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Honeymoon Villa
Honeymoon Villa
Hey everyone!
I've been lurking in the forum for a while now - quite a lot of good information out there!
My fiance and I are going to be in St. John this June for our honeymoon and we're trying to find a nice, secluded villa. After scouring the forums and various rental agencies, we have tentatively decided on Mar de Amores.
Does anyone have any experience with this particular villa? I am also looking at a couple other villas on the island and was curious to know how they might compare:
A Son Tour/asontour
Coco Beach
Thanks for any advice!
I've been lurking in the forum for a while now - quite a lot of good information out there!
My fiance and I are going to be in St. John this June for our honeymoon and we're trying to find a nice, secluded villa. After scouring the forums and various rental agencies, we have tentatively decided on Mar de Amores.
Does anyone have any experience with this particular villa? I am also looking at a couple other villas on the island and was curious to know how they might compare:
A Son Tour/asontour
Coco Beach
Thanks for any advice!
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stjohnmay2003
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- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:29 pm
- Location: NJ
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Xislandgirl
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- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
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Back when I was a Realtor I sold this house. Before all the renovations. A good friend of mine did all the work on the house so I can tell you that he did a greta job with it. (I left the island before it was complete)
The view is great, the driveway is a bit challenging, but you will get used to it.
I think it is a great choice for a honeymoon
The view is great, the driveway is a bit challenging, but you will get used to it.
I think it is a great choice for a honeymoon
stjohnmay, thanks for checking into that! I found out that carribbeanvillas.com is not renting this villa anymore (which is not a problem since I can rent from the owners). But, when I asked why they said that they "asked the owners to bring it back up to their standards." I thought that statement was a bit vague, but it has made me a little nervous in spite of all the great things I've read about Mar de Amores.
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stjohnmay2003
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:29 pm
- Location: NJ
Finally - I am sorry, I am at work and I couldn't remember my password to get into the site.
Anyway - as for Villa Mar De Amores: My husband and I were very pleased with the villa. Its location was wonderful and its views were wonderful. There were a couple of things that I was disappointed with though. The beautiful bathtub in the master bath is not usable. There isn't a hot water heater big enough in that bathroom to support the hot water for it. There was also no shower in the master bedroom so you had to use the hall bath for the shower. Also, we were married the end of June and honeymooned in St. John the first week of July - I don't know if there is a certain time of year for it or what, but there were a ton of caterpillar's all over the trellis on the back deck. Within the week of us being there, they devoured all of the greenery that was on the trellis leaving....yes, dare I say it....caterpillar poop everywhere! By the end of the week it was pretty gross. I don't know if perhaps they have sprayed by now, or if they come back every year, not sure how that works...could have just been our luck. The outdoor table and grill were under the trellis so we just moved it so that we didn't sit in poo every time we went outside.
Other than that, we really, truly and honestly, did love the villa. It was really comfortable. I can see what the villa company was saying, it definitely is "lived in" but I do know that the Cividini's are there very often and use it a lot. The other cool thing is that there are about two resident iguanas which love fruit and were always hanging out on the back porch. They are always fun to watch!!
With all of that being said, we really were barely ever even there. The fact that it was really close to town was really nice too - however, you will find that that area has a lot of villas, so if you decide that it may not be for you, keep looking cause it is a great, quiet area - especially for being so close to town.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or want to know anything specifically. I will be glad to answer them for you.
Hope this helps...have fun and good luck with the wedding!!
Anyway - as for Villa Mar De Amores: My husband and I were very pleased with the villa. Its location was wonderful and its views were wonderful. There were a couple of things that I was disappointed with though. The beautiful bathtub in the master bath is not usable. There isn't a hot water heater big enough in that bathroom to support the hot water for it. There was also no shower in the master bedroom so you had to use the hall bath for the shower. Also, we were married the end of June and honeymooned in St. John the first week of July - I don't know if there is a certain time of year for it or what, but there were a ton of caterpillar's all over the trellis on the back deck. Within the week of us being there, they devoured all of the greenery that was on the trellis leaving....yes, dare I say it....caterpillar poop everywhere! By the end of the week it was pretty gross. I don't know if perhaps they have sprayed by now, or if they come back every year, not sure how that works...could have just been our luck. The outdoor table and grill were under the trellis so we just moved it so that we didn't sit in poo every time we went outside.
Other than that, we really, truly and honestly, did love the villa. It was really comfortable. I can see what the villa company was saying, it definitely is "lived in" but I do know that the Cividini's are there very often and use it a lot. The other cool thing is that there are about two resident iguanas which love fruit and were always hanging out on the back porch. They are always fun to watch!!
With all of that being said, we really were barely ever even there. The fact that it was really close to town was really nice too - however, you will find that that area has a lot of villas, so if you decide that it may not be for you, keep looking cause it is a great, quiet area - especially for being so close to town.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or want to know anything specifically. I will be glad to answer them for you.
Hope this helps...have fun and good luck with the wedding!!
I would be staying in mid-June, so hopefully there won't be a ton of caterpillars. I would imagine that type of thing could happen anywhere though. I can deal with a "lived-in" environment... exceedingly luxurious has never been a requirement for me. 
I spoke with the Cividini's and Claudia said she took the property off of carribbeanvilla.com because of their high commission rates and she was having better success renting it herself. The Cividini's seem to be really nice to deal with and I never felt like I got a straight answer from carribbeanvilla.com.
We probably won't be at the villa too much either, but it might be nice to have a nice private dinner on the deck and maybe enjoy the pool on an evening or two (though, with the Caribbean a short drive away, I imagine the pool won't be used that much!)
The only other villa I know to look at (that is available) is A Son Tour and Coco Beach (which just opened this week - so no one knows anything about it).
I spoke with the Cividini's and Claudia said she took the property off of carribbeanvilla.com because of their high commission rates and she was having better success renting it herself. The Cividini's seem to be really nice to deal with and I never felt like I got a straight answer from carribbeanvilla.com.
We probably won't be at the villa too much either, but it might be nice to have a nice private dinner on the deck and maybe enjoy the pool on an evening or two (though, with the Caribbean a short drive away, I imagine the pool won't be used that much!)
The only other villa I know to look at (that is available) is A Son Tour and Coco Beach (which just opened this week - so no one knows anything about it).
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
Good - that is exactly how my husband and I are - it didn't really bother us. The Cividini's are so sweet and really easy to work with. I remember that I called about a week before we left to give them my credit card info for our damage deposit and I called Claudia and she was on the beach, in St. John, on her cell phone talking to me telling me how gorgeous it was, etc.
At any rate, like I said, my husband and I were very pleased with the house and I guess what it comes down to is....we would certainly stay there again!
At any rate, like I said, my husband and I were very pleased with the house and I guess what it comes down to is....we would certainly stay there again!
Honeymoon Villa
We have been renting villas on St John for over 10 years and I would like to add a little perspective to your search for a honeymoon villa and just maybe a little word of caution about the villa you seem to really like.
There are many many small villas for rent on St John, other than the one you are looking at. Also, Mar De Amores is currently being offereded or has recently been offererd through several other villa agencies in addition to Caribbean Villas. Before you rent from the owners directly, I would contact the other agencies that rent this villa and see what they have to say about it and see if they are still renting it. It is not a very good sign when a villa is pulled from more than one rental agency and retained by the owners as a private rental. IMHO there is some kind of a problem here, not only with the difficulties outlined here for you but with their long term solution. Insect problems are seasonal and they can return. You should not have to pay good money for a villa where baths and showers are not available as originally stated.
With so many other villas available through Caribbean Villas and the other companies in the Villa Rental Directory at the top of this forum I would think you might want to look for another villa, especially if this is your first trip to St John. The Chocolate Hole area is not particularly secluded, as there are a lot of other villas in that area. And you dont have to go as far out as Coco Beach to find seclusion.
I know June is a busy time but if I were you I would keep plugging away and keep getting ideas on this forum. Why not post a new topic " If not Mar de Amores..which one. Outline your needs and see what answers other honeymooners and repeat St John visitors come up with.
There are many many small villas for rent on St John, other than the one you are looking at. Also, Mar De Amores is currently being offereded or has recently been offererd through several other villa agencies in addition to Caribbean Villas. Before you rent from the owners directly, I would contact the other agencies that rent this villa and see what they have to say about it and see if they are still renting it. It is not a very good sign when a villa is pulled from more than one rental agency and retained by the owners as a private rental. IMHO there is some kind of a problem here, not only with the difficulties outlined here for you but with their long term solution. Insect problems are seasonal and they can return. You should not have to pay good money for a villa where baths and showers are not available as originally stated.
With so many other villas available through Caribbean Villas and the other companies in the Villa Rental Directory at the top of this forum I would think you might want to look for another villa, especially if this is your first trip to St John. The Chocolate Hole area is not particularly secluded, as there are a lot of other villas in that area. And you dont have to go as far out as Coco Beach to find seclusion.
I know June is a busy time but if I were you I would keep plugging away and keep getting ideas on this forum. Why not post a new topic " If not Mar de Amores..which one. Outline your needs and see what answers other honeymooners and repeat St John visitors come up with.
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
As a former rental agent and REALTOR on the island I have to disagree.
Caribbean villas used to charge the highest fees on island to owners. You get great representation. but at a very large cost. That may have changed since I left, but in any case have your house represented by an agency is VERY pricey.
Homeowners change agencies all the time, for many different reasons. We never dropped a house for not keeping it up, we would talk to the owners and give them reasons why they should fix it up.
I did not know that Claudia owns that home until today but I will tell you that you will have no problems renting from them at all. Her and her husband are wonderful people, long time STJ residents with a family and a business on the island.
I don't blame them for renting it on their own. They live on the island so why not rent it directly and save the commision fees?
I would rent the house and not worry.
Caribbean villas used to charge the highest fees on island to owners. You get great representation. but at a very large cost. That may have changed since I left, but in any case have your house represented by an agency is VERY pricey.
Homeowners change agencies all the time, for many different reasons. We never dropped a house for not keeping it up, we would talk to the owners and give them reasons why they should fix it up.
I did not know that Claudia owns that home until today but I will tell you that you will have no problems renting from them at all. Her and her husband are wonderful people, long time STJ residents with a family and a business on the island.
I don't blame them for renting it on their own. They live on the island so why not rent it directly and save the commision fees?
I would rent the house and not worry.
I really disagree as well. Renting that house directly through the owners made me feel much more at ease for some reason. The week prior, for our wedding, we rented a five bedroom home in Tortola for the wedding. I went through an agency that was very slow in getting back to me - in fact, it took practically three or four months just to get my deposit back from them. The people were very nice and I don't have any other complaints about it but I am sure that they have their hands full juggling all the other homes.
For the St. John home, the owners never even debited my account for the deposit and they always got right back to me whenever I called or emailed them.
All in all, I would venture to think, especially in this specific instance, aside from the pricey rental agencies for the owners - I do know that they use their home quite often - I think that it is just easier for them to rent it themselves so they can keep track of when they can and can't use it. Having been there 8 months ago, I can honestly say that I didn't feel there was anything wrong with it. Perhaps it was just because I was in St. John and nothing was bothering me.
As an aside, there was a villa rental agency that did meet us at the ferry dock and took us up to the home and showed us around. They were also our contact should we have needed anything.
For the St. John home, the owners never even debited my account for the deposit and they always got right back to me whenever I called or emailed them.
All in all, I would venture to think, especially in this specific instance, aside from the pricey rental agencies for the owners - I do know that they use their home quite often - I think that it is just easier for them to rent it themselves so they can keep track of when they can and can't use it. Having been there 8 months ago, I can honestly say that I didn't feel there was anything wrong with it. Perhaps it was just because I was in St. John and nothing was bothering me.
As an aside, there was a villa rental agency that did meet us at the ferry dock and took us up to the home and showed us around. They were also our contact should we have needed anything.