Caribbean Christmas

Guest: Bill E.
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 12/30/11

We (family of 5) had a fantastic time & the condo was perfect. It was neat & clean, kitchen fully equipped, truly making it a home away from home. Drinking water was great, no funny taste & safe. Power 120V/60Hz just like USA. Watergate Villas are located just 10 min from Charlotte Amalie & 15 min from Red Hook. Very peaceful & all you hear is the surf hitting the rocks below the balcony. Amazing views of Bolongo Bay from the MBR, Kit & DR, & the balcony (just 15 ft above the bay). From the balcony we could see the Bolongo Bay Resort & the sandy beach where we spent many sunny days. Best swimming beach is in front of Iggies, a beachfront bar & restaurant between the Villas & the Resort. At night, Iggies had a live band, we could hear from our balcony, but not too loud as to be annoying. The entire beach is open to everyone & you can drop a beach towel (plenty in the condo) anywhere for free or rent a lounge chair from the Resort for $5/day. It was an easy 3 min walk from the condo to the beach @ Iggies. The waves are gentle enough to just float in the warm water or you could go snorkeling. We brought snorkeling gear, but the condo had some gear too. Snorkeling in the coral reef was a-ma-zing. We also rented Jet Skis from 340 Water Sports, located next to Iggies. We took a Jet Ski tour along the coast into Charlotte Amalie harbor & back (great time!). Before booking this unit, I read a posting about iguanas. They were afraid of people and stayed away from us and were mostly on the rocks below the balcony. Hey, its nature! Only one night we had a little problem with the "no see'ums", little gnat-like insects that bite. 90% of the time we had no problem with any insects at all. The Wi-Fi worked perfectly for the kid's laptops & they could get to their Facebook accounts to upload daily photos. Cell phones worked too. TV only had 2 channels, but we didn't go to St.Thomas to sit inside (as I kept telling my kids). Nicest food shopping was at Food Center on the road to Red Hook. Pueblo Market was a bit skeevy. Both have produce, meat, dairy, full stock, but limited selection. Expect to pay double what you pay in USA.The 2 K-Marts are also clean & well stocked with dry goods, cereal, snacks, toiletries, clothes, footwear, etc. Souveneirs at market in Charlotte Amalie closes 5:00pm. Gas is $1 more/gal than USA. Be sure to visit St. John & tour the national park. This location was ideal and we would definitely stay here again! Kudos to our hosts!

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Great Owners!

Guest: lthoma01 (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/05/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

We had a potentially bad start to our first St. Thomas experience, but Susannah and Chris were so responsive, they saved the day. As owners, they had to change managers and that may not have been smooth. They made all the probelms disappear very quickly and we have nothing but good to say about the experience. Bolongo Bay is a great place. We have had nothing but cloudy and rainy weather, but are still loving the setting. What we will say is that St. Thomas is the most expensive island we have visited for transportation and food. Please do not disregard comments that tell you to bring a heavy wallet. Things here are about twice as high as Cozumel or the Bahamas(Marsh Harbor). But the snorkeling is fantastic and the people are wonderful. This condo is an excellent, basic rental if you are interested. Not fancy, but inches from the water and a nice, laid-back resort.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Fun in the sun

Guest: mark (minneapolis,mn.)
Date of Stay: 03/08/11 Review Submitted: 04/13/11

Great location ,clean & comfortable you can walk to 3 restaurants,swim in 3 pools or the ocean,what more could you want.Very organized owners very pleasent to work with . I would rent from them again!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, people with disabilities, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Beautiful, Fun, Relaxing

Guest: Skye (Dahlonega, GA)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

My friend and I had a beautiful, fun, relaxing vacation at this property. Bolongo Bay Resort is very laid back, convenient, and fun. The beaches were not crowded at all and the staff were very friendly and resourceful. We were able to do everything right on property and enjoyed every minute! The condo was clean, well-stocked, and comfortable and Chris was very responsive to all our requests. The deck looks small in the photo, but is actually quite large with enough furniture for 8 people. We will definitely put this resort on our list of places to return!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Must like Iguanas!

Guest: Island Time (St Thomas, USVI)
Date of Stay: 11/18/10 Review Submitted: 12/02/10

Many iguanas live on the rocks below the condo and unfortunately are adept at climbing vertically up the stucco and onto the patio as well as further up to the kitchen window sills. One either fell or pushed through the kitchen window screen and got trapped inside the condo. It was frightening getting him back outside. I used the lovely chaise lounge on the porch three times and each time, an iguana climbed up and sat on the floor next to me. I do not like iguanas, but when I screamed and jumped up, the iguanas did not even budge. I had to get a broom and sweep them off the deck. I haven't used the chaise lounge since. When we told the owners they said we were the first ones to have a problem and no one has ever complained before. And if we didn't like them, then close the doors and windows so they don't come in again. We are here for a month and asked for a refund of our unused time here but they said no. We have lived in the Caribbean for five years and are quite used to iguanas, but not this aggressive, unafraid behavior. So I only think it is fair to tell others that if you do not like to share your patio with iguanas, then do not stay here. Or above as the climb to that deck as well. If you like iguanas, it is a great view and convenient location.

Owner response:These animals are passive and indifferent creatures, not aggressive and dangerous. They are, however, quite used to human interaction and will seek out food, especially if it is offered or made accessible (as in this case, where papaya peels were left out with the windows open while the tenant was away). Past renters have consistently sited the iguanas as a "highlight" of their vacation. While the animals should not be lounging on our deck, they are part of the natural habitat in the Virgin Islands and (IMO) a charming addition to the Bolongo Bay experience. This issue with an iguana climbing on the patio is a first in our 6 years as residents and renters of this condo. The Watergate office manager has assured us that the iguana population on the Bolongo waterfront is normal (10 animals currently) and that there have been no other reports of "aggressive" iguanas in the area. We kindly ask our renters not to feed or otherwise entice the iguanas. Concerning our Customer Service interaction with the renter, it should be noted that we made every effort to address the renters concerns (during Thanksgiving weekend), including replacing the broken screen and sending maintenance over to remove/relocate the encroaching iguana. We asked the renter to close and lock all windows and doors while they are away from the condo in order to secure their (and our) property. We gave the renter a 50% discount for booking a long-term rental and the renter requested a refund after completing the second week of their stay. A refund was not justified and we had already refused several prospective renters for the same period to accomodate the long-term stay. We maintain that ours is a wonderful and comfortable waterfront condo located on a tropical island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. The deck literally overhangs the surf on Bolongo Bay in close proximity to iguanas, sea turtles, reef fish, diving pelicans and other wonders of the tropical environment. If this is the type of island experience that you desire, then we hope you’ll come visit us. If you prefer the comfort and security of a high-rise resort hotel, then you will find more suitable accommodations elsewhere. We hope you will come visit our little slice of paradise. Chris & Susannah

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/07 Review Submitted: 04/26/07

Our stay at Watergate East was great fun. This is an excellent location, between Charlotte Amalie (for shopping) and Red Hook (for ferry to St. John). We snorkeled in Bolongo Bay, swam in the great pool and ate at the very good restaurants on or next to the property. The sound of waves breaking just outside the windows was wonderful. We enjoyed watching the iguanas on the rocks below the balcony every AM. We refrained from feeding "Turk", "Pinky Lee" and the others, though.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/06 Review Submitted: 10/19/06

This is a really great property and a great location. Bolongo Bay is convenient but secluded and the amenities of the adjacent resort are a major advantage. Bolongo Bay has great snorkeling, friendly iguanas, restaurants, swimming pools, beaches and entertainment. It is a community of both tourists and condo owners. Highly recommended for relaxation and adventure.

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