USVI-On-Line

I have to say that I understand their hesitancy. I agonize over villa choice too. The villas are very expensive, and as the price per night goes up, my threshold for tolerating a crummy place goes down "I can't believe I'm paying $500 a night and there is a broken chair on the porch.... or the washing machine doesn't work....or there are stains on the couch cushions...etc." Plus we only go every few years, so there is a lot of pressure to make a great choice.

I have rented through Destination St. John and Caribbean Villas. Caribbean Villas' reps are in Maine (or at least used to be), so sometimes their knowledge of the house is not absolutely current. DSJ on the other had has taken the time to answer lots of questions (we travel with little kids so have a lot of questions about child safety, floorplans etc.) and I believe does a good job to trying to honestly steer us towards villas that are the best fit for our group, budget etc. They will give you lots of info on the house, the driveway, the view etc.

So, long winded post later, I would recommend that your friends talk to a couple of the agencies, that they set a budget that is higher than the low end, and that they try to clearly define their requirements so they can ask specific questions (instead of "is it nice" change it to "what is the view? when were the furnishings last replaced? Are any stained or ripped? Is everything working (including small appliances like blenders, toasters, microwaves, stereo etc.)." I think most agencies want a renter to have realistic expectations of the house so will answer honestly. They don't want someone disappointed and complaining either!

By the way, I also agree with someone else who said that you shouldn't pick the house -- it sounds like you want to stay away from any culpability if they do get one they're not happy with!

sadams wrote:Boston Mike...
Can I ask where you stay that you keep going back?
Sharon

Lavender Hills. We have a great view of Cruz Bay, Pool in the sun, kitchen, bedroom, living room, and a quick 2 minute walk into town.

MJ-
This may sound harsh but I agree with Pia, you got to get them to relax and in the words of RickG " take no whiners". If they don't trust your advice or you think they are too high maintenance, I say go without them and enjoy yourselves. St. John is too great of a place and you love it there, so why take a chance and ruin it for YOU. I been on trips where we ran out of gas for the grill/ stove or the pool wasn't clean but it never ruined my vacation and I've always been lucky enough that the people with me also didn't harp on it and just enjoyed being on St. John, so they "get St. John" too! Good Luck

MJ

Leave them home...LOL. We have now introduced the Rock to 3 couples including our parents. I actually told the 1st couple not to come becuase I don't want to be blamed if they curse me because they fall in love and never want to vaca in Florida again...they have been coming 5 out of 6 years now...lol.

Some people might not Get It and thats fine, sometimes us devotee's seem to build it up so much, I get concerned when a 1st timer gets there and what do they expect...hence I do a take away sometimes in my discussions. It is fun seeing St John through a newbie's eyes. I too get concerned everybody in our group is having fun as I seem to be the Crusie Director...but with such a great place, chances are usually good the friends will enjoy it.
Good Luck,
Dave

Thanks, all.
As I mentioned before, this will be my 15th trip to that lovely place, and Amy & I have definately learned the hard way about more than a thing or two regarding friends coming along. We're looking at @ a 75% success rate all in all, so there's that...!
Rest-assured, we'll be spending this coming trip alone in our own rental! Lagoon Pointe is on the list of places that I chose for them to stay, looks great.
True, also, that I'll remind them to get in touch personally with whichever villa mgmnt co./rep. so they can get info straight from the horses mouth.I'll also remind them, yet again, about the glorious beaches, views, restaurants, people, etc... I don't think they've decided on a place yet, and will see them tonight to talk about it. I'll get back to y'all.
Mike- sounds good!
Smiles-
MJ

jimmie,

bride and i have endured 4 trips with newbie couples and i've done another 4 trips with a newbie buddy. while all have enjoyed & 3 have joined us in a subsequent trip, i'm not sure we'd bend over backwards to get any to return with us though we might join all if they made the arrangements. there is so much bride and i like about stj that we can enjoy w/o company and there are so many variables that can go wrong that a couple can work around but someone in a foursome won't let go of, that we're committed to planning future trips of just the 2 of us.

thus my advise is tell them 3 villas you would/have been happy with, tell them what you generally do, give them your cell number and suggest they call you when and if they get on island and MAYBE you can get together for a beach day, dinner out or dinner in. if they show up and they are not happy campers, don't take calls from them, if all's happy in paradisie, go with the flow, and if they don't make it, you and amy will have a wonderful time alone.

papabou

Do these people know they will be nasty and sweaty and bitten by bugs, that they have to hike to the beach and carry everything? that it might take an hour or more to get dinner? Or acknowledged? Just wondering because if they are worried about the quality of a villa they see in a photo, are they gonna freak when they see the "price" they have to pay to be in the best place in the world?

Agree with Pia here. You can only sell this place so much. It is up to the person whether or not they will be happy.

Jimmie, I thought of one more thing. I don't know if this would work for you or not. John and I wanted bring my parents to STJ. They had brought us to BDA so many times, we owed them. They'd been to St. Maaarten and Anguilla, and Puerto Rico, but not USVI. So we set them up with four nights on STT, at Secret Harbour, by themselves, to get acclimated, while we were over on STJ. We took the boat over and had dinner with them on their third night. Then we met them at the STJ ferry after their fourth night and spent a week with them in awesome vacation mode. Whatever bugaboos they had about the islands, they worked out by themselves over on STT. By the time they came over to us, they were so relaxed and happy.

The only hitch was that we were switching villas on the day they came over and they got to see both houses. They LOVED the house we were moving out of (Ciinnamon Tarn) and could not believe we were moving to a different house (Argonauta). They got over it pretty quick.

Again, thanks all. All great advice...
I'm pretty much going to stick with the few choices of joints that I've reached out to, and found suitable. Believe me when I say that I did as much homework as I could for them, and truly think that not only are they "overthinking it", but that they'd surely love it there. Please don't get me wrong about them- they're really laid back, it's just that they've never done this kind of thing before.
djmom & Pia- groovin' words of wisdom...
I guess they won't know if they "get it" until they try. I hope they do, otherwise I'm just bugging my loving forum family for nothing!
Smiles-
MJ

petepie wrote:I have to say that I understand their hesitancy. I agonize over villa choice too. The villas are very expensive, and as the price per night goes up, my threshold for tolerating a crummy place goes down "I can't believe I'm paying $500 a night and there is a broken chair on the porch.... or the washing machine doesn't work....or there are stains on the couch cushions...etc."

Agree. The statements in quotes reflex my thinking. Over the years we have stayed (not just on STJ) in a variety of accomodations. I have no problem with basic but all and all, I expect a rental to be maintained. I don't want to see ciggy burns on the furniture, I expect to have enough beach towels and I don't want to cook breakfast for my family in pans where the non-stick cooking is peeling off. Assuming one is willing to pay an appropriate amount for a decent rental, it is not too much to expect it to be maintained/furnished at an acceptable level.

Sometimes I read people's comments on a house and think to myself "there is no way I would have thought that was ok..." Call me a princess!

petepie wrote:
So, long winded post later, I would recommend that your friends talk to a couple of the agencies, that they set a budget that is higher than the low end, and that they try to clearly define their requirements so they can ask specific questions (instead of "is it nice" change it to "what is the view? when were the furnishings last replaced? Are any stained or ripped? Is everything working (including small appliances like blenders, toasters, microwaves, stereo etc.)." I think most agencies want a renter to have realistic expectations of the house so will answer honestly. They don't want someone disappointed and complaining either!

By the way, I also agree with someone else who said that you shouldn't pick the house -- it sounds like you want to stay away from any culpability if they do get one they're not happy with!

Yes. Have your friends ask very specific questions about what is important to them.
We rented a high-end house that had "leather" furniture (it was fake leather) that was all worn off and the backing was showing through the cushions. While I thought it presented a shabby imgamie, we don't sit inside so what did I care? Other people in the house thought it was horrible that a nice/expensive house would have such crappy furniture. Point being, your friends need to be specific about what mattes to them.

In closing, let them pick their own house!

PA Girl-
All points well noted...
Dave-
Well put. Been there, done that, so you'd think I knew that by now...
Smiles-
MJ

I've been to STJ a few times and I think I have a good tolerance for some of the quirks of being on an island (low water pressure in the showers, tap water quality is not necessarily guaranteed, anything steel will have rust spots, the power may go out for an extended period of time, any wood trim will need a coat of paint, etc.).

It's the easy maintenance stuff that gets me -- when I feel like the owner and/or management agency just doesn't care enough to replace stained throw pillows, threadbare sheets, crunchy towels, ripped furniture cushions, broken chairs, missing silverware, etc. This stuff is all relatively cheap and easily bought at K-Mart on STT, so that's what makes me mad.

Also I think having so many villa choices makes it even harder -- if you do get a bad one, you're bummed that you didn't choose one of the other ones in your price range that may have been better.

All that said, make sure your newbies know about the big deal quirks of villas on STJ (the previously mentioned water, power etc. issues).

liamsaunt wrote:Just tell them to relax! Honestly, I think people get way wrapped up in the "perfect" villa. There is no "perfect" villa, and the villa doesn't make the vacation, the people on the vacation do. I have never once previewed villas before renting them--I personally would never give up my right now vacatiom time to be walked through potential future visits.

My soundest advice for people in the situation you describe would be to rent through an agency that is represented on island and extremely responsive to any renter concerns--in my mind that is Vacation Vistas and Catered To. They might cost a little more but both have on-island management and I can tell you from experience they'll be there right away when something is wrong (or when you are just being goofy and cannot figure out how to work the clothes dryer )

DITTO...I honestly haven't had ONE bad experience with a villa in all the years we've been going to St John. Maybe you should suggest they stay at Caneel or The Westin...

If they are looking for the "perfect" villa, I would steer clear of the whole situation.
Many of us have newbie stories that just did not work out because people have different expectations.

STJ is not for everyone (Thanks God) and I will no longer assume that because I love the island that my close friends will.

I explain the island. I explain the roads and cisterns and island time and the cost. Then I let them think it over. Since our trip with newbies back in 2007, we have talked to numerous people about the island, probably a dozen couples that REALLY wanted to come to STJ with us. After the long talk about what the island is really like, we have had one couple and one single friend join us. I am happy about that. I do not want to be miserable on vacation because I sold my friends a story on a PERFECT tropical paradise.

Jimmy as others have said we don't want a repeat of last years trip. I would stick with a newer villa that way upkeep shouldn't be an issue. Sometimes you can get an awesome new villa for a great price as they price them lower to get people in them for the first time. We did just that for our upcoming trip in July. Hopefully they are so blown away by the beauty of the island they won't care if they were in a tent at Cinnamon