are your thoughts? Any positive or negatives for any of the above? Thank you!

Cruz Bay is a small downtown in my view. There are plenty of shops and restaurants but it is not city like! I highly recommend you rent a jeep so you can travel around the island, that way it doesn't matter where you stay. I would look into renting a one bedroom house with a pool. We rented a four bedroom house with a pool for $2150/7 days (we had three kids with us) but that was a bargain compared to the hotel prices. I'm not sure what time of year you are going, but parking is difficult even in the summer months around Cruz Bay so I can't imagine what it's like during busy season. I don't think you can go wrong with a villa/house. You'll love St. John. Make sure you book a boat trip over to Jost Van Dyke or Tortola or Virgin Gorda. It's worth the money. Take lots of bug spray and make sure you have A/C atleast in the bedroom of a house or villa. St. John and the BVI's are beautiful so you won't be disappointed. Driving on the steep, curving mountain roads is also quite an experience! Francis Bay is a good area and so is the Maria Bluff/Chocolate Hole area.

I've stayed at Estate Lindholm, but it was several years ago. The location and views can't be beat. If you check out Virgin Island On Line, you can get more recent reviews.

http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.co...ws/index.shtml

I've stayed at Estate Lindholm, but it was several years ago. I liked its location on the island - close to town and a short walk to a beach, and it had a nice view of the harbor. If you check out Virgin Island On Line, you can get more recent reviews.

http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.co...ws/index.shtml

Obviously, I can't edit.

Thanks for the responses! My hubby and I have decided to stay in a condo with a/c in Cruz Bay. I'm sure once we visit St. John, we will fall in love with the island and visit again but next time stay near Francis Bay or in Coral Bay. We will be renting a 4WD vehicle...are Jeeps pretty much the norm? My hubby prefers Japanese-made cars, and I think he mentioned Jeeps are gas guzzlers.
We will definitely visit Virgin Gorda and/or Jost Van Dyke...I'll be doing more research on the 2. And, one more question...is there still construction going on in Cruz Bay? I'm not too concerned about the noise as we will be out and about but just wondering. Thank you!

http://b-v-i.com/ Here is a link to a great website for research on the BVI's. If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, there are separate links for all of the islands. Which condo are you staying at in Cruz Bay? There is alot of construction still going on next to Lavender Hill, but I think most of the really noisy stuff is over. These days, it's pretty hard to avoid construction on STJ.

Hi Odessi,

I was on St J last week, Heard NO construction noise in Cruz Bay.
You'll get lots of suggestions, but I've never seen this one: In Cruz Bay, for a quick breakfast, or snakc, dont miss the wonderful corn muffins at the little open stand on the main street (it's across from a parking lot). They also bake scrumptious brownes, I hear!

We went to VG Baths with Stormy Petrel. They were great! We had lunch at another of the BVIs, Cooper Island, then snorkled at the Indians--supposedly one of THE world's great snorkeling spots. The captain and assistant were terrific at making sure everyonme felt safe and comfortable.

Try to get down to Coral Bay too. A different "vibe" from Cruz Bay--more laid back, fewer people.

Have a great trip! I'm jealous!

Yes, Jeeps are the norm at all the rental places. Gas is over $4 a gallon. We spent about $70 on gas. Becareful driving because the locals drive like maniacs. We were going down a steep hill and a semi came up the middle of the road forcing us to come to a screeching halt. We actually slid downhill into the front of the semi but didn't dent our Jeep. Then we had to go in reverse up the hill to get out of this guy's way. He was honking at us the whole time!!!

You definitely want a jeep with 4WD. The roads are not only steep, there are switchbacks so severe that without 4WD, you simply won't make it up (tires will just spin). This is on pavement mind you. Many times we just kept our jeep in 4WD so we didn't have to worry about making it up the next turn. The first few drives along these crazy roads are scary, then by day 2, you just get used to it, and it's no big deal.

http://www.on-stjohn.com/ Check out the blurb about the food truck that had trouble with "Jacob's Ladder", a well known steep hill on STJ. I was nervous when we were driving the east end road with a cement mixer in front of us. He did eventually let us and another vehicle pass him.

We think the North Shore Road is a more leisurely drive and mainly tourists. Centerline (the locals highway) can get interesting if you don't know the roads like they do. Just let them pass.

Would we be saving money if we rent our vehicle in St. Thomas and transport via ferry rather than renting in St. John? And, would it be economical to rent a Jeep for a few days, and then for the remaining days ride the taxi rather than renting for a whole week?

calinurse ~ I'm also an RN in CA. Thanks for the tips! St. John will be our first Caribbean island and sounds like one we'll never forget.

brenandg ~ Thanks for the tips and websites! I've bookmarked them. We'll be staying at the Sunset View in a 6-condo complex in Cruz Bay called Sweet Dreams, formerly known as Selenes. It's a 1-bdr. condo within our budget. Anyone heard of it or actually spent their stay here? If so, what are your thoughts?

jcb ~ No worries on the double post! Estate Lindholm was a frontrunner for us, but at the end Sunset View's price won us over.

franzen ~ Yikes, the price of gas is steep. My hubby's eyes bugged out when he read your post.

scottb ~ As usual, my hubby will be the driver, and I will be the navigator. Driving on the island will definitely be an experience for us.

Search back - I believe a few months ago somebody who stayed at Sunset View wrote a very entertaining trip report!

gechter ~ I found and read pianogirl's St. John trip report before I saw your post...entertaining indeed. Haha For the most part, Sunset View is perfect for us - price, a/c, kitchen, location. I've read St. John can be buggy, but is it common to find iguanas in your living quarters?

We only saw three iguanas the whole week we were there. Would have liked to have seen more! I'm sure the condo will be great - maybe just check and make sure the dryer vent is still hooked up properly when you arrive!

You mentioned possibly staying out near Francis Bay. We stayed at a place a short walk from there and loved the location.

Just returned from the BVI bareboating and 3 days at Caneel Bay on St. John which we loved. The snorkeling and service are great. For romance, request a room on Hawk's Bay. Also loved the restaurant Asolare in Cruz Bay-beautiful atmosphere.