I would not recommend McLaughlin Anderson. If you would like to discuss offline you may contact me at [email protected].

DestinationStJohn.com
Caribbeanvilla.com

CJ,
Sorry but I have no input as far as the villa... can you tell me what B&B you stayed at and how it was??
Thanks

crickett : )

Hi CJ-

I have a business that rates and reviews villas and agents.

Villa rental agents come in many shapes and sizes (figuratively). There are rental agents who also manage the properties they offer, rental agents who farm out the management to "management" firms, agents who "wholesale" the properties (meaning they list properties that other agents also list and don't manage them (this is most typical of the agents), etc....

Property maintenance complaints tend to occur most often with owner managed properties (no agent listing) and/or less expensive properties. Example: if the villa is in a prime location on STJ and is 4,000 sq feet, has a pool, etc you should expect to pay close to what other villas are renting for. Check the agent sites and get to know the rates for the various sizes, areas, etc. If someone is advertising a villa that seems like it should go for $4000 week and they are listing it for $2000 a week, you should ask why and consider that it might not be what you are looking for. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

On STT and STJ there is one agent who absolutely doesn't accept anything less than near perfection - Nancy Anderson ( www.mclaughlinanderson.com ). She is the owner's nightmare because she is so meticulous about the villa being top notch and she will drop villas if they fall below her standards. She doesn't have an abundance of villas, like some of the others. She has a nice portfolio of villas that are sure to please the most discerning traveler. You might think her villas are much more expensive...no. She charges typical rates for the villas because the rate is set by the owners. She is just really picky about what she lists. Read her narratives on each villa - her top villas (ultra-lux) have narratives that end with the comment "Five Stars!" I find that the rest are all 4 stars. Nancy's scale is all ultra-luxury, so 2 stars is probably mroe than most people expect.

On STJ, I've had good experiences with Destination St John and VIVA (VI Vacations). These agents have some villas at Anderson's level and some a notch or two below. Still, in general, fine villas and some are on the luxury scale and are well maintained.

Other posters on this board have had experience with other agents on STJ and they can address those agents and villas.

VillasCaribe.com is a reputable wholesaler offering lots STJ villas. I know they are big on property inspections and not listing anything sub-par...so I trust their judgement on villas. Look through their site for a large number of great villas on STJ.

Some people will tell you to find an agent who is on St John. I don't find that it matters where the reservation agency is as long as the property manager is on STJ. Such will typically be the case, even with wholesalers.

My favorite villa on St John near Cruz Bay is CaliCaribe - 3 beds, 3 baths, pool, plantation style (2 separate pavilions), view of STT, garden shower in master bath, washer/dryer, dishwasher, lux furnishings, etc etc... It is a 2 minute drive from Cruz Bay and sits on Contant Point, just South of Cruz Bay.

Who handles rental for CaliCaribe?

We stayed at Estate Lindholm and it was wonderful. I have seen some chat forums on other websites and a few people were not happy here, but my guess is that you will find that some people are not happy anyplace. I am very picky and this was great! The only reason I am not staying here again is that we will be here the entire week and travelling with another couple and need villa.

Gift Hill is above the Westin and about a 10 minute drive down to Cruz Bay (it depends on where on Gift Hill you are staying).

Destination St John has it.

http://www.destinationstjohn.com/calicaribe.htm

Pictures can be found here:

http://www.calicaribe.net/

It is booked. However -- someone other than Destination St. John had this. Do numerous rental agencies have the listings?

Not sure -- there is a villa by the name of Plumeria that is available.

CJ-

That is the idea behind wholesaling villas. You may find several agents listing the same villa. It is unusual for a villa to be exclusively listed. A villa being wholesaled is neither a negative nor positive reflection on the villa. This is why I don't agree that the agent has to be on the island. I only believe the property manager needs to be on the island.

In the case of Destination St John and Calicaribe, I believe DSJ is the actual property manager. Thus, even if you rented it from another agent, DSJ would still manage it.

When you see a villa listed with several agents, they should all offer the same rate. Sometimes you'll find one asking more than the others (they've added their own premium). It is very rare to find one asking less.

Sorry it is booked for your week. Check to see if Ginger Thomas, Ylang Ylang or Mandavilla are open. All three are 2 bedrooms and are in the Cruz Bay area (walking distance). They are luxury villas - 4 stars out of 5.

Actually -- Calicaribe might be available. There are so many villas with the name or "caribe" in them that I have them all confused. I have actually placed a call to Destination St. John and Nancy Anderson. Ylang Ylang and Ginger Thomas both appear to be available as well.

Calicaribe does not appear to have air condition in the bedrooms. This is probably not a problem for me, but one of the guys has to have air condition -- regardless of what time of the year it is.

Thank you so much for your help -- I think I might be getting the hang of this now. I actually found that a couple of the websites are probably out of date -- actually found the same house with different paint colors in some of the rooms and different names! Took me a little while to actually realize it was the same house! I think some site called "Island Hideaways" is outdated!

I also want to make sure that we are not staying some place where construction noise will be a problem -- night or day!

Island Hideaways is very reputable and the guy who owns it is LOVED by everyone in the industry. I don't know him, but many people do. Consider them to be top notch. One of the top agents in the world, LaCure ( http://www.lacure.com/english/lacure_home.htm ) recommended IH to me for an article I was writing. Some contacts at American Express Travel seconded that recommendation.

The outdated pics are surely an issue with the owner. The owners have to update their listings with the agents. Most of the agents don't take their own pics. They get them from the owners, which is why 10 agent sites will all have the same pics of the same villa. They also tend to all have the same narrative about the villa...again, owner provided.

Even Calicaribe's own site has some outdated pics. If you pay close attention, you'll see that the great room furniture is different in two pics. One shows a rather sparsely furnished great room. That must have been before the rest of the furnitire was added. The more plushly furnished pics reflect what I experienced on my visit.

Calicaribe's office, which connects the great room to the master bedroom, is air conditioned. It's kind of like an alcove/hallway that they call an office because it contains a daybed, bookshelves and a fax machine on a built in desk...hard to describe. Anyway, you can close the door to the great room and leave the door to the master bedroom open and the office AC will cool the master bedroom. I did this when I was there just to test it.

Calicaribe only has one master bedroom (some villas have two or more so that each couple traveling together has an equal level of amenities). The master is not pictured on the websites. It is lovely. The bed is a dream and one wall is all windows almost floor to ceiling and looking out onto St Thomas. The night view from the bed is amazing.

I think Ginger Thomas, Ylang Ylang and Mandavilla have 2 master bedrooms.

Villas usually look better in person...you'll be pleasantly surprised. It'll be more than you expected.

Thanks so much! I will keep the information in mind when I talk to everyone today. The villas already seem to be picked over, so I do not want to wait very long even though we are travelling in low season. Thank you for the information about Island Hideaways. I am not sure I want to rent from an owner who has outdated pictures -- makes me think they are hiding something! I will keep you posted.

Is there a way to rate Ylang Ylang, Ginger Thomas or Mandavelle? What order of preference if they are all available? One of the pools looked very small and narrow.

Considering the three, I would put Mandavilla first. It was the first one built and has the larger pool and a spa. The two master bedrooms flank the living area on the same level.

The other two villas were just completed. They are pretty much identical. One master suite is on the main level and the other master suite is on a lower level via exterior staircase. The pool is a plunge pool, dipping pool or "cocktail" pool if you want to be foo-foo about it 😉

Newer villas are appealing because they are less worn; but slighly older villas typically have more amenities becasue visitors tend to leave things behind over time....beach chairs, coolers, CDs, books, pool toys, snorkel equipment, etc.

I would be happy in any of the three and I am kind of picky; read:pampered.

Let us know what Nancy Anderson and the people at DSJ have to say. If you can't get into something right in Cruz bay, consider expanding your search a little. There are lots of villas in Chocolate Hole, Peter Bay, etc. Those areas still aren't very far from Cruz Bay.

Of course, if you want to be in a villa that sits on the sand just steps from the water on one of the prettiest beaches, the Gibney Cottage is one of a kind. I think it is the only true beachfront rental on STJ. It may not be right for this trip, but is worth knowing about for the future.

http://www.destinationstjohn.com/gibney_beach.htm Gibney Cottage

I actually know about Gibney Cottage and think my sister is staying there in a couple of months. Tell me about Gift Hill -- unerstand that is is a 10-minute drive, but having hard time getting handle on the road system.

As the crow flies, it would probably be 2 minutes. As the Jeep drives, however, Gift Hill is "up" over Cruz Bay and the Westin. Meaning, lots of incline and swithcbacks. Since this is your second visit, you probably remember that STJ is mountainous and the roads have many switchbacks. The speed limit on the island is 25mph as well. And don't forget....you drive on the left but the car is set up the same (as in, the driver's shoulder is to the shoulder).

Another thing to remember is that STJ is a very small island. Nothing is more than 40 minutes away (that's from one end to the other) and the views are awesome as long as someone else is driving!

I must disagree with Bluwater about beachfront rentals/villas available on St John. There are more than just Gibney Cottage.

Also take a look at Caribbeanvilla.com. I've heard good things about them from these message boards and their website will list villas anyway you want i.e. by location on the island, beachfront, price, bedrooms etc. I haven't used them yet (but have a reservation for next year). I have used Destiantion St John Villas and they were great! Both of the villas we stayed at were on Gift Hill: Paloma Blanca (on a very intersting road) and Cocotier in Virign Grand Estates. Both about 10 minutes drives into Cruz Bay.

Thanks. I am not worried about the 10-minute drive -- only after being in Cruz Bay for dinners, etc. and getting back -- some of those roads are very curvy and dark!

OK -- I am still looking as I had to go out of town for a few days. Anybody heard of a house called "Odessa" -- think it is near Hart Bay. Please let me know. Still trying to decide between Mandavalla and Plumeria!