You really should do a search about Sapphire Beach on this message board. Also, go to tripadvisor.com and look there. It all depends on the condo that you rent.

We rented there last year, and although the condo wasn't that great, we loved the area and the beach.

The beach...wow...a beautiful, clean, great snorkeling beach. When we went back with 8 of our friends and family, they loved it.

You are really close to Red Hook, although I wouldn't walk there, but you're close enough that you can see it from the back of Sapphire. At Red Hook is the ferry to St. John, stores and a market. You also have places to eat like Duffy's Love Shack and Molly Mallones. Both are fun and have pretty good food.

The bottom line is that I would stay at Sapphire Beach again as long as I was assured the condo was clean and reasonably nice.

Do your homework and if you'd like to email me privately my email is [email protected].

Try looking for a Sapphire condo through http://www.vrbo.com I think there are some on that site, and it's a good way to see exactly what condo you are getting. Also, it's good for anywhere else, too. We've rented through vrbo (Vacation Rentals By Owner).

The positive about Sapphire is the fabulous beach and the east end location, close to Red Hook. You can catch the safari bus to town save on taxi's . Please do a search as suggested, you will learn valuable information on this forum. there are many comments regarding condos, some are great, some need updating. Tripadvisor is another great suggestion, do some homework and your trip will be a success.
By all means, have fun.

Here is the direct link to the condos at Sapphire, through the owners. You can see exactly what you are getting.

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/caribbean/usvi-st-thomas#663

Gar Ann...i wonder how many of those condos are really managed by the owners and not a management company.

When we rented our last villa through vrbo, I thought I was going to be going through the owner, but it was managed by a company. I didn't know that.

You don't always get what you see. Some pictures can be very convincing online, but then when you get there, it's another story. Recommendations are the best way to go when it comes to renting anywhere.

I remember everybody raving about Lucy's Jewel?? Her condo is in Sapphire and I've heard very good things, although I don't think I've seen her around these message boards lately.

Really? That's too bad. We've always had good experiences. I guess that could be a question to ask when inquiring..who manages and mantains, the owner or another place. 😉

The managementt company owns several units and some private owners have a management company take care of renting their condo. Given that there have been only a very few rare instances where someone hasn't got what they thought they were getting, I'd take it as pretty much a given that 99.9% of the rental units are very nice and well maintained.

During the course of a year I see many people who are vacationing there, have several friends who stay there and one family member who stayed there too - all without any complaints whatsoever. The one complaint I've heard is from recent visitors who booked unaware that the on-site restaurant and the beach bar are not operational at this time. Even that disappointment they quickly recovered from!

I think Lucy's Jewel is in Sapphire Village, up the hill from Sapphire Beach Resort. Which is two different resorts. I hope I'm not giving wrong information, please correct me if I messed up. I would prefer to be on the beach. Sapphire is a beautiful beach.

Sleeper, you're right about that. We stayed "up on the hill". We had a great pool right outside our unit that we used. Actually, we didn't see many people at the pool the whole week we stayed there.

I would prefer the beech too. We just got in our car and drove down to the parking lot where you can walk to the beach very easily. Sapphire is gorgeous. Well kept.

STT...I still would suggest that people do their homework because there are some complaints about units, just not here, but on tripadvisor. Our unit was adequate, but they definetly needed some work in the unit. One thing was the bedspread and linens which wouldn't pass in my house at all. May seem like a small thing, but it doesn't take much to go out and buy new linens. Some owners just don't keep their units updated and people get disappointed. But their prices are excellent for a weeks stay.

Sapphire also has some management problems, but when we were down there in May, some of the workers there were not very open about talking about it. After a few questions, we just stopped asking.

One thing that was excellent was their Bushwackers. They had a little bar on the beach where they make mixed drinks. Anytime I see a bartender using REAL nutmet, instead of being sprinkled out of a plastic container, is a plus.

Even if the restaurants are open, who cares. Again, if people do their homeword, they would understan that. Red Hook has enough to keep anybody happy during their stay.

I used to live at Sapphire (village - on the hill - 2nd floor, 2nd unit in from main pool) - when I was a child and my parents were brave enough to move down with my brother and I when we were 4 and 7 - we stayed there while we were shopping for our home. After returning to the states and growing up, I returned as a frequent visitor and naturally stayed at Sapphire (Beach Resort).

For a few years, it was fine.

3 years ago, I swore it off forever (2004). Everything was always wrong. I have reports on here of details.No lighbulbs in lamps, A/C leaking ot the point of puddles in the room, locks missing, dirty bathrooms, bad attitudes from housekeeping, impossible to get towels and linen, etc etc etc. Then came th duck poop in the pool and the ear infections that led to ER visits for 2 of us and doctor's prescriptions for another 2.

After that, no more Sapphire!! Sad. I LOVE their beach....and visit when I go. But, I cannot stay at the resort. It is just not up to par. It is beautiful...but the rooms are poorly kept. Again, this is in the RESORT, not the Village.

I would be willing to try the village, but I can never get a deal on an open unit that looks good. The yseem to be few and far between.

Secret Harbour's remodeled untis are looking better these days!