USVI-On-Line

OK, Everybody says how much more crowded STJ is these days compared to even 3 years ago, right? So how come so many villas have so many open weeks and there are so many rental deals available?

Whoa, easy dude...roll a fattie and untangle some of those neurons.

Why, sir, whatever do you infer? Me thinks that you besmudge my honor.

No, seriously, we're spending less for the same villa, for the same time period, as we did five years ago, and there are probably a hundred similar deals right now. Is that why it's so crowded? If so, why are there so many vacancies? Could it be that the island is temporarily over built? Though we're also spending a lot more for a car. I liked it better when you could get a Suzuki Sidekick for about $300 a week.

JT wrote:Could it be that the island is temporarily over built?

That's my guess.

I've always thought the island is a lot LESS crowded and couldn't figure out why people thought it was more crowded. Maybe I'm not going the same places tourists go?? I don't know how to account for it... I DO know that in the past three years I haven't had a problem parking in Wharfside Village (where I work) in the morning unless I show up after 8:30 - 9 am-ish. I used to have to show no later than 7:30. And that was before our lot shrank by 4 parking spots. And even though by mid morning I see a lot of "creative" parking in the lot, it's not anywhere near what it used to be.

St. John overbuilt? Definitely. We had a huge construction boom and now there are tons of short term rentals on the market. Long term housing was a real b!tçh to find because so many people were turning their places into short term rental to cash in. Now, a lot of the short term rentals turned long term to try and recoup some money and have a consistent cash flow. The board in Connections is LOADED with long term rentals. When I moved here 11 years ago in October, there were TWO long term rentals on the board that were less than $2,500 a month.

I'm with Julie on this one.

I definitely think the island was less crowded this April than the April we came down two or three years ago. No problem finding parking, we walked in to all the restaurants we wanted to eat at without reservations (though we did call Zozos.) We spent two FULL days at Trunk for the first time ever, because the beach was so uncrowded. My photos from those days don't have any other people in them!

I did notice that for whatever reason there were always tons of cars parked at Maho. One day I counted 42 cars!

I'm watching all those open villas and hunting for the best bargain for our July trip. There's tons of availability in all areas of the island.

Bert-- I agree with you. Flying has become the biggest nightmare for me and I used to love it, now I LOATHE it.

You have to weigh your bags to make sure you don't go over and end up paying fees higher than the ticket you purchased; customer service is in the toilet; seats and cabins are more cramped than ever; I feel like I'm being nickel and dimed to death; and then of course there's always that anxiety over whether my checked bags will actually arrive (knock on wood: never had a problem mind you but it's always a worry of mine).

I won't even get started over the TSA situation which is a crap shoot from one day to the next. The whole "security theater" over the liquids ban still pisses me off every time I have to pour my shampoo into one of those crappy little 3 oz. bottles.

For those long time visitors out there: remember when you could shop for liquor at AH Riis and pay for your purchase, then they would deliver the box on the day of your departure to the airport and all you had to do was pick it up and carry it on the plane??

Ahhhh the good ole days!!