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Westin Pool to Close For 12 Weeks

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This is the main Westin pool.

The Westin pool is scheduled to be closed for renovations from Saturday, August 15th through Saturday, November 7th. During this time, the main pool will be completely closed to all guests. Food and beverage service will remain open.

The two small pools, which are located between the 30s buildings will remain open. There is one small pool located between building 31 and 32. There is another small pool between buildings 33 and 34. There is not any food or beverage service at either of these pools. The 30 buildings are located across the street from the main resort. There is a bit of a walk with a hill to get to these pools. Golf carts are always available for transportation throughout the resort.

This is one of the pools located near the 30s buildings on the hill.

The private pools in the 40s buildings will also remain open. These pools are only available to guests who are staying in these units.

Work is expected to occur Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There may be some noise associated with construction during these times.

(Click here to see the official notice.)

In the past when construction occurred near the pool, the Westin offered guests a free shuttle to Trunk Bay. I have not been able to confirm whether they will do that again, but if I was a betting woman (which I totally am!), I would bet they they would offer this free shuttle to Trunk yet again.

If you are staying at the Westin during the pool closure, I would love to take you on an island tour! It is a great way to see the island with stops at several beaches. Together, we will visit Cruz Bay, Coral Bay and even The Windmill Bar if you’d like. Here are some more details:

I have been offering island tours since 2017. You can learn more at www.explorestj.com/tour/. 

I am also rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor. You can read my reviews here. 

Have any questions about St. John? Feel free to send me an email at jenn@explorestj.com. I am happy to help.

Motivated Sellers: Three Bedroom Pool Home Overlooking Rendezvous Bay

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Ballena Blue is back on the market at no fault of the sellers. The property had been under contract for over a month, but unfortunately the buyers were unable to close due to personal reasons. Therefore, this fantastic property is now available for sale, once again!

Ballena Blue is a three bedroom, three bathroom villa that overlooks the sparkling turquoise waters of Rendezvous Bay. This villa features two main level bedrooms, plus an additional, private bedroom and bathroom on the lower level. And to round it out, it has a pool with one of my favorite views on St. John – Rendezvous Bay.

Main Entryway
Living Space
Kitchen
Primary Main Level Bedroom
Pool with a View!

The main villa is surrounded by a spacious sun deck, while there is a brand-new shaded cabana area just steps away beside the pool. Ballena Blue has ample outdoor living and dining spaces to ensure that its next owner – and numerous vacation rental guests – enjoy its amazing south shore views.

Expansive Outdoor Deck
Picture Yourself Lounging Here…
The Pool & Cabana Area are Brand New
Ample Dining & Seating Space
Brand New Furniture Too!

The lower level has an additional bedroom that area that is accessed via an exterior stairway, giving those guests ample privacy.

 

Lower Level Bedroom & Bathroom

Ballena Blue has had numerous recent improvements including:

  • Major driveway and road repairs
  • Added generator
  • New walkway, knee wall, pathway lights, and pathway planters
  • Built pool, pool deck, and staircase to house deck
  • New deck railings, upper and lower
  • Resurfaced both upper and lower decks and re-sealed lower bedroom roof
  • New deck and pool furniture
  • Updated all three bathrooms
  • Updated lower bedroom and installed new AC
  • Updated kitchen; new countertops, stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher, and painted cabinets
  • New furniture, mattresses, and furnishings throughout the house
  • Major landscaping
  • New internal doors, kitchen door, and a new sliding door in owner’s bathroom
  • New solar panel for hot water heater
  • Added water filtration system
  • Re-sealed drinking water cisterns and cut a second access hatch.
  • Added grey water cisterns and irrigation

Ballena Blue is listed for $1,595,000. The owners are extremely motivated, so all reasonable offers will be considered. If you are interested, please contact me, Jenn Manes, at jenn@explorestj.com, or via text/call at 203-376-3786. I am a licensed realtor with 340 Real Estate.

Click here to view the full listing and to see additional images. 

St. John Real Estate
St. John property for sale 
St. John investment property
St. John vacation rental

And the Best Beach of the World is… No Surprise to Us!

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Trunk Bay

Beach.com just named the best beach in the world, and the winner comes as absolutely no surprise to many of us. The winner is our very own Trunk Bay.

“Few beaches came close to Trunk Bay’s final score,” the article naming Trunk the world best stated. “It is truly the best beach in the world. In our analysis, it is among the most widely expert-recommended, holds one of the best average Google ratings and has some of the bluest waters in the world. Our experts give Trunk Bay top marks for beauty, water quality and an all-around perfect experience. While the best time to visit is between April and June, our study found the weather is optimal for beach conditions 10 months a year.”

Credit: Beaches.com

Again, no surprise here! But come on, the best IN THE WORLD? ?! That’s pretty incredible!

Not only is Trunk Bay beautiful, but it is also convenient. It is located just under 15 minutes from Cruz Bay, making it an easy trip for people staying on island and also those coming from St. Thomas for the day. Taxis regularly go to Trunk Bay, and the fare is only $9 per person, per way. Parking is very limited, so I recommend taking a taxi when visiting Trunk Bay.

Trunk Bay has a ton of great amenities too. They have showers and restrooms, which are open daily until 4 p.m. There is food and beverage available for purchase. There is even a full, sit-down bar! You can also rent chairs, snorkel gear and life jackets. All you have to do is bring yourself, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen and some money. 🙂

Want to take a bit of Trunk Bay home with you? I just put my Trunk Bay puzzle for sale again! The cost is $45, and that includes shipping. You can purchase it securely at www.explorestj.com/puzzle. 

Click to purchase.

The Terrace Restaurant is Likely Closing For Good

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The Terrace opened in 2012 across the street from Cruz Bay harbor.

Well folks, this is a sad, yet bittersweet story to share. The Terrace restaurant – one of my absolute favorite restaurants – is likely closing for good. We will all know for certain later this year.

Erica and Robin Miner – the owners of The Terrace restaurant – listed the property for sale last week. And as no surprise to anyone, it went under contract less than two days later. The Terrace business itself was not included in the listing; it was solely a real estate purchase. The asking price was $5 million.

Erica and Robin Miner

The Terrace’s last night of the season is this Friday, July 31st. The real estate closing is scheduled for this fall.

“It’s very bittersweet for us,” Erica Minor told me Tuesday morning. “We have loved serving STJ for the last 14 years there. But I’m also not done cooking here by any means. I’ll likely be popping up places and offering some private chef services later next season after some time off.”

I don’t know about all of you, but I am thrilled to know Erica plans to continue cheffing on island.

Commercial real estate rarely lists for sale on St. John, let alone in Cruz Bay. Since July 2016, only four commercial properties sold on St. John, per the MLS.

  • The parcel where the former Shipwreck Landing restaurant was located sold for $825,000 in 2021.
  • The parcel where the former Pickles in Paradise restaurant was located sold for $999,000 in 2019.
  • The commercial building across the street from Skinny Legs sold for $1,150,000 in 2021.
  • The commercial building where St. John Provisions is located sold for $1,400,000 in 2017.
  • Wharfside Village – the section from the Beach Bar to La Tapa – sold for $2,970,000 in April 2016. (This is not listed on the MLS, but it is listed on the deed recorder’s site.)

The Terrace parcel is zoned R-4, which is residential medium density. The existing stone and masonry building can be expanded up to three stories, according to the listing. It is not certain what the new owners plan to do with the space.

If you are looking to purchase a business or property in St. John, I would love to help! I am a licensed realtor with 340 Real Estate Co. here in St. John. Please contact me at jenn@explorestj.com or via phone/text at 203-376-3786 for more information. 

 

 

New Direct Flight to STT!

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Flying over Water Island near the STT airport

Great news Nashville friends! A direct flight straight to St. Thomas is coming next year!

Southwest Airlines announced that it plans to add a direct flight between Nashville and St. Thomas beginning on Saturday, March 19th. The flight will leave Nashville at 10:25 a.m. and will arrive in St. Thomas at 4:30 p.m. The plane will quickly turnaround and will leave St. Thomas at 5:10 p.m. and will land at 7:45 p.m.

(The reason for the flight time discrepancy is due to the time change. The US Virgin Islands does not observe daylight savings time.)

As of this morning, the cheapest seat for that date is about $950. That’s a pretty big chuck of change. Let’s hope that price drops in the future.

Southwest began flying to St. Thomas earlier this year with direct flights from Baltimore and Tampa.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Email Me with Questions.

Click Here for Real-Time Availability & to Instant Book. 

Temporary St. John Ferry Schedule Changes

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Low season is right around the corner. Due to the expected drop of visitors, the ferry schedule is set to be altered. The following changes will be in effect from Sunday, July 26th through Saturday, October 31st.

Red Hook/Cruz Bay Route

The 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., and 8:30 a.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay will no longer run. Instead, the ferry will leave Red Hook at 6 a.m., 7 a.m., and 8 a.m.

There will no longer be a 9 p.m. or an 11 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. The last ferry will still leave Red Hook at 11:30 p.m.

On the flip side, there will not be a 10 p.m. ferry that leaves Cruz Bay for Red Hook. The last ferry will still leave Cruz Bay at 11 p.m.

Charlotte Amalie/Cruz Bay Route

The route between Charlotte Amalie and Cruz Bay will also be affected during this time period. The Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay ferry will only leave at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. during this period. The Cruz Bay to Charlotte Amalie ferry will only leave at 8:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The last two ferries for each route will not run during this time period.

Crown Bay/Cruz Bay Route 

It does not appear that this route will have any changes; however it is recommended that you purchase your tickets in advance.

Again, these changes will be in effect from Sunday, July 26th through Saturday, October 31st.

The temporary changes are highlighted in blue.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Email Me with Questions.

Click Here for Real-Time Availability & to Instant Book. 

**Explore STJ Island Tours will be closed from July 28th through September 8th.*