usvi-on-line
First time STJ villa renter and in need of some help....
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needmesomesun
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:51 pm
- Location: Unfortunately, not on St. John
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SOonthebeach
- Posts: 1707
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:01 am
- Location: Texas
Same here!! We try to get the rooms as equal as possible, but I get first dibs after all the planning worklazylane wrote:In our group, I am the vacation planner, picking villa, renting Jeeps, water taxi, everything so I GET FIRST PICK on bedroom!!!!
We have stayed at Kalorama in Virgin Grande- very modern- a different look than most of the houses- but we loved it- 4 great bedrooms (the 5th is for kids only), amazing views, whole living room wall opens. A/C in bedrooms. Great place. There are a lot of great houses in Virgin Grande. Another on our wish list is Island Stones in Catherineberg. Amazing- but may be too big for you.
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
I second the vote for Skyway! I have not stayed there but have stayed on Gift Hill. The views from up there are fantastic and the sunsets magnificent.
We have stayed down the road from Peace and Plenty and the views are great. Not as interesting at Gift Hill. But we loved the North Shore, especially that time of year.
Happy Planning
We have stayed down the road from Peace and Plenty and the views are great. Not as interesting at Gift Hill. But we loved the North Shore, especially that time of year.
Happy Planning
I'll second Casa de Sonadores through villavacations.net for a four equal master bedrooms.
I have my own rules for traveling with a group and they've been stress tested for groups up to 24.
1. Don't invite anyone who is a whiner. Don't invite anyone that you would not spend a week with 1-on-1.
2. I pick the villa and the week and people get to decide if they want to come. It's okay if no one wants to come with me.
3. You get to pick your room in the order that you pay. I've already paid the deposit, so I go first. This deals with the equal rooms problem and #1 deals with whiners.
4. One vehicle per 2 couples with at least one person from each couple on the contract for each car. Expect there to be an early group and a late group each morning. This is not a problem. I get my own vehicle. I'm in the early group and my lover is in the late group.
5. Pick a beach each day that you want to visit; 11AM is a good rendezvous time. The late group can usually make it and the early group will have done a hike and another beach already. It's okay if no one meets me at the beach.
6. Do some happy hours at the villa. It's cheap and 6-8 people is a party. Bring Twister.
7. Dinner out for 6-8 is a pain in the a$$. Do some dinners at the villa and do some date nights. Meet for drinks before and after dinner. There's always room at the Beach Bar, Quiet Mon and Larry's Landing for 6-8.
8. Expect to spend a day without leaving the villa. Make sure that there is not a mid-week maid visit scheduled that day. Start the blender at 10AM, but put sunscreen on all exposed skin first.
9. Put $100 per person in a food/drink kitty for villa provisions. If someone is concerned that they won't spend that much and want differential treatment, that breaks rule #1 - they don't get to come. $800 will cover food and booze at the villa for 8 adults for a week. Dinner for 8 at Zozo's is $680.
Lessons learned:
- If someone whines at home, they will whine more on STJ.
- If someone pitches in at home they will pitch in more on STJ.
- The herd moves at the speed of the slowest beast.
- Don't be afraid to say "I'm heading out. I'll be back for sunset."
- Newbies will assume the villa is on the beach, even if you tell them otherwise and show them pictures. If they can't get over this, they stay at the Westin.
- #1 takes care of almost every possible problem.
Cheers, RickG
I have my own rules for traveling with a group and they've been stress tested for groups up to 24.
1. Don't invite anyone who is a whiner. Don't invite anyone that you would not spend a week with 1-on-1.
2. I pick the villa and the week and people get to decide if they want to come. It's okay if no one wants to come with me.
3. You get to pick your room in the order that you pay. I've already paid the deposit, so I go first. This deals with the equal rooms problem and #1 deals with whiners.
4. One vehicle per 2 couples with at least one person from each couple on the contract for each car. Expect there to be an early group and a late group each morning. This is not a problem. I get my own vehicle. I'm in the early group and my lover is in the late group.
5. Pick a beach each day that you want to visit; 11AM is a good rendezvous time. The late group can usually make it and the early group will have done a hike and another beach already. It's okay if no one meets me at the beach.
6. Do some happy hours at the villa. It's cheap and 6-8 people is a party. Bring Twister.
7. Dinner out for 6-8 is a pain in the a$$. Do some dinners at the villa and do some date nights. Meet for drinks before and after dinner. There's always room at the Beach Bar, Quiet Mon and Larry's Landing for 6-8.
8. Expect to spend a day without leaving the villa. Make sure that there is not a mid-week maid visit scheduled that day. Start the blender at 10AM, but put sunscreen on all exposed skin first.
9. Put $100 per person in a food/drink kitty for villa provisions. If someone is concerned that they won't spend that much and want differential treatment, that breaks rule #1 - they don't get to come. $800 will cover food and booze at the villa for 8 adults for a week. Dinner for 8 at Zozo's is $680.
Lessons learned:
- If someone whines at home, they will whine more on STJ.
- If someone pitches in at home they will pitch in more on STJ.
- The herd moves at the speed of the slowest beast.
- Don't be afraid to say "I'm heading out. I'll be back for sunset."
- Newbies will assume the villa is on the beach, even if you tell them otherwise and show them pictures. If they can't get over this, they stay at the Westin.
- #1 takes care of almost every possible problem.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
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SOonthebeach
- Posts: 1707
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:01 am
- Location: Texas
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Kentuckygirl
- Posts: 1903
- Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 10:17 am
- Location: Kentucky
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GotToGetAway
- Posts: 396
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:55 pm
- Location: FL
