usvi-on-line
Rats?????? Seriously?
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HawkeyeChick
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:59 am
Rats?????? Seriously?
We're headed to StJ in June and staying at Caneel so I've been watching the reviews on Trip Advisor. I realize people either love or hate Caneel Bay but...man, I didn't expect to read this (cut/pasted from review)....
I'll keep it simple - five star beaches on a two star resort.
Pluses are beaches and peaceful serenity. Notable mention are the cocktails on the beach, especially the champagne lunch, the massages at the spa and Kelly the astrologer.
Now the minuses - donkey dung. How'd ya like to see piles of it in front of your room and on walkways - clean it up, please! The rat traps are strategically placed outside near your doorways - cute! Mongoose brought in to keep rat population down (comforting thought). Had to use plunger in my toilet every day because nothing would go down. Be sure you get a room that has been re-modelled - my basement has more charisma! Food mediocre (breakfast best bet) and expensive. I cook better. Some staff very nice - others need to drop the attitude. How about getting rid of the stained and filthy chair cushions and clean the bird poop off of them while you're at it! Sayonara - I'm glad to be home.
Before I faint, someone please tell me the rat thing is blown out of proportion.
I'll keep it simple - five star beaches on a two star resort.
Pluses are beaches and peaceful serenity. Notable mention are the cocktails on the beach, especially the champagne lunch, the massages at the spa and Kelly the astrologer.
Now the minuses - donkey dung. How'd ya like to see piles of it in front of your room and on walkways - clean it up, please! The rat traps are strategically placed outside near your doorways - cute! Mongoose brought in to keep rat population down (comforting thought). Had to use plunger in my toilet every day because nothing would go down. Be sure you get a room that has been re-modelled - my basement has more charisma! Food mediocre (breakfast best bet) and expensive. I cook better. Some staff very nice - others need to drop the attitude. How about getting rid of the stained and filthy chair cushions and clean the bird poop off of them while you're at it! Sayonara - I'm glad to be home.
Before I faint, someone please tell me the rat thing is blown out of proportion.
HawkeyeChick,
We've been going to STJ now for 5 years running and have never encountered a rat or rat trap. We have not stayed at Caneel, but have visited their beaches. We usually rent a villa.
Some of the wildlife we've encountered include, tarantula, scorpion, bats, donkeys (no dung), goats, deer, mongoose, jellyfish, various other spiders and of course 'skeeters.
It does not stop us from enjoying the beauty of STJ, it is only a small (very small) part of the adventure. BTW, we'll be visiting twice this year.
We've been going to STJ now for 5 years running and have never encountered a rat or rat trap. We have not stayed at Caneel, but have visited their beaches. We usually rent a villa.
Some of the wildlife we've encountered include, tarantula, scorpion, bats, donkeys (no dung), goats, deer, mongoose, jellyfish, various other spiders and of course 'skeeters.
It does not stop us from enjoying the beauty of STJ, it is only a small (very small) part of the adventure. BTW, we'll be visiting twice this year.
Patr
~~Longing to be back on St. John~~
~~Longing to be back on St. John~~
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nothintolose
- Posts: 1960
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:36 pm
- Location: New Orleans, LA
No worries HawkeyeChick - I have never stayed there but did steer my cousin and another friend there on separate honeymoon trips. They wanted to stay at a "resort" and be waited on as opposed to a villa.
Both LOVED the place and thought it was paradise. I did not hear any complaints on anything there from either of them.
One of them said that they saw other people treating the staff rudely and were treated the same way in return, but she said she NEVER had a problem with the staff. She said (like mentioned in another post) that it's all about how you treat people.
I think you will have a wonderful time. Don't worry, you will love it.
nothintolose
Both LOVED the place and thought it was paradise. I did not hear any complaints on anything there from either of them.
One of them said that they saw other people treating the staff rudely and were treated the same way in return, but she said she NEVER had a problem with the staff. She said (like mentioned in another post) that it's all about how you treat people.
I think you will have a wonderful time. Don't worry, you will love it.
nothintolose
Caneel has those black rat bat boxes around. The rats on St. John are not the ones that we have on the continent. These are nocturnal fruit rats. They don't bother anyone, unless you leave bananas and coconuts on your patio at night. Actually, seeing one is pretty rare.
Cheers, RickG
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Drat that rat..
In all the years I've been to St John, I've only seen a rat once. It was outside our villa front door and appeared to be dying. We think it was poisoned. It was awful to see it staggering around, writhing....
Wished I could have put it out of its misery. Can't believe I felt sorry for a rat!! (but I did)
Wished I could have put it out of its misery. Can't believe I felt sorry for a rat!! (but I did)
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lpowmacback
- Posts: 517
- Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:33 pm
- Location: Jersey Shore
I have not stayed at Caneel - but from what I understand, it is in a natural setting - so therefore, one must assume - and expect, wildlife will be there.
Poor rats get a bad rap... just because people do not perceive of them as pretty as a bird - or as cute as a groundhog doesn't make them bad or evil. When they are not there for bad reasons (human's lack of good maintenance), they are just part of what makes St. John a beautiful natural island.
Everything is perspective.
Poor rats get a bad rap... just because people do not perceive of them as pretty as a bird - or as cute as a groundhog doesn't make them bad or evil. When they are not there for bad reasons (human's lack of good maintenance), they are just part of what makes St. John a beautiful natural island.
Everything is perspective.
Peace,
Lisa
Lisa
Caneel is lovely, serene, best beaches, rooms are nice so are the linens, beds etc. It is not a Four Seasons where you are treated like a queen with attendents bringing you cold fruit and Evian mists on the beach. Room service is brought to you in styrofoam boxes, not china service. If you want Four Seasons service you will be disappointed. If you are proactive and let the desk know that you would like your room made up by a certain time each day and that you would like extra bath and beach towels, shampoo and lotion you will get it. If there is donkey doo outside your door when you go out, tell the desk and they will send someone to clean it.
A nice attitude/smile and Good Day with the staff and you will be treated well, people that are rude and demanding will not get very far. Also tipping people that help you out helps get you attention during your trip. I always bring singles and Fives for tipping drink waiters, housekeepers, bellmen, etc.
Breakfast and lunch served at Caneel are good, I would not go on the full meal plan personally. We eat breakfast at the resort in the plan, and do lunch and dinner on our own. The rooms have fridges and we go to the market for cheese, fruit, yogurts, snacks, wine.
I am sure Liam and Marybeth will add to this
A nice attitude/smile and Good Day with the staff and you will be treated well, people that are rude and demanding will not get very far. Also tipping people that help you out helps get you attention during your trip. I always bring singles and Fives for tipping drink waiters, housekeepers, bellmen, etc.
Breakfast and lunch served at Caneel are good, I would not go on the full meal plan personally. We eat breakfast at the resort in the plan, and do lunch and dinner on our own. The rooms have fridges and we go to the market for cheese, fruit, yogurts, snacks, wine.
I am sure Liam and Marybeth will add to this
I stayed at Maho Bay in March and we had a "rat" who insisted on coming into our tent cottage every night. My boyfriend would put bandaids on the little holes he chewed in the screen but he would just chew another one the next night. But, I agree with Rick. They are not like U.S. rats. They look like cute little gerbils. It was kinda neat actually. Just added something else to our adventure. Going back in Sept. Yippee
cheers, Snorkles
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Caneel prides itself on the natural aspect of the resort. It is certainly not overrun with verim so don't worry.
The beaches are just fantastic.
As far as the stuff I hear about the staff, we stayed there 3x and have eaten on site 3x when renting a villa and never experienced any thing but professional service. (We are going back in 2008)
The beaches are just fantastic.
As far as the stuff I hear about the staff, we stayed there 3x and have eaten on site 3x when renting a villa and never experienced any thing but professional service. (We are going back in 2008)
I have never seen a rat at Caneel in all the times I have stayed there. There are fruit rats on the island, as others have mentioned, but they are not indoor creatures.
The only time I saw a fruit rat on St. John was at one villa we stayed at, there was a rat that would show up like clockwork every night at 8:30 PM and try to get into the grill. I agree that they kind of look like gerbils--they have bigger ears and a smaller body than the typical rat.
The only time I saw a fruit rat on St. John was at one villa we stayed at, there was a rat that would show up like clockwork every night at 8:30 PM and try to get into the grill. I agree that they kind of look like gerbils--they have bigger ears and a smaller body than the typical rat.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
I like the donkeys too! I think they are cute. We had one sitting next to us on Scott Beach last year, limin' along with everyone else. Here he is:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/182973674/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/18297 ... 8ee0cc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel beach companion"></a>
BTW, I never saw any donkey dung either.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/182973674/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/18297 ... 8ee0cc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="caneel beach companion"></a>
BTW, I never saw any donkey dung either.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
