Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
Hello all,
I am going to St. Thomas for Memorial Day weekend with my girlfriend. We are flying in from Miami on the 28th arriving at 8pm an leaving on the 31st at around 7pm. This is our first time to STT and also her first time in the Caribbean (She is Colombian, I'm Dominican). I know its a short trip but I really want to take advantage of our time there, so I'm hoping you all could help me plan my trip.
I found a good deal at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef and will probably book it there. 3 nights for $700 (resort view). Is this a good hotel? Are there better alternatives in STT for $150-$250 a night? I do not want to rent a car so we will be relying on taxis, dollar taxis, and ferry's.
Restaurants I am interested in are:
Dinner: Banana Tree Grille, Havana Blue, Craig and Sally, and/or Herve
Lunch: Blue Moon Cafe, Grande Cru,
Breakfast: Barefoot Buddha, Coco Joe's
Thoughts? Are these all good recommendations or should I make some changes?
Friday:
Fly in. Dinner at Havana Blue or somewhere close to hotel
Saturday:
I was wondering if a day sail to St. John is a must on our short trip. We do want to snorkel and I figured the day sail was the best of both world. Do you suggest full or half day sail? I am between the day sail or parasailing and snorkeling at a beach. Dinner at Havana Blue?
Sunday:
Beach and go shopping in town. Lunch and Dinner in Charlotte Amalie. Maybe Blue Moon Cafe and Banana Tree Grille
Sunday:
Check out and ??? Any ideas?? We don't need to be at the airport till 4pm.
Thanks in advance for all your help!!!
You could probably find a nice condo for $100-$150 a night. Check out vrbo.com or homeaway.com There are so many great places to stay other than a hotel.
I would save your downtown shopping day for your last day there if the Market Place on the square will be open.
There are many great beaches to snorkel on STT & STJ. I would just advise not to be too stuck to any plans. Go with the flow and relax, get your beach time in etc.
Have a great time!
Frenchman's Reef is a full service resort, some people hardly leave during their stay! Check with the Adventure Center on site for day trips leaving from the dock at the Reef to save you time and taxi fare. You can spend a lot of time in transit and for a two day trip, you have to decide if it is worth it. You will barely scratch the surface.
I would not recommend two nights at Havana Blue- I'd do one of your alternatives on Saturday. Blue Moon is not in Charlotte Amalie and the taxi fare would make it pretty expensive. Stick with Banana Tree (town) or Craig and Sally's (Frenchtown) for dinner.
During the day there is a water taxi from the Reef to town. There are several nice restaurants in town (walk around and see which one tickles your fancy) or it is about a one mile walk along the waterfront to Yacht Haven Grande- Grande Cru and Wikked are both there.
When you say you don't have to be at the airport until 4...You do have to be there two hours before your flight for Customs, etc.
Thanks for your quick response.
Our flight leaves at 6:40pm to SJU, so I'm guessing if we're at the airport around 4pm we should be fine.
I think on Friday we will go check-in at the hotel and maybe walk to Grande Cru and then Wikked. Hows the nightlife in Yacht Haven? Or should we check-in and have dinner somewhere in Red Hook and stay for drinks? What are some good restaurants in Red Hook?
I'm considering doing the Day Sail on Saturday so we can snorkel and enjoy the sea. Still deciding who to book it with. Do you consider a SJJ day trip a must? I'm also debating on renting a car. A 4 day rental would be $160 which seems ok. Would taxi's for 2 people for 4 days be considerably less?
Banana Tree Grille is a definite and probably Craig and Sally as well
Okay, you are not going to walk to Yacht Haven Grande from the Reef. If you are arriving at 8, you will probably have to get something there on property, as you probably won't get to the hotel and checked in until 9. Not sure how long Havana Blue serves, but would probably be your best bet for Friday.
Unless I misunderstand something, you are here for 3 days not 4. Whether a car is worth it depends how much you plan to travel off property. If you look at the info bar above under St Thomas, you will find the taxi rates from the Reef. Re: restaurants, not everyone is open on Sunday, so check with the concierge or call for your Sunday night dinner reservation. In fact, check with them for any special Memorial Day happenings. There may be something at Yacht Haven Grande Saturday night- a concert or some such fun.
Restaurants in Red Hook range from pizza (Island Time) to outdoor Irish pub (Molly Molone's) to very delicious upscale dining (The Cellar) as well as bars like Duffy's. As Beachbums said, try not to schedule yourself to tightly and enjoy the relaxation...You'll be back.
