Family of 5 STT Christmas Vacation

Guest: Cindy (Zionsville, IN)
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/08/12

First, I would like to say Dianne was wonderful to work with. We emailed several times and she would promptly answer all my questions. She arranged for me to contact the office to send Priority Mail boxes ahead with Christmas decorations, suntan lotions, etc. The office was most gracious to hold the boxes for about 10 days before our arrival. The condo was as seen in the pictures. Unfortunately most 3 bedroom condos were already booked by August when I started checking out VRBO for places to rent. Trying to keep this vacation on budget, with airfare and holiday rates for the week was my priority. We traveled with our 3 kids..22, 21, and 17. While my oldest son was a trooper using the pull out couch, the girls used the twin beds and the master bedroom was comfortable for my husband and I. Yes, this condo shows wear and tear, but overall, it was comfortable. The Bolongo Bay resort with it;s restaurants were quite handy a few times when we returned on the last ferry from St. John and were too tired to navigate the roads at night. Everything you might need was at the condo....hairdryers, towels, extra linens, dishware. This condo does not have a diswasher...mildly annoying, but it certainly was a joy having a washer and dryer. Would not want trudge around washing beach towels, bathing towels, etc. Was great to come home with a suitcase full of clean clothes. We ate at Mims the first night we arrived. Probably due to overbooking, our dinner was not the best we had on vacation, however, the parking lot seemed full of taxis in the evening. We had ample parking spaces available for our unit. Best dinners we had out were at Secret Harbour and the Ritz. Both quite $$$, We ate at Iggies one night and were pleasantly surprised at the price. My son loved the steamed pot from their menu. The band that evening was very fun. We ate breakfast 2x at the restaurant at Bolongo Bay. No complaints there. Rented from Budget, but by the time we arrived at the counter they were out of Jeeps even with a reservation. We were given a Ford Taurus..clean, ample room for 5 for riding and fitting all the luggage. Driving it on St. John was OK, but a Jeep would certainly have been more enjoyable. Spent 3 days on St. John taking the car ferry over at 9am and returning on the 6:15pm ferry. Dianne has a cooler and beach bag to use for packing food and towels. The Food Center was about 15 minutes away. Good luck finding road signs!! Thanks Dianne.

Recommended for:

FABULOUS!!!

Guest: Jimmy Buffett (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 09/12/11 Review Submitted: 10/08/11

We had a girl’s getaway here in mid Sept. and could not have asked for a better spot! Dianne was extremely prompt and helpful, and the booking process was a breeze. The condo was exceptionally clean and comfortable and more than roomy enough for the three of us. The photos are accurate, but it’s hard to do the view justice, as it really is absolutely stunning! We very much enjoyed our coffee on the balcony each morning overlooking the bay and were happy to see plenty of iguanas on the grassy area below. The fully stocked kitchen and owner-provided beach towels, floaties, cooler, and hints on local attractions were an added bonus. While the condo is a short stroll to the resort next door, it was still very quiet. All we heard at night was the sound of the waves. The area is also very safe. I spent the last night alone and still felt perfectly comfortable leaving the sliding door in the master bedroom wide open all night. There is so much to do on the island that I know we didn’t quite explore our own backyard to the fullest. The condo is a short drive to both Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie. We rented a car and went on daily adventures, but did spend an afternoon at the Bolongo Bay resort. The resort seemed to have a lot to offer as far as rentals/snorkeling/boat trips/etc., and with three restaurants within walking distance, it’s easy to see how one could spend several days without getting in the car at all. We had a fantastic time and would highly recommend staying here! We hope to be back someday!

Owner response:Wow! What a wonderful review. I really, really appreciate it and am so glad your stay was so nice. I know that potential renters will appreciate what you had to say about our condo and the island. Again, thanks. And ya'll come back!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Better than home!

Guest: Liz (Milton)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

Wonderful and communicative owner, the pics were very accurate and recent addition of internet was very helpful. Great place to relax on balcony, very roomy for 3-4 adults with room on sleeper sofa for more. Close to everything, found shopping at Pueblo's to be a better bargain for our family, enjoyed cooking there. Pool on cliff was great with nightly sunsets. Directions and hints from owner about diving were perfect. We loved the quiet, uncrowded beach and very serene setting with lots of beach activity rentals available. Everyone was friendly and the beach towels, cooler, etc. allowed us to minimize packing to carry on for the week. We rented a car as there were 3 of us, and my husband has driven a good bit in the same conditions, left side, poor roads. We would very much return, and everything was included with no surprises. Thanks for everything, God smiled on us with diving with dolpins, rays, starfish, etc. A very special week that we will always remember. We took our 25 year old daughter with us and she had a wonderful time alsow reading, relaxing and ramping up for return to the workplace today.

Owner response:How very kind of you to take the time to write a review. Thank you and I hope you will come back next year. Dianne

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

Great For Family Vacation!

Guest: ceci (Riverside CA)
Date of Stay: 05/24/11 Review Submitted: 06/21/11

The condo was clean and very comfortable. We were a party of 3 adults and 2 young children on a week vacation. The beach, pool, and 2 great restaurants were a two minute walk away. On the beach you can rent jet skis, go parasailing, or take a scuba diving trip. We rented a car so getting to town and other beaches, retaurants, and attractions was not a problem. Using the GPS on my Spint phone made getting from place to place a breeze. I would recommend having a car if you stay here. Missed having a dishwasher, so we used paper plates at lot - who wants to wash dishes while on vacation! :) The one thing I would like to have had would be a gas or charcol grill so we could have grilled outdoors. There are many places to buy fresh fish and would have loved to be able to do that. Overall this was a GREAT place to stay! The kitchen was fully equiped, there were plenty of beach towels, toys for the kids, We even had a game night! I would definitely rent this condo again - as a matter of fact we are seriously considering this for an annual family trip.

Owner response:How very kind of you to take time to write a review and, of course, I am glad it was a good one! And glad you want to stay with us again. I am so sorry we don't offer a grill on the balcony but none of the condominiums at Watergate and at most other places like this on St. Thomas are allowed to have grills because of the insurance requirements of "no grills." It might have something to do with the balconies having "roofs." There are grills at the swimming pool for public use and I hope you will take your fresh fish there to grill next stay. Yes, I always recommend to everyone to rent a car as I can't imagine not seeing as much as possible of the island. Although, I did recently have renters who did not rent a car and did not go anywhere except right at the Bolongo Bay area and they were totally happy and gave us a great review and said that everything they wanted was just "right there." Again, thanks for the review and I look forward to booking your dates for a stay in 2012. Dianne

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

RELAXING, PEACEFUL, BEAUTIFUL AND SAFE AREA!

Guest: Sam (Mississippi)
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 06/15/11

We very much enjoyed our stay at the condo. Dianne was a really great help and answered all our questions both before and after we booked. The condo itself was just as pictured and extremely well kept and very clean. There were plenty of extra beach towels and such for guests. The only issue we had was the property manager used her key and walked in one time without knocking while we were sitting in the living room so be sure to put the chain on the door when you are inside. The Bolongo Bay area is the best! No crowds. Easy walking to everything in a few minutes. We always felt very safe even at night. Every employee we encountered was very, very friendly and helpful. There are 3 restaraunts that out did each other with the fabulous food. YUM! Carnival night at Iggies was a blast and VERY family oriented. My 3 year old grandson had a great time. From our balcony we saw lots of fish and even sea turtles. There are always iquanas around but they keep their distance from people. The flowers were also beautiful. We chose not to rent a car and there was really not much desire to leave the area. It was like our own safe, relaxing world! No worries!

Owner response:Thank you for taking the time to write a review as I know after such a wonderful, fun-filled vacation it is hard to return to what is facing you at home, much less take time to do a write-up for us on HomeAway. I enjoyed talking with you by phone also after your return; it was great hearing the praise and I also appreciated learning of the property manager entering your condo without knocking. I called her immediately and she admitted to the error. She swore she had no idea anyone was renting at that time. She is a new manager at Watergate and I guess this taught her a really good lesson - to always knock no matter what. She was looking to see if our air-conditioner had a leak as water was dripping below. It did not have a leak and she found the problem and I am so very, very sorry about her using her key and coming in without knocking and she is very sorry also. She apologized profusely. All other renters can rest assured that this will never happen again. I hope everyone will read all of the other wonderful things you had to say about the condo and about the Bolongo Bay area in general and I hope you will stay with us again next year! You were great guests. Thanks, Dianne

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Great place- hope to return!

Guest: Radama doc (East Lansing)
Date of Stay: 02/26/11 Review Submitted: 03/03/11

My wife and I stayed at unit Feb 26-March 1. ( & our son stayed one nite) It was all we hoped for and more. The pictures on the website are exact representations. Sitting on the covered deck was a delight- What I had not expected... and wonderfully surprised by: 1) 2 floors below us, instead of beach, it was a rocky area. with small area of grass, and plants, and home for iguanas! It was a treat to watch them. The sandy beach was less than 2 minute walk away. 2) Mims bistro is at the far corner of the adjacent unit... on the beach, with wonderful seafood, and outdoor but protected seating. 3) it was much quieter than I had expected.. which is a wonderful delight. 4) nearby hotel/resort staff were very friendly and helpful, despite us not being 'resort guests' but rather, staying in a near by condo project. Working with Diane- as manager- was effortless & , enjoyable. We made a last minute reservation. she went out of her way to be sure the key and directions were overnite shipped to us

Owner response:Thank you so much dear renters for your kind review. I truly do want all of our renters to have great vacations and hope you will stay with us year after year. It was great getting to know you by phone and e-mail. I end up feeling like our renters are close friends. One super lady from Oregon who will be staying in a few months has now sent me pictures of her and her grandchildren. Anyway, it was very special that you took the time to give us a review. Thanks, Dianne

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Raving Recommendation

Guest: Denny (Denver, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

From the Colorado Rockies to St. Thomas - WOW. We had a great trip and will go again next year and stay at this same condo. The lady who responded to our initial inquiry, Dianne, was just great and answered all questions and made everything really easy. We actually sent her a personal check for our trip and she mailed us a key. The condo itself is as they advertised: so convenient to everything - shopping downtown and getting to the ferries at Red Hook. There was enough to do right there at Bolongo Bay that it was hard to make ourselves see the rest of St. Thomas and take a day-trip to St. John. There is a fun bar called Iggie's that called our names quite a few days/nights. We treated ourselves to a nice meal eaten at oceanside at the restaurant in the building right next to ours - Mim's Restaurant. Great meal. Dianne had sent directions from the airport to the condo so it was easy finding our way there --- which is super important! She also sent directions to grocery stores and how to get to the ferry. The condo was really nice and clean. I recommend staying at this condo at Watergate Villas East, Bolongo Bay HIGHLY! Enjoy your vacation.

Owner response:Hello Future Renters! I hope you watched the HomeAway ad on both last year and this year's Super Bowl on TV. I am very proud to have our property listed with HomeAway and you should be too as it gives you total peace of mind about getting an honest property owner and it should give you a great sense of security knowing about their wonderful guarantee. I want you to know I'll always be available by both telephone and e-mail to answer all of your questions about both St. Thomas and St. John such as the best snorkling beaches and how to take the car ferry at Red Hook to get over to St. John (about a 20 minute ferry ride and an unforgettable experience), information on visiting Megan's Beach which was voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world, and the same for Trunk Bay on St. John, how to get to Mahogany Run Golf Course (so beautiful), vendors' square, etc. Just ask. I know you will be happy you have a new stackable washer and dryer in the condo -- especially if you have children. Regarding whether to rent a car or not, it would be a shame not to see St. Thomas and St. John; however, you can stay at Bolongo Bay and have enough to keep you satisfied your entire visit and many of our renters do just this: Four or more restaurants, four swimming pools, plenty of concessions renting "water toys," all-you-can-eat crab legs at Iggie's two nights a week, entertainment with steel drums, limbo dancers, a dance contest, etc. at Iggie's on Wednesday nights, on and on. I know you will love renting from us.

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

Exceeds Expectations! A++++++

Guest: Lizzy (St. Croix, USVI)
Date of Stay: 01/07/11 Review Submitted: 01/14/11

This condo totally exceeded our expectations. We were a bit worried about the cleanliness as we are very very picky when it comes to that, especially the bathrooms and the beds. However, the condo was spick and span, very very clean. The bedding was new and fresh. Dianne left information re the area and was helpful from the moment we contacted her to book the stay. The balcony was enornous and very spacious. We felt right at home. I would definately stay here again and recommend it to everyone I know.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Paradise

Guest: georgia (Florence, MS)
Date of Stay: 03/23/10 Review Submitted: 11/04/10

I have stayed here 3 times vacationing. I love the location, the pool, the view and the local amenities. The property is well maintained and in island decor. I loved sitting on the balcony each day! The master bedroom has sliding doors which can be left open at night for the breeze and the lull of the ocean waves. You are within walking distance of a casual restaurant/bar which serves delicious drinks and various types of food and a fine dining restaurant which is great for the evenings. I must mention that I felt very safe each visit which is very important. Dianne was very informative and helpful each visit and I would recommend this property to anyone. My favorite local beach was Sapphire Beach. I have traveled the island and there is much to see and experience! Driving is an experience so it's helpful to have someone navigate as your focus on staying left!!!

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