usvi-on-line
random thoughts from latest trip
minde's idea of group trip might be getting a little wind in her sails. since she has begged off villa selections i thought maybe i should throw some options/thoughts out there.
seems like we should consider several cost levels (from economy to luxury) and see what gets the most interest. since i've laying out 1st set of ideas and don't do camping (but love bargains) will not mention the lowest end of cinnamon bay or maho campgrounds nor concordia. though i suppose they could be considered for overflow and last minute bookers.
here are some thoughts on lodging, starting with a lower cost options up to the penthouse of course final location would be by majority rule:
1. book a bunch of units at cruz views. offseason starting at a little over a $100 nite to what $150 plus taxes and fees? the more luxury minded could book unit for self (and/or partner) and the thrifty could go for the 2 bedroom units, bring air mattress to packem in and really get that unit cost down. if this is what the majority wants, i will op for a unit with loft (which i would take) and let minde have the bedroom. she cooks, i drive and promise to put the toilet seat down.
remaining options must offer expandability depending on how many deminted souls elect to join in. again low to high:
2. adjoining villas sundance and moonsong. i've stayed at both, they have convenient locations, clean, well equipped, full ac, gives 2 hot tubs, 2 kitchens & refrigs, 1 wally pool, can walk to hart bay to snorkel (it is a snorkel trip remember), gives 5 bedrooms: 2 kings (for couples & threesome and those who don't mind paying more for the very best), a queen, and 2 brs with twins (for the ambidextrous). i would be flexible and pay the singles rate or doubles rate for twin room and acceptible partner and minde was the 1st to volunteer. minde, do you do twins? of course the rooms would be handicapped and priced according to luxury so that no one feels shafted (at least by their share of the lodging cost). i'll use my skills to do this job. once prices are set, rooms could be reserved on a 1st come basis like crusie ships do. this process could be used for all villa options.
3. villas cloud 9 and palm next door to each other on gifft hill. i love cloud 9, great views, 2 king bedrooms and a bunch of sleeping accommodations in great room and loft (all ac). greatroom loft rates would be per bed and of course be cheapest rate. palm has 3 bedrooms (master would have a luxury surcharge) plus there's a loft without ac. the loft could be the penalty box for those who misbehave or who are in repentance for past sins.
4. villas summerwind and casa bueno on mt bordeaux. both lovely villas, great views and of course higher rates. though not equal in size sw has 4 kings and cb has 4 bedrooms and at least 2 kings. this pairing offers 2 more real bedrooms but nothing for the economy minded roommates who don't care to share a bed. also eventhough these villas are very close together there are some draw backs due to the step terrain of the locale. lots of steps that could keep minde patching up the old fools and drunks who misstep. roadway between is steep and might need to have a powered uplift zipline installed for going uphill, though i did walk down and back up between villas one morning (not to be confused with after 5).
5. while i'm sure there are some other logical villa pairings, based on my estimate of maximum group size, the highest level "villa option" would be to rent kismet for 2 weeks (would expect a mutli week discount so total maybe $30,00) and have a daily rate for each room (again with some rate handicapping). those staying less than full 2 weeks would be responsible for washing bed linens and towels and cleaing there room at checkout. those signing up for last day would of course be execused this chore.
6. the highest priced option and the easest for the organizer would be for everyone to stay at caneel bay! each member of the group would book his/her/their own accommodations chosing from various levels of luxury. we could agree to stay on premises the entire time to maximize our time together and designate a different beach each day for communioning. i don't know what i'd do if this is the way the majority wants to go. i've been too cheap to take wife to caneel so how could i justify booking a room just for me. me believes all rooms have king beds and wife is only person i've ever shared a king bed with except for time son in law and i wound up in a king bed suite at sundial lodge at canyons in utah on a ski trip. since there was nothing else available we used our skis as a bedboard to divide that sucker! i don't believe i'd feel comfortable using only 2 pair of swim fins for separation in a king at caneel. maybe my roomy could use a rollaway or air mattress.
that gives a full range of lodging options so we need to address transportation, getting there and getting around. since the group members will be coming from such a variety of places, each would of course make his/her/their own travel plans.
i know many of you out there are well healed and you'll just buy a 1st class ticket (even last minute) without a second tought. we now know of them as the 1%, the slackers whose hoarding of money is ruining this country (but remember unless everyone makes the exact same amount, there must always be a top 1% income wise but some folks would like to bring them down a notch, you know like dumbing down in the public schools so no one feels inferior). there are others who are the road warriors or compulsive shoppers and have a trillion ff miles to exchange for plane tickets. then there are those who get there the best they can, saving, doing without a few things here and there and making intelligent financial decisions.
me, i payed for 5 yrs of college for baby daughter to get degree in early childhood developement and a teaching certificate. 1st and only full time job after graduation in 1994 was with an airline that has 1000 flts a day out of atlanta to places all over the world including stt, so her mother and i fly free (seats availabiity limatations of course). so as some of you say: whooopee! I realize none of you would have time before the grand gayla to get a child thorough college and hired by an airline, but i'm sure many of you have thought of career changes. why not consider the airline industry? there are apparently no age restricitons these days. maybe some airline offers a fait (flight attendant in training) program. you could skip out after landing at stt and rest of crew is buying adult beverages. no that won't work, how would you get home?
if the group gets really big, we might consider a private air charter out of some central location, like atlanta. while expensive, if we elect to go with lodging options 5 or 6 seems logical we do private air charter (but only of course if the group is large enough to get the per person r/t fare out of atlanta below $5000 each (taxes and fees extra). i've got a friend with GSA who specializes in squandering other folks money and he's offered to handle air booking if he can come along at our expense. sounds fair as most stuff going on today.
last big item is ground transportation. seems like most of us rent jeeps or cars (either on stt or stj) so renting the appropriate number of vechiles at the desired location seems to be a no brainer. but there are other options that could be just as expensive. for example if we have a group of 16 and elect to stay at kismet. you'd need 4 jeeps and 4 drivers to get folks to the beaches and town. 4 x $550 = $2200 plus gas. i believe for less we could do a daily jitney charter for less (?) and we wouldn't be wasting the designated drivers social time. think of the fun we'd have as we round the switch back to top of hill at peter bay singing "99 bottles of beer". on rainy days we might consider hiring slimman's limo service (which we would definitely need to do full time if we go with kismet. the thought of being picked up or dropped off at kismet by a jitney is disgusting.) also as you weigh options in preparation of voting in the near future (not in presidential elections but on lodging and ground tranportation for the group trip), remember that by staying at caneel you could save enough on ground transportation to pay for caneel private transfers airport to room and back. that's quite and equalizer.
once we get a feel for numbers, dates and special needs, we can begin lists of things we'll need and assign responsibilites for food, adult beverages, private charters, music, dinner reservations (or private chief) etc. after further thought maybe we should see if the GSA guy could handle all the planning and booking though i doubt our budget would be quite as much as his last (literally i hope) event in vegas.
for those of you so inclined, join in and lets chat this group trip thinggy up.
papabou
ps, it's an ugly afternoon in ga and felt up to a little foolishness. no i'm not drinking, not 5 oclock.
seems like we should consider several cost levels (from economy to luxury) and see what gets the most interest. since i've laying out 1st set of ideas and don't do camping (but love bargains) will not mention the lowest end of cinnamon bay or maho campgrounds nor concordia. though i suppose they could be considered for overflow and last minute bookers.
here are some thoughts on lodging, starting with a lower cost options up to the penthouse of course final location would be by majority rule:
1. book a bunch of units at cruz views. offseason starting at a little over a $100 nite to what $150 plus taxes and fees? the more luxury minded could book unit for self (and/or partner) and the thrifty could go for the 2 bedroom units, bring air mattress to packem in and really get that unit cost down. if this is what the majority wants, i will op for a unit with loft (which i would take) and let minde have the bedroom. she cooks, i drive and promise to put the toilet seat down.
remaining options must offer expandability depending on how many deminted souls elect to join in. again low to high:
2. adjoining villas sundance and moonsong. i've stayed at both, they have convenient locations, clean, well equipped, full ac, gives 2 hot tubs, 2 kitchens & refrigs, 1 wally pool, can walk to hart bay to snorkel (it is a snorkel trip remember), gives 5 bedrooms: 2 kings (for couples & threesome and those who don't mind paying more for the very best), a queen, and 2 brs with twins (for the ambidextrous). i would be flexible and pay the singles rate or doubles rate for twin room and acceptible partner and minde was the 1st to volunteer. minde, do you do twins? of course the rooms would be handicapped and priced according to luxury so that no one feels shafted (at least by their share of the lodging cost). i'll use my skills to do this job. once prices are set, rooms could be reserved on a 1st come basis like crusie ships do. this process could be used for all villa options.
3. villas cloud 9 and palm next door to each other on gifft hill. i love cloud 9, great views, 2 king bedrooms and a bunch of sleeping accommodations in great room and loft (all ac). greatroom loft rates would be per bed and of course be cheapest rate. palm has 3 bedrooms (master would have a luxury surcharge) plus there's a loft without ac. the loft could be the penalty box for those who misbehave or who are in repentance for past sins.
4. villas summerwind and casa bueno on mt bordeaux. both lovely villas, great views and of course higher rates. though not equal in size sw has 4 kings and cb has 4 bedrooms and at least 2 kings. this pairing offers 2 more real bedrooms but nothing for the economy minded roommates who don't care to share a bed. also eventhough these villas are very close together there are some draw backs due to the step terrain of the locale. lots of steps that could keep minde patching up the old fools and drunks who misstep. roadway between is steep and might need to have a powered uplift zipline installed for going uphill, though i did walk down and back up between villas one morning (not to be confused with after 5).
5. while i'm sure there are some other logical villa pairings, based on my estimate of maximum group size, the highest level "villa option" would be to rent kismet for 2 weeks (would expect a mutli week discount so total maybe $30,00) and have a daily rate for each room (again with some rate handicapping). those staying less than full 2 weeks would be responsible for washing bed linens and towels and cleaing there room at checkout. those signing up for last day would of course be execused this chore.
6. the highest priced option and the easest for the organizer would be for everyone to stay at caneel bay! each member of the group would book his/her/their own accommodations chosing from various levels of luxury. we could agree to stay on premises the entire time to maximize our time together and designate a different beach each day for communioning. i don't know what i'd do if this is the way the majority wants to go. i've been too cheap to take wife to caneel so how could i justify booking a room just for me. me believes all rooms have king beds and wife is only person i've ever shared a king bed with except for time son in law and i wound up in a king bed suite at sundial lodge at canyons in utah on a ski trip. since there was nothing else available we used our skis as a bedboard to divide that sucker! i don't believe i'd feel comfortable using only 2 pair of swim fins for separation in a king at caneel. maybe my roomy could use a rollaway or air mattress.
that gives a full range of lodging options so we need to address transportation, getting there and getting around. since the group members will be coming from such a variety of places, each would of course make his/her/their own travel plans.
i know many of you out there are well healed and you'll just buy a 1st class ticket (even last minute) without a second tought. we now know of them as the 1%, the slackers whose hoarding of money is ruining this country (but remember unless everyone makes the exact same amount, there must always be a top 1% income wise but some folks would like to bring them down a notch, you know like dumbing down in the public schools so no one feels inferior). there are others who are the road warriors or compulsive shoppers and have a trillion ff miles to exchange for plane tickets. then there are those who get there the best they can, saving, doing without a few things here and there and making intelligent financial decisions.
me, i payed for 5 yrs of college for baby daughter to get degree in early childhood developement and a teaching certificate. 1st and only full time job after graduation in 1994 was with an airline that has 1000 flts a day out of atlanta to places all over the world including stt, so her mother and i fly free (seats availabiity limatations of course). so as some of you say: whooopee! I realize none of you would have time before the grand gayla to get a child thorough college and hired by an airline, but i'm sure many of you have thought of career changes. why not consider the airline industry? there are apparently no age restricitons these days. maybe some airline offers a fait (flight attendant in training) program. you could skip out after landing at stt and rest of crew is buying adult beverages. no that won't work, how would you get home?
if the group gets really big, we might consider a private air charter out of some central location, like atlanta. while expensive, if we elect to go with lodging options 5 or 6 seems logical we do private air charter (but only of course if the group is large enough to get the per person r/t fare out of atlanta below $5000 each (taxes and fees extra). i've got a friend with GSA who specializes in squandering other folks money and he's offered to handle air booking if he can come along at our expense. sounds fair as most stuff going on today.
last big item is ground transportation. seems like most of us rent jeeps or cars (either on stt or stj) so renting the appropriate number of vechiles at the desired location seems to be a no brainer. but there are other options that could be just as expensive. for example if we have a group of 16 and elect to stay at kismet. you'd need 4 jeeps and 4 drivers to get folks to the beaches and town. 4 x $550 = $2200 plus gas. i believe for less we could do a daily jitney charter for less (?) and we wouldn't be wasting the designated drivers social time. think of the fun we'd have as we round the switch back to top of hill at peter bay singing "99 bottles of beer". on rainy days we might consider hiring slimman's limo service (which we would definitely need to do full time if we go with kismet. the thought of being picked up or dropped off at kismet by a jitney is disgusting.) also as you weigh options in preparation of voting in the near future (not in presidential elections but on lodging and ground tranportation for the group trip), remember that by staying at caneel you could save enough on ground transportation to pay for caneel private transfers airport to room and back. that's quite and equalizer.
once we get a feel for numbers, dates and special needs, we can begin lists of things we'll need and assign responsibilites for food, adult beverages, private charters, music, dinner reservations (or private chief) etc. after further thought maybe we should see if the GSA guy could handle all the planning and booking though i doubt our budget would be quite as much as his last (literally i hope) event in vegas.
for those of you so inclined, join in and lets chat this group trip thinggy up.
papabou
ps, it's an ugly afternoon in ga and felt up to a little foolishness. no i'm not drinking, not 5 oclock.
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mindehankins
- Posts: 3014
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:21 am
- Location: Western NY State