usvi-on-line
Villa owners on property
Villa owners on property
Has anyone ever stayed at a villa where the villa owner was on site? I am doing a "girls only" trip next year and wondered if we would feel safer with the owner near by or would worry all the time about making too much noise and bother them. We girls can get rather giggly when the rum is flowing.
Anyone have any advise? I'd like to stay in Coral Bay this time and have a rather small budget of about $2,000 for the week.
Thanks for your help!!
C
Anyone have any advise? I'd like to stay in Coral Bay this time and have a rather small budget of about $2,000 for the week.
Thanks for your help!!
C
We did it twice. Not intentionally...they just happened to live in an apartment under the house.
It was nice when the grill's propane tank died...it got replaced ASAP. However, the "drop-in to say Hi" visits were a little bit tedious.
I'd prefer not to stay with them so close by from now on. Not that we're rowdy, but I don't need them around.
It was nice when the grill's propane tank died...it got replaced ASAP. However, the "drop-in to say Hi" visits were a little bit tedious.
I'd prefer not to stay with them so close by from now on. Not that we're rowdy, but I don't need them around.
We have stayed in Luna Vista four times and not had a problem. They live up stairs and the rental is at the ground level. They say hello and will engage in a conversation when appropriate, but we have never found them to be an intrusion.
The variables are probably the layout of the house and the personality of the hosts.
JIM
The variables are probably the layout of the house and the personality of the hosts.
JIM
Man it's like some dream we live down here....
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
Thanks for your replies. Adeste is actualy one I am considering but am a little hung up on the review from a couple of years ago. Am also considering A House of Open Arms. No one seems to know anything about that one though.
We're in no way a roudy bunch. In fact, every other time I've been to St John, I think I've always been in bed by 10:00
We're in no way a roudy bunch. In fact, every other time I've been to St John, I think I've always been in bed by 10:00
I also had the same thoughts about safety when considering traveling as a small family - I figure the more people on a property (especially if some are permanent residents who can and will stick around to press any charges for break-ins) the less appealing a target for burglaries etc. But I also have your same concerns about privacy. Maybe try to find a house where the owner is not in the same building as you, but is nearby - like Rhumb runners? I don't know of any others like that, maybe Rendezview? Maybe others could help.
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
We've had a great experience with villa owners on-site and a not so great experience.
The first time we stayed a villa with the owners there, we had to walk past their front door to get to ours, so we lacked privacy. But they were great, stayed out of our hair, though we did like talking to them. No problems.
But the second time, at a different villa, the owners were just up the hill, and we did not appreciate their presence. One time there was a donkey in "our" yard and one of the owners walked down and was shooing and screaming at the donkey. It was uncomfortable enough because the villa had glass front doors so someone just being in the yard was an invasion of privacy, but on top of it there was an outdoor shower that was completely open about 10 feet away from the donkey. Thankfully nobody was showering at the time. The owners also let themselves in to the house at least once without us knowing about it, to check on the a/c. I understand that they own the house, but I don't think that gives them the right to just waltz in any time they please without telling us.
I would go by the results others have had with the particular villa you're looking to rent.
The first time we stayed a villa with the owners there, we had to walk past their front door to get to ours, so we lacked privacy. But they were great, stayed out of our hair, though we did like talking to them. No problems.
But the second time, at a different villa, the owners were just up the hill, and we did not appreciate their presence. One time there was a donkey in "our" yard and one of the owners walked down and was shooing and screaming at the donkey. It was uncomfortable enough because the villa had glass front doors so someone just being in the yard was an invasion of privacy, but on top of it there was an outdoor shower that was completely open about 10 feet away from the donkey. Thankfully nobody was showering at the time. The owners also let themselves in to the house at least once without us knowing about it, to check on the a/c. I understand that they own the house, but I don't think that gives them the right to just waltz in any time they please without telling us.
I would go by the results others have had with the particular villa you're looking to rent.
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
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greyhoundmom
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:06 pm
- Location: Columbia South Carolina
CJ, first of all, don't be concerned about that bizarre and horrible review a view years ago. It happened about 3 months before we were renting Adeste. I can't tell you how troubled I was. I had countless e-mails with Chris Roddy. She is a wonderful person and was very hurt about that villa review. Her uphill neighbor at Reef Madness emailed me so say they were great people and he was right! They both work, she at Myra Keating and Charlie is a builder (he built Adeste). They were both working all day and when they came home at night we never saw them. Aside from Charlie greeting us at Adeste and showing us around, you would never know they were there. They were wonderful to rent from and the view is outstanding. PM me if you want to know more details. 
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GotToGetAway
- Posts: 396
- Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:55 pm
- Location: FL
On our first trip to STJ the home next to our villa was burglarized while we on island. So, our past trip with our children we did specifically choose a villa with owners onsite. The idea of having someone there made us feel more comfortable and less likely to be a target.
But, I found myself constantly worrying that we were too loud and were bothering them (and they gave NO indication of that, it was just my sensitivity of using someone else's property). It did put a damper our villa time a little bit.
However, they were right there when we needed them during a blackout bringing us candles and flashlights. And after the blackout, there was a strange noise coming from what must have been some electrical controls, and after a phone call, they fixed it in a minute. When they needed to get a vacuum out of our unit, they called first to check if it was OK to come by.
It has it's pluses and minuses. Like the others said, it could be villa specific and perhaps choosing one with the owners not directly above or below is a good choice, or with the outside decks not above/below each other.
But, I found myself constantly worrying that we were too loud and were bothering them (and they gave NO indication of that, it was just my sensitivity of using someone else's property). It did put a damper our villa time a little bit.
However, they were right there when we needed them during a blackout bringing us candles and flashlights. And after the blackout, there was a strange noise coming from what must have been some electrical controls, and after a phone call, they fixed it in a minute. When they needed to get a vacuum out of our unit, they called first to check if it was OK to come by.
It has it's pluses and minuses. Like the others said, it could be villa specific and perhaps choosing one with the owners not directly above or below is a good choice, or with the outside decks not above/below each other.
Tickerless 
On all but 2 of our stays we have rented private villas where the owners actually lived stateside. The other 2 were with owners living on premises. The 2 were quite different. One was Villa Tamarindo, Mike lived in the apt. underneath the house. After introduction we never saw him unless we made the choice too. He was great and we enjoyed our stay tremendously. Felt very comfortable and safe..esp. with his dog always standing watch day and night. She was very friendly but knew who was supposed to be there and who wasn't ! The other...different story, We had been assured that you wouldn't even know they were there either. I suffer from a very rare form of migraines and on one day of our stay...it HIT. I have to darken the windows and lay in a very cool room, so while hubby went hiking, I did this. I awoke to see someone opening my door which led directly into the bedroom with me in it. I thought maybe it was hubby back already. SO, I called out his name...no answer and door stopped and slowly closed. Startled I got up and went to window in time to see that it was the male owner. He never acknowledged or apoligized or explained his actions. But did send his wife later in the day to find out what was "wrong" with me. She never spoke of what happened either. We decided that was not the place for us to ever stay again. Wondered how many times he may have come in while we were gone each day. Not a good feeling. 
" I believe there's Magic here...."
We had a great stay at Adeste just a few weeks ago. Chris and Charlie where great to work with. We never saw Chris and only saw Charlie twice (once on arrival, once on our way out). It was nice to know that if we had any issues, they would be fixed quickly. When we passed Charlie on the way out, we mentioned that one of the screens was loose. It was fixed by the time we returned later.
Trip report to come.
Highly recommended.
Trip report to come.
Highly recommended.
