usvi-on-line
What questions do you ASK?
What questions do you ASK?
OK, you have spent countless hours searching and reading everything you can find on that special villa that you are dying to stay in. You've checked the calendar ane it's available....Yaaahoooo.
Now you are ready to BOOK-IT, but what questions do you ask the management company or owner before signing on the dotted line?
Looking for those tidbits of info left off the listing.
Thanks
Mark
Now you are ready to BOOK-IT, but what questions do you ask the management company or owner before signing on the dotted line?
Looking for those tidbits of info left off the listing.
Thanks
Mark
Our rental agent gave us lots of great information, so we didn't have to ask too many questions, but these are probably the questions I'd ask for next time.
1. Do you have to have a 4WD to get to the house?
2. Does someone pick you up at the ferry dock and is there an emergency number if that person does not show up?
3. Can we send a box of supplies down to them before we arrive, if necessary?
4. If air conditioning is an issue, I'd ask about that.
5. We didn't know about this until the last minute, but I'd have asked if there was room in a bedroom for an air mattress for an extra person and if the villa had one. Actually that's a really good question. If you have the maximum number of people and it's not obvious how all of them will fit, make sure you ask if there is a rollaway bed, air mattress, fold-out couch, etc. Our house said it held 9, but the last-minute addition had to bring her own air mattress from home because there were only beds for 8.
Don't know if that'll help or not, but those are questions I ended up having.
1. Do you have to have a 4WD to get to the house?
2. Does someone pick you up at the ferry dock and is there an emergency number if that person does not show up?
3. Can we send a box of supplies down to them before we arrive, if necessary?
4. If air conditioning is an issue, I'd ask about that.
5. We didn't know about this until the last minute, but I'd have asked if there was room in a bedroom for an air mattress for an extra person and if the villa had one. Actually that's a really good question. If you have the maximum number of people and it's not obvious how all of them will fit, make sure you ask if there is a rollaway bed, air mattress, fold-out couch, etc. Our house said it held 9, but the last-minute addition had to bring her own air mattress from home because there were only beds for 8.
Don't know if that'll help or not, but those are questions I ended up having.
I always like to know the bed count and whether beds can be made as a king or twins.
My pet peeves are:
1) Pool should be on the same level as the kitchen.
2) Exposure - what direction does the house point? This impacts your sunrise/sunset view, temperature of the pool, need for a/c in the afternoon, etc.
Cheers, RickG
My pet peeves are:
1) Pool should be on the same level as the kitchen.
2) Exposure - what direction does the house point? This impacts your sunrise/sunset view, temperature of the pool, need for a/c in the afternoon, etc.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
Is the rental company on St John (some have offices in - I think it is anyway - New York) It does not do you any good if the villa rental company is Stateside and you are on STJ and you have an issue with a blender, the washer/dryer not working, a broken a/c unit, locks that won't work, the safe not opening and all you cash is inside .....etc, etc, 
Pia
Pia
I guess another good question might be how far the villa is to things that are going to be of interest to you. Most people want to know what kind of drive they have to Cruz Bay, since that's where most of the dining, shopping, etc. is. I can think of a few places where it'd be quite the haul if you had to run to the store to grab something you needed for dinner.
I ask:
1. specific questions about quality and condition as it relates to soft furnishings, kitchen ware and applicances. Over the years, we have been unpleasantly surprised when we arrived at rentals with (only) 2 mis-matched wine glasses, totally crappy pots and pans, old (stained, disgusting looking) linens. etc. This has never happened to us on St. John but it has happened twice in Florida and RI in rentals that I never would have thought (based on price/reputation of agent) to ask. Lesson learned, never assume.
2. availability of kid-related gear. I have been pleasantly surprised buy the free-of-charge offerings provided by rental companies. Catered To provided a new pack and play with linens for our first kid trip. The next house we are renting has everything we need. (I will take son's travel bed just because he likes it.)
3. what is provided at the house? Can I expect to have toilet paper, paper towels, trach bags, detergent etc. stocked or should I plan to buy?
1. specific questions about quality and condition as it relates to soft furnishings, kitchen ware and applicances. Over the years, we have been unpleasantly surprised when we arrived at rentals with (only) 2 mis-matched wine glasses, totally crappy pots and pans, old (stained, disgusting looking) linens. etc. This has never happened to us on St. John but it has happened twice in Florida and RI in rentals that I never would have thought (based on price/reputation of agent) to ask. Lesson learned, never assume.
2. availability of kid-related gear. I have been pleasantly surprised buy the free-of-charge offerings provided by rental companies. Catered To provided a new pack and play with linens for our first kid trip. The next house we are renting has everything we need. (I will take son's travel bed just because he likes it.)
3. what is provided at the house? Can I expect to have toilet paper, paper towels, trach bags, detergent etc. stocked or should I plan to buy?
Oh another one......are the pictures on line current or were they taken a few years ago.
One of my pet peeves is when you see a villa in person and you go "well, I can see if I squint my eyes alittle - OK alot - I might be able to see almost how the kitchen/bedroom/____________(insert any room here) looks like the picture on the website"
Pia
One of my pet peeves is when you see a villa in person and you go "well, I can see if I squint my eyes alittle - OK alot - I might be able to see almost how the kitchen/bedroom/____________(insert any room here) looks like the picture on the website"
Pia
I agree with PA Girl - there is one villa rental agency (that I know of - there maybe more) that allows the cleaning crew to take everything that is left behind - spices, alcohol, sun block, bug spray etc, etc and when people are reading forums such as this one, we all talk about what is left, and it can be a surprise if you arrive and the "cupboards are bare" so to speak - if this is important to you
Pia
Pia
Good point Pia. The pictures of our last two St. John rentals probably were not updated in the last 10 years. With both houses, I spoke/emailed with someone who had stayed in each and they both said "the website pictures are awful, the inside is SO much nicer than shown on the website." This provided to be true, especially in the case of Splendore.
I am surprised the mangement companies don't keep the shots reasonably up to date.
I am surprised the mangement companies don't keep the shots reasonably up to date.
If not, I just pack my BOSE sound dock.
can you turn around in the driveway without having to do a 3 point turn surrounded by cliffs? Pia, you speak the truth on cleaning crews. Last year we stayed at Splash and there was tons of stuff there when we got there. By an extremely wierd coincidence we knew the people who were coming in the next week. We told them there was tons of stuff. Lo and behold, they got there and everything was gone.
To add on to Pia's post about the age of the pix - I ask what has changed since the pictures were taken; then I ask what's planned for change between now and when we arrive. I also now ask about foliage around the pool - I like a great view from the pool deck and if the foliage is not trimmed back there's not going to be one. I also hate power lines in my view (I know, picky, picky). Sometimes these are photo-shopped out in the listing pix so I have learned to ask. I also ask what kind of a/c - split system or "wall shakers" - that gives me a clue as to how effective the a/c is going to be, depending on how the house is situated. If there's a jacuzzi I also ask if the temp can be turned down or adjusted - love the bubbles, hate the heat. Owners are often thrilled to have it turned off for us if it has that adjustment - less costly to run.
