In May is usually when the prices for rooms go down (slower season). But $150 is actually pretty low. You might be able to find something nice for $180 or so. I don't think you'll find anything cheaper on St. John, unless it's Concordia or Cinnamon cottages/eco tents. St. John seems to be more expensive that St. Thomas. You could stay on STT and just ferry over to STJ.

We actually took the safari taxi ($1 taxi) around a few times just to see the island and talk to locals. That was fun! Never rode in the back of a truck quite that way. 😉

Coki beach has a lot of local flavor, so be sure to stop by there. Loved the drinks, the reggae music, the views. We had fun there.

Our favorite "economy" hotel is the Mafolie. It has a great view and an entry level room is around your budget (before taxes). The view is incredible. They have a small, but nicely maintained pool area with bar and grill open during the day (closes at maybe 6pm?). Mafolie restaurant is attached and is an excellent choice as well. I personally think it's a great idea to split your time between islands if you can find accomodations. St. Thomas has several sights worth seeing and many restaurants to try. St. John is simply beautiful and should not be missed. You could ferry from STT to STJ (and back) for the day with little hassle, but there's just something about winding down on STJ and going directly to your room/condo that we enjoy (plus you can shower-off and clean-up better in your hotel/condo and feel refreshed for dinner/drinks/dancing).

You can also try VRBO.com (Vacation Rental By Owner) to see if a last minute entry-level condo is available. Cruz Bay Villas and Cruz Views are pretty close to your budget and you get the benefit of a full kitchen as well.

Can't really help on the local culture restaurants - we've dined out a BUNCH, but always at a mainstream location.

Getting around is really EASY with taxis. It's just expensive. We did the taxi-only trip our first time and ended up spending probably $75 per day for just 2 round trips (2 adults). I'm glad we did it that way for our first time as it helped get us acquainted with the island and made driving easier the next year. Now - I wouldn't think of going down without a rental car. It's really pretty easy to get around - just be patient and KEEP LEFT!

Good Luck - Have Fun!

I have to second the Mafolie for affordable rooms, great view and a great restruant. They also run a shuttle to Magen's Bay and downtown daily which will help with the Taxi costs.
www.mafolie.com
Jay

Try Crystal Palace. It's within your budget & I think includes breakfast.

http://www.crystalpalaceusvi.com/

Hello,

Don't know how many there are of you and your excact dates but I am going from 4/15 - 4/22 and staying at a studio condo off of Sapphire Beach. I stayed there last year the same week and liked it so much we are returning.

I don't know your dates, but Carnival is the end of April (especially the last week) and may make affordable rooms difficult to find. There will be lots of local music and food available! 😉

Odd as it may seem, it is cheaper to rent an econo car than a scooter for a day. Go figure.

check your email I have sent you some info that may help!!!

I'd recommend a condo at Sapphire for $120 a night plus you get a kitchen so you don't have to eat out every meal. Great view and waterfront. Try Rita at www.condelmar.com or Dan http://pocket-yachts.com/Condo/rates.asp

I also hear that car rentals will also be next to impossible to get for the last week of April due to Carnival. Make your reservations now! (if at all possible)!

I can't help with recommendation on St. Thomas, but for St. John, you may have a hard time finding anything in that price range. There are places that are close, but a lot of them are probably booked. One that was mentioned in another thread is Sailview near Coral Bay (www.sailviewstjohn.com). Their off-season rates for a suite is $115 but it looks like they are booked that week. A one bedroom condo at Lavender Hill in Cruz Bay is $225 and Estate Lindholm is $220. Cruz Views in Cruz Bay ranges from $110 to $200 but it looks like they are booked for the last week of April.

One other thing to consider... If you do want to spend some tim eon St John and want a car (highly recommended for St John), and you are going to rent on St. Thomas (rentals are cheaper on STT), make sure that the rental company allows the car to be taken to St. John. Not all of them do.

As far as St. John being a better island, that's a personal thing. St Thomas is in general more built up and has more night life and shopping while St. John is mostly national park so there is more hiking trails and beaches and not as much night life and shopping. If you can, try both to see what you like more. We chose St. John because we wanted a quieter vacation and we were glad that we did. Nothing wrong with St Thomas, but St. john just suited us better.

Try Trinidad Charlie's on STJ. He's got eco cabins in that price range. His place has beautiful gardens. He was kind enough to give us a tour of his gardens and cabins a couple of years ago. He also makes the best hot sause we've ever had. (They serve Trinidad Charlies Hot Sause it at Miss Lucy's.)

Sapphire village on the east end of st thomas is very nice. Many of the condos are privately owned but I've stayed in several of them and know many owners personally. I can give you phone numbers if you like. Rate there are 110-125$ a night. Great view too! Red Hook is a mile a half away. There's a very fun place there to eat-actually two-molly malones and duffy's love shack. Conch fritters are a must! Have a great time. It's paradise. You'll return every year like we do.
Deb