Sapphire has had that model out and has been talking about "completing" the expansion for at least 6 years.....but it always looks the same when I return year after year. I wouldn't expect that expansion to be done anytime in the next 10 years, if at all. Island construction timing is nothing like the states.

You are right about the model, at least 6 years. The management company that runs sapphire Beach resort has totally pillaged this property! the owners whom rent in their hotel plan have not received compensation in years, that is why over 50 rooms there are now booked through Antilles resorts. At last count the hotel only owns 15 rooms or so. The rest are privately owned condos. Last week the condo assn. there sent out a letter asking if any of the owners had legal experience in dealing with chapter 11. Now, don't panic, this is a good thing, hopefully these irresponsible and surely "criminal" types will finally be kicked out of there and someone will come in and clean up the mess they caused. The real problem has been "model " mentioned before, they have sold an extrordinary amount of time shares, and with so few rooms at their disposal, they have been using condo's in the hotel plan to accomadate all the time share owners, since these people pay nothing, the owners in return are not compensated. If you are booked there don't panic, I'm sure nothing will happen quite yet!

ok , you guys are scareing me! i booked and prepaid for a room for next february.[2006] i hope their not going down, and if they did i hope i can get my money back.

No need to be scared. Regardless of what happens legality-wise, it will still be open and operating.

We are planning a vacation at their villa there next week. I'm wondering now...are they horrible, not clean? Of course I got a good impression on line.

rml, the villas rooms seem to get less abuse than the regular suites. The thing that people have to keep in mind about Sapphire is the difficulty it must take to keep Sapphire spiffy. It literally sits right on the beach....not behind dunes, not behind trees and grass....right on the sand! And it's not far to the water's edge across the sand, less than 15 feet in some cases (side beach beyond pool).

It's not as clean as you might expect after reading the review in (was it Fodors or Fommers). There was a glowing review in one of the books a couple of years ago. I thought it was a bit over the top, considering. But, Sapphire is a drop-dead georgeous resort. The property takes a direct beating from the sea and sun everyday. The wood looks worn sometimes....like a Caribbean beachfront hotel would look - but travelers sometimes don't expect it.

I caution you that the screen don't always close flush to the wall facing the beach, so the little gap lets mosquitos in - coils and bug spray might be helpful at night. I get torn up by mosquitos at Sapphire every time I stay there - and I've stayed at least 5X.

The pool is decent - nothing spectacular- except that it DOES sit right on a rocky point our over the sea. Problem is that ducks are constantly swimming in it. There's a lovely marina at Sapphire, which makes for an interesting stroll one evening - take a cocktail with you and walk over as the sunsets - checking out how the other half lives on the water - very nice! Sapphire has a couple of shows each week that are quite good - and include live music out at the beach bar, which has a dancefloor out by the water - which is why I usually try for a room away from this area- I am sometimes tired of the music at night and just want to sleep. The main restaurant isn't much good - it's just ok. The poolside grill is better. Kids eat free from the kids menu - and the kids food at the grill is good. The kitchen appliances are full size, which is nice. The bed is ok. The bathroom always seems to need something - I'm just not sure what - I'm thinking total makeover. Again, the suites are better. For some reason , the A/C ALWAYS leaks in my Sapphire rooms. Watch for it - you could slip on the tiles floors.

There's also a way you can get locked into the upstairs of your villa - so be careful. If you are on the upper level of the villa, you must exit via a set of stairs that puts you out right behind the villa main fornt door. If someone opes that door and puts the door jam down, you won't be able to exit the stairway because the front door will be open and blocking you. We accidentally did this to my mom on one trip, while we were all out packing up the car. Poor Nana was locked in the villa until we came back to shut the door 🙁

Have fun

thanks bluwater, i can handle everything you talked about except maybe being locked in the room lol poor nana,lol

UPdate on the model: I think Sapphire has finally decided to be realistic about it all - on my visit earlier this month I noticed that the model is no longer sitting in the lobby.

LOL - I can just hear them saying:

"Look, let's be real, we ain't doing NOTHIN' with this place!"

Nothing's wrong with Sapphire that isn't wrong anywhere else - but they really did need to get rid of that model and their fantasy. 6 years and NO progress....c'mon.

we just bought A-207 there and rent it through Antilles. If anyone wants a great, clean unit rent that one. We have a new stove and fridge. We love Sapphire. Moving down in the fall to live on our houseboat in red hook, will stay at the condo when not rented, but it has been rented almost everyday since we bought it.