How IMPORTANT is a pool to YOU?

[Lex]

A pool has never been part of our STJ experience. When we started going there, pools and hot tubs were much, much less common (takes a lot of water to fill them). We stayed in simple West Indian-style cottages and have continued to prefer that type of lodging. We have some old friends living on the island and they don't have pools, so it was never part of being there for us. Since then we have stayed at a couple of places that did have pools, but we barely used them.

We're snorkeling somewhere all day, showering, going to dinner, sitting out for a while to watch the sky and listen to the night, falling asleep early and getting up to watch the dawn.

[deejayjay]

A deck with a view is a must. A pool is not. We spend all day snorkeling in the ocean. We don't do any villa vegging time. A deck with a view is all thats necessary for morning or evening.

[Teddy Salad]

We are not pool people. We would much rather go to a beach. Even when we stay at a place with a pool, we almost never go in. They're usually too cold and the chlorine smell is a turn-off.

I find it a little strange that there are signs everywhere on St. John reminding me to conserve water, but it only seems to apply to toilets and sinks, not pools and hot tubs. What's up with that?

[DnD]

My wife and I had a schedule a lot like Gromit's, lay in the sand until 1 or 2 and then head for the pool. The pool was very refreshing to cool down and get rid of that salty feeling after snorkeling.

For us it was well worth the $$ to be able to grab a drink and lounge around in the pool abosorbing the peace and quiet and enjoying the view.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

A pool is a must for us. We are villa gravity people. Also, at night, when grilling out, nothing beats the ambiance of the light from the pool.

[Margy Z]

Oh, HAVE to have a pool – one with a view! Don’t have one at home. The villa pool is part of one of the best parts of the vacay – the WE’RE HERE (finally) part!

Late afternoon:
- Arrive at the villa
- Shoo the Villa Greeter
- Unpack the cooler
- Build large drinks
- Plug in the iPod, hit the “We’re HERE” playlist
- Find the floats; get in the pool
- Toast & Clink: Here’s to NOW!
- Float around watching the sky and getting rid of “the travels” listening to some old school soothing stuff: Maze “Golden Time of Day”, Maxi Priest “Won’t Let it Slip Away”, Nina Simone “Here Comes The Sun”, Chaka Khan “Sweet Thing” …

The pool is also where we float around with early morning coffee, cool off after a day at the beach, have a midnight swim. Love the beaches but gotta have a pool…

[RickG]

I'm of two minds on pools:

Pool is a must for:
- Western exposure (Great Cruz Bay, Chocolate Hole, Devers Bay, hills above these)

Pool is a waste:
- Southern exposure
- Eastern exposure
- Catherineburg
- Bordeaux

The western exposure gets less wind and has hot afternoon sun. This drives pool time. The one place with a Western exposure we had for two weeks and no pool was too hot to site outside in the afternoon. Southern exposure gets strong chilling winds at the pool. Eastern exposure does not get hot enough and anything with elevation is too cool.

So, I only need a pool on the West-side. A/C? Even less.

I'm rather a VickiH/Lex hybrid on this question. I like the West Indian cottages and keeping busy and in the ocean. But, I travel with people who like villa gravity and pool time. They can go out and play with me if they like, or not. When its just NoTanLines and me we hit places like Villa Callaloo.

Cheers, RickG

[alw1977]

A pool is not a necessity for me either, but I say that having stayed in multiple villas on St. Martin where our pools were freezing and we never used them. On our last trip to St. John, we stayed in Contant and the pool was so nice. It was warm but still refreshing, not too big or small... after that experience, I think I'm hooked on the Western side of St. John with a pool.

[mahojim]

Personally, I love having a pool on vaca. My favorite thing to do after a long hot day of snorkeling and exploring is to hit the villa for grilling, and a cool dip. The villa "Seabiscuit" that we stayed in this past April was wonderful! The water in the pool was so soft, it felt like baby oil!
It's also fun to skinny dip, and we all know the rules/reg's about nudity on the beaches!
10 days to go 'til we hit "Island Horizons" villa over Coral Bay!!!
Smiles-
MJ

[Kentuckygirl]

When we had a pool I never got in it. I am definitely more of a beach/ocean/sun person. We didn't have a pool this past June and never missed it. I would like to have one when I take the kids, although that's making my decision harder. The villa that I would really like to stay in does not have a pool, so I may have to save it for a future trip without the kids.

[Xislandgirl]

We just recently filled in our pool. We never used it at home, we were always away or on the boat. On vacation, I love to have one. It really makes no sense but, then again, I don't either.

[sea-nile]

I have been to STJ 3 times.
We have always had a pool. I probably used it most with the SOTB group. When I went with my husband we were snorkeling 7/8 of the time so barely went in the pool. When my kids went they were in it a lot but we didn't use it so much.
So, I could take it or leave it depending on who I am with. I kind of liked the hot tub more.

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[steve]

I agree with your friends, 'a pool on St john?' I prefer Catherinberg and the pools are usually a bit too cold and the beach is so close why bother. Kids often walk to the beach and we pick them up later. I also got tired of treating swimmers ear...

Lets hope the storm passes with a soaking and not much more.
Steve

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

I have to say that I am very surprised by the number of people who don't require that the villa have a pool. When Marcia and I look at villas to rent we always wonder how the ones without pools ever rent.

Well, now we know...different people like different things. Thank god...that should help keep down the competition for the villas with pools that we like!