Coral Bay Villa Choice Help needed

auntsweety · Post by **auntsweety** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:44 am

We are planning a trip to St John next July. We have not been able to visit since 2001 (1 week before 9/11). The plan is to stay in Coral Bay this time around. I think we will enjoy the quiet and I love the view of the various islands. We will be travelling with our children, son age 10 and daughter, age 12. The plan is for the kids to share a twin bedroom. A pool is a requirement. We had wanted to go to Bay Rum Breeze (not Coral bay, I know) but frankly, when we are paying the whole nut, including airfare for the kids, it's just too expensive. I think we will save that one for a friends trip.

I have spent many hours reviewing all villa websites and I think I have it narrowed down to three: Waterlemon Villa, Villa Tiffany and Great Turtle Villa.

Waterlemon Villa - looks lovely, has a full screened in veranda with nice furniture, stunning view, outdoor showers, reasonable price, kids upstairs (which is a preference of my husband). Downsides are queen size beds, pool on different level than living level and no air conditioning anywhere. I don't need full air conditioning and in fact like the idea of having the doors open to the screened in veranda but really do like to be cool when sleeping.

Villa Tiffany - beautiful; full air conditioning, pool on main living level; lovely outdoor showers, comfy looking outdoor furniture; updated; king beds for the adults; dining table and grill near pool on main living area, great view. Downsides - about $800 more a week for us than Waterlemon; kids bedroom would be below main living area (but not on pool level).

Great Turtle Villa - Nice view but a bit further away; pool centrally located; comfy looking outdoor furniture; updated; additional bonus is that it looks like it would get some afternoon sun on the pool and villa based on location. downside - pool not on main level; bedrooms all outdoor access and kids bedroom would be on pool level; no outdoor showers, about $750 more than Waterlemon Villa.

All that said - I was wondering if any of you had any experience with these villas and could offer any input or suggestions.

Clearly, I'm obsessed! You should have seen the master list.....

stjchica · Post by **stjchica** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:01 am

I have looked at Great Turtle and Waterlemon extensively for a family vacation as well. No AC in July would be a deal breaker for me. The kids bedrooms would be a big priority as well. I didn't like that Great Turtle had outside access. So if Villa Tiffany's bedrooms are interior then for me, I would go Villa Tiffany for peace of mind and comfort. The extra $$ would be worth it for me. I'm sure you will have a great time no matter which you pick though. Let us know what you decide and do a review when you return please..

SamanthaL · Post by **SamanthaL** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:34 am

I have no input on those villas, but I just want to say that there is no way I would travel to St John in July without air conditioning. Minimally it's needed in the bedrooms.

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:15 am

Have you looked at Rhumb Runners? http://www.vrbo.com/139522 We stayed there about 5 years ago (prior to a nice kitchen renovation they did.)

Two bedrooms upstairs, one with twins and one a king, both with AC and their own bathroom attached. Interior stairs. Half bath on main floor. Pool on main level. Beautiful views. It's up the hill from Crabby's, high up but paved all the way.

I know you said your hubby wants separate level for the kids, and maybe you have already considered this house, but I thought I'd mention it. We loved it!

stjchica · Post by **stjchica** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 3:03 pm

Rhumb Runners looks like a great option if the dates work~

Backtotheislands · Post by **Backtotheislands** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:03 pm

I don't know anything about these houses either, but I have been only in the summer months and there is NO way I'd stay without AC. It's just too hot! I learned on a trip to Kauai that no matter what people say about trade winds or ocean breezes I must have AC to sleep. It wasn't comfortable! I think you would be grateful for the AC!

momto3boys · Post by **momto3boys** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 9:34 am

My husband and I just got back from Villa Tiffany in April. We loved it! We would stay there again in a heartbeat. The outdoor shower was amazing. We never used the a/c then. But I would think in July you would need it. It would be hot when we would come back after locking up everything. The bedroom downstairs does not compare to the 2 upstairs at all. I would not worry about the safety though. The Master bedroom
window is on the side facing the driveway.

Having the pool right off the main living area was perfect for us. Plus the covered areas and the uncovered areas gave lots of choices of where to relax. The kids would probably get a kick out of the road to the villa. Let me know if there are any specific questions that you need answered.

lazylane · Post by **lazylane** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 9:48 am

We stayed at Great Turtle villa 3 years ago and it was one of my favorites to date. It's in Upper Carolina with great views, the pool got sun all day long (this was December) There is a king suite separate from all others and the queen and twin suites are below. Patio furniture was great to sink into for that view!! (outside patio furniture and covered deck are two of my main requirements...who stays inside???) I can dig up my pics if you want me to email some!

stjchica · Post by **stjchica** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:44 am

Lazylane...How would it be for someone having kids? My thought is I would worry about them being downstairs with outside entrances..Can you elaborate on the feeling re: safety, etc.?

auntsweety · Post by **auntsweety** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 1:14 am

Thanks for the input! Looks like we DO need ac in July. Who'd have guessed?

I must have been fooling myself. I will cross out Waterlemon for this time of year. I do like my AC!

I re-looked at Rhumrunners. It does look nice. I may have crossed it off the final list because the pool looks to be well off to the side and the outside furniture didn't look very comfy.

Pam - Unfortunately, the Villa Tiffany bedroom for the kids is outside access like Great Turtle. But its slightly better for kids in my view because the twin bedroom, although on the lower level, is not on the same level as the pool as they are at Great Turtle. There is a Youtube video of Villa Tiffany which shows the lower bedroom as sort of enclosed by the decking so it feels pretty safe.

FWIW - the is also a Youtube video of Great Turtle.

Chicagoans - I'm sorry to be unclear. My husband didn't need the kids to be on a separate level, he just didn't want them to be on a lower level alone. I think he would really prefer to all be on the same level.

Momto3boys - I'm glad to hear you loved Villa Tiffany. Do you recall when the pool was in the sun? I really do love the idea of having the pool, grill, dining table, kitchen and lounge furniture on the same level.

Lazylane - Like you, I feel that outdoor furniture and covered seating places are a priority. I am much less focused on interior furniture, kitchen etc than I am on the whole outdoor experience. The furniture at Great Turtle does look very inviting and was one of the reasons I was drawn to it. We will be outside 90% of the daylight hours and most of the evening until bedtime. We don't really do TV on vacation so why be inside? I love the idea of a sunny pool. I would love to see your pictures if it's not too much trouble. Can you tell be anything about the accessibility of the lower level bedrooms? Basically, is there access from that level out to the yard, driveway, what have you.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 2:54 am

Island Horizons is right next door to Waterlemon Villa:
http://islandhorizonsvi.com/

My husband and I have stayed at Island Horizons. It does have a/c but the pool is a couple flights of stairs down. There are two bedrooms on the main level, but at opposite ends of the house so you'd have privacy from the kids.

sunrum · Post by **sunrum** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:24 am

We stayed in Great Turtle a couple of years ago and it is my favorite villa in 12 trips. The views and outside furniture really made it unforgettable. We had kids in the 3 lower bedrooms but the youngest was 14. It felt very safe to me though because of the way the villa is situated. The driveway is next to the upper level. Because of the hill, the lower levels can only be accessed by the stairs from the upper deck.

sunrum · Post by **sunrum** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:26 am

I forgot to add that the driveway also has an electronic gate to keep the donkeys out.

momto3boys · Post by **momto3boys** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 7:50 am

Auntsweety,

The pool gets sun from early morning to late afternoon. We had days where it was hard to pull ourselves away to venture to the beaches. It seemed liked like the mornings kept getting a later start for us. We had a couple of Villa gravity days because we just did not want to leave.

The outdoor furniture was very comfortable. That is something important to us as well. Has to have nice comfy cushions. We started each morning with coffee right outside the master on the chairs or loveseat there.

One other thing I forgot to mention is the bed. The master king bed was very very comfortable. You kinda melted into it. Best bed we have had when staying somewhere in a long time.

We never used the grill like we had planned. We ate out more this trip.

The driveway is a little nervewracking the first 2 times. After that it is a breeze. We used the w/d and they had the detergent there for you.

The hottub was very nice as well. The one day when the pool was too cool the hottub was perfect. We heated it up for the nighttime use. There is a outdoor shower next to pool for rinsing off the sand. Perfect for when you come back from the beach. That way you don't drag it into the villa.

If we ever went back with our younger son (11) we would rent it . We were remarking while there how perfect it would be for a small family. Though it is perfect for a couple when alone wanting solitude. We only heard voices drift up once our entire time there.

HTH.

lazylane · Post by **lazylane** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 10:21 am

Sorry, I cannot get to my pics of Great Turtle...old computer problems!

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