I would recommend Best Western Emerald Beach. 2 min from airport. Nice, clean. On a great beach. Should be $100 - $150. You'll find many details on the hotel if you do a search on the board. There are a couple others on this beach - - another BW for sure, which is not as nice.

There are a couple other nice places in Charlotte Amalie, but not as close to the airport. Bunker Hill Hotel, Crystal Palace, Hotel 1829, etc. All of these should be around $100 for the night.

Thanks LandLocked! We'll check out those other suggestions as well. The CA area would be fine I think also as a taxi ride to airport on a early Sunday a.m. would be quick (i.e., minimal traffic that day/time).

Your friends can walk to the airport from Emerald Beach (I am assuming their luggage has wheels)... first time we stayed on STT it was at E.B. and we unknowingly got a taxi to EB - it was embarrassing how close it was - if we had only known... but it sure didn't seem to embarrass the taxi driver who charged us $10 (best I can remember) and this was several years ago!

I think you should try the Island Beachcomber. It is within walking distance to the airport and is not expensive.

Hey Rojako-
you are a local - sometimes they give local discounts.

good luck

website for beachcomber ~

http://st-thomas.com/islandbeachcomber/rates.html

agv

Thanks to all for these suggestions! AGV, good point! I'll definitely be sure to ask about resident/local rates. Spicy, the distance to airport (walking) is a real advantage. I have encouraged these Hoosiers to splurge and replace their 30 year old hard-sided samsonites with luggage that was manufactured in this century. So, hopefully they'll invest in luggage that rolls. I'm thinking the hotel stay for the last night is definitely the way to go - even for an early bird like me, getting up @ "O-Dark-30" to drive them to the ferry or even dinghy them over to STT the morning of their flight is not something I'd really like to do.

Hoosiers may take a bit longer, but we're finally coming into the 21st century. 😉

Spicy, like you I was also slightly embarrassed. Waiting around after the flight for the vans to fill up...waisting valuable island time...for a 2 minute drive to the BWEB for $20 in my case. Didn't realize I could almost see the hotel from the airport. I guess the good part was that I had to dress up for the flight (jacket and tie) since I work for an airline and it felt like it was 140 degrees when I got there...the walk would have killed me. 🙂

I'm a Hoosier - Columbus, Indiana born & raised - so of course my comments re: luggage was lighthearted. My friends maybe make one trip out of the State every 5 years so I can certainly understand why they hang on to luggage that is still in almost new condition. Though, luggage w/wheels @ the warehouse stores, Walmart, etc. is so inexpensive these days - I hope they use this trip as an excuse to upgrade.

My comments were also light hearted, although I have family who really do need to get with this century. 😉 I was born and raised in Rochester, IN (small town where the family is) and have lived in Ft Wayne for the past 16 years.

Good to see the Hoosier state represented in the islands. I met a woman in STX (1999 cruise) who owned a liquor store in Csted I think who was originally from Wabash...and knew some of the people I knew from my home town. Small world at times. 🙂

rojako
Bunker Hill is great and they have an airport shuttle.
Sleeper18