usvi-on-line
Spring trip 2nd Installment
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Berlingirl
- Posts: 499
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:09 pm
- Location: New England
Spring trip 2nd Installment
Its hard to leave Secret Harbor...esp. this beautiful unit. It's for sale I might add... <center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0375.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Our fifth stay here and this was the nicest. Usually we get the place with the furniture on it's last leg. Never have we gotten an updated place. Oh one year we did get new bedspreads... Part of the charm I guess. We don't expect much so there is not disappointment. We're always happy just to be there. We love the place for the location, the people and the fact that places like Secret Harbor are fast becoming extinct. Where can you wake up...walk 100 steps and spend a day or a week looking at some of the best view around? Not too many places are left, most have been gobbled up and are high rises. To us the best beach on St Thomas.
Sadly, checked out and said goodbye to the girls at the front desk. Said I would take a few brochures to give out. She said, now why would you want to do that? Don't you have a hard enough time getting your own reservation here? I said true...Too many people know about this place already. Big laugh all around because it's a fact.
Off in our cars to make the car ferry at Red Hook. Monster construction on that hill across from the ferry was noted as it couldn't be missed. We had decided we just wanted to get over to St John while the getting was good. Mid-day, no huge lines. Turned out to be an incredibly easy process. Same as last year, not the cluster it used to be in years prior. Our ferry was one of the Generals. Loaded down with Sand trucks I might add. Not the most comforting sight. We were easily the smallest vehicle on this ferry. I hadn't been on the forum board but a little off and on prior to our trip and didn't pay any attention to the ferry mishap a few weeks before so all of the sudden I'm wracking my brain trying to remember what happened. Here is a picture of our two red cars wedged onto the ferry. <center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0376.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center>
It was so heavy it was stuck until some trucks were rearranged on board as it couldn't get off the dock. I told my husband I think a ferry just sank because of the very same reason a few weeks ago and it was like "Your not serious are you? I said, "I don't know... I can't remember, but something happened to a ferry." He was not impressed with my memory skills at that point.
Made it over, easy enough ride and I called Lisa (very nice lady BTW!) from Vacation Vistas who promptly called me back. Good thing. I had left all correspondence back home in my vacation file. She was close to villa Idyllic so she said we could drop our stuff and head out and have lunch somewhere as Idyllic was being cleaned. She gave us directions. First right past the Westin just across from the dumpsters. Easy enough to find. I immediately regretted the decision to come here first. Take some advice from me. If you are early...go elsewhere. You do not want to see your rental villa with it's guts hanging out. It was a terrible sight. It was tore up! Can I say trashed on here and have everybody understand? My husband and I looked at each other. Nightmare. The Seattle contingent was completely less then thrilled. Stony faces all around. I think they wanted my death to be imminent as I had picked the place. They are JW Marriott regulars. You know the chain. Not regular Marriott which to me is top of the line, Not Courtyard by Marriott which is next...can you get the picture? They vacation for two weeks in Hawaii at the JW, Cancun at the JW...the list goes on. Lisa proceeded to give us the tour. Instructions etc. You who rent know the drill. I honestly didn't pay attention as I was frantically thinking of what to do to get the Seattle people smiling again. They were not paying attention. I think they were trying to figure out how to get back to St Thomas. I will add that the review I wrote about the villa was MY review. Not their review. I think it might have been different.
Ok...the place is older. Much older than we had thought. I picked it as the pictures were unbelievable. (good that is). The pool was a nice size. The view was to die for. Location, Did I say location? Right adjacent to the Westin. We love the Westin and have stayed a number of times. Love the pool area, beach and all the amenities offered there. Would stay there if we were rich, but it's priced out of our league now. (Especially since they gave up half their rooms for more timeshares.) Also a big plus was the separate living area downstairs. Privacy for the other couple. We are basic people. Our Seattle group lives a bit "nicer" than us. Should've taken that all into consideration. I just thought how fun to get together. We live in Maine. They in Washington. Guess you all have the picture now. I suggested the Westin for lunch. Off we went. It was obvious upon our arrival, this is where they would've "preferred" to stay. They were glad civilization as they know it was so close. Headed for Snorkels to get lunch. Drinks and Red Stripes all around. View was great. Food was good. Mahi was nice. Recommend Pulled pork. My brother had the BIG drink, you know the one that comes in a sand bucket. His mood began to lighten. Kids were dying to get into the water. So we had to make that happen.
Back To the villa and the pool people were now there...so we continued to drive on. Headed up onto the Chocolate hole hillside. Honestly couldn't believe all the construction just about everywhere. Amazing there is any land left. If you could call mountain goat steep hillsides buildable land...anyway. Once more,Back to the villa. Pool people were gone and we figured the vehicle left in the driveway must belong to the owners. It looked like a whole new place. Again, I wish we'd waited to see it like this first. Nicely cleaned up and the pool was cleaned of leaves. Kids quickly changed and jumped in the pool. This was heaven for them! Great pool. <center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0387.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Seattle parents took a little break and finally decided to walk to the Westin. Myself and hubby sat by the pool and enjoyed the view and the great sunset to follow. Made sweeter by a bit of Cruzan and coke!
<center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0389.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Dinner that night was the Lime Inn. Not our best meal. It was Friday night and busy. The wait was horribly long(so long I won't mention because people will think we are stupid to have waited.) and our steaks were terrible. Hubby is a meat man(by trade) and he said we were given what usually isn't served in decent restaurants. Should've sent it back we know, but we were beat and had waited so long. I decided I would dine on wine at that point. Seattle couple had New York Strip that was decent and a Caribbean Lobster that was nicely done. Kids had pasta and a great Brownie desert. It wasn't all lost but after years of this being our favorite place to eat. I have to say...The Thrill is gone...
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0375.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Our fifth stay here and this was the nicest. Usually we get the place with the furniture on it's last leg. Never have we gotten an updated place. Oh one year we did get new bedspreads... Part of the charm I guess. We don't expect much so there is not disappointment. We're always happy just to be there. We love the place for the location, the people and the fact that places like Secret Harbor are fast becoming extinct. Where can you wake up...walk 100 steps and spend a day or a week looking at some of the best view around? Not too many places are left, most have been gobbled up and are high rises. To us the best beach on St Thomas.
Sadly, checked out and said goodbye to the girls at the front desk. Said I would take a few brochures to give out. She said, now why would you want to do that? Don't you have a hard enough time getting your own reservation here? I said true...Too many people know about this place already. Big laugh all around because it's a fact.
Off in our cars to make the car ferry at Red Hook. Monster construction on that hill across from the ferry was noted as it couldn't be missed. We had decided we just wanted to get over to St John while the getting was good. Mid-day, no huge lines. Turned out to be an incredibly easy process. Same as last year, not the cluster it used to be in years prior. Our ferry was one of the Generals. Loaded down with Sand trucks I might add. Not the most comforting sight. We were easily the smallest vehicle on this ferry. I hadn't been on the forum board but a little off and on prior to our trip and didn't pay any attention to the ferry mishap a few weeks before so all of the sudden I'm wracking my brain trying to remember what happened. Here is a picture of our two red cars wedged onto the ferry. <center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0376.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center>
It was so heavy it was stuck until some trucks were rearranged on board as it couldn't get off the dock. I told my husband I think a ferry just sank because of the very same reason a few weeks ago and it was like "Your not serious are you? I said, "I don't know... I can't remember, but something happened to a ferry." He was not impressed with my memory skills at that point.
Made it over, easy enough ride and I called Lisa (very nice lady BTW!) from Vacation Vistas who promptly called me back. Good thing. I had left all correspondence back home in my vacation file. She was close to villa Idyllic so she said we could drop our stuff and head out and have lunch somewhere as Idyllic was being cleaned. She gave us directions. First right past the Westin just across from the dumpsters. Easy enough to find. I immediately regretted the decision to come here first. Take some advice from me. If you are early...go elsewhere. You do not want to see your rental villa with it's guts hanging out. It was a terrible sight. It was tore up! Can I say trashed on here and have everybody understand? My husband and I looked at each other. Nightmare. The Seattle contingent was completely less then thrilled. Stony faces all around. I think they wanted my death to be imminent as I had picked the place. They are JW Marriott regulars. You know the chain. Not regular Marriott which to me is top of the line, Not Courtyard by Marriott which is next...can you get the picture? They vacation for two weeks in Hawaii at the JW, Cancun at the JW...the list goes on. Lisa proceeded to give us the tour. Instructions etc. You who rent know the drill. I honestly didn't pay attention as I was frantically thinking of what to do to get the Seattle people smiling again. They were not paying attention. I think they were trying to figure out how to get back to St Thomas. I will add that the review I wrote about the villa was MY review. Not their review. I think it might have been different.
Ok...the place is older. Much older than we had thought. I picked it as the pictures were unbelievable. (good that is). The pool was a nice size. The view was to die for. Location, Did I say location? Right adjacent to the Westin. We love the Westin and have stayed a number of times. Love the pool area, beach and all the amenities offered there. Would stay there if we were rich, but it's priced out of our league now. (Especially since they gave up half their rooms for more timeshares.) Also a big plus was the separate living area downstairs. Privacy for the other couple. We are basic people. Our Seattle group lives a bit "nicer" than us. Should've taken that all into consideration. I just thought how fun to get together. We live in Maine. They in Washington. Guess you all have the picture now. I suggested the Westin for lunch. Off we went. It was obvious upon our arrival, this is where they would've "preferred" to stay. They were glad civilization as they know it was so close. Headed for Snorkels to get lunch. Drinks and Red Stripes all around. View was great. Food was good. Mahi was nice. Recommend Pulled pork. My brother had the BIG drink, you know the one that comes in a sand bucket. His mood began to lighten. Kids were dying to get into the water. So we had to make that happen.
Back To the villa and the pool people were now there...so we continued to drive on. Headed up onto the Chocolate hole hillside. Honestly couldn't believe all the construction just about everywhere. Amazing there is any land left. If you could call mountain goat steep hillsides buildable land...anyway. Once more,Back to the villa. Pool people were gone and we figured the vehicle left in the driveway must belong to the owners. It looked like a whole new place. Again, I wish we'd waited to see it like this first. Nicely cleaned up and the pool was cleaned of leaves. Kids quickly changed and jumped in the pool. This was heaven for them! Great pool. <center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0387.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Seattle parents took a little break and finally decided to walk to the Westin. Myself and hubby sat by the pool and enjoyed the view and the great sunset to follow. Made sweeter by a bit of Cruzan and coke!
<center>
<img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p52/ ... 0_0389.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br>
</center> Dinner that night was the Lime Inn. Not our best meal. It was Friday night and busy. The wait was horribly long(so long I won't mention because people will think we are stupid to have waited.) and our steaks were terrible. Hubby is a meat man(by trade) and he said we were given what usually isn't served in decent restaurants. Should've sent it back we know, but we were beat and had waited so long. I decided I would dine on wine at that point. Seattle couple had New York Strip that was decent and a Caribbean Lobster that was nicely done. Kids had pasta and a great Brownie desert. It wasn't all lost but after years of this being our favorite place to eat. I have to say...The Thrill is gone...
Last edited by Berlingirl on Mon May 07, 2007 8:09 am, edited 2 times in total.
Hoping for a USVI ticker in 2013!
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susan & herb
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:02 pm
- Location: northern nj
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Berlingirl
- Posts: 499
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:09 pm
- Location: New England
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Pete (Mr. Marcia)
- Posts: 1471
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:48 pm
- Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Berlingirl,
Thanks for the reports. I wanted to add a comment about the Lime Inn, as we have come to feel as you do. A couple of years back, Marcia and I both had meals that almost were inedible...my steak tasted as though it had been doused in kerosene.
Now, we skip the dinning area, and their entrees, and just get mussels and salads back in the bar. The mussels are great, with a creamy, garlic sauce that begs for bread to sop it up. There is no wait for the bar area and it has A/C. It's great choice for a "lighter" dinner.
Thanks for the reports. I wanted to add a comment about the Lime Inn, as we have come to feel as you do. A couple of years back, Marcia and I both had meals that almost were inedible...my steak tasted as though it had been doused in kerosene.
Now, we skip the dinning area, and their entrees, and just get mussels and salads back in the bar. The mussels are great, with a creamy, garlic sauce that begs for bread to sop it up. There is no wait for the bar area and it has A/C. It's great choice for a "lighter" dinner.
Wisconsin, smell the dairy air
.
It is kind of weird to go into a villa when it is in the process of being cleaned. It shows you what miracles the cleaning crew can work, though!
Too bad about the Lime Inn. Kind of a bummer ending to what sounds like a sort of stressful day.
I have to say, WOW on the Secret Harbour pictures! I'd like to have that kitchen design at my house! I thought we got the fancy unit a couple of years ago because it had Ernest Hemingway collection furniture, but the unit you got is so nice!
Too bad about the Lime Inn. Kind of a bummer ending to what sounds like a sort of stressful day.
I have to say, WOW on the Secret Harbour pictures! I'd like to have that kitchen design at my house! I thought we got the fancy unit a couple of years ago because it had Ernest Hemingway collection furniture, but the unit you got is so nice!
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
We arrived at Ambiance in the midst of cleaning (we were just grateful that they let us go up to dump our stuff) and it was a mess!!! It was sparkling clean by the time we returned. I was AMAZED at how much work that one lady did in a matter of hours.
I was so sympathetic that at the end of the week, I washed all our towels! A couple less loads of laundry for her to do.
I was so sympathetic that at the end of the week, I washed all our towels! A couple less loads of laundry for her to do.
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Berlingirl
- Posts: 499
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:09 pm
- Location: New England
Pete...
Thanks for the heads up on the Lime Inn. I love mussels myself. It certainly will be option in the future if I can pry my husband back in there. The lure of the A/C might help though.
Ron & Flipflop...
Learned a lesson on showing up too early. Never do that again...
Liamsaunt...
Yes, there are are two beautiful places at Secret Harbor. Seattle crew got the Hemingway suite last year if you can imagine that. This year they got this newly done over two bedroom suite. It looks like something out of a Home Beautiful magazine. They've never experienced the regular suites at Secret Harbor that we seem to get. I guess the shock of going to the villa on St John was perhaps a bit much for them to bear after such luxury...LOL
Thanks for the heads up on the Lime Inn. I love mussels myself. It certainly will be option in the future if I can pry my husband back in there. The lure of the A/C might help though.
Ron & Flipflop...
Learned a lesson on showing up too early. Never do that again...
Liamsaunt...
Yes, there are are two beautiful places at Secret Harbor. Seattle crew got the Hemingway suite last year if you can imagine that. This year they got this newly done over two bedroom suite. It looks like something out of a Home Beautiful magazine. They've never experienced the regular suites at Secret Harbor that we seem to get. I guess the shock of going to the villa on St John was perhaps a bit much for them to bear after such luxury...LOL
Hoping for a USVI ticker in 2013!
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Jan&MikeVa
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:32 pm
- Location: The Chesapeake Bay
