USVI-On-Line

Greetings!
We are enthusiastically planning our first trip to St. John and I am narrowing down my villa options so I can hopefully make my reservation this month for late this year or early next year. I posted some of the places we are looking at toward the end of my post. The choices are quite overwhelming! I posted something similar on TripAdvisor and discovered this community as well. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

My husband and I are planning this trip along with my parents, so we need two bedrooms. Our budget for the week is about $3500 at most. We plan to relax around the villa when we're not at the beach so we do want something nice and very clean/well-maintained. The accomodations are important to me, even on a beach vacation. Luxury is not in our budget, but I'm looking for upscale options, especially in the bedrooms and outdoor space. Here is my wish list:

*Good outdoor space with a nice ocean view--it seems this is what St. John is all about!
*Privacy--we want that 'away from it all' island feeling and do not want especially close neighbors. Would like to be within 10 or 15 minute drive to groceries and beaches, though.
*Bedrooms that allow each couple some room to escape the group
*Pretty well-appointed kitchen--we will cook several simple meals in
*outdoor grill
*Really would love hearing the ocean from our deck/windows, but I could give this up
*Heated pool or spa--in 'winter,' maybe it's too cold to use a pool

Do any of these choices stand out to you as a good fit for us? I'm struggling to reconcile all the photos we've seen online with reality at this point please help--it's MUCH appreciated.

*Coconut Breeze
*Sea Cay
*Villa Viaggi (formerly Golden Dragon)--this may be out of budget
*Morgan Point
*Pink Conch
*Coconuts

I have only personally stayed at Sea Cay and we absolutely loved it. The views are magnificent and the house itself is very comfortable. I have visited Coconuts (before the renovation) and the views from there are also great but the house is much higher up. The lights from St. Thomas were lovely at night. Good luck with your search - I'm sure you will have a wonderful time no matter which house you select.

I have not stayed at any of the places on your list. I've looked at Pink Conch several times and it does look nice as long as you don't mind sunrise views and no view of the sunset.

Depending upon your travel dates I'd like to suggest one other villa that would be at the very top end of your budget...but...for two couples that want together time, but plenty of privacy with two bedrooms on opposite ends of the house: Bongo Bongo.

The suggestion is only valid if you travel in their offseason, which ends 12/19 I think, since their rate is $3500/wk in offseason. We have stayed there once as a couple and will be back there in June. The villa is booked through Carefree Getaways.

We can highly recommend Coconuts. It has wonderful deck space, some under gazebo for those who want shade and some in the sun. Nice little pool and an outdoor kitchen with an awesome view. We ate our meals at the table under the gazebo and enjoyed sunsets, rainbows and a beautiful view across the channel to St Thomas. Its a very comfortable and relaxing villa. Its about 10 minutes to Cruz Bay (depending upon where you are headed), so for us, it was very nice to be able to pop down to town to pick up groceries, meds (when one in our group got sick), and carry out food when we didn't feel like cooking.

One bedroom is a little smaller than the other, and both BRs have a nice bathroom. The owner (Coconuts on this forum) has added some very nice things, in addition to the outdoor kitchen and pool table. If you are into movies and such, he has a great media set up in the living room. The kitchen is well stocked, so you can easily cook meals there.

For getting to the beaches, it seems like it was maybe 15 minutes to Maho. Not a long drive at all.

We love Coconuts and look forward to another stay there some time.

Happy trip planning!

We haven't stayed at any of the places you have listed, but I must say our favorite 2 bedroom is Bongo Bongo with out question !

It has everything you want and some.