WSJ 2010 (wk 23/24) - Still is Still Moving to Me

Ok fellow travelers - my yearly WSJ trip report is going sparse with words (will try and get more photos and video) - I am just too burned out from work. Less words and a bit less spirit - I need to rejuvenate (wasn't I just off work for 8 weeks not too long ago...? things sure have changed... and not for the better...)

We ended up going from SFO to FLL on Virgin America and staying the night at the Airport Sheraton on SPs (vs. the red-eye). Robin prefered this because we got a chance to adjust before getting to STT/STJ. We then took Spirit from FLL to STT and arrived about 3PM well rested. We bought exit row seats for Spirit - Spirit will soon start charging for carry-on on Aug1 - perhaps they should - people are bringing too much crap with them on-board and many could not fit in the overheads and had to be checked. (seems to be a common theme nowadays).

This route was significantly less expensive than the AA (via MIA) or Delta (via ATL).

Decided to rent on STT and take the car barge over from Red Hook. We rented from Dependable - they picked us up at STT and drove us to their office about a mile away. All vehicles seem to be trashed. A couple that was renting had a car with bald tires and they seem to be saying no problem (as usual) - good tires are important here since the steep roads are slick when wet (every day). The couple left and then came back (light saying tires were low) - and got another car.

Our 4WD (Jeep Wrangler) had mosquitoes - and a similiar response (just open the windows are they will fly out - lol - not) - luckily the seat was broken so I didn't have to push the situation. Got another Jeep - trashed, but workable - and no mosquitoes. (not going w/ Dependable - next time).

We didn't do shopping on STT as planned - not a big deal - and just headed to the car barge (too much traffic - even with no cruise ships in town). We had to take the 2nd barge as the first filled up - it seems that some locals just cut into line w/o regard to others waiting. At least the AC is working. As expected - with the BV villas (WSJ parking was tough) - the parking lot was packed. Parked illegally to check-in - no issues (like our villa being infested with bees - last year). Finally got to the villa at 6PM.

ahhh....

Have a great trip. It seems as if you are off to a much better start than last year. I will be reading more intently this year as we have our first WSJ trip planned for September.

BTW, We stayed at the FLL Airport Sheraton back in January. We had a nice room, the free breakfast was pretty good and the service was excellent.

Have A GREAT Trip!!!

Have a GREAT Trip and keep us posted. We'll be there in 7 weeks so we'll be eagerly anticipating whatever update you can provide.

I'm still trying to imagine trying to negotiate some of those hairpin turns on St. John with bald tires!

WSJ-VG Videos

Posted on YouTube

WSJ-VG - Villa 3410 - Remodel Photos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOsUQx-H7OM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG_vArXA4v4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWs77jY42o4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvq_kKr6b5o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYssOBAdMmo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNarZMCbRM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwI7irkugLI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZvcDatcFqs

WSJ Resort Videos

Westin Workout Room#1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfky1wSuiYo

Westin Workout Room #2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7DwgHYo3s

^^^ as you can see above ^^^ villa and resort videos taken with iPhone

The remodel is nice and standard Westin design (and not Carib theme) - of course there are always issues - but mainly lack of workmanship

as mentioned - Robin loves the new kitchen - roomier and better layout.
I wish they would fix the door blinds - kinda weird to have a remodel, but old broken blinds that would be an easy fix.

they moved the washer/dryer to DR area closet - created more room in kitchen.

we still wish they put dimmers on DR lights - we used foil to dim since they are too bright

the AC upstairs is quieter and still efficient

the showers have blue pebble-stone - which doesn't match the biege interior - at least it is roomier and not dangerous to get in/out like before

the new bathrooms are also nice - again some lack of quality and design issues - but a large improvement compared to before.

solid core doors - nice

everything is still pretty new - so the remodel must be somewhat new.

B34 seems 3/4 vacant - weird - maybe it will fill up.

David, ... Thank you for the informative videos. Posting them will let people know what it's like. (Loved the hat! Make-up mirror.)

Questions:

1. On the balcony, is there seating and enough room for 4 adults?

2. The 2nd bedroom has a glass door on the walk-in shower and the master has a shower curtain?

3. The bed in the master doesn't look like a King. Is it?

4. The private pool looked nice, but nobody else was there. Do most Phase I owners use the beach or hotel pool? Do you have an estimate on the split for Building 34 owners and guests (hotel pool, beach and private pool)?

5. It's quite a hike down the steep hill to get to the hotel area (and even more strenuous going back up). How long does it take to get a golf cart shuttle down to the main hotel area? Is there a call box or do they circulate regularly?

I ask because there is limited parking down in the hotel area. I know that getting one going back to Phase I is easy. There are plenty of shuttles buzzing around in the hotel area.

I think the car rental companies are just cheaping out on the tires. I had one with semi-bald tires. It had the low tire pressure light on. I believe it was purposely done to give the under-inflated tires better traction. Still had a little trouble getting back up the hill after a shower heading toward the resort. Worked much better when I switched to 4-wheel drive. And, I had to to keep from going sideways! lol!

Report back on the occupancy of Building 34 later in your stay. Thanks again. Enjoy your stay. ... eom

Video is a fantastic method for really showing us the resort - thanks for posting! Have a great week!

David -- We spotted one short clip of Robin in your videos and my brother is sure he saw her at the main pool today (I have terrible vision, so no one really registers with me on quick glances!). We're going to take it easy tonight (still trying to get re-adjusted to east coast time), but I've promised my dd we'll hit "town" tomorrow night. Give us a call if you're up for meeting for a drink. If I can figure out how to upload a flip video to youtube, I'll add a Bay Vista walkthrough to your video collection!. Love the renovations -- many were done when I stayed in that villa type in October, but it's now even better!! --Jerseygirl

Will be reading/watching the annual D&R WSJ trip report.

Especially since we won't be going this year or next your to WSJ.

Thanks so much D&R! Jerseygirl, if you're able to post a video that would be awesome! We'll be staying in a 3 bedroom at Bay Vista at end of July/early August so let us know which unit you're in and what you recommend for requests!

anyway - the wifi is problematic - i wrote a long post (it was brillant - lol) and computer hung-up and I lost it - arg!!!

I dug out the ethernet from behind the TV consul - no more wifi aggrevation...

Monday morning now...
I will upload more videos (YouTube) as I get them. I will be doing the Owner Update and get video of BV (although JG is there). Betsy - got your PM - no worries - we are open - drinks sound good. We haven't gone to the main resort pool - haven't got further than the lobby - so that wasn't Robin at the main pool.

Uploading videos while I am on the ethernet - I will try and reconstruct the Fri-Sun post I lost.

Driving down Gifft Road (cut over to Centerline Road) - south of WSJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsn30psMWac

Evening sounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj1bPCrgxw4

Maho Bay, STJ USVI (Beginner spot for snorkling)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYEdPwQ7EU4&feature=channel

Underwater video camera is working (yeah!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NTIVNPLbow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbgPg_j5SHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNADh_jzieA

David - is the title of this thread what you want it to be? If not, what do you want it to say?

DavidnRobin said:

Underwater video camera is working (yeah!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NTIVNPLbow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbgPg_j5SHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNADh_jzieA

Click to expand...

Thanks again DNR. We are going to WSJ in July/August and are considering purchasing an underwater videocamera. Which one are you using? Also, does WSJ have free WIFI?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqUaVy2Q9XM

Olympus Stylus Tough

Thread Title is intended (thanks for asking)

Free WiFi - but spotty - may depend on location (have ethernet as well - quicker)

Got videos of 2Bd Loft - BV Phase - will upload at some point.

$125 (or 6000 SPs) for 60 minute Owner Update - took the $

DavidnRobin said:

Driving down Gifft Road (cut over to Centerline Road) - south of WSJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsn30psMWac

Click to expand...

Someone is a mountain driver! I was a little afraid watching this with all the previous talk of bald tires on rental cars.

Seriously, I have the same camera and I completely forgot it does video. I have taken some great underwater pics and I look forward to trying out the video.

The gym looks nice.

I hope that you are having a great trip!

Westin5Star said:

Someone is a mountain driver! I was a little afraid watching this with all the previous talk of bald tires on rental cars.

Seriously, I have the same camera and I completely forgot it does video. I have taken some great underwater pics and I look forward to trying out the video.

The gym looks nice.

I hope that you are having a great trip!

Click to expand...

We have - thanks. The Gifft Rd video was done with iPhone.
I would choose a beater with good tires (and brakes) over a clean car with bad tires/brakes.

I have better UW vids coming up.

Blue Tang School
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFQMig1yYRU

Blue Fish Chase
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbpPgVY9HnA

Large Ray Eating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfVgaV9rYgY&feature=channel

Robin at Hawksnest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UmlcqWaxa0

Thank you for the footage!

It was wonderful to meet DavidnRobin the other night -- very good people -- and David has much more patience than I would have guessed (it was fun to listen to him try to help his mother-in-law navigate his uber-techie universal remote control from thousands of miles away! ). Looking forward to our charter on Monday!

I'm having trouble uploading our BV video -- dd's flip is formatted for MAC and I'm using a PC -- not sure if that's the problem. But, our unit is almost identical to the one on the Starwood site with a few minor differentces (some pictures are not the same, no window panes on the door portions of the sliding glass windows). Our "vista" of the "bay" is very tiny -- limited by huge trees. I still like Phase One much better (DavidnRobin have about twice the space and a way better view) but don't regret my decision to have one fixed unit EOY and one float unit EOY for the flexibility. It works for us -- favorite unit during odd years, flexibility during even years!

Here's Starwood's video of the 2-BR: http://www.starwoodvacationownershi...j_twobedvilla.html?IM=WSJ_VID_WEB_TWOBEDVILLA

jerseygirl, ... "Our "vista" of the "bay" is very tiny -- limited by huge trees. I still like Phase One much better (DavidnRobin have about twice the space and a way better view)"

The 2-br THs in Hillside have 1,200 sq. ft. The 2-brs in Bay Vista have 1,200 sq. ft. I'm sure David has a much better view, but his unit doesn't have twice the space. (Next time give a preference for a clear view of the cove or an upper floor.) You have 2 balconies; he has one. You are actually slightly less crowded because the Bay Vista units have banquette seating in the dining area. David's unit has a table and chairs.

One (Hillside) is fixed and David is tied to his 2 weeks every single year. One (Bay Vista) is float and you are not tied to a week. But, you have the risk that, if you do not call early in the season, when you call there may be no availability.

As compensation for the lack of flexibility, David (Hillside) has Staroptions to vacation elsewhere. You (Bay Vista) have them as an original owner but cannot pass them along on resale.

You are way closer to the beach and restaurants and the hotel pool. David's 2-br is perched on a cliff overlooking the resort and a ten minute walk from the beach and hotel pool. However, his building has a shared pool built way up there.

Both are very nice, but different, places. Same great resort. Same great island. Both of you are lucky to be at St. John this week. It's all good at such a terrific, magical place. Enjoy your vacations! And, keep posting those videos. ... eom

Tires are great, thank you!!

Been busy with stuff, so didn't catch all the chatter. We didn't realize it, but we were the ones renting the car from Dependable when D&R were there. The Tugger density exceeded critical mass at that small office. I thought it might have been David, but this guy looked too old (LOL).......
We used Dependable last year and the car was not that great. We got a good rate because it was over 28 days......We thought it was odd this year that they didn't have a pressure gauge to measure the tire pressure. Maybe Santa can spring for a $2 tool. We got good tires on this second car, and Linda made sure we were good with it all. Too bad David missed us packing all the kids and luggage into the back of the car....Our 3BR pool unit 4415 is all torn up with renovations, so we'll be bouncing around 3BR Pool Villas for 3 weeks..Looks like building 32 is just getting done with renovations. We snuck into several units and it looks like all the work is done, but they're doing some final cleaning/setup.