Need some Villa input please

steve · Post by **steve** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:10 pm

We stayed in Anole in June and loved it. there was no AC then (over 10 yrs ago), and at the time I thought the views were incredible. We had no regrets. There are 2 matching masters and huge screened in 'walls for the bedrooms facing the N Shore. I since usually stay in La Jolla Caribe which is a little up Wattapama from Anole. (If AC is key it only has one bedroom with ac because it does not get a cross breeze).Better views and breeze over all. I walked over to Anole last summer and they have really let the trees over grow, the house still looks great.

petepie · Post by **petepie** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:16 pm

I like having the A/C option -- mosquitos, no wind, noisy roosters next door can all be dealt with if you can close the doors and turn on the A/C. I also like it if I get sunburned -- there is nothing worse than laying in a hot sticky bed with a bad sunburn!

Knolmom · Post by **Knolmom** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:52 pm

We have also stayed in Anole, during Carnival week, in July 2003. Absolutely loved the house, but it does have some drawbacks. The bedrooms are far from equal. The upper bedrooms will have great breezes, even on 90 degress days, but the lower brs were damp and musty in July. The breezes were so strong that we could not eat outside on the upper deck, except for breakfast. And although the upper deck is breezy and "cool", the tiles underfoot are blazing from the sun.
You will not have sunsets at any time of year. You will have cross ventilation is you leave both upper bedroom doors open, but you cannot cross ventlate the house from front to back as there are no screens on the massive double front door, so if you must eat inside, it is hot in the dining area. And if you leave anything open, it does get buggy, as it is in the National Park.
We took the entire family, which included our adult children and the grandkids. They love the mountains and even though we knew that those who stayed in the downstairs bedrroms were hot, they dared not complain, as there is nothing better than a freebie vacation on the Northshore of St John.
BTW, we did Spellbound last November with no A/C, and although the weather was hot, it was really cool up there and not as buggy as I thought it would be.

cass · Post by **cass** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:55 pm

Thanks for the input everyone. Just when I thought that I had narrowed it down!! I guess I need to take another look at some of the other villas on my "short list".

As for the "off season"...I am talking about the first week of May. I have stayed on St. John during that time with no A/C and it worked out fine. I am from Central Illinois, so May in St. John just felt like a nice moderate summer day. Of all my requirements in a villa, A/C would be the least important to me I guess.

The views however, (of the sunset especially) is the priority tied with 4 bedrooms. I guess I need to mark Anole off of the list, which is a bummer because everyone liked it the best.

RickG - Dolphin Run was on the list, and it's one of those that I just keep going back to. I will take another look at it, thanks.

Crud. Back to the drawing board! Thanks for the suggestions, I'm sure that I will be asking plenty more questions!

byado18 · Post by **byado18** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:18 pm

Have you looked at Jazz Villa
http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/jazz/index.html

We have stayed at this house twice and loved it!

High on Choc. Hole hill -- with a great pool and sunset views.....

cass · Post by **cass** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:23 pm

byado18 wrote:Have you looked at Jazz Villa
http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/jazz/index.html

We have stayed at this house twice and loved it!

High on Choc. Hole hill -- with a great pool and sunset views.....

It was on my list at one time, but it looked like there wasn't much of a water view. I'll have to look into it some more, thanks for reminding of it!

piscesgirl0314 · Post by **piscesgirl0314** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:24 am

wonderlost wrote:I disagree that it is VERY hot in May June and July. It never goes above 90. I actually think the weather is ideal at that time of year. Tradewinds are still here, we get a little bit more rain at night then we do in March and April which cools things down, and the water temperature is perfect. In-fact, we have had guests that come down year after year at that time to "cool off" from Atlanta, Washington DC, Houston and other US hotspots

People have visited St John for years without complaining about AC, Caneel did not have it until recently and most of us live here comfortably year round without it. Check your needs at the ferry.

WELL...as I stated in my message it is MY opinion and I was not complaining about not having AC...I would never visit the island in the middle of summer without having AC in the bedrooms...I'm sure there are some folks that live on St John that get annoyed by folks visiting your island...however, if stateside folks weren't visiting where would St John be??? As for checking my needs at the ferry...if I prefer having AC in the villa that I'M renting and I'M paying for than so be it...certainly NO need for such a snotty response...again...it was my OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cypressgirl · Post by **cypressgirl** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:06 am

Cass, are you talking about May as a month from now, or are you talking about 2010? You might find a more expensive villa willing to give you a good deal for short notice. In fact, I'm pretty certain of it.

cass · Post by **cass** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:12 am

cypressgirl wrote:Cass, are you talking about May as a month from now, or are you talking about 2010? You might find a more expensive villa willing to give you a good deal for short notice. In fact, I'm pretty certain of it.

Unfortunately, I am talking about 2010..I know, I know....it is forever and a day away! I couldn't stand to put off the planning any longer! I want to be able to book the villa the second the availability calender appears!

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:38 am

Hale Lani had amazing views period...including those of the sunset.

Not to confuse the issue for you but it had 4 bedrooms, each with a/c. Two uppers were masters. The lower two were one queen and one w/ twin beds. Accessed by an exterior stairway.

Great, simple house. BEAUTIFUL views. It is on Maria Bluff close to town and rented through Destination St. John.

cass · Post by **cass** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:19 am

flip-flop - Beautiful pictures! Thank you. Hale Lani has been on my short list for a while. I've not stayed on this side of the island before, so figuring out all of the variables such as sunset views/drive to "town"/type of road access etc. is new to me!

The others on the list:

Le Lapin
Beach Music
Anole
Oceanport
La Collina
Palm Villa
L'Esprit De La Vie

cypressgirl · Post by **cypressgirl** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:34 pm

Did you see that Palm Hill is a 3 bedroom and Oceanport has only a hot tub? Anything in the Maria Bluff area is very close to town and will have great sunset views. If you turn right at the stop sign (and dumpster) right past the Westin, you are almost there.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:18 pm

I have stayed at La Collina and next door to Le Lapin so let me know if you have any questions

cass · Post by **cass** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:32 pm

cypressgirl wrote:Did you see that Palm Hill is a 3 bedroom and Oceanport has only a hot tub? Anything in the Maria Bluff area is very close to town and will have great sunset views. If you turn right at the stop sign (and dumpster) right past the Westin, you are almost there.

Oops, glad you pointed the Oceanport bit out to me. Having a pool wasn't high up on my priority list at first...I forgot to cut that one!

The is the Palm Villa that I was looking at.. http://www.caribbeanvilla.com/palmvilla/palm.html

cypressgirl · Post by **cypressgirl** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:13 pm

I got ya! I was looking at the one on Dest. St. John site. The one you are looking at has amazing views. I have never stayed on Gift Hill, but I've always wanted to. I like the kitchen in this one too. It looks like a good possibiity.

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