EmilySD

I'm looking for a place to stay with snorkeling outside our front door. We would like nice accomodations, about $400/nt would be our limit. A restaurant on site would be great also. Westin & Caneel are $629/nt - yikes! We are going in February, w/o our kids.

Thank you for any advice & have a great week.

poss

Trying doing a "search" on this site using your key words. My memory is that there's lots of info on the subject. (Gallows Point is one possibility. Not the greatest snorkeling, but not bad.) Good luck.

jackiehammond

is $629/night the least expensive room at caneel? i went there in the off-season, and stayed at a premium beachfront room and it was about that price. i haven't stayed at the other rooms, but they all seemed pretty equal; it was more about location, and i happened to love being on scott beach, but all of the beaches are pretty. i don't know a lot about stj, but i will say that the snorkeling right outside my door at caneel was terrific (and that's what i was looking for, as well). good luck to you!

Tuxedocat

Well, the Westin doesn't have a fantastic snorkeling beach anyway, unless you're willing to swim way out into the bay. The problem with private villa rentals with snorkeling right outside the front door is that most of them do not have perfect white sandy beaches with easy easy entry. There are a number of places on Hart/Klein Bay where the beaches are a bit pebbly. I don't mind such places at all but that's me. There is one place that comes to mind, and that is the Gibney Cottages. They are pricey but that depends on when you're staying. They are right on Gibney or Oppenheimer Beach, one of the most picturesque beaches anywhere. There is no restaurant around, though. You might also think about Gallows Point Resort which is waterfront and has water access, but again, this is not a sandy beach. I understand the snorkeling there is good though.

xkenx

Caneel is so exceptional, perhaps try the lowest priced room (they're all good) and you'll be only a stroll or grounds shuttle to one of the seven tree-shaded white sand beaches with wade-in snorkeling. Even if it is over the budget, you will remember it with a smile and no regrets.

EmilySD

Thank you for the advice about Caneel Bay, I would love to stay there, but I just checked my dates, Feb 2007, and the lowest rate avail is $925/nt! Absolutley out of the question.

Maybe I should rethink my destination? We have been to Gr Cayman and T/C. We just like to snorkel, nap and eat. I'm planning on using Delta skymiles for the airfare from CVG. A trip to the caribbean next year is an "extra" vacation we get to take w/o the kids, which we drop in Cincinnati with family.

Thank you for your time! Any further suggestions are greatly appreciated.

ltilson

My sisters and I are taking a trip this February to Akumal, which is about an hour south of Cancun and is supposed to have great snorkeling right off the beach. I have been to many wonderful snorkeling destinations in the Caribbean (Bonaire, GC, St. John, Belize) so I hope it is comparable since my sisters don't have the chance to travel as often as I do. We have a direct flight out of Columbus and have booked a beautiful beachfront 2 bedroom condo for $200.00 a night. Akumal is very laid back...nothing like Cancun.

caribtraveler

EmilySD: There's great snorkeling off the beach at the Presidente InterContinental in Cozumel. They did get hit pretty badly by a hurricane after our '05 trip. I don't know how the island is faring these days but I'm sure you can find some recent reviews on Trip Advisor.
Good luck.

StanKase

AKumal unfortunately will disappoint if you are avid snorkelers and you compare it to St.John. I have been to CG, Bonaire,etc. and St. John is far better if you want to go out 2-4 times during your stay and see different underwater pleasures. There is Belize, on Ambergeis Key, which has many resorts but crowded or Jaguar Reef Resort a bit down the coast from Belize City (both require a "puddle jumper" plane ride of 20 min.
An excellent option is Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan, Honduras. You can fly non-stop only on Sat. from Newark or through Houston I believe every day to Roatan. The resort only offers weekly rates and it is $1700/person (with tax and most gratuities) including 2 snorkel outings a day or diving 3 times a day and 3 fairly good meals/day in a "Superior"-A MUST-for it has A/C but cottages are basic but clean with daily maid service.
I have not been to Gallow Point on St. John but there are many 1/2 and full day snorkel trips, motor and sail out of the harbor at Cruz Bay and they go outside the immediate Caneel property so I assume the snorkeling is quite good. Generally those day trips are $50-$60 for a 4 hr. trip with snacks and $90-$100/person for 6-7 hr. sail with lunch.I have NOT taken them because I stayed at Caneel the 6 times we have been there over the years. I think personally the rooms near the tennis courts are not desirable and you loose the "Caneel Bay feeling" therefore they are their lowest priced rooms, I believe. I hope some of this helps. Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

EmilySD

St John is where I have been wanting to go for several years, so St. John it is! We are booked at Caneel Bay in July. And, I actually found Delta skymile tickets for 30,000 instead of 60,000 miles! Woo Hoo!!

Hooray! Thank you for your time and advice!

CaliNurse

Emily, congratulations on your choice, and on all those Skymiles!
if you're there in early July--before and leading up to July 4--you'll be there for St John Carnival's festivities, exhibits, and parade.

Dianebridles

To EmilySD,

You have made a great decision. Caneel is definitely worth the wait.

owa

Emily, Are you from South Dakota? I am from Sioux Falls and we are going to Caneel the first week in November. Dianebridles, the time is getting closer!! Owa

caribtraveler

Enjoy! St. John's beaches are gorgeous.

StanKase

You made a good choice. But as I suggested the rooms near the tennis courts/pool are somewhat isolated and 1/4-1/3 mile to some beaches, though they have a tram system that seems to get to each stop every 15 minutes in the busy season.
Hawks Nest and Turtle Bay are our favorites. I ask for a Second Floor, end-room though it would be on a "request only" bases. But you can pretty much chose the section and insist to be assigned a room there especially if you are going for 6-8 nights. Don't forget there are 7 beaches and the snorkeling is a little different at each one along the rocks on the sides of each bay. If Sally and her tugboat is still there a 2+ hour outing is really a lot of fun. A day sail (6-7 hours) is probably now $125$130/person including lunch with a maximum of 12-14 guests but you get to several places not accessible from the beach. I would just make sure they are through Caneel and they go to 3 different spots for snorkeling.The weather should be quite good in Feb. Have a BALL!!

EmilySD

Thank you stan kase, I booked an ocean view room for $495. Hopefully I'll find some more money by next year and upgrade to the beachfront. We are staying five nights, we need family to take time off work to watch our two boys for us. We have to go to Cincinnati first, from San Diego and drop the kids there. Then we can go to St John.

I wanted to go to St John in 2005, but I couldn't get skymile seats. And an extra $1,800 for airfare was too much. Delta did have skymile seats to T/C on the exact dates we wanted, so we went ther instead. It was a wonderful vacation.

Thank you for the positive comments, I'm really looking forward to the trip, although it's now a long way off.

Have a great weekend!

Dianebridles

To owa,

I will arrive at Caneel Nov 8 Hope to see you there. I will leave word at the front desk.
Diane