Sunset Ridge Villas are great. Very small, intimate place. The Westin is great, too, but it is a very large resort. The timeshare rooms are across the street from the beach but they have a free shuttle. Carambola is OK, but STX is not as much of a tourist destination. Just depends on what you are looking for.

St. John lodging options are divided into either resorts/hotels or houses/villas. Both Caneel and the Westin are well documented on their websites. However, because there are so many great beaches that are fun to explore, staying on the beach is not important, and in my opinion not even preferable. Renting a villa is not cheap, but after calculating the extras of hotel stays, it is more affordable than it first appears, especially after May 1st when prices drop considerably. I much prefer the north shore, but there are many fans of Chocolate Hole, etc. If budget constrained, stay at one of the many smaller establishments and rent a Jeep and explore the entire island. Have fun.

Drew

The Westin on St. John is probably the most difficult timeshare exchange to get. Do you know if it's available for when you plan to travel? I assume these are all exchanges through RCI, but if II is also available you have other choices like Sapphire Beach Resort and Bluebeard's Beach Club and Elysian Beach Resort in St. Thomas. I believe the Marriott also has some timeshare units. You might want to ask some questions on the Timeshare Users Group www.Tug2.net where there most likely are others who've stayed at these resorts. You have to register, but the Bulletin Boards are free.

Gerie

Hello Jojo,

Two of your properties are on St. John and two on St. Croix (Club St. Croix & Carambola). Are you set on going to St. John or are you still deciding on one or the other.

Check out the beach guide, attractions under the St. John and St. Croix links at the top of this page if you want to learn more about what each island offers.

What type of vacation setting are you looking for. St. Croix and St. John are different from each other but both are more laid back then St. Thomas. St. Croix is a much larger island that has some similarities in activities to St. John like hiking, very good restaurants, shopping. St. John has prettier beaches. St. Croix has a larger assortment of historical attractions to visit and more diverse landscape so more variation in possiable sight seeing activities. St. Croix has golf. St. John is closer to St. Thomas & the BVI's for day trips. St. Croix has 'the wall' for diving, there is good diving to be had from St. John as well. Anyhoo, what are you looking for from the vacation & accommodations?

--Islander

My wife and I just returned from staying at the Sunset Ridge Villas in St. John. We got a great deal on the villa, however there are several things to be aware of:

1. Sunset Ridge Villas are at the top of a steep, one-lane, twisty road. Rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle if you're willing to attempt it. Don't drive on any dirt roads, they're very scary.

2. The villas are older, so the screens all have holes in them, and hence you will get lots of bugs. We wore mosquito repellent to sleep because of that.

3. Speaking of bugs, WASH ALL LINENS BEFORE USING! A villa isn't a hotel, and hence I think the cleanliness standards aren't the same. My wife and I came home with a case of scabies from sleeping in the bed. If you've never experienced this joy, imagine having LOTS of mosquito bites all over your body.

4. Groceries on St. John are outrageous...$17.50 for a watermelon. If you're going to stay in a villa because of the kitchen and bbq grills, bring the food with you from somewhere less expensive.

5. Having said that, eating out on St. John is very expensive too...a "moderate" restaurant is around $60-70 for 2 people. It adds up. There is no fast food for a quick bite; ya gotta sit down and eat.

Other than that, we had a great time, and the island is very beautiful. I just don't recommend staying in a villa (other than the Westin).

I am renting a villa in July so the fact that you are saying not to stay in a villa concerns me. I have seen many comments on this forum and do not remember any comments such as yours regarding villas. Did you stay in a villa that possibly had been vacant for a long time?

I am sorry to read the comments from BeachBaby, sounds like they did not have all that great of a time.

I have been coming to STJ since the late seventies and have rented many a villa/house. Never have I had any of those issues. You have to do your home work and you have to know who you are renting from.

I was interested in his comment, " there are no fast food places" and let me say I am more than gratefully for that. There are many great local place you can get food quick, not fast food, just island food quick.

As far as the prices, no one should plan a vacation to STJ if you think you can do it on the cheap, won't happen or if you do you will not be happy. It may be on Island time, but it is still costly to stay here.

As far as the price of food, well it cost to get it here. At least now there are stores here to get it at, it was not always that way.

I suspect if this is your first time here, the westin might be the best bet for you. Then while you are here look around and stop and talk with the locals in regards to places to rent, they are a wealth of information if you have the time, and you should remember it is island time here.

Best of luck....

RM

Don't stay at "Beyond the Sea" villa near Great Cruz Bay. It really should be renamed "Beyond its Time". It's a shame because the location is great, but the house is old, the septic system needs to be fixed and we too got bites from the bed in the "2nd bedroom", which really is a pool house with a bed.
There are really lovely villa's in STJ. You just have to find the right rental agency...ask the right questions...and do your research

I think that the key in the post by Beach Baby were the words "we got a deal on the villa." You usually get what you pay for and the "holey" screens were an indication of what you got for the "deal." Sorry that you seemed to have a mediocre time. If you are travelling to any of the islands you will find food prices higher than at home. Thank goodness the fast food place on STJ is gone. There certainly are some places where you don't have to spend $50 or $60 dollars for a meal. Did you try Joe's BBQ, Cafe Roma, Skinny Legs or any of the local restaurants? You can eat cheaper than you suggest. You also have to shop around for prices of food. I never shop in just one place and have found where things are cheaper in one place than another. I don't expect to pay the same prices as I pay at home so I pick and chose carefully as to what I buy. I live in a community where prices are relatively high so STJ doesn't shock me that much. Those sheets must have been on that bed for a long time. I have never encountered such a problem. Sorry that you had to.

We have booked Beyond the Sea in June.
Is there anyone else that has stayed there? If so would you let us know how it is?

We just returned from a week at "Beyond the Sea".
It is very outdated...the 2nd bedroom is really a "poolhouse" with a bed and the house really needs to be fixed up. The septic system consistently smells, especially if you are staying in the 2nd bedroom or using the very small pool.I'm sorry to share this with you, but the rental agency was not up front with us about the place (Destination St. John) and I don't want to see others not happy. The location is great, but there are much, much nicer villa's in the same area for the same price. This house is a disappointment...except for the view. St. John however is awesome.