Villa Questions - Bayview and One Particular Harbor

Travel discussion for St. John
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AquaGirl
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Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:59 pm
Location: Fairfax, Virginia

Villa Questions - Bayview and One Particular Harbor

Post by AquaGirl »

Yeah! I am registered now. Thanks Anthony.

We are planning our trip for next April/May and are considering either BayView or One Particular Harbor. I have a few questions for you villa experts on the forum. (Yes, I read the reviews on the old forum site and read Bob and Anita's report on Bayview, which was very helpful. Also looked at their pics.)

On some days, we like to ease into the morning and sit on the deck with coffee. Since One Particular Harbor seems to face east, does this mean that the sun is beating down on the porch areas in the morning, making them too hot to sit and enjoy the view?

For Bayview, the pics on Bob and Anita's site look like there has been quite a bit of brush/tree growth since the pics on the villa rental site were taken. Can you tell me if the pool area is private, as in clothing optional? It looks like from the pics that there is another villa in line of site.

Any other comments from people who have stayed at either of these villas is welcome.
Thanks!
Bill and Jeri
California Girl

Post by California Girl »

I have Bayview reserved for the first week in May. One reason we chose it is because, based on what Bob & Anita tell me, it's clothing optional. I actually think it looks much better in Bob & Anita's pictures than it does on the website. The website doesn't show that wonderful porch off the livingroom overlooking the pool deck. Only 2 drawbacks I can think of that I have been told about are #1 - neither the light on the pool deck nor the pool light are working. #2 - there is no air conditioning.

I contacted Caribbean Villas about the lights and the one on the pool deck may be working by the time we go, however it seems that the pool light is a very difficult issue and may not be fixed. That being said, they told me there are garden lights so it's not pitch dark on the deck at night, and to soothe it over some, they said the pool light would probably attract bugs into the pool anyway. :shock: Personally, it doesn't matter to me that the lights don't work as long at the garden lights provide some illumination so that I don't go crashing down the stairs at night :P

As far as the air conditioning is concerned, the villa is high up on the mountain with good tradewinds and apparently air conditioning isn't a necessity (I don't like air conditioning anyway!). I asked Anita about taking candles for the pool deck and she said the wind would probably blow them out anyway, so apparently it's a darn good breeze! :D

I'm sure Bob & Anita can elaborate much more on Bayview since they've actually stayed there and I haven't yet.

Hope this helps :)
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SarahD
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Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:25 pm
Location: S.C.

Post by SarahD »

>>I contacted Caribbean Villas about the lights and the one on the pool deck may be working by the time we go<<

Wait a minute. California Girl, you said you're going in May and the light on the pool deck MAY be working? Wow, I know it's island time, but that's a little too slow even for St John! :lol:

SarahD
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California Girl

Post by California Girl »

SarahD wrote:>>Wait a minute. California Girl, you said you're going in May and the light on the pool deck MAY be working? Wow, I know it's island time, but that's a little too slow even for St John! :lol: SarahD
Yep! The reason I said "may" is because Bob & Anita told me it wasn't working when they were there last year, either. Here's a quote from the e-mail Caribbean Villas sent me:

"I had the opportunity to speak to the owner of Bayview yesterday and spoke to him about the deck lights and pool light. Deck light is scheduled to be repaired by the maintenance guy at some point. I do not know if this is a huge electrical problem as the maintenance person has not shown up yet to look at it.

The pool light is an issue that will need extensive work to repair. When this will take place is everyone's guess. Most people would not use the pool light because it attracts bugs. There are garden lights that shine on the pool deck and these are the lights that have always been used to light up the pool deck."


Call me gullible, but I believe their intentions are good, and I'm not in the least bit upset about it :)

My hobby is Astronomy and for me, it's actually better if it's really dark. Now I can float in the pool and stare at the stars without having them blotted out by some bright pool light :)

Ya gotta' look on the bright side! :D
California Girl

Post by California Girl »

Jorge wrote:Clothing optional at Bayview? Just what are you planning Cal.Girl? Some nekkidness!
Somehow I knew I left myself open for a "nekkidness" reply from my buddy Jorge!

Do you suppose it was subconcious on my part to stir things up a bit? :twisted:

One order of "nekkidness" all around bartender! :lol:
lavender
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:16 am
Location: Canandaigua, NY

One Part Harb

Post by lavender »

We stayed at OPH in April and can tell you we were extremely impressed. We loved the location, the villa, the pool, the views were spectacular and we have never stayed in a better equipped villa. The morning views are spectacular - everyday I had my tea and breakfast on the deck and there are plenty of options for shade if the sun is too bright. I get up pretty early so the sun/heat was never a problem. There is enough of an overhang above the sliding glass doors on the main level to create enough shade to sit in if it is too hot. The other thing we loved about OPH is the furnishings and quality of EVERYTHING from the deck furniture to the living room furniture to the spatulas. Great great place. Hope this helps!
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Bob & Anita
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Location: Charlotte, NC

Bayview

Post by Bob & Anita »

We found that nearly the entire Bayview property is clothing optional. The only location that another villa can see is part of the porch, but they would need a telescope or binoculars to see you, otherwise no other villa can see any other part of the Bayview. The picture you are referring to where you can see another villa was taken from the porch. When we were there in ’05 (the year with out kids) we never wore clothes while we were at the villa, even on the porch – we didn’t worry about if someone had a telescope :D . The pool deck itself is completely private.

California Girl, there are no garden lights that shine on the pool deck. There are garden lights all around the Bayview, but none that shine on the pool deck; not sure what the CV&R is talking about :? .
Bob & Anita
California Girl

Re: Bayview

Post by California Girl »

Bob & Anita wrote: California Girl, there are no garden lights that shine on the pool deck. There are garden lights all around the Bayview, but none that shine on the pool deck; not sure what the CV&R is talking about :? .
Bob & Anita: I knew you'd add to this! Thanks! That's very interesting about the garden lights on the pool deck (or not :) ). Hmmmm. Guess I'll take a flashlight along! As I said, it's not that big of a deal as far as I'm concerned. I'll be so happy just to be on St. John that a little darkness won't dampen my spirits one bit! :)
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Bob & Anita
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Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: Bayview

Post by Bob & Anita »

California Girl wrote:
Bob & Anita wrote: California Girl, there are no garden lights that shine on the pool deck. There are garden lights all around the Bayview, but none that shine on the pool deck; not sure what the CV&R is talking about :? .
Bob & Anita: I knew you'd add to this! Thanks! That's very interesting about the garden lights on the pool deck (or not :) ). Hmmmm. Guess I'll take a flashlight along! As I said, it's not that big of a deal as far as I'm concerned. I'll be so happy just to be on St. John that a little darkness won't dampen my spirits one bit! :)
That is how we looked at it; it wasn't really a big deal to us. The pool light was working in '05 and a couple of times we used the pool at night to cool off before going to bed. But not having the light working in '06 certainly did not dampen our stay. I did tell "Joe and Cindy" (who are planning on staying at the Bayview) about the lights so maybe if several renters raise the issue then the owners will put more effort into getting it fixed. BTW, they have plenty of flashlights at the villa since losing power is a somewhat commen event.
Bob & Anita
mark & susan
Posts: 99
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:35 pm
Location: Frederick, Maryland

Bayview

Post by mark & susan »

We stayed at Aria last year but decided to switch due some issues that we included in a review, furniture, overgrown bushes.

While there we looked at 6-8 other villas. We drove to OPH and decided the road was unworkable. And while we like the Coral Bay end, it is beyond/above Coral Bay thus making the trip to Cruz about 10 minutes londer than Bayview/Aria (which are 200 yards? apart).

When there we actually ran into the owners who were nice enough to show us around. For a trip w/o family we thought it ideal. As noted there are some areas where someone a mile away could see you but there are no villas that we considered close. The site was not overgrown at all, and had views froma number of sides.

While we have not yet stayed there (February right after owners block) we really liked it, and the location fit's our mode well, being 5 minutes from Skinny's and 1 minute from the beach road.

BTW our names are Mark and Susan. Typo when registering...
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