St John Vacation Tips
Read these 6 St John Vacation Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Caribbean tips and hundreds of other topics.
Get away From it all at Caneel Bay
Caneel Bay, one of the finest St. John resort hotels, is set on 170 acres of the beautiful island. Founded by Laurence Rockefeller, this St. John resort offers a view of the natural, untouched surroundings and includes tons of amenities such as an airport greeting and transportation, use of sun boats, afternoon tea and even an introductory lesson to Scuba diving.
As for the beaches, Caneel Bay's guests have access to some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean, with some villas having direct beachfront access from their patio. Start saving now, rooms start at $350 per night but are well worth it.
There's More to the Package Than Meets the Eye
Like most other travel packages, your St John vacation packages will usually include round trip airfare, hotel accommodations at St John hotels and fare transfers to get you from the airport to the hotel.
All packages are different. When you book your travel, make sure you know exactly what you are paying for...and what you will be responsible for paying later.
Information on the US Virgin Islands
St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix comprise the US Virgin Islands. These islands of the Caribbean were shared by the US and Dutch up until the US purchased them outright in 1917. The islands are, officially, a US Territory similar to Guam and Puerto Rico.
Oddly, and important to tourists that plan to drive around, it is the only US territory that has left-side driving (just like driving in Britain). Considering the British Virgin Islands are close by, that might not be so odd.
Shop 'Till You Drop on St. John
We all love to take advantage of the Caribbean for shopping during our island vacations. Jewelry, schlocky souvenirs, and island arts are everywhere - you need only to find them, and hand over the plastic.
St. John is known for its fun boutiques and shopping opportunities in Cruz Bay. You will find Mongoose Junction and Wharfside Village within walking distance and both offer cute boutiques and art studios with amazing potential souvenirs of your trip.
Whenever you are going on vacation, you should always set a budget for something fun and unusual to commemorate your trip. If you set a budget, and really take the time to find just the right souvenir, you are less likely to spend money on "stuff" like cheesy t-shirts and weird shell sculptures and more likely to end up with something that will grace your home and remind you of a wonderful trip!
Visit in a Villa!
When considering a villa for your St. John vacation, think about your last visit to the Westin hotel. Why? One of the best villa locales in St. John is owned by Westin hotels.
The Westin St. John, in addition to its 282 room hotel, boasts a total of 67 villas on its property. Villas offer the privacy of a detached 1, 2 or 3 bedroom bungalow with the service quality of a high-rated hotel.
In general, check reviews of places before you stay there but don't let the idea of a villa scare you off. They are a great way to spend a vacation with just a little more privacy.
Staying in St John for a Lot or a Little
While the smallest of the US Virgin Islands, there is more than meets the eye when looking at St John hotels. There are several options for your stay at different budget levels.
If you are looking for a cheap stay while on this beautiful island, you can find two-star hotels for around $45-$50 USD per evening. However, for a more memorable stay, you could choose one of the islands many privately-owned inns and guest houses. These will offer a more personalized and local flair than a traditional hotel.
Lastly, and most expensively, you could choose to stay at one of the island's privately-owned St John villas. Depending on the cost of the villa (some range into the several million-dollar range), your cost will vary accordingly. But imagine the multi-million dollar views all yours for a week for only a few thousand dollars. What would Robin Leach say? :)
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