Has anyone stayed at the Cinnamon Bay Campground in a Cottage? That is much cheaper! If you have, how was it & how are the beaches there?

Elizabeth,

I think most of us would agree that renting a villa, especially since there will be 4-5 of you. If you search this board you will find lots of recommendations and websites to help.

New Englander

You can find some nice villas for decent prices, especially if your entire party splits the cost.

St. John isn’t exactly the kind of island where you go and hang out at one beach the whole time…it’s the kind of place that you explore. And since 2/3 of the island is national park, there aren’t very many private beaches…the vast majority of the beaches are public. It also isn’t much of a resort island…there are only two resorts on the whole island, Caneel Bay and the Westin. If you’re looking for a resort type vacation and don’t want to pay the prices at Caneel or the Westin, then I’d recommend that you find another island more suited to the “resort style” vacation. There are lots of resorts on STT, for example. Good luck 🙂

Thanks for the advice. That is exactly what I need to figure out- what type of vacation everyone wants. There is definitely at least 1 person who isn't really the "exploring" type. So I will have to see what the consensus is. If we do decide we want a more "resport style" vacation it sounds like STT might be the way to go. 🙂

Here are some websites for you to search to compare prices of villas.
www.carefreegetaways.com
www.stjohnproperties.com
www.starvillas.com
www.bookitvi.com
www.seaviewhomes.com
www.mahoganytreevilla.com
www.sunsetvista.com
www.cateredto.com
Hope you find what your looking for, Leticia

Hi again Elizabeth 🙂

I also should have said that if you do decide on the Westin STJ, make sure that everyone in your party is willing to go to other beaches...the beach at the Westin isn't great...so if you're going to end up staying at a resort and spend most of your time at that resort's beach, then the Westin isn't a good choice...there are lots of resorts on STT that have much better beaches than the Westin.

Caneel Bay on STJ has great beaches, and you could certainly get away with going no where else if you stayed there (though it's still more fun to explore), but it is super expensive.

So if you did choose the Westin or a villa on STJ, you'd have to venture out, as there are amazing public beaches on STJ...but you have to be willing to explore...like you said, you just have to find out what kind of vacation you're looking for 🙂

Elizabeth,

My mother-in-law and father-in-law, both in their seventies, spend a week at the Cinnamon Bay Campground cottages every year and love it. Next month they're bringing my sister-in-law and her daughter with them. I'm a bit more high maintenance (I'm not into communal bathrooms) so it wouldn't be someplace I'd stay but if you enjoy camping or camper travel, the cottages are casual, affordable, and tropical, and you might enjoy it. They have a waiting list much of the year so plenty of people like to stay there.

Hello Elizabeth,

You might want to check out the Harmony studios at Maho http://www.maho.org/harmony.cfm. My husband and I stayed there about 2 years ago. They are small, but can sleep 4 (maybe 5?). Private bathroom and shower is a plus, simple kitchenette, and deck. Be advised that there are a lot of stairs to climb down to the beach, restaurant, etc. This location does put you in easy hike/walking distance to several great beaches. No pool, very quiet, laid back and simple. Nothing fancy at all. So your group needs to decide what they want in a vacation. Enjoy and have fun! Kacot