USVI-On-Line

I have been reading this site for a while and share your love of St. John. We have been visiting St. John for the past 15 years and love it. Our friends want to come with us this year. This is where I need your help. I am looking at Sol Inclination and it looks like a very nice villa. My question is do you think the drive to get to it will be too much for people that have never been to St. John? Thanks for your help!

Kat

That looks like a wonderful place to stay! No, I don't think newbies would have a problem with the drive unless they are very inexperienced drivers. We were first timers back in June and drove the island with NO problems what so ever. OK, Hubby did all the driving, but we all felt safe at all times.

We will be making our 21st trip to St John this Wednesday. In November we are returning with 3 couples and staying at Sol Inclination--1 couple will be newbies and 1 couple stayed with us at Hawksnest Villa a few years ago.
i have been told that the drive to this villa is , well, challenging, but it becomes old hat after a trip or two. The road leading up to the villa is paved except for one short stretch. Someone who posts on another board just returned and said she found the drive to be less challenging than the drive to the north shore villas on Watapama Rd, where you go down the hill after the sugar mill in Catherineberg. Several folks who have stayed at the South Shore Villa, which is just down the road from Sol Inclination posted that the drive was easy once you get used to it. They did caution that your first trip up should not be made after dark.
I have driven all the roads in St John as a passenger with one of the couples and wouldnt want to drive to Sol all week with the DH. The newbie couple DH is a Captain for AA, so I am hoping he will be cautious and do fine. DH and I decided that will rent our own jeep and are encouraging each couple to do the same. Don't want to listen to the OMG's all week.
While we are on island this week we are going up to the villa. I will assess the "fear factor" and let you know when we get back.

We were taken as newbies and stayed in the Chocolate hole area. (Thank you Gromit for the introduction We took newbies a few years later and stayed in Fish Bay. Judging from their experience and our experience, if you are traveling with the right folks, it doesn't matter where you stay. They were totally fine w/ the longer ride out to Fish, or Reef. One of the two. My memory is failing me.

Dear Kat,

As the owner of one of the neighboring villas, and having driven those roads myself, I can tell you they are no worse than most on the island. It's paved to the top, but like many roads in the process of being developed, only one lane is currently paved. This really isn't a problem as most people travel slow and are happy to get over to allow one to pass. It probably is best to try driving it once or twice during the day rather than having your first trip be in the evening. Just go slow and don't drive after drinking.

The villa you are planning on staying in is very nice and the people who own it are great people with excellent tastes.

Have a safe trip.