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Villas and Resorts

Cabaret comes to Caneel Bay

Beech_on_beach St. John's favorite cabaret singer will be crooning all winter long at the Turtle Bay Estate House at the Caneel Bay Resort. 

Marty Beech will be playing piano and singing during suppers Wednesday through Sunday evenings beginning next Thursday, Nov. 18.

His playlist has a bit of everything for everybody, but there's an emphasis on Old Blue Eyes. "My repertoire features jazz standards, especially the music of Frank Sinatra, from romantic ballads to up-tempo swing tunes," Beech said. "I also cover a variety of other styles such as classic rock, soul/R&B, blues, reggae and country."

He came to the island a dozen years ago.  Beech and his wife, Cathy, and kids wanted to "follow a different course," he said.  Since then the kids grew up and Beech is still singing. "I love what I do and I am grateful to have such a wonderful venue on the best little island in the Caribbean," he said of his Caneel Bay opportunity. You may have heard him singing at various restaurants on the island over the years, recently including Ocean Grill at Mongoose Junction.

While he sings at night, during the daytime Beech is a broker for Islandia Real Estate. "As of today the St. John MLS has $516 million worth of property listed for sale," he said. "I think the best we can hope for in the immediate future (for real estate) is slow but steady growth.  The bubble was exciting but not so healthy long term," he said, adding "Right now there is no plan to quit my night job."

He has recorded one CD, Summer Wind, featuring a standards and Sinatra tunes.  Listen to it – and buy it – at http://cdbaby.com/cd/beech

Steel drum artist making music in DC, Illinois

Victor Provost is making a name for himself in the states.  The St. John-born steelpan/steel drum musician is appearing weekly at a DC restaurant and he'll be the featured artist next week in concert at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Ill.

With appearances at the DC Jazz Festival, The Kennedy Center, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center), the Umbria Jazz Festival, Pure Jazz Den Haag, and at major venues throughout North America, the Caribbean and Europe, Provost has been developing quite a reputation  with his instrumental talent and improvisational voice and style.

Provost left St. John 12 years ago. His family still lives in Fish Bay. Besides performing, he works with the Cultural Academy for Excellence, a steelpan music education program in Bowie, Md. and also teaches private lessons.

For a taste of his steelpan music, click on the video above.  There's plenty more on his Web site here.

Blue Tang: #2 and proud of it!

Bt_tripadvisor
Longtime readers know that News of St. John began as a not-so-subtle effort to encourage rentals of our home on the island.  There's a lot of competition for rentals and I thought the site would help.  It has. It is the oldest and largest Web site with news about St. John.

Ext_day_pool So it was with surprise and gratitude that, while mousing around TripAdvisor.com the other day, I found that Blue Tang was ranked as the #2 most popular rental on the island, with a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars ranking, too.  Shocked … thankful … happy.

Blue Tang ranked so well because of the reviews people who have stayed at the house were kind enough to post.  A few of their comments:

  • "A peaceful, relaxing, romantic honeymoon at Blue Tang."
  • "Blue Tang rocks."
  • "Best vacation we've ever taken."
  • "Awesome views and location."

I have to admit that each time we visit Blue Tang and read through the Guest Books, we are often moved to tears at the kind things people say about the house as they recount the wonderful time they had on the island and at our place.

If you're headed for St. John, I hope you'll consider our home, too.

Frank Barnako, aka The Inquiring Iguana

New Yorker criticizes Maho Bay room service

You can't make this stuff up.

A guest at the Maho Bay Camps blasted the eco-resort on Yelp. 

Vasyl F. of Rego Park, New York said, "This is the worst hotel I've ever stayed in."

The Queens borough resident said the description of Maho he read on Expedia.com did not meet his expectations.

"No ocean view rooms … and no mountain view … they charge even to lock your door … tents are 30 years old and leaking, and cracks in the floors are so wide that cockroaches and lizards are flooding the dwelling. Restaurant is extremely dirty and the food is all from cans and is made in China."

As for being an 'eco-resort," Vasyl said, "They just don't repair the hotel and don't clean the territory, besides all their furniture, tables, plates, glasses and many more things are made of cheap toxic plastic which is definitely not eco-friendly."

In rebuttal, anyone who knows anything about Maho Bay also knows that Vasyl's expectations were way off the mark.  But, he may not be alone, given what The Inquiring Iguana found when he slithered to Expedia's Maho entry.

For starters, Maho describes itself as a three star "Coral Bay hotel with a private beach."  Misleading, some could say. The Expedia description of Maho is also, shall we say, 'generous.'

Maho's 'amenities' are listed (see below), suggesting the rustic resort, with accommodations from $80/night, could compete with villas. (It's the Select Comfort mattress that really caught The Iguana's attention.)

AmenitiesThe Iguana understands how Expedia wants Maho to present itself in the best light.  But, he also wonders how a smart guy from Queens could make the assumption that he was staying a a luxury-like hotel when the Expedia site reservation screen offers "tent cottage."  That's a pretty good clue to what he's going to get.

  • Vasyl F.'s review of Maho Bay on Yelp is here.
  • Maho Bay on Expedia is here.

Stay in a villa for a week … Free!

Bluetang A free week at a Catered To … Vacation Homes villa will be awarded in December to a lucky entrant in a contest sponsored by The St. John Treasure Map and Guide.

To enter, people use the guide to complete a treasure hunt by visiting various advertisers business, naturally.  When they do that, and solve a riddle, they become eligible to win.  Catered To is one of five villa companies which advertise on the Map. There was a drawing and they 'won.'  They also get a free ad on the guide next year.

Hey, play your cards right – and that free week for four might be at Blue Tang (a Catered To-managed villa).

Hurricane video shot on a boat in Cruz Bay

Earl A couple of clips of Hurricane Earl's visit to St. John showed up on YouTube this morning. Thankfully, this is all old news.

Most were posted by "walshrmgmail," who, it appears, was on a boat in Cruz Bay harbor, shooting video as the storm began.

Grande opening for Grande Bay

GrandebayCalling itself Grande Bay Resort, the condominium project bordering Cruz Bay harbor announced it's formally open-for-business on Sept. 1.

In a news release, the resort said it is 
"Nestled in the Cruz bay Quarter … near everything to see and do on the island."

In a bit of a competitive shot, Grande Bay said it will provide "a distinct departure from the Caneel Bay Resort or Westin Resort St. John and we are sure once you stay with us, we'll be your new St. John Virgin island retreat."

The rate schedule shows a winter season rate  of $475/night for a one bedroom, or $3,325/week.  The two bedroom rate is $650/night, $4,550/week.  Cleaning charges are also added on, beginning at $100 for a one bedroom unit.

Arizona couple fawns all over Caneel

David and Carol Porter, aka The Roaming Boomers, are either just having a hell of a good time in retirement or very smart business people.  Probably both, to judge from their work-in-progress travel web site.

Caneel


The latest stop on a 25th wedding anniversary Caribbean tour (aka 'romantic' trip) was Caneel Bay Resort. Their video chronicle shows off beauty of the resort, includes a bit of original video featuring Carol, and a lot of stock photo shots from Caneel's promotional library.  A credit at the end of the video offers "Thanks to our Host: Caneel Bay Resort" which hints at, perhaps, the Porters' stay was a freebie, or partially comped, in exchange for the publicity.

The Porters' Web site makes clear that they are into high-end travel spots.  And it looks like they're developing it into a new business. (They sold a previous venture in Michigan and moved to Scottsdale.)

Kudos to the Porters.  They like to run their own business, they like to travel, they're putting the two together.

Whether there is a disclaimer that should have been included in their video, there is no denying … Caneel is gorgeous and we'd agree that it's, as the Porters said, "a place you should attempt to visit at least once in your life."

  • Watch the Roaming Boomer's video of Caneel here.

Why villa rates could go up

Let's touch 'the third rail' about the cost of renting a villa.

On the VINow forum, a person wanted to know if St. John villas charged an 'energy fee,' as she has paid at resorts in the Bahamas and Antigua.

Anita Davis, a long time VI resident, replied she was unaware of the practice generally.  "But, since our energy costs from 50-cents/kwh, it would be great if our visitors did not open doors and/or windows with air conditioning blasting or let water run unnecessarily."  To which, the Inquiring Iguana says 'Amen."

Toes in the Sand said, "We have never had a villa with a specific fee for energy usage. There is usually a provision in the contract for a fee if excessive energy or water usage occurs, but never a fee for normal usage. I would love to see a villa rate plan that allows credit for low utility and water usage."

Cruising Gal said she's found a villa that does have such fees,"The one we want to rent."  There is a $250 cleaning fee and a $19 per day energy surcharge.

Linda J passed along the news that Caneel Bay has a 10% charge which can be attributed to energy. (Can anyone confirm this?)  "Others, the Westin I believe, have a daily activities fee.  It all adds up to the same thing. (They) do not want to raise their published daily rates," she said.

How do you feel about villas trying to manage and monitor guests' water and energy use through quotas and charges for overage?