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Need your help
Need your help
Greetings Fellow Forumites! I've got airline tickets
booked for our next group trip in November but we're having major angst settling on a villa this year for some reason. There are none of us so we need a 5 bedroom place at minimum and half of the group wants to stay at a higher-end villa and the other half wants a bargain. I've suggested splitting into two groups to make everyone happy but no ones seems to want to do that so.... we're going to have to find something in the middle to compromise. One place that I've looked at is Coco Caribe....has anyone stayed there recently? How are the beds? The villa we had last year had uncomfortable mattresses so that's been moved to the top of our lengthy list of needs/wants.
We've also got one person wanting to try the Coral Bay end of the island but we've also got about half the group who wants to be able to go out in the evenings for drinks, dinner or to listen to music. The teatotallers tend to stick close to the villa at night so I was wondering how challenging the drive from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay would be in the dark after going out. We've only stayed at the Cruz Bay end so far to be closer to more activities but maybe my perception is off?
Going with a large group is fun once you get there but it's SO hard to please everyone in the planning phase!!!!
booked for our next group trip in November but we're having major angst settling on a villa this year for some reason. There are none of us so we need a 5 bedroom place at minimum and half of the group wants to stay at a higher-end villa and the other half wants a bargain. I've suggested splitting into two groups to make everyone happy but no ones seems to want to do that so.... we're going to have to find something in the middle to compromise. One place that I've looked at is Coco Caribe....has anyone stayed there recently? How are the beds? The villa we had last year had uncomfortable mattresses so that's been moved to the top of our lengthy list of needs/wants.
We've also got one person wanting to try the Coral Bay end of the island but we've also got about half the group who wants to be able to go out in the evenings for drinks, dinner or to listen to music. The teatotallers tend to stick close to the villa at night so I was wondering how challenging the drive from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay would be in the dark after going out. We've only stayed at the Cruz Bay end so far to be closer to more activities but maybe my perception is off?
Going with a large group is fun once you get there but it's SO hard to please everyone in the planning phase!!!!
Casa Bueno is 4 bedrooms. Chateau Margot is up on Bordeaux Mtn though. We stayed there with a large group a couple of years ago and it's a great villa with a very nice pool and fabulous view. It's very quiet and private.Gigi wrote:How about Casa Bueno? I think it is 5 BR and is kind of in the middle of the island. It gets great reviews!
If you are OK with the Coral Bay side then check out Casa Luna. It lives large for the price and worked well for our group of 8 adults and 2 kids.
We've also stayed at Ambiance in Choc Hole but that was only three couples plus three kids. I don't think it's five BR's.
Although from the sounds of it you've got some serious issues with folks coming to an agreement out of the starting gate.
Are any of these folks newbies?
Our forumite regular Rick G has some really GREAT advice for traveling with newbies and in large herds (I use the term affectionately).
You may want to do a search for his posts on this subject (you also might see which houses he's rented as well!)
If I recall, I think he suggests a gentle but firm leadership approach as well as some organization and agreement before embarking on a group vacay. Otherwise there can be a lot of frustration and hurt feelings on the back end.
The other issue is finding a house with "equal BR's. Inevitably some BR's are nicer than others. Perhaps for the folks wanting to pay less can opt for the less desirable BR's and pay a little less than the folks getting bigger or nicer bedrooms.
I think Rick G suggests that folks get to pick in the order they get their deposits to him.
Just some thoughts....
We've also stayed at Ambiance in Choc Hole but that was only three couples plus three kids. I don't think it's five BR's.
Although from the sounds of it you've got some serious issues with folks coming to an agreement out of the starting gate.
Are any of these folks newbies?
Our forumite regular Rick G has some really GREAT advice for traveling with newbies and in large herds (I use the term affectionately).
You may want to do a search for his posts on this subject (you also might see which houses he's rented as well!)
If I recall, I think he suggests a gentle but firm leadership approach as well as some organization and agreement before embarking on a group vacay. Otherwise there can be a lot of frustration and hurt feelings on the back end.
The other issue is finding a house with "equal BR's. Inevitably some BR's are nicer than others. Perhaps for the folks wanting to pay less can opt for the less desirable BR's and pay a little less than the folks getting bigger or nicer bedrooms.
I think Rick G suggests that folks get to pick in the order they get their deposits to him.
Just some thoughts....
*Another fine scatterbrained production
No newbies Gromit, that's why everyone is so darned opinionated this time. When they were newbies I simply booked what I felt was right. Our biggest problem is that one person in the group is cheap with a capital "C".
I could understand if someone simply doesn't earn as much as the rest of the group but that really isn't the problem and it's not as though we're being frivolous with our expenses. This person is on a mission to retire at age 55 come hell or high water - I know, we could "uninvite" her but her husband is a fun person and I think this vacation is his only chance to have someone other than himself entice (or maybe "shame") her into loosening the purse strings just a little. She even makes us do separate tabs when we go out for dinner because she doesn't drink and doesn't like if we split the bill into equal parts. Granted some people spend more on drinks but then others spend more on food and even those who don't have alcoholic drinks do have something else nonalcoholic to drink and it tends to all work out in the end. Plus on the nights that she and her better half stay at the villa to save money they tend to eat the leftovers from everyone's prior restaurant meals (with our permission of course) so it's not as though they aren't getting something back for the few extra dollars that they would have to throw in. It's frustrating (and sometimes embarassing) to deal with though!
I would love, love, love to stay at Villa Tesori whoever suggested that but that's outside of Miss Moneypennie's self-imposed financial limits. We stayed in Vistaero last year and had a bird's eye view of Tesori and it looked fantastic!
I had the group convinced to give Casa de Sonadores a try (the owners are adding another bed/bath) but she nixed that too before I could get it booked. The only reason Coco Caribe is a possibility is because Destination St John has 20% off until the end of the month. Sigh... this might be my last trip with a big group. Too hard to make everyone happy!
I could understand if someone simply doesn't earn as much as the rest of the group but that really isn't the problem and it's not as though we're being frivolous with our expenses. This person is on a mission to retire at age 55 come hell or high water - I know, we could "uninvite" her but her husband is a fun person and I think this vacation is his only chance to have someone other than himself entice (or maybe "shame") her into loosening the purse strings just a little. She even makes us do separate tabs when we go out for dinner because she doesn't drink and doesn't like if we split the bill into equal parts. Granted some people spend more on drinks but then others spend more on food and even those who don't have alcoholic drinks do have something else nonalcoholic to drink and it tends to all work out in the end. Plus on the nights that she and her better half stay at the villa to save money they tend to eat the leftovers from everyone's prior restaurant meals (with our permission of course) so it's not as though they aren't getting something back for the few extra dollars that they would have to throw in. It's frustrating (and sometimes embarassing) to deal with though!
I would love, love, love to stay at Villa Tesori whoever suggested that but that's outside of Miss Moneypennie's self-imposed financial limits. We stayed in Vistaero last year and had a bird's eye view of Tesori and it looked fantastic!
I had the group convinced to give Casa de Sonadores a try (the owners are adding another bed/bath) but she nixed that too before I could get it booked. The only reason Coco Caribe is a possibility is because Destination St John has 20% off until the end of the month. Sigh... this might be my last trip with a big group. Too hard to make everyone happy!
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BuffaloGal
- Posts: 307
- Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:48 pm
- Location: Buffalo, NY
Lindy, Hope you get a little time to yourself this vacation. I can't imagine trying to satisfy everyone. I think if you stay closer to Cruz Bay, you'll be better off. It has more opportunities for everyone who wants to go out and still has plenty of places to shop for food if people want to cook in.
There is a decent selection of restaurants in Coral Bay so that you could get out most nights without driving to Cruz Bay
Shipwreck, Aqua Bistro, Skinny's, Island Blues, Sweet Plantains (in season), Miss Lucy's, the new Owen's place and I think the Tourist Trap is open until about 6pm. Plus, Donkey Diner does pizza and bbq a couple of nights.
Good luck with your planning.
Shipwreck, Aqua Bistro, Skinny's, Island Blues, Sweet Plantains (in season), Miss Lucy's, the new Owen's place and I think the Tourist Trap is open until about 6pm. Plus, Donkey Diner does pizza and bbq a couple of nights.
Good luck with your planning.
janet
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sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
Wow Lindy, sounds like miss tight wad likes to control things for everyone else. Would it be possible to go with majority rules and is she doesn't like it her choice would be not to go. I understand you feel bad for her husband, but its your vacation as well. I have a group of friends with which I travelled frequently. All but one are very simpatico. She was very much like the one you describe, separate checks, opinionated about activities, in bed by 9, the breaking point was when she tried to take leftovers into a resturant to eat and just ordered a cup of tea! I kid you not. We still travel together once a year but now without her.
I totally agree with sailorgirl. When you are part of a large group the majority rules (it's called democracy). If Ms. Tightwad can't live with that then she probably should chose to stay at home. Maybe Mr. Tightwad needs to grow a spine (or a set of you-know-what)? Just sayin'.
I'll never be the trip organizer for a large group. It's too stressful trying to see that everyone else is having a good time and you end up sacrificing the fun you should be having on your own vacation.
I hope you can work everything out and have a great trip yourself. I also hope you have enough vehicles so that everyone doesn't have to be part of the 'group' 24/7. When we go as a group we've learned that each couple rents their own Jeep and it's not mandatory that we all go to the same beach or eat at the same time at the same place. I can't stand it if everyone has to be velcroed together all the time. I dont' work well in 'herds'.
I'll never be the trip organizer for a large group. It's too stressful trying to see that everyone else is having a good time and you end up sacrificing the fun you should be having on your own vacation.
I hope you can work everything out and have a great trip yourself. I also hope you have enough vehicles so that everyone doesn't have to be part of the 'group' 24/7. When we go as a group we've learned that each couple rents their own Jeep and it's not mandatory that we all go to the same beach or eat at the same time at the same place. I can't stand it if everyone has to be velcroed together all the time. I dont' work well in 'herds'.
Linday, I've been there. Don't try to satisfy ONE person. Mafority rules. Ip's not fun trying to find sommthing everyone agrees on, but if she's the biggest problem..pick the villa..get everyone to agree and if she doesn't like it...too bad....you're in or you're out. Stop stressing over it. There's an easy answer to this.
"Paradise...it's a state of mine"
We used to travel with another couple but he was real cheap - the straws that broke the camel's back was when he ordered from the children's menu and they split a draft beer - we now travel with out adult children and it is much better - I only get one "real" vacation a year and am not willing to compromise to satisfy others.
Amen to that!! We travel with our grown kids and it's all fine but just as soon as someone else enters the picture problems begin to develop (for us at least).samoka wrote:We used to travel with another couple but he was real cheap - the straws that broke the camel's back was when he ordered from the children's menu and they split a draft beer - we now travel with out adult children and it is much better - I only get one "real" vacation a year and am not willing to compromise to satisfy others.
I agree with Connie. If ONE person is the ONE problem then the ONE person should not be part of the group. The End