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What is Reasonable and Fair? Miserable on St John
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yourtheexpert
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:05 pm
- Location: St John
What is Reasonable and Fair? Miserable on St John
I'm calling on the accumulated wisdom of more experience St John travelers for our first time St John trip to please let me know how I should proceed.
So far, I am miserable on our vacation on St John.
We were given the wrong key the first night and got locked out of our Villa. Told where to find the replacement, which also wasn't there. More waiting in the hot, dark and insect filled night with a very tired and hungry family from a long day of travel.
Was going to buy rum for the villa and was told there would be some here waiting on us. It wasn't. Not a big deal and we fixed this problem the next morning but I would have just bought some when we landed had I not been told that.
It is hot. Like I haven't slept hot, like the bags under my eyes have bags. We were told of cooling trade winds and sleeping with the windows open listening to the sounds of the ocean. It is cooler during the day than at night.
You can't hear the ocean over the insects and frogs and they fly inside the house through all the screens and sliding glass door. No I will not turn off all the lights and shut the windows I'm melting over here. The screen should work. I should be on vacation not a sweltering extermination trip.
Stove doesn't work! Went to cook dinner last night and no working stove. Awesome. more calls related to villa issues but since it was around 8 PM when we found out the stove didn't work its more waiting and calling audibles on our planned dinner.
Like that ocean view porch? Hope you don't want to use it while its raining because the porch upstairs just drains through the slats onto ours. Not cool.
No cell service, super spotty internet access, all of which were selling points. At this point I feel like we were over sold during the rental process and the reality of this location is quite different.
Were not wussy travelers who eat from a silver spoon. We usually visit Sanibel island and spend nearly all of our vacation sweating it up on the beach and running around the island. Sweat and hot is fine, the insects inside and inability to eventually cool off are not.
What are our options ? I don't want to give the villa owner a bad review and would like to offer them and the rental company a chance to make it right but this isn't what I had planned on by any stretch. I've got bites all over, I'm sweaty as a pig from dusk till dawn and can't sleep. I have no energy to even get out and enjoy ST John.
What should we do? What should we expect? It is only day 2 and I'm miserable.
So far, I am miserable on our vacation on St John.
We were given the wrong key the first night and got locked out of our Villa. Told where to find the replacement, which also wasn't there. More waiting in the hot, dark and insect filled night with a very tired and hungry family from a long day of travel.
Was going to buy rum for the villa and was told there would be some here waiting on us. It wasn't. Not a big deal and we fixed this problem the next morning but I would have just bought some when we landed had I not been told that.
It is hot. Like I haven't slept hot, like the bags under my eyes have bags. We were told of cooling trade winds and sleeping with the windows open listening to the sounds of the ocean. It is cooler during the day than at night.
You can't hear the ocean over the insects and frogs and they fly inside the house through all the screens and sliding glass door. No I will not turn off all the lights and shut the windows I'm melting over here. The screen should work. I should be on vacation not a sweltering extermination trip.
Stove doesn't work! Went to cook dinner last night and no working stove. Awesome. more calls related to villa issues but since it was around 8 PM when we found out the stove didn't work its more waiting and calling audibles on our planned dinner.
Like that ocean view porch? Hope you don't want to use it while its raining because the porch upstairs just drains through the slats onto ours. Not cool.
No cell service, super spotty internet access, all of which were selling points. At this point I feel like we were over sold during the rental process and the reality of this location is quite different.
Were not wussy travelers who eat from a silver spoon. We usually visit Sanibel island and spend nearly all of our vacation sweating it up on the beach and running around the island. Sweat and hot is fine, the insects inside and inability to eventually cool off are not.
What are our options ? I don't want to give the villa owner a bad review and would like to offer them and the rental company a chance to make it right but this isn't what I had planned on by any stretch. I've got bites all over, I'm sweaty as a pig from dusk till dawn and can't sleep. I have no energy to even get out and enjoy ST John.
What should we do? What should we expect? It is only day 2 and I'm miserable.
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Iluvstjohn
- Posts: 397
- Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:02 pm
- Location: Boston, MA
sorry you are having a difficult time of it right now. Have you ever been to St. John before? The island time speed of the island does take some getting used to, but before long you will be sucked into it too.
The only tradewinds that will keep you cool this time of year will be waaaaay up high in the mountains. Any other villa, I would recommend AC...specially for sleeping.
I know how tiring it is to travel with kids...so that is probably adding to the frustration. My guess is that the large amounts of rain recently fueled the bugs right now. We have been to st. john 7 times....the 8th time coming in a couple of weeks...and we typically go this time of year. We haven't had too many bug issues...mainly at sunset..This year we are headed down in August..where we expect it to be even warmer and buggier....Maybe get those arm band bug things or those clip ons?
Enjoy the beach....swim all day....st john is really a wonderful place. Hang in there!
The only tradewinds that will keep you cool this time of year will be waaaaay up high in the mountains. Any other villa, I would recommend AC...specially for sleeping.
I know how tiring it is to travel with kids...so that is probably adding to the frustration. My guess is that the large amounts of rain recently fueled the bugs right now. We have been to st. john 7 times....the 8th time coming in a couple of weeks...and we typically go this time of year. We haven't had too many bug issues...mainly at sunset..This year we are headed down in August..where we expect it to be even warmer and buggier....Maybe get those arm band bug things or those clip ons?
Enjoy the beach....swim all day....st john is really a wonderful place. Hang in there!
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Tracy in WI
- Posts: 1624
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:39 am
- Location: Wisconsin
I'm so sorry that you are not enjoying your visit to St. John. We have a timeshare without AC so I know how you feel about it being hot when there are no tradewinds. And, I agree that the bugs can be horrible without the proper screens.
You might want to contact the rental company and see if they can put you up somewhere else. There might be something open that would work for your family so you can enjoy your vacation.
You might want to contact the rental company and see if they can put you up somewhere else. There might be something open that would work for your family so you can enjoy your vacation.
Tracy, Seaside Properties at Grande Bay
Re: What is Reasonable and Fair? Miserable on St John
Now that you're on island I would think the only options would be to let the villa management company know how miserable you are and why, and ask them what they can do to make it right.yourtheexpert wrote:What are our options ? I don't want to give the villa owner a bad review and would like to offer them and the rental company a chance to make it right but this isn't what I had planned on by any stretch.
Or...seek out alternative lodging on your own to salvage your trip.
Without knowing a lot more details it's awfully hard to judge from a distance if you were the victim of false advertising, if you didn't do due diligence when planning your trip, or some combination of both.
In any event, I'm sorry that the trip has been so miserable for you. Maybe a cooling breeze or two, which will let you get a good night's sleep, will make things a lot brighter. Hope so - good luck!
Come see us!
I am so sorry! That sounds terrible. Here are a couple of thoughts. Drive over to the Marketplace. There is a hardware store there that sells fans. Buy some and set them up to blow right on your bed. This will help you sleep. Or maybe there are already moveable fans in the house? If so, put them right over your bed. Go to the drugstore that is in the same shopping plaza and get some bugspray that has DEET in it, and buy some benadryl gel to help ease the itching on the bites you already have.
If the stove is not working it probably won't be repaired while you are there--the parts have to be brought in. Do you have a grill? Use that instead. You probably don't want to turn on the stove and heat up your already hot house anyway.
For the bugs, keep as many lights off as you can. if you are not in a room, turn the lights off. Also, turn the outside lights on! The bugs will go to the closest source of light, so make that source outside.
If the stove is not working it probably won't be repaired while you are there--the parts have to be brought in. Do you have a grill? Use that instead. You probably don't want to turn on the stove and heat up your already hot house anyway.
For the bugs, keep as many lights off as you can. if you are not in a room, turn the lights off. Also, turn the outside lights on! The bugs will go to the closest source of light, so make that source outside.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
Villas with no a/c on St. John are insanity in my opinion. I couldn't do it. But...there you are, so do what you can to salvage your vacation.
No a/c? You can't magically have a/c, so do what you can. Go get you a fan. I'd spend $50 (or whatever it took!) to buy myself a fan for sleeping before I'd let it ruin my vacation. A fan can go a long way toward making you more comfortable. Point it right on you.
Bugs? Get some bug spray and go see Ruth for a zapper. There isn't much else you can do. Bugs are just a way of life on St. John.
No stove? I see that as an excuse to eat out more. Eating out on STJ is awesome. Forget the stove and go have all-you-can eat shrimp at the Lime Inn or a great burger at Skinny Legs. Besides, a stove will only make a hot house hotter, right?
Above all, don't let little details get in the way of a beautiful vacation. Find a way around the obstacles and enjoy the rest of your trip!
No a/c? You can't magically have a/c, so do what you can. Go get you a fan. I'd spend $50 (or whatever it took!) to buy myself a fan for sleeping before I'd let it ruin my vacation. A fan can go a long way toward making you more comfortable. Point it right on you.
Bugs? Get some bug spray and go see Ruth for a zapper. There isn't much else you can do. Bugs are just a way of life on St. John.
No stove? I see that as an excuse to eat out more. Eating out on STJ is awesome. Forget the stove and go have all-you-can eat shrimp at the Lime Inn or a great burger at Skinny Legs. Besides, a stove will only make a hot house hotter, right?
Above all, don't let little details get in the way of a beautiful vacation. Find a way around the obstacles and enjoy the rest of your trip!
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tedprosser
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:23 am
- Location: Coral Bay, STJ
I am so sorry you are having a bad time. I think the fan idea is the only thing that is going to help.
This time of year ALWAYS go for the villa with AC.
The bugs are so hit and miss, depending on the amount of rain. Some weeks I don't notice the bugs at all others, I had to tie the dog down!!
It is not easy running a villa, but no key or stove!!
We always take our guest to the villa with the key, and make sure every thing is working.
I hope you give St John another chance It is wonderful
But I know nothing is fun if it is raining buggie and hot.
PM me I will give you a discount on your next stay at our villa, or tell you about good villas with good managers
TP
This time of year ALWAYS go for the villa with AC.
The bugs are so hit and miss, depending on the amount of rain. Some weeks I don't notice the bugs at all others, I had to tie the dog down!!
It is not easy running a villa, but no key or stove!!
We always take our guest to the villa with the key, and make sure every thing is working.
I hope you give St John another chance It is wonderful
But I know nothing is fun if it is raining buggie and hot.
PM me I will give you a discount on your next stay at our villa, or tell you about good villas with good managers
TP
Many have said it and I'll echo them all: Call the management company. It may work...it may work slowly, but that's your #1-10 lines of recourse.
If you can't get them to help, see if you can find out who the owner is and contact them directly. They love it when you do that!
I feel your pain. We've been where you are before. The last thing you want to do on vacation is manage a problem, but it's crisis management time. Buck up and get on that phone. If the company has an office in town, go for a ride.
If you can't get them to help, see if you can find out who the owner is and contact them directly. They love it when you do that!
I feel your pain. We've been where you are before. The last thing you want to do on vacation is manage a problem, but it's crisis management time. Buck up and get on that phone. If the company has an office in town, go for a ride.
You are sleep deprived and hot and miserable and I can certainly sympathize with you. Call the agency ASAP and explain the misery that you are experiencing. Ask what can be done i.e. (most desirable)move to another villa, if a move is not possible, at least provide you with fans, and hopefully, a working stove. Don't let this ruin your stay in such a beautiful place.
Miserable on St. John - now that is an oxymoron for sure!! Call the management company, get some fans and bug spray! I like Vicki's way of thinking!!! Villa living on St. John can be an adventure for sure and you have to look at it that way and get on island time so not to ruin the rest of your stay!!! You are in paradise!!! Hope things get better for you.
Of course I echo what everyone's said: Call the management company....in talking with them do everything you can to keep YOUR 'cool'. Keep your frustration in check; a little 'honey' goes a L-O-N-G way!!
On a personal note: the last villa we rented: we LOVED the villa but it had no a/c. Yes we were on top of a mountain & the whole week the trade winds were blowing & it was wonderful!!!!......until the last 2 days. The air was as still as it could possibly be!!...& it got hot quickly. Convinced me I don't think I would risk renting again without a/c.
Thankfully there were ceiling fans everywhere in this villa!!
On a personal note: the last villa we rented: we LOVED the villa but it had no a/c. Yes we were on top of a mountain & the whole week the trade winds were blowing & it was wonderful!!!!......until the last 2 days. The air was as still as it could possibly be!!...& it got hot quickly. Convinced me I don't think I would risk renting again without a/c.
Thankfully there were ceiling fans everywhere in this villa!!
Last edited by Pianogrl on Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
