not that i know of. but since our energy costs run .50+ per kw hour, it would be great if our visitors did not open doors and/or windows with air-conditioning blasting or let water run unnecessarily (particularly hot water)... i realize folks are on vacation, but you won't be vacationing in miami or another major city where waste of resources has little impact - at least for now - you are coming to islands with finite resources. water must be trucked in to fill your cistern, and electrical bills for homes with a/c can and do run into the thousands.

owners keep their rates more reasonable when they don't get socked by high electrical bills or have to spend hundreds per stay on extra water trucked in...

since you asked, thought i'd mention that.

how can our visitors be environmentally friendly?

if you don't need fresh towels or linens with your maid service visit, let staff know. you can do this with cards that are often supplied that you place on beds, while hanging towels instead of letting them stay on the floor.

when running dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers, only run with full loads

keep doors and windows closed when using air-conditioning, and turn it off if you won't be home for awhile. it only takes a few minutes to cool things down on your return

turn off water and fill a cup to rinse when brushing your teeth

soap up well with water off while showering, then rinse well

- i know, i know... people are coming to get away from their worries! but if you love the islands and want to make sure that both the resources and the villas are still around for you, please really love them and try not to waste while you are here.

cruisingal, this is not really directed at YOU, just something in general for anyone following this topic, just thought i'd put it out there for residents and visitors... we who live here would do well to be conservative with resources too! it will keep our expenses low, for one thing.

Thanks Anita, I actually follow those exact conservation efforts here at home. While my friends electric bills run in the hundreds, I manage to keep mine below$100.00 and yes that is with my air conditioning on, also careful with water useage. I will admit I will need educate other family members prior to coming to STJ(no 30 minute showers!)8-)

cruisingal wrote:
Thanks Anita, I actually follow those exact conservation efforts here at home. While my friends electric bills run in the hundreds, I manage to keep mine below$100.00 and yes that is with my air conditioning on, also careful with water useage. I will admit I will need educate other family members prior to coming to STJ(no 30 minute showers!)8-)

way 2 go, crusingal!!! (tu)8-)

Some hotels charge a energy surcharge, usually a percentage of the nightly rate.

Linda:

What hotels on STT charge an energy surcharge?

F.I.

Don't know, I'm on STX. This charge should be included in your reservation confirmation. It may be included in your taxes. I would call the hotel and ask about additional charges. Some also have a daily activities or resort fee.

We have never had a villa with a specific fee for energy usage. There is usually a provision in the contract for a fee if excessive energy or water usage occurs, but never a fee for normal usage. I would love to see a villa rate plan that allows credit for low utility and water usage.

toes in the sand wrote:
We have never had a villa with a specific fee for energy usage. There is usually a provision in the contract for a fee if excessive energy or water usage occurs, but never a fee for normal usage. I would love to see a villa rate plan that allows credit for low utility and water usage.

that's a good idea... as for me, i think it's unlikely because of the expense. perhaps a repeat renter discount may be requested on your next vacation?

it's rare for a villa to rent back to back and keep in mind, that it's a complete home being prepared not a room. so the gardener, pool person, maintenance person, housekeeping, exterminator, etc. must be called in to get ready for your arrival. when you consider all of that, villa rentals still come in at around the cost of a nice hotel room per person, and the more there are in the party, the lower the cost per person. ultra-high end properties of course will have higher rates, and villas with fewer amenities and services will have lower rates.

Linda and all:

I know on no property in the VI charging an "Energy Surcharge".

F.I.

FI, there is one, the one we want to rent. Weekly rent + 8% tax +$250 cleaning fee + $19 per day energy surcharge. The place is still within our price range, but I have inquired about several villas and this was the only one that had the extra charge, thats why I was wondering if this is common. Thanks everyone. Laura:-)

And several of the hotels do as well.

cruisingal wrote:
FI, there is one, the one we want to rent. Weekly rent + 8% tax +$250 cleaning fee + $19 per day energy surcharge. The place is still within our price range, but I have inquired about several villas and this was the only one that had the extra charge, thats why I was wondering if this is common. Thanks everyone. Laura:-)

Perhaps they just want to let you know where your rental $$ are going. It also keeps the advertised price down until you add in the additional charges. *-)
The 8% tax is of course the rule across the board, the cleaning fee is not out of the ordinary although some do not break it out.

A Davis wrote:

that's a good idea... as for me, i think it's unlikely because of the expense. perhaps a repeat renter discount may be requested on your next vacation?
.

I realize that it is very unlikely. It's just that we keep in mind that the villa owner is usually a person and not Hilton or Holiday Inn so we keep the lights & A/C usage to a minimum. We stay comfortable while on vacation but I am certain that our utlity and water usage would fall at the bottom of the average renter usage. We conserve at home where our energy and water is more plentiful and are even more mindful of the finite resources on island. Not receiving a discount will not deter us from taking care of the island we love.

Linda:

Please tell me which hotels are charging an energy surcharge.

F.I.

For one, the Buccaneer -- room rate + 8% hotel tax + 10% energy surcharge. Others do as well. Caneel Bay on STJ has the same 10% charge. Others, the Westin, I believe, have a daily activities fee. It all adds up to the same thing, the hotels do not want to raise their published daily rates. So they add a surcharge that can be raised or lowered as costs demand. While booking a resort/hotel you should as what fixed additional taxes/surcharges/fees will be added to your stay.

Actually Bluebirds Castle is charging us $7.00 per day per person:-o

At the Point Pleasant Resort we don't have an energy surcharge.

I have seen "in the fine print" of some STJ villa listings(Only a couple) that they may charge you after you leave for excess water usage.

Right off the top of my head I know of three smaller operations on STT which charge a per diem energy surcharge to their guests. They don't include it in tiny print and are very upfront about it but I'm reluctant to name them because I don't want them to come in for some sort of negative press. It's right there on their booking info in plain sight.

Although this thread has so far NOT taken on a negative connotation where such a surcharge is concerned, I can very well understand the justification for a surcharge. Most visitors simply don't know that we pay the highest electric KW rate of any jurisdiction under the US flag which contributes to higher costs for everything. Those of us who live here think nothing of taking "sailor" showers, only running a faucet when necessary and adhering to the lavvy adage of, "It it's yellow let it mellow/If it's brown flush it down"!! I've cut what was a crippling electrical bill by over a third and almost half by replacing older appliances with energy-efficient alternatives, replacing both interior and exterior regular bulbs with energy-saving long-life alternatives, installing water-saving toilets and shower heads and getting used to just turning off ceiling fans and A/C units when they're not absolutely needed.

The average visitor doesn't even think about it and will blast the A/C units and keep the fans going at full crank even when they're out for the day, then come back in and take a 15 minute shower to rinse off the sand, run the faucet for 5 minutes while brushing teeth, take a quick pee and use a whole flush to get rid of it - you get the picture!

OK, my daily rant is over and I now have a clean slate for at least the next several hours. Cheers!