fbpx

Villas and Resorts

Let the sun help you cool off

MarcusDr. Cool is branching out.

Besides installing and service air conditioning units, Dr. Cool is now marketing solar-assisted AC systems.

Solar panels are installed on a house or business's roof, and they collect energy. The main difference from an electric AC unit is that instead of drawing energy from the electric grid, the solar air conditioner uses steam from sun-heated water to power the system, according to Ecolocalizer.com.

The Inquiring Iguana did his best to read up about this process but was not able to figure out how it works.  Giving up, he watched a promotional video the St. John guys produced. See it here.

Sounds like a good idea.  Using less electricity at the island's usurious rates is certainly smart.  One caveat … the Solar AC's guys Web site indicates that the solar panels really need a flat surface, so if your casa has those wavy, colorful tiles, you'll need to find another place for the panels to be installed.

Solar Jeff's Web site has a bit of information here, but not much. http://solarstjohn.com/node

Watch the Real Housewives do St. John

Ramona_Singer_bikini_Real_Housewives_New_YorkBravo has begun showing the two episodes of 'Real Housewives of New York' produced on St. John. 

The first ran last Thursday.  It was titled "Overboard."  The show's Web site described it as," The Housewives let their hair down on a St. John's vacay…" which indicates not only does have little taste, its promotions people also can't spell St. John. You can view the program online at http://www.bravotv.com/full-episodes.  It's Season Three, Episode 11.

Almost two dozen still photos from the episode are also available here. There are some nice pictures of St. John, but it's clear the show's not about the island.  It's about the girls.

The next segment, "Sun, Sand and Psychosis" is scheduled to debut at 10 p.m., eastern,  Thursday, the 20th.  "The Housewives toast to a fun (but totally dysfunctional) vacation!." You can get a preview here .

The Housewife pictured here is Ramona Singer.  Examiner.com thought we needed to see how a woman in her '50s is still getting it done, and described how.

Villa inventory climbs, prices hold

After a two-week decline in available homes on the Multiple Listing Service, the number of villas for sale is again headed into record territory.

In late March, the MLS showed 141 properties available, a decrease from the 150 mark reached earlier in the month.  In the last three weeks, the number of listings has risen higher to 148.

But despite the growing inventory, there are few signs of fire sales.  The average asking price for a home is $2.2 million, compared with $2.16 million in January.  If you remove a Peter Bay property that's been on the market for six months or more, priced at $32 million, the average drops to $2 million.

The median price of homes for sale now is $1.5 million, compared to $1.375 million in January.

The Westin’s new restaurant

When the St. John Sun Times reviews a restaurant, you can trust it.  No eatery gets reviewed until it's been tested three times. That policy was in force for the Westin Resort's new Cruz Bay Prime restaurant. The newspaper's Kelly O'Brien pronounced the eatery a winner.

Where the pretentiously named Chloe & Bernard's used to be, O'Brien said the space now has "has a comfortably chic, Art Deco air that’s hard to resist."  An "attentive but not intrusive' (wait staff) … will take good care of you."

During her three visits, one of the evening's beef entrees was overcooked and over seasoned.  But during two other visits the kitchen was on its 'A' game, as were "the immensely satisfying macaroni and cheese side, loaded with smoked gouda, parmesan, and mascarpone. "

Her Conclusion: "Chances are good that a meal at Prime isn’t going to stretch your culinary boundaries much, but if you have an appreciation for a fine cut of beef and a killer creamed spinach, then you’re in for a treat."

Pond Bay revival?

The St. John Talk blog teases … Pond Bay "should resume shortly."

Selengut’s new eco-resort open for business

BedroomThe founder and genius behind Maho Bay has some new ideas.  And Stanley Selengut has then on display, and for rent, now at Estate Concordia Preserve, a sister eco-resort to Maho Bay Camps, on the southeast end of St. John.

The first four studio apartments of his new eco-resort project have been completed.  And Selengut says he is closer now than ever to finding the ideal way to build with sustainable materials in the Virgin Islands.  The key to this new project was a refrigerator. "It was doing its job, keeping perishables cold and making ice while remaining quiet and energy efficient," Selengut said. "Eureka! Why not construct a studio-sized area that is similar to a walk-in food locker?"

And that's what he and architect Glen Speer did using Eco-Panels (www.eco-panels.com) and its Sustainable Insulated Panel System.  "All new Concordia units are built with the SIPS panels containing 6 inches of foam between the outside plywood and the finished interior," Selengut said."The exteriors are wrapped with metal foil and then Hardi-planked for a tight seal."

Read moreSelengut’s new eco-resort open for business

There’s a small hotel …

While resort developments and McMansion construction have changed St. John  in the past 15 years, visitors can still find small pockets of Caribbean island charm for a relaxing vacation.

Besides renting one of the hundreds of beautioful two- and three-bedroom homes on the island (like those of our advertisers on the right and left sides of the page), there are also inns and guest houses. A Department of Tourism winter promotional publication highlights some of these places.

Read moreThere’s a small hotel …

Love letter to Blue Tang villa

Hmpg_297x218_night_pool Mrs. and Mr. Inquiring Iguana have owned Blue Tang for a couple of years.  Whenever they visit, Mr. I reads the Guest Book's comments left by guests.  And, invariably, his eyes get teary as people say what a good time they had with their spouses, their lovers, their children, and even their grandkids.  That a time at Blue Tang , with assistance from Catered To, the house's management company, could be so relaxing and re-energizing for so many warms the  Iguana's cockles.

Read moreLove letter to Blue Tang villa

Friends online auction raises $16K

Kismet The first (annual?) online auction to benefit the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park drew bids totaling $16,535.  The sale featured a villa rental, day sails, original art and island-made jewelry.

The two-week event proved to be a holiday feast for bargain hunters.  The total value of the 31 donated items was $26,000.  But the final bids were about 70%. The average sale was at a discount of 30%.

The biggest bargain was a weekend at Kismet, which bills itself as "One of the world's most beautiful villas." They haven't seen Blue Tang, I guess. 🙂 

Owners of the property above Maria Bluff put a value of $5,000 on the offered "heavenly weekend."  The highest of the five bids was $1,935, 60% off.

Other items sold to benefit the Friends included a $300 certificate for Cactus Blue, the new Mexican restaurant in Cruz Bay.  It went for $300.  Three nights at Caneel drew a bid of $1,750, above the $1,500 stated value.  A diamond Petroglyph pendant on 14 karat gold chain, from R&I Patton, sold for $1,725.

Caneel parking now $10

Caneel It's official.

Pia, a frequent contributor to the Virgin-Islands-On-Line forum, posted a picture of the sign which announces Caneel's new parking policy. 

If you spend $10 in the wonderful beach side bar, you get the parking fee back as a credit.  And I dare anyone to be at the Caneel bar and not spend $10. Lunch there is a highlight of every trip to the island.

The fee doesn't seem to be bothering many folks.  CypressGirl from Houston commented, "I don't have a problem with that charge at all. For non-guests, that seems fair. At least I have a choice….I can walk, sweat, carry a ton of crap, get bug bites, and sweat some more…..or pay 10. No brainer to me."

CaliforniaGirl agreed, "Their house, their rules. No problem."