Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect Home Away From Home

Guest: Paul N.
Date of Stay: 03/14/12 Review Submitted: 04/11/12

The condo was the perfect choice for our stay in St. Thomas. It was close to everything, the beach, shopping and recreation, yet it was quiet and private. The place worked well with our family of four. There was a private bedroom and two full size futons in the living room for the kids. The pool was not crowded with the Sapphire Grill a bonus we didn't expect. We ended up having lunch by the pool a few times. The snorkeling at Sapphire Beach was outstanding. We will definately stay here again.

Recommended for:

SUPER CONDO

Guest: Brett G.
Date of Stay: 03/09/12 Review Submitted: 03/31/12

Great condo in a very nice resort. Beach is fantastic with good food and drinks on the beach. Due to a mix up I needed a place on short notice. I was at the Sapphire Beach Resort and your place is superior. The unit was very clean and well appointed. Hope to come back again.

Recommended for:

Good location to bounce from

Guest: Alethea S. (NY, NY)
Date of Stay: 02/13/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

Property was conveniently located to Red Hook which enabled us to bounce back & forth to St. John's as well as to several beautiful beaches on St. Thomas. Excellent value for the price. My only complaint was the lack of utensils in the kitchen.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing.

Sapphire Beach

Guest: Kathy K.
Date of Stay: 02/05/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

The condo was nice, the on site restaurant was really good and the beach was beautiful. We had a wonderful time in St. Thomas and will definitely return.

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Wonderful Stay in Paradise

Guest: Alan H.
Date of Stay: 12/08/11 Review Submitted: 02/29/12

Our stay at the condo was great. It was clean and very comfortable. The futons were a great idea. I'm going to get one for my den. I couldn't believe how close it was to Sapphire Beach. The snorkeling there was tremendous. The food at the Sapphire Grill was really good. My only regret is not staying longer than 4 nights.

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

Great condo, Great time

Guest: David F.
Date of Stay: 09/04/11 Review Submitted: 09/23/11

Our family of 4 have stayed in many condos over the years but we think that this one is one of the best. We felt comfortable as soon as we walked in the door. The beach was close and in addition there was a pool we could lounge in after dark. I have not been on ski-doo since my honeymoon 25 years ago but watching the fun outside our window we all gathered up the courage to go and had a blast! Great location I recommend this place

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

The perfect getaway

Guest: Ken (Whitestone, NY)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

My wife and I (and my two daughters) are planning our 2nd visit to this condo. I just glanced the reviews and was astonished at what I saw! There is just no way that this is the same place where we stayed! We spent a week in the Aranoff's condo and had one of the best vacations ever. My wife and daughters tried snorkeling for the first time and absolutely loved it. Sapphire beach and the recommended beaches on St. Thomas were just beautiful. We took a day trip to St. John and plan on doing that again. The condo itself was comfortable and very clean. We thought it was cozy and very nicely decorated. We were just very happy there and are looking forward to our second visit.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Charming Condo

Guest: Peter D.
Date of Stay: 08/16/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

Overall, we had an amazing holiday at this place!! I rented this condo for an end of summer getaway with my fiancée (August, 2011). The condo was perfect for a quiet and relaxing trip. During the last 3 years, we've taken a summer holiday on various Caribbean beaches, and this has been our favorite place so far! A charming unit along the gorgeous Sapphire Beach. We were greeted by rooms which were fully furnished and squeaky clean. The bedroom was cozy, with a very comfy bed and new sheets. Our bathroom was clean and equipped with brand new soap and shampoo. The kitchen was well maintained, stocked with utensils, and plenty of coffee and tea. We cooked our own food in the kitchen most days, and this worked out well. My fiancée and I enjoyed the wonderful view of the island sunset from the balcony every evening - truly romantic! The owner (Amy) gladly offered great recommendations for boating and diving near the condo. Very lovely person. For those looking for beach activities, you can find plenty of them here. The neighborhood is friendly, safe, and has a great selection of restaurants if you prefer to eat out. What really made this a great deal was the prime location near Sapphire Beach. We enjoyed a convenient leisurely walk to the beach every morning. Essentially, we had a resort-level beach at an affordable price (a rare catch for St. Thomas). I would absolutely rent this place again in a heartbeat, and would recommend to friends and family. Squeaky clean, well-furnished, charming, and fun! A resort-quality location at an affordable price is not easy to come by - but, here it is! Thanks to the owner for a beautiful vacation.

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

Great Value in Paradise

Guest: Kathy Q.
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/20/11

Stayed at this condo with two teenagers. The condo was clean, comfortable and convenient. The beach was a short walk and beautiful. The kids loved the beach and spent all day snorkeling. After a fabulous day at the beach we took a dip in the pool and Mom and Dad enjoyed a cocktail at the bar. We are all looking forward to going back to this condo again next year

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

Rodent & Expectations Not Met!

Guest: Nathan B. (San Jose, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/05/11 Review Submitted: 08/09/11

My wife and I recently stayed at this condo (7/5/11 – 7/15/11) for our honeymoon and we were terribly disappointed. Although the condo looked clean when we arrived, we immediately noticed that the bathroom smelled like urine when we entered it. The fan in the bathroom does not function, which may be the cause of the smell or perhaps the odor came from the old shower curtain or rug/matt around the toilet. The bathroom is also very dated looking. It is not shown in any photos on the site and that is probably why. This condo is poorly maintained. Besides the bathroom fan not working, the lock on the sliding glass door is broken (the only way to ensure people don’t enter the unit is by placing a wooden stick at the base of the door), which didn’t make us feel very safe. Other items that need maintenance are the kitchen window, which is broken, the sliding glass door curtains that are run down and not hanging correctly, the ceiling fan in the bedroom, which hardly works, and the ac unit that is propped up with bricks. There are numerous additional finishing touches that need work. If you are looking for a decent place to spend your vacation, look elsewhere because this is not it! For those individuals who plan on cooking during your trip, the kitchen feels more like a kitchenette and there are many tools missing. There are no knives (i.e. chef knife, bread knife, peering knife, etc.), cutting board, spatula and hardly any counter space. There are plastic plates and plastic cups, which radiates CHEAP! Although we were disappointed with the condo, we sucked it up and made the best of our time there, until the icing on the cake… two nights before our departure a RODENT ran from the kitchen into the bedroom while my wife and I were watching TV. Needless to say this is not what we expected on our honeymoon. We left that night and stayed at a different venue, which was one of the only decent places available on short notice. The following day we contacted the owners of the condo and asked for compensation due to the mouse. In fact, the wife (Amy) even offered a refund, but the husband (Howard) reneged on the offer and blew us off. In conclusion, do not stay here!

Owner response:In response to this unfair and mean-spirited review, we, the condo-owners would like to inform our past and future renters of the truth to this nonsense. This renter actually threatened to write a nasty review if we refused to succumb to his demands of refunding his money after he returned from his honeymoon at our condo. This is extortion! He called us the day before his vacation was to end with a list of complaints ranging from our "cheap" dishes to the "sticky" sliding door. My husband and I pride ourselves on the cleanliness and comfort of our condo. Our photos depict the reality of "what you see is what you get." Yes, our dishes are not china and our bathroom vanity is not marble but, really....you are on a beautiful caribbean island-on vacation! Is this so important? In the past, any issues/needs from our renters has been resolved immediately. We provide our renters with 3 ways to contact us if anything is needed. We encourage our renters to contact us if there is a problem and do our best to resolve it. Had we been informed of any of these issues during this renters stay we would have attended to them immediately however, a call on the last day of your vacation with a list of complaints is just too late for us to make the necessary repairs. Sure, we tried our best to resolve the issues which were brought up but, when this renter tried to shake us down for a refund, we refused....hence, a nasty and untrue review. Perhaps this renter was dissatisfied with his honeymoon accommodations-expecting "The Ritz" at a fraction of the cost...regardless, we stand proudly by our condo and HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A NEGATIVE REVIEW! With regard to his specific complaints, we take all complaints seriously and after going through the condo have confirmed that our condo is "trouble-free," clean and most importantly rodent free! Shame on you for writing such a false and frankly hurtful review.

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Great time in paradise

Guest: Andrew G.
Date of Stay: 07/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

My wife and I stayed in this condo and enjoyed every minute of it. It is a great value for the money. The unit is clean. The beach is beautiful and right there. The view from the balcony is wonderful. The kitchen is stocked with everything you need and the unit is perfect for a couple or a family. In short, we will come back to this condo in a heartbeat the next time we travel to St. Thomas.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Best Vacation Ever!!

Guest: spingirl (Great Barrington, Massachusetts USA)
Date of Stay: 04/26/11 Review Submitted: 06/18/11

Wow! We just returned home from St.Thomas and could not be happier with the condo! It was clean, spacious and perfect for my family of four. I enjoy cooking a lot so the kitchen was a perfect home away from home not to mention my kids loved the futons! They are asking for them in their room! I think our favorite part was the view. My husband and kids would sit on the deck for hours and watch the boats come in and out every evening. The perfect end to a perfect day everyday! I would recommend this condo to everybody! Its the perfect vacation spot! If you are deciding weather or not to stay here definitely stay. The owners are so nice and friendly and it was super easy to book! I will definitely be going back soon!

Owner response:Jamie - Glad you had a great time. I told you your kids would love the futons.

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

Great rental for the family

Guest: Kevin R.
Date of Stay: 04/09/11 Review Submitted: 10/18/11

Our stay at this condo was one of the best vacations we have had. An incredibly beautiful beach is a VERY short walk and just a short boat ride away is one of the gems of the national park system, St. John. Snorkeling, swimming, sail tours of the Caribbean - it's all right outside your door. My wife and kids could not stop saying "We have to go back there!". On a snorkle trip off of St. John we saw giant sea turtles grazing on sea grass on the ocean floor. Amazing! The condo has all the amenities you would expect and/or need for a family on vacation. It's clean, nicely decorated and comfortable. All at a great price. I highly recommend this condo for a family vacation.

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Very nice ! Very Comfortable ! Very quiet !

Guest: quackmar (Reston, VIrginia)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/13/11

This very quiet and peaceful condo is wonderfully clean and very, very well maintained. It had everything we needed, and we especially appreciated the extra towels and well equipped kitchen. To be in Sapphire Beach Village, you can't get a closer walk to the beach. It doesn't have the long uphill of the other buildings. Compared to the other VRBO one bedroom offerings at either of the Sapphire Beach resorts, it is a great value because it very comfortably sleeps 4 adults. It has two new, exceptionally comfortable futons that are large enough for adults. Note that the trade-off for the short walk is that this unit is right next to the marina, so the view from the balcony is mostly boats, but still pleasant. The advantage of the marina is that if you want any watersport activity it's all right there, just steps away. In the photo of Sapphire Beach Village, this unit is in the building on the lower right, bottom floor, so that gives idea of the view. The photos of the inside of the unit are accurate. The owner was helpful and communication was satisfactory. The resort pools are in brand new, perfect condition, and peaceful. The restaurant next to the pool is okay, nothing special. At any of the Sapphire Beach properties, the drawback is lack of on-site dining options, but then we were there because we wanted a kitchen, and that worked great. Senor Pizza delivers (it's okay) for a reasonable price. The Safari bus provides easy, cheap transport to Red Hook, where there are many dining options and groceries. (We didn't trust driving on the left. We were only there for 4 days, so managed fine without a car. You can take a lot of taxis for the price of a rental car.) We ate at: Molly Malones had good food, pleasant location and excellent service; The Fish Tail (formerly Off the Hook) has excellent, wonderfully fresh seafood, though the preparations are not exceptionally creative. Overall we had a lovely time, and I would recommend it to friends.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Awesome place!

Guest: LB183 (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 03/07/10 Review Submitted: 04/04/10

My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of visiting St. Thomas for the first time. It was paradise. There were so many things that made it special - the weather, the beach, the crystal clear water, the reef just outside the door, the people, the restaurants, etc. The condo is kept so neat and clean and every detail is taken care of. This was a true getaway from all of the hustle and bustle. It was all you said it would be and you just cannot beat the price for what we got. We will definitely be back

Owner response:Glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay and are getting married. Congratulations! Our place is great for honeymoons.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic

Guest: Jbar (Worcester)
Date of Stay: 07/02/09 Review Submitted: 09/14/09

My wife and I had a superb time on our "second honeymoon". Everything worked out perfectly. All of the information Amy sent us made the vacation. The condo is very well taken care of. The grounds are in great shape. The location couldn't be better, close to Red Hook and steps from the beach. The place is peaceful, we will stay here in the future.

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

Super Vacation

Guest: Jammer (Northeast)
Date of Stay: 08/16/08 Review Submitted: 01/10/09

We had a great time staying at this condo. The place was a lot bigger than I realized. My wife and I stayed in the bedroom while my two kids age 9 and 11 slept in the living room. The place was spotless when we arrived and the grounds were immaculate. The previous guests were nice enough to leave us a bottle of Jim Beam The people who work at Sapphire Village were super nice. The owner sent us maps and tourist information. The trip from the airport was a breeze. I do reccomend that you rent a car. The location was perfect. We took day trips all over St. Thomas. We especially liked Magen's Bay and Coki Beach. Sapphire Beach is probably one of the best beaches on the island. It was my favorite place to snorkel. One day we took the ferry from Red Hook to St. John. The beaches there are spectacular. We tried to go hiking but after seeing the beaches never made it to the trails. I heard they are beautiful too. Our favorite activity was taking the New Horizons sailboat from Sapphire Marina. It was an all day sailboat/snorkeling trip. The boat left from outside our door and was the highlight or our trip. I wish I had bothered to look at the coupon book that came with our budget rent a car. We would have gone on the boat for half price. Red Hook being a mile away was real handy. The two (2) grocery stores were a little more expensive than the ones at home, but had everything. I guess food is more expensive in the islands. There were great restaurants in and around Red Hook. My kids loved Duffy's Love Shack and Molly Malones. They both had great kids meals. My favorite was the Texas Barbecue take out. There are whole lot up upscale restaurants that I heard were good. We never made it there. One day we ventured into Charlotte Amalie. It was not for us and we left after an hour. It was way too crowded, a cruise ship had come in. We were't really interested in purchasing jewerly or fine linen. I would definately reccomend this place for a family vacation. We only stayed a week but really could have used more time.

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

Great Rental - Great Time

Guest: John (Vancouver, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/28/08 Review Submitted: 07/23/08

This was our 6th trip to St Thomas and second to the Sapphire Beach area and we were very happy with the accommodations. The unit was a short walk to the beach and great snorkeling, it was quite and well maintained. We especially loved the separate kitchen/dining area and the true master bedroom and separate bath. We will stay here again.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.