USVI-On-Line

The most "outdoor" garden shower we have used is at Orchid Hill. It is outside, no roof, with a curved wall about 6 feet high or so. You can access it via one of the bedroom's bathrooms (where there is a traditional shower also), or from the grill deck. I did kind of wonder if the people staying at the villa above us might be able to see in to the shower from their house, since I could see parts of the house, but the villa in question was Kismet so I just decided that anyone with the $$$ to stay there would not be interested in gaping at us little guys below them!

Here is a picture:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2519953346/" title="OH putdoor shower by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/251 ... c0f524.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="OH putdoor shower"></a>

That's how it was at Hale Lani too. Probably designed by the same person!

I will say that I didn't think a garden shower was a "must-have" but this year I was relegated to the basement bedroom with it's traditional shower stall. While I still got clean everyday, I missed the outside shower, and I think it's going above pool (which we only used twice, btw) on the must-have list!

We did have a lovely garden shower, as you can see in the photos (which I swear I will resize soon), but it was in someone else's room and since it was so out in the open, I didn't feel comfortable borrowing it, even though she offered!

This is the shower at our last rental (Rivendall) I suspect the planters were an afterthought. I am 5'9" and the flowers barely did their job.



The location was rather public and the person showering could easily carry on a conversation with people on the deck. The majority of the group lived together at some point in their joint lives so it didn't bother us too much.

I was standing in the shower when I took this picture -

Here's the garden shower at Hale Lani. In the two houses I've had with garden showers there's been a real door from the bathroom area to the shower that is lockable. Basically the shower is secured but open to the sky.

WOW! Thanks so much for the photos and descriptions. Those are some great looking showers. Now I have ANOTHER reason why I can't wait to get there!!

Once you go garden shower you never want to go back. I have always enjoyed the garden showers -- even if you occasionally end up showering with the critters. It's what makes your STJ experience so unique!

jigzmom wrote:

minnjim wrote:We stayed at Oleander in March of '08. The bathrooms have a door adjacent to the toilet that goes out to the shower area. There's plenty of privacy. It has a tile floor and a small garden. The tiled area is maybe 4'X4'. We didn't get any bugs, but by the end of the week there were a lot of leaves on the floor.
Wish I could have a shower like that at home.

Excellent, thanks! How did you like the villa overall? Anything we need to know?

We loved it and would go back in a heartbeat. It's certainly not new, but suffices completely. It has a great view and is plenty private.
Oh yeah, if your into skinnydipping or otherwise being au natural, Crystal Clear Pools comes to clean on Saturday afternoons.

minnjim wrote: Oh yeah, if your into skinnydipping or otherwise being au natural, Crystal Clear Pools comes to clean on Saturday afternoons.

Sounds like maybe you found this out the hard way!

After my first experience with an outdoor/garden shower on a Caribbean vacation (in Little Cayman), my husband and I decided it was a "must have" when we built our new home. Granted, we live out in the country, so privacy isn't an issue. We love it, especially after doing yardwork. Woo hoo!!

minnjim wrote:

jigzmom wrote:

minnjim wrote:We stayed at Oleander in March of '08. The bathrooms have a door adjacent to the toilet that goes out to the shower area. There's plenty of privacy. It has a tile floor and a small garden. The tiled area is maybe 4'X4'. We didn't get any bugs, but by the end of the week there were a lot of leaves on the floor.
Wish I could have a shower like that at home.

Excellent, thanks! How did you like the villa overall? Anything we need to know?

We loved it and would go back in a heartbeat. It's certainly not new, but suffices completely. It has a great view and is plenty private.
Oh yeah, if your into skinnydipping or otherwise being au natural, Crystal Clear Pools comes to clean on Saturday afternoons.

Thanks for the heads up!!

We recently purchased a second home/cabin and I am lobbying for an outdoor shower when we put on the back deck.

We used to spend a lot of time on Block Island, which was my first exposure to an outdoor shower. I was immediately hooked.

While he loves them on STJ, Hubs is not so keen on the idea for Central PA.