On our first trip in May, we had just a pool. A pool is essential for us, as I like to get in after coming back from the beach, and kind of rinse off the salt, and it's warm during the day, I want to cool off. We did wish we had a hot tub to get in at night, because at night it was too cold to get in the pool. This trip we book someplace with both!
We haven't had good luck with hot tubs - broken, too much chemicals, not clean enough. Pool! Also, the loction is important. The breeze on the South side of STJ can be chilling. We like Eastern or Western exposure. Western exposure means a warm afternoon scene.
Pool - the only hot tub I ever get in any more is the one a few feet from my bedroom!
I love getting up in the morning on STJ and taking a dip before breakfast, and a cooling dip after getting back from the beach and rinsing all of the gear off, and maybe another one just before or after dinner, with a drink nearby/in hand...
Pool is definitely my priority because I do burn in the sun and it feels very good at the end of the day, but right now I keep gravitating toward villas with both.
If I had to choose, I'd go with a pool. Actually, though, we're fine without either. We've had both and haven't used either much. After a day snorkeling all I'm looking for is a shower.
We had a pool and hot tub both in Nov. A pool is now a requirement along with A/C. We never used the hot tub and after reading the above posts, rather glad we didn't. The pool feels great first thing in the morning, after being at the beach, at night, etc. The more private it is, the better.
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