usvi-on-line
Advice on villas needed ASAP!!
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sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
Congratulations on your wedding. Coconuts was our honeymoon villa 6 years ago, so it holds a special place. I would be intersted in seeing pics of the renovation. It was getting a bit worn when we were there. That being said, when we were there it was very private although it is the first villa off Gift Hill Road. It's all on one level so it should have excellent WC acess. As I recall the master shower was quite wide and may be roll in, if you need that feature, but I would double check my recollection.
The villa is set up in pods, each room occupying a separate pod. I don't think we ever really used the great room/dining room pod. Instead we used the outdoor living/dining room. The kitchen was well stocked and we did do a fair amount of cooking.
The pool got great sun and was very warm. There are cement steps into the pool on one end.
The veiws are wonderful and its very conveient to Cruz Bay.
The villa is set up in pods, each room occupying a separate pod. I don't think we ever really used the great room/dining room pod. Instead we used the outdoor living/dining room. The kitchen was well stocked and we did do a fair amount of cooking.
The pool got great sun and was very warm. There are cement steps into the pool on one end.
The veiws are wonderful and its very conveient to Cruz Bay.
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
Ajax Peak is pretty close to the Northshore beaches, 5 minutes from Maho, so you're going to be doing that drive anyway. Though when we first started going to STJ we stayed on the south shore (Chocolate Hole mostly) and I thought it was a good way to discover the island.
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
We have stayed at Coconuts several times and love it. The views from the deck over the water and to STT are beautiful. We love the gazebo with a table - we have breakfast and dinner there while enjoying the sunset views. The living room has comfortable furniture and lots of screened windows if you need to be indoors due to the bugs. Its not a fancy place, but we enjoy it. Its fairly close to Cruz Bay to pop into town for groceries or carry out. Its a easy drive to Centerline Rd to head to the beaches.
This villa has a good sized back yard with big hedges of bougainvillea. So the view from the deck includes beautiful flowering bushes too. There a quite a few potted plants and little gardens on the deck and at the entrance to the villa, that makes it pleasant. We had lots of banaquits, hummingbirds and other birds visit every morning. There was a very large iguana who lived in a hole in the backyard. He would come out in the yard and eat the flowers. We enjoyed using the pool a lot too. Its very private. As you can tell, we love Coconuts.
Be aware that the third bedroom is in the living room pod and is up a steep staircase - really almost a ladder. Some people would not want to be going up and down those steep stairs. Its a comfortable villa for 2 or 4 people.
One year, we stayed on Ajax Peak and enjoyed that location a lot. Just a few minutes to pop down to Coral Bay, and an easy drive to the beaches. It felt like a "central" location for the places we wanted to go. My husband missed having a sunset view at the villa, but we really enjoyed the views over Coral Bay.
Happy trip planning!
This villa has a good sized back yard with big hedges of bougainvillea. So the view from the deck includes beautiful flowering bushes too. There a quite a few potted plants and little gardens on the deck and at the entrance to the villa, that makes it pleasant. We had lots of banaquits, hummingbirds and other birds visit every morning. There was a very large iguana who lived in a hole in the backyard. He would come out in the yard and eat the flowers. We enjoyed using the pool a lot too. Its very private. As you can tell, we love Coconuts.
Be aware that the third bedroom is in the living room pod and is up a steep staircase - really almost a ladder. Some people would not want to be going up and down those steep stairs. Its a comfortable villa for 2 or 4 people.
One year, we stayed on Ajax Peak and enjoyed that location a lot. Just a few minutes to pop down to Coral Bay, and an easy drive to the beaches. It felt like a "central" location for the places we wanted to go. My husband missed having a sunset view at the villa, but we really enjoyed the views over Coral Bay.
Happy trip planning!
Final Chapter of villa review - down to three
Thanks to all that have given me fantastic tips and ideas on villas. You have all been so awesome, so much so that I hate to ask any more questions, but I've narrowed it to three and thought I'd throw it out to this great forum. I posted this separately, but realized all who had responded here, might not see that post, so putting it here intsead
Winsome House - I have seen no reviews on this one. Its rented by Destination St. John. Anyone have familiarity with this one. It's really nice (now has airconditioning) and is on Ajax Peak - which I like for the views and the privacy and the convenience to the beaches. BUT - I've heard, no sunset views - is this true, not at all? And will we really miss that on our first trip to St. John?
Coconuts - I've heard good things about this one, but worried that despite the renovation, it is a bit worn? The sunset views though make it sound worthwhile. Any more opinions on this one.
Serenity - This one is super spacious and more modern than coconuts, right on the edge of Maria's Bluff - but it comes at a premium and am trying to figure out is it worth $400-$500 more or should I save that money for dinner's out.
Would ove a panoramic view - anyone know an affordable vila with something like that?
Thanks so much all again and my goal is to be booking something by tomorrow afternoon and then start preparing to relax.
Winsome House - I have seen no reviews on this one. Its rented by Destination St. John. Anyone have familiarity with this one. It's really nice (now has airconditioning) and is on Ajax Peak - which I like for the views and the privacy and the convenience to the beaches. BUT - I've heard, no sunset views - is this true, not at all? And will we really miss that on our first trip to St. John?
Coconuts - I've heard good things about this one, but worried that despite the renovation, it is a bit worn? The sunset views though make it sound worthwhile. Any more opinions on this one.
Serenity - This one is super spacious and more modern than coconuts, right on the edge of Maria's Bluff - but it comes at a premium and am trying to figure out is it worth $400-$500 more or should I save that money for dinner's out.
Would ove a panoramic view - anyone know an affordable vila with something like that?
Thanks so much all again and my goal is to be booking something by tomorrow afternoon and then start preparing to relax.
I know some folks place a high premium on sunset views but we're usually at dinner or out for the sunset so it's never been that big of a deal for us.
Check the naval observatory web site for sunset times during your dates of stay: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomi ... ne-year-us
and think about where you'll be at that time. That should help you make an informed decision.
Check the naval observatory web site for sunset times during your dates of stay: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomi ... ne-year-us
and think about where you'll be at that time. That should help you make an informed decision.
*Another fine scatterbrained production
Gromit - that is fantastic advice! And a good point too! Thank you!Gromit wrote:I know some folks place a high premium on sunset views but we're usually at dinner or out for the sunset so it's never been that big of a deal for us.
Check the naval observatory web site for sunset times during your dates of stay: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomi ... ne-year-us
and think about where you'll be at that time. That should help you make an informed decision.
SJP is open air living room-no screens. We were there in December one year; not really a big bug issue, but I suppose it could be. We enjoyed the place a lot.sparis wrote: Question on St. John Passion. We ruled it out because of the open air living room...looks like it literally leads out to the garden with no fourth wall - is it screened at all?
Thanks!
Good luck with your search!
We've decided- Thanks to all of you for your help!
Thanks to all of you for your great tips and advice. You've all been fantastic and we finally decided to go with Villa Serenity on Maria's Bluff. We were able to talk our way into a better price and as such closed the gap between villa costs some. And really, we knew we wanted a villa on the water so now we have it. And as first time St. John visitors, know we'll like being closer to Cruz Bay.
BTW: Lisa Durgin of Vacation Vistas is awesome and I highly recommend her as someone to rent from. I haven't even gone on the trip yet and know I'm very happy I rented from her.
I'll be back on here soon to start posting questions on restaurants and activities, but for now, wanted to thank everyone who responded to this post. Villa Gravity here we come!
BTW: Lisa Durgin of Vacation Vistas is awesome and I highly recommend her as someone to rent from. I haven't even gone on the trip yet and know I'm very happy I rented from her.
I'll be back on here soon to start posting questions on restaurants and activities, but for now, wanted to thank everyone who responded to this post. Villa Gravity here we come!
It is better to live, than to exist! - Mark Twain paraphrased 
