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HI ISLANDER,
FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFORMATION. I HAD MANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON THIS WEB SITE BEFORE I LEFT, BY YOU AND SHULTZ ESPECIALLY.
OUR TRIP WAS FROM OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER4TH. WE STAYED AT THE SECRET HARBOUR IN A WATERFRONT SUITE. IT WAS LARGE, CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL . MARGARET, SANDRA, HOWARD, DINING ROOM STAFF, MIKE, ALL OF THEM WERE JUST SO PLEASANT AND FUN..............WE WENT TO THE MARKET UP THE STREET THE FIRST DAY (WE GOT IN LATE AFTERNOON) AND GOT WHAT WE NEEDED FOR COFFEE, ON THE DECK IN THE AM, AND AS I SAID BEFORE LUNCHES.
LETS SEE WE ATE AT THE BLUE MOON THE FIRST AND 5TH NIGHT. IT WAS WONDERFUL. THE BEACH BAR IS FUN, ALSO VERY FRIENDLY. MET A WOMAN NAMED PEG AND A FINE GENTLEMAN NAMED RAY WHO BOTH FREQUENT THE BEACH BAR. WE HAD NICE CHATS ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE PLACES TO GO. PEG LIVES ON ISLAND NOW AND RAY COMES FOR MONTHS AT A TIME. ANYWAY, WE ALSO ATE AT CRAIG AND SALLYS, HOOK LINE AND SINKER,ONE NIGHT WE DRANK THE NIGHT AWAY AT DUFFYS AND XO'S. IT WAS A CASUAL FUN NIGHT. WE SAVED OUR LAST NIGHT FOR THE OLD STONE FARMHOUSE, MISTAKE, I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND MY HUSBAND TO BEING ON THE GOLF COURSE, WELL WE CHECKED IT OUT TO LATE AND IT WAS CLOSED ON MONDAY.... ALTHOUGH I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IT GIVES ME YET ANOTHER REASON TO RETURN TO YOUR WONDERFUL ISLAND.
WE ARE FOOTBALL FANS - PATRIOTS WERE PLAYING MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SO WE WENT TO THE CARIBBEAN SALOON. MIC AT DUFFYS TOLD US TO GIVE THE NEW POKER MACHINES A SHOT WE DID. WE WON AND PAID FOR A REALLY NICE , SUPRISINGLY DELICIOUS STEAK DINNER AND LOTS OF DRINKS WHILE OUR FAVORITE TEAM WON. WE GOT T SHIRTS AND STILL HAD A BIT OF MONEY TO GO SHOPPING THE NEXT DAY BEFORE WE LEFT WHICH WE DID AT DOLPHIN DREAMS. WHAT A CUTE STORE THAT IS. I LOVED RED HOOK. LOVED BEING THAT CLOSE, WE DID ATTEMPT TOWN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON ON THE WAY TO CRAIG AND SALLY'S BUT THEY CLOSED SHOPS EARLY FOR SOME REASON SO WE DID NOT SEE AS MUCH AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED.
WE RENTED A JEEP FROM DEPENDABLE. NICE PEOPLE.
WE DECIDED TO GO TO ST JOHNS ON SUNDAY. A LOT OF ISLANDERS ADVISED US TO KEEP THE JEEP ON ST THOMAS AND RENT ONE ON ST JOHN IN CASE WE WANTED TO STAY LATER THAN 6 OR 7 WHEN THE LAST CAR FERRY LEAVES. WE HEARD TWO STORIES ABOUT THE WEEKEND BEFORE WHEN PEOPLE MISSED THE LAST FERRY AND HAD TO STAY ON ISLAND FOR THE NIGHT.
WELL WE RENTED ANOTHER JEEP AND OFF WE WENT. IT STARTED TO POUR AND I MEAN HARD. THE TIRES WERE BALD AND THE TRAVELING FROM TRUNKS BAY TO CINNAMON BAY SEEMS LIKE IT IS STRAIGHT UP .......THE JEEP WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE L. VERY SCARY. WE WENT TO 3 DIFFERENT BEACHES AND BY 2 IN THE AFTERNOON AFTER 4 HOURS OF RAIN WE GAVE UP, TURNED THE JEEP IN AND WENT BACK TO ST THOMAS. IT WAS TO BAD, BUT IT WASNT JUST A SMALL RAIN SHOWER. TRUST ME.
SO THAT IS ANOTHER THING I HAVE TO RETURN TO SEE.
ON ST THOMAS WE WENT TO THE RENAISSANCE GRAND , MARRIOTT FRENCHMAN,(WHERE THE SERVICE WAS SO BAD AT COCO JOES THAT WE LEFT WITHOUT EVEN HAVING A DRINK. NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON THERE BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE WAITING AROUND AND NOT GETTING SERVED.... BAD DAY I GUESS. BOLONGO BEACH, SAPHIRE BEACH, RITZ CARLTON. CHECKED IT ALL OUT. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION, ALSO TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING DIFFERENT WE WOULD DO WHEN WE RETURN.
WE TOOK THE JEEP EVERYWHERE. WE SPENT A DAY AT COKI, AND MAGEN'S BAY. THE SNORKELING AT COKI WAS NICE BUT THE SECRET HARBOUR STILL WINS HANDS DOWN. WHAT A NICE BEACH. WE TRAVELED THE COAST AS WELL AS RT 32 TO 38. WE DID NOT DO CORAL WORLD. WE COME FROM NEW ENGLAND WITH ONE OF THE NICEST AQUARIUMS AROUND SO NO DESIRE. NOT SURE IF THAT IS A MISTAKE JUST A CHOICE... DID DRAKES SEAT AND MOUNTAIN TOP. WE GOT CAUGHT IN MANY RAIN STORMS. WHEN I COME BACK IT MAY NOT BE IN LATE OCTOBER. THERE SEEMED TO BE A LOT OF RAIN. LOTS OF SUN TOO THOUGH. WE LOST ELECTRICITY TWICE AT HOTEL. I BROUGHT LOTS OF CANDLES AND IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY ROMANTIC AND WE ENJOYED IT... THERE IS SOMETHING TO HEARING THE OCEAN ON A LARGE DECK WITH CANDLES LIT.
ONE LAST THING, MY BROTHER SURPRISED ME WITH A MASSAGE FOR MY BIRTHDAY FROM HIEDI AT SECRET HARBOUR. SHE WAS AMAZING, DEEP TISSUE, IT HURT SO GOOD AS THEY SAY. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE.
I HAVE REALLY GONE OFF HAVENT I? ALL IN ALL WE HAVE BEEN TO MANY MANY (MORE THAN 10 )ISLANDS AND FOUND ST THOMAS TO BE IN THE TOP 3. THE PEOPLE , THE SEA, THE FOOD. AND WHATEVER I LEFT OUT... IF YOU HAVENT GONE GO. YOU WILL LOVE IT.
VALERIE
Sounds like a great trip.
"The market up the street"....is that close enough to walk to from Secret Harbor?
For that matter.....is Red Hook close enough to walk to?
Thanks!
YOU COULD WALK BUT THE ROADS ARE NOT MADE FOR WALKING. THE STREETS ARE VERY NARROW, NO SIDEWALKS, NO STREET LIGHTS, PLUS THEY DRIVE FAST, AND ON THE LEFT...NOW THIS IS COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO REGULARLY DRIVES IN BOSTON, SO YOU KNOW IT HAS TO BE TOUGH.WE RENTED A CAR FOR THE WHOLE TIME. YOU COULD ALSO TAKE A TAXI. THERE ARE MANY AROUND ALWAYS. RED HOOK IS SMALL BUT A BALL. IT IS WHERE YOU GO TO GET THE FERRY TO ST JOHN ALSO.
SO A SHORT ANSWER IS I WOULD NOT WALK ANYWHERE. OF COURSE JUST MY OPINION.
ENJOY.
VAH - I learned to drive in Boston and that experience certainly helped with driving in the islands. I keep telling my wife that the only difference was the hills as we often drove on the wrong side of the road in Boston also.
Hi Valerie:
Would you mind telling me where the Caribbean Saloon is? We are coming down for a quick vacation in December, and my husband and son would love to find a place to watch the playoff games. We are staying at Saphire Beach. Also, is it an indoor/outdoor place? Is it on the beach?
Thank you,
Theresa S.
Caribbean Saloon is located in Red Hook very close to the ferry dock. Great place with great owners. Fun place for watching games.
Hi Theresa,
Try checking out their website. Terrie and Frank are wonderful hosts.
http://www.st-thomas.com/caribbeansaloon/index.html
Schultz
I GUESS YOU GOT YOUR ANSWERS. YOU CAN NOT MISS IT IN RED HOOK. YOU WILL LIKE IT. I DID NOT MEET THE OWNERS BUT THE PLACE WAS GREAT TO WATCH THE PATRIOTS........ NO BEACH. INDOOR.. RICK YOU ARE RIGHT. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN BOSTON DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE............. BUT WHEREVER YOU ARE YOU GET USE TO IT DON'T YOU?
ENJOY THERESA S. AND FAMILY.
Hey, I was sorry to hear that you had poor service at the marriot. I am getting married there in May and will be staying for 2 weeks. I was wondering what you thought about the property? DO you have anything postive to say about this place? 🙂
Maryann - the comment made was not about the resort but about the beach bar at Morningstar - Coco Joes... it must have just been a bad night or maybe new servers/bartenders - I have been there several times and had positive experiences every time. The Frenchmans Reef property is quite beautiful and the wedding area is lovely.
--Islander
I AGREE WITH ISLANDER. THE PROPERTY IS BEAUTIFUL , LIKE MOST OF THE ISLAND. I AM SURE IT WAS JUST A BAD DAY, WE DIDNT HAVE TIME TO CHECK IT OUT AGAIN, THE MORNING STAR PROPERTY IS ALSO BEAUTIFUL. IT LOOKED AS IF THERE WAS ALSO A LOT HAPPENING THERE, HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDDING AND A BLISSFUL TWO WEEKS. DONT FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN...
VALERIE
