News of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Taxi drivers endorse Pond Bay

Update:  Gov. John deJongh was among 100 people who attended the official groundbreaking of the Pond Bay luxury hotel project at Chocolate Hole on Tuesday, according to the St. John Source. 

The ceremony follows almost 30 years of planning and previous failed efforts to develop the land.  Leona Smith, St. John Administrator, said Pond bay will be good for the economy.  And the Source quoted Sen. Roosevelt David saying, “The taxi drivers are in favor of it.” 

Full story: http://www.onepaper.com/stjohnvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1206159868

Believe me, there's been plenty of ground broken already.  Here's what it looks like.

Marketing for the 15-acre “Luxury Private Residence Club” is well underway.  There is a sales office at the Marketplace. 

Plans are for 50 three-bedroom villas and cottage, a 140-seat fine dining restaurant and a 12,000 square-foot world-renowned ESPA destination spa which will, according to promotional material "feature relaxation rooms with tropical gardens, (and) heat experiences with coral steam rooms," Vitality Pools, Body Jet Showers and Rock Saunas and a gym.

Here’s a Web site promoting Pond Bay.  It’s been on the web since last July.  Things still move slowly on St. John: http://www.foliocollection.com/#pb-intro  Islandia Real Estate is also marketing the project.

Condo owner likes Grande Bay's 'European' flavor

A few owners of the St. John's new condo development overlooking Cruz Bay have moved in and one has talked about it.  Raymond Krek says he likes the “European living” experience of being close to town, restaurants and the ferry dock. 

The trial lawyer from Wisconsin spoke about life at the waterside condominium development to Eloise Anderson, publisher of the St. John Sun Times.  About the controversy surrounding the still-unfinished project, Krek said, “If someone says they’re upset we bought here, well I’d say, ‘Let’s talk about it.’  I think we’d have more things in common than we would have differences.”

Krek said that even though the controversial Grande Bay is years behind schedule, and not exactly what he contracted for, “It was worth the wait.” Anderson’s impression of Krek’s unit: “It’s a fine view, but it’s quite small.”  (Reading the article, you get the idea it’s a one-bedroom condo.)

Another condo owner refused Anderson's interview request, “fearing negative publicity," she wrote.

Gopnik returns to Caneel

An author and New York New Yorker magazine writer is returning to Caneel Bay for an encore appearance in the resort’s Hot Type Author series. 

Adam Gopnik will be at Caneel April 17th through the 22nd, hosting private gatherings, including an afternoon tea on the 18th and dinner on the 19th.  “Guests will have the exclusive privilege of speaking with Gopnik one-on-one,” according to a  news release from Caneel. The author made a similar appearance/visit in January.

It appears the writer, after the two appearances, will have several days to enjoy Caneel on his own.  Nice work if you can get it.

The writer is a three-time winner of the National Magazine Award for Essays and is author of several books including three which were inspired by Paris.

Caneel Bay planning a makeover

No details have been announced, but the manager of Caneel Bay Resort told the St. John Source "a complete overhaul of the property" is in the works. 

Nikolay Hotze explained that those plans are behind Caneel's eagerness to extend its operational agreement with the National Park Service.  The current deal lasts another 15 years.  But Hotze said it needs a new deal to attract investment capoital and financaing for the renovatiopn plans. 

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives authorized the Park service to begin negotiations with Caneel. The resort employs 475 people, making it the island's largest employer.

(Full story: http://www.onepaper.com/stjohnvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1203139720)

Book early, book often

The St. John Source is reporting some softening of hotel bookings on St. Thomas and St. Croix.  St. John seems OK, the report seems to indicate. 

But there's an interesting quote from the manager Caneel Bay.  Nikolay Hotze said about 75% of the resort's winter season visitors book a year in advance.  At Maho Bay, the marketing manager agreed that families work that far ahead, but couples are often more spontaneous and ill make reservations two or three weeks before they plan to travel. 

(Full story: http://www.onepaper.com/stjohnvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1203139623)

Development: it's here. Get over it.

Yesterday's posting of updated photos of the island's major construction projects have brought comments offering real anger and frustration about Sirenusa, Grande Bay, and Pond Bay.

It's time for a reality check.

For some time, I've been critical of the island development, particularly the monster homes and McMansions so different from the Caribbean cottages we found here in the late '70s.  But at some point, you have to grow up and realize other people have found he island, too.  Get over it.

In most places, if the Ritz or Four Seasons said it wanted to build a resort in town, people would applaud and governments would rush to provide tax incentives to make a deal happen.  Development means construction jobs now, service employment later, and new tax revenues from the groundbreaking to operation.

Besides, if you'd like to see what a freeze on construction can do, remember what the sub-prime mess has done to the nation's economy for the past 14 months.  Real estate sales are down as much as 15% (slowing on St. John, too).  The ripples of that weakness have turned into waves of pain for retailers, professionals, transportation companies, banks, and more.  We're all feeling it.

Chances are the town where you live is different, too.  And if you've lived there more than 10 years, you probably say to your neighbor, "Boy, has our town changed!"  Well, it's the same thing here.  You can't expect St. John to stay as it was 10, 20, or even 5 years ago.  It's not an island in aspic.

I'm also going to suggest that the folks buying these new condos and timeshares won't get in the way of you eco-visitors or beach-and-a-book types like me.  The folks at Pond Bay, for instance, will do everything they can to keep guests on the property.  Their own beach, restaurants, gift shops, waters ports, etc.  I suspect, unfortunately, they will be successful.  It's not often you meet someone staying at Caneel having dinner at Fish Trap or even Paradiso.  Tourists who want the kind of all-in-one cocoon experience they will find at Pond Bay are unlikely to leave the enclave.  I wish they would.  The downtown restaurants can use the business.  (Some are even closed on weekends, partly because the villa renters are eating in.) I'd like the high-end resort tourists to get out and see the beaches and the hikes, but as someone recently said when I encouraged him to see the North Shore, "You've seen one beach, you've seen 'em all."

I think that what really galls people about the island's development is the government's failure to exploit and manage it.  Granted, this is not Bermuda, where comfort, appearance and image are primary. Grande Bay and Sirenusa show that hearings and permits and procedures don't seem to matter much.  The consequences are projects that are too big, too close, and too dense.

The other irritant is that those extra tax dollars don't seem to have any effect on island.  Gifft Hill and the North Shore roads are a parade of potholes, there is no safe pedestrian path from the ferry dock to Mongoose, finding a parking space is a fantasy, and Cruz Bay Park is too busy and noisy and dirty.

Whatever it is that attracted you to St. John, chances are it's still here.  Francis Bay has pelicans.  The Reef Bay hike has petroglyphs.  East End has Vie's Snack Shop.  Coral Bay has Skinny's.  Hawksnest is a great beach.

When you came for the first time, you 'found'  St. John.  But even then, you could have found people who said, "You should have seen this five years ago."  Time does fly.

Construction update photos

The three big projects. (Click the photos for larger images.)

Grande Bay, Cruz Bay

Not much activity on the site, a few guys milling around.  Street level still unfinished.

Sirenusa, Enighed

Unbelievably gorgeous up there, with incredible western views of St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands.  The MLS shows a 3-bedroom unit just went under contract at $2.1 million

Pond Bay, Chocolate Hole

You won't believe how big it is.

Virgin Islands Video: Three minutes at ... the Westin

The Westin St. John, on the South Shore road, features three restaurants, one huge pool, and a great beach.  There are about 100 hotel rooms and, now under construction, hundreds of timeshare apartments.

This is an "unplugged" video.  No announcer-man telling you how great it is; just scenes from the property.

Web site: http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/welcome.htm

New attitude seen at Caneel

Caneel Bay is welcoming people to visit. 

In past years, we've kind of felt we were sneaking in the back door even though we made no secret (by carrying our own beach chairs and towels) that we were't staying at the resort when we went limin' on the 'public' part of the beach.  Besides, each time we went, I indulged myself with what I call the $40 hamburger (salad, burger, beer).

This time, we were greeted by a woman at the entrance to the resort and handed a brochure about the resort.  It included information about all the restaurants on the grounds, and even had a map if you would want to walk around.  On the beach, a waitress (her name tag said 'Nate' - she borrowed it from her sweetie) took our lunch order, then arranged a table for us in the main building, and couldn't have been more helpful and welcoming.

There's new management at Caneel ... and it shows.  People were friendly, the food was great, the sun was warm.

It was still a $40 burger!

SI Models take it off at Caneel

If you like what Marisa Miller is wearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2008 Swimsuit issue, you'll love where she's wearing it -- Caneel Bay. 

The model, along with two gal pals, Oluchi Onweagba and Melissa Baker, spent almost two weeks last October posing and playing at the Resort for the magazine project. Fashion photographer Raphael Mazzucco did the recording.

"When not frolicking photogenically on the sands, the troupe retreated to Cottage #7, the original quarters of Laurance Rockefeller for more modeling and a splendid night's street," according to a news release from Caneel's manager, Rosewood Resorts.

The Sports Illustrated Web site is full of photos of the women and the island.  Each model is featured in several videos, shot on St. John. Randall Grant, a senior designer at SI.com, contributed almost a dozen "touristy" shots of the island and the resort.

Meanwhile, Caneel is trying to capitalize on the publicity by offering a "Suited for Sunshine" vacation package at the resort.  The bundle includes a beachfront guest room, meals, champagne, a sunset cruise, water color lessons, massage for two and 25% off on the purchase of a swimsuit at the Caneel Bay Gift Shop.  Package price is $4,720.

Finding the perfect villa

There's a useful discussion going on at the Virgin Islands On-Line about renting a villa.  The message thread revolves around which factors are most important. 

Some people are creating spreadsheets to compare dozens, or even hundreds, of rental homes.  There are lots of suggestions about which features should be considered.

One writer says he's found a sheet with more than 400 homes on it.  "How can we be expected to find the perfect one when there are so many," said DiverDrew.

You might find this 'starter" Excel spreadsheet useful. Download villas.xls (Right click to save it to your desktop.)  I hope you'll forgive me that I've included our home, Blue Tang. 

Here's the forum thread: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=65762

Grand trouble at Grande Bay

The Virgin islands Daily News reported that would-be buyers of condos at Grande Bay began arguing in V.I. Superior Court why they shouldn't be forced to close on the purchases.  Dozens of would-be buyers say the units are not safe and that promised amenities are not in place.

Most troubling: One of the buyers, DC attorney Thomas Hill III, testified he's been told by agents of the developer that the project is "potentially on the verge of foreclosure."

Here's the Daily News story: http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17620036.

Does Cruz Bay face the possibility of an unfinished project smack in the face of arriving visitors?  Not to mention the looming Sirenusa.

Travel radio show loves St. John

St. John got two more hours of fame this past weekend as the focus of a radio talk show, "Traveling Feet" with Stephanie Abrams.  She broadcast the from a restaurant at the Westin Resort.

"Palm trees are barely swaying, but just enough to kind of caress you as you sit outdoors,", Abrams said at the start of the first hour of her Saturday show.  Then, she asked her engineer back on the mainland, "Can you hear the steel drums in the background?  These lovely gentlemen in their pretty tropical shirts ..."

Abrams talked enthusiastically about St. John and interviewed about half a dozen people.  They includedthe general manager of the Westin, Kim Chappel, as well as Rafe Boulon of the USVI National Park, Patty Johnston, manager of Cruz Bay Watersports, and James Penn, owner of Penn's Taxi.

The shows are archived online.  Right-click on the links below to save the programs to your computer and then listen to them with iTunes or Windows Media Player.

• The first hour is here: http://archives.warpradio.com/btr/TravelWithStephanie/011319.MP3
• The second is here http://archives.warpradio.com/btr/TravelWithStephanie/011320.MP3.

Maho Bay Campground for sale: $32 million

Last we heard, the Trust for Public Land was to meet with the owners of the 13.8 acres on which Stanley Selengut built his award-winning eco-tourist resort.  If they met, they didn't make a deal. It's for sale.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal's high-end real estate page included an ad for the property. Islandia Real Estate's Kayre Carney was listed as the contact. Since the offering is on the Multiple Listing Service, any of island real estate firm can provide information. It has also been advertised in a St. John newspaper.

The ad for the "rare opportunity" said: "13.8 acres zoned resort or residential white sandy beach front located within the National Park.  Currently Maho Bay Campground; property offered subject to lease expiring 2012."  The land includes 850  feet of shoreline.   The fact the MLS lists it as a "Land" offering suggests it's being marketed as a real estate development opportunity.

In the current issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, Maho Bay is called the island's best value. 

Caneel Bay on Conde Nast Traveler list

Caneel Bay placed 22nd in a list of the Top 25 Caribbean resorts, as chosen by readers in Conde Nast Traveler magazine's 20th annual reader poll.  In a brief write-up of the resort, Traveler described Caneel as "Charmingly rustic."

Curtain Bluff resort on Antigua was voted number one, while Little Dix Bay, like Caneel, founded by Laurence Rockefeller, placed 2nd.  No resort on St. Thomas made the list of readers' favorites.

CN Traveler's list of top Caribbean resorts is here: http://www.concierge.com/bestof/readerschoice/top_resorts/topresorts_caribbean

Another reason villa rental rates could rise

Owners of rented villas are nervously waiting to see their new tax bills, based on a Territory-wide reappraisal project that took more than a year.  We've already seen properties whose assessment quintupled and, at best, face a property tax bill twice or there times what it has been.

Now comes another "gotcha".  The electric company wants to raise rates 30%. 

Remember the story about Tage having a $5,000 a month power bill?  Well, how about another $1,500?  How many more meals would the restaurant have had to serve to generate extra cash to pay that bill?

Villa owners face the same challenge.  Stories about renters who turn on the a,.c,. and then leave the windows open while they take off for the beach are all too common. At our Blue Tang, with two air conditioned bedrooms, a $500 bill for one month is not out of the ordinary.

Homeowners and businesses are angry about WAPA's push for this rate increase, especially since the utility's directors also just approved a plan to begin hedging their purchases of the fuel oil their generators use.  Is it conceivable they haven't be doing this already? Airlines, manufacturers, other utility companies have hedged their needs for years, but WAPA's just getting around to it - with oil at $92/barrel.  Great!

The Virgin Islands Daily News has a story about the rate hike increase proposal here: http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17617256

Flavors: an evening of food, wine and music

The annual "Taste of St. John" is set for Saturday evening at the Westin Resort and Villas.  It's an annual fund raiser for Rotary Club of St. John. 

Rotary is a service organization focused on doing good works.  It's helped renew the playground at Coral Bay's school, while this weekend's "Flavors" event will fund a $15,500 college scholarship for a St. John high school senior.

Joan Bermingham is the group's President.  In an interview, she talked about the upcoming event which will include a smörgåsbord of food and wine under a tent and dancing on the beach, to the music of Greg Kinslow and the In the Sand Band.  You can hear samples of Kinslow's music in the podcast, below.) Press the "Play" arrow to listen to it.

You can also download or hear the conversation by clicking here.

Flavors, of course, is open to anyone, local or visitor. Tickets: $100 donation per person, available at: Connections, Kaleidoscope Video, and online at http://www.flavorsstjohn.com/ticketpage.html.

Maho Bay Camps land for sale

The Trust for Public Land is hoping to acquire the 14 acres which include Stanley Selengut's Maho Bay Camps. 

A director of the trust told St. John Rotary the lease for Maho Bay expires in 2012 and the land owner, Geri-Geri Corp., has it listed for sale "for a healthy price," according to the St. John Source.  Greg Chelius said the Trust plans to meet with the owner's attorneys in New York next month.

Earlier this year, the Trust made a $19 million deal for Park acreage inland. Chelius told Rotary how his group got a foothold in the 419-acre parcel. 

One of the heirs had been presumed dead because he'd not been heard from for years.  The trust hired a private investigator who, in fact, found the heir, Joey Adler, living in a Veterans Affairs facility in California.  He received $1 million and is now more comfortable, and the Trust had the land which let it negotiate with other heirs.

St. John golf course for sale

The island's miniature golf course can be yours.  It's part of Pastory Gardens and the Compass Rose restaurant. (at left).  But the businesses are not all the real value.  It's the land: several acres on St. John high up and offering wonderful sunset views of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Originally developed as a restaurant and a butterfly exhibit (that never was completed), the owners failed to get permits and approvals to add condominiums to the site. The current real estate offering indicates bulldozers may still get to go to work. Zoning "allows a multitude of uses such as shopping center, hotel, condos, apts.," according to the listing. Asking price: $6 million.  Pastory Gardens' Web site: http://www.pastorygardens.com/4436.html

Under Contract:  Cruz Bay Realty says a sale is pending for Gym in Paradise is under contract. It went on the market more than two years ago for $140,000. Located on the third floor of the Marketplace, the workout facility was last priced for sale at $75,000. 

National Geographic warning for St. John

St. John is a wonderful place for vacationing. Will it stay that way? 

The chances are good it can, according a survey of experts in "sustainable tourism and destination stewardship" to rank islands around the world by National Geographic Traveler.  But there is uncertainty about whether St. John will retain its charm. 

"Best in the Caribbean," said survey participants who evaluated St. John.  (Not all members of the panel reviewed each island.)

"The national park has saved this virgin from being tired like St. Thomas,"  they continued. "There's almost no trash along the roads, you can hike for a couple of miles without coming across structures, and there are fabulous bays reachable only on foot (or boat); snorkeling is outstanding."

But other comments about St. John warned, "One-third of the island is not park and is under siege with
over-scaled villas. Cruz Bay is losing its ramshackle charm to newer buildings containing shopping malls and real estate developers. Traffic is congested."

Included among the people who offered opinions about St. John and other islands were Rafe Boulon, the Park's chief of environmental resources, and Randy Brown, the V.I. Environmental Resource Station's administrator.  Boulon told the St. John Source he was asked to participate in the survey by e-mail.

The magazine ranked 111 islands and archipelagos and ranked them according to the danger they face from "tourism overkill."  Denmark's Faroe Islands were rated at the top of the list with a score of 87, which the magazine said means they are "Authentic, unspoiled, and likely to remain so."  St. John scored a 70, indicating "minor difficulties."

St. Thomas had a score of 37 and was at the absolute bottom of the list.  Comments:  "A mess—too many cruise ships disgorging their passengers into the small town. Totally spoiled and low-quality, high-volume destination. The main town is essentially one big, ugly jewelry store, but the island is nice outside of the main town."

The Traveler article can be read at  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/features/islandsrated0711/islands.html

Picking up the pieces at Villa Tesori

New Podcast!

Michael Mullen just wanted a 4-bedroom villa at Rendezvous Bay.  What he got was an argument with his builder, a barely-started project, the opportunity to nearly go broke, a 5-bedroom retreat called Villa Tesori and an awful lot of experience.

Mullen stepped in when his builder walked out.  He tells the story in a soon-to-be-published novel, "Keep Left." He describes the story as "the transformation of an uptight executive to being a laid-back person living in a world which says 'No Problem, Mon'."

But Mullen had plenty of problems.  His workers left the job. He had to beg them to return. He did lots of employee recruiting at Island Blues and the Beach Bar.

"I walked around with dollar signs on my forehead" which, he said, told any workers he was desperate.  How desperate?  He avoided running out of money only by taking $5,000 advances on 20 credit cards.

Mullen talks about his experience in this conversation.  Press the "Play" arrow to listen to it.

You can also download or hear the conversation by clicking here.

Order Mullen's book by e-mailing him: mtbgroup@hughes.net

See Villa Tesori

Hooters does the Virgin islands

So, it looks like that visit by the Hooters yacht to the Westin Resort in March this year really may have been for business.  Read our coverage.

The company has now reportedly leased 5,000 square feet for a restaurant on St. Thomas at Buccaneer Mall.  This means it will be conveniently located near where large cruise ships dock.

(Cruise the Caribbean ... discover a Hooters.  What a country!)

The Virgin Islands Daily News reported the new Hooters is expected to open in December.  Hours will be 9 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.  Read the Daily News article.

Looking for Return of Tage?.  Click here.

The tourists are coming to St. John, US Virgin Islands

The winter season is shaping up strongly for hotels, resorts, guest houses and villa managers. 

Caneel Bay's manager Nikolay Hotze told the St. John Source December bookings are ahead of last year, with the Christmas period full up.  (Read the story.)

The Source also surveyed Estate Zootenvaal and found "the property is booked up from mid-November all the way through April." (If that's true ... WOW!)  Robin Clair, the Zootenvaal manager, told the Source one guest is coming for four weeks as a birthday present to herself and she's bringing her folding kayak.

Former Bostonians sign on to Caneel Bay

Caneel Bay has added a couple of one-time New Englanders to its staff. 

Edward Gannon, Caneel's new Resort Manager, and Anthony Dawodu, Executive Chef have extensive experience with high-end resorts including time together in the kitchen at the Four Seasons in Boston.

Gannon made the move from the kitchen to management while working at Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Martha's Vineyard. 

Dawodu, who grew up in Nigeria and relocated to London in the early '90s, spent the last 11 years in Boston at the Four Seasons as well as handling executive chef duties for two notable restaurants.  He will be responsible for all culinary operations at Caneel, including menu preparation at its restaurants as well as in-room dining and special events.

New real estate tax rates for Virgin Islands

If you own a house valued by the Tax Assessor at $1.5 million (like a modest 2-bedroom home), you can expect your new tax bill to be $5,400, under a schedule of tax rates proposed by the Lt. Governor this week.

Gregory Francis said the differentiated rates were a strategy to deal with the huge increases in the recent revaluation project, according to the St. John Source.

The Lt. Gov proposed tax rates of .0036% on residential property, .0065 for commercial property, .0110 for timeshares, and .0046 for land.  The average property owner would see property taxes more than double, from $1,542 to $3,831, the Source reported. The average property value on all three islands increased by 85%.

The new rates would generate an additional $10 million for the government.  The Governor's proposed budget for the next year assumes that increase.

The Lt. Gov. and the Tax Assessor were holding town meetings on each island this week, with the St. John session scheduled for Thursday night.

How to make a villa rental even better

Food and a bottle of wine in the refrigerator, Internet access, and someone to drive them home from a night on the town are enough to get most St. John visitors' vacations off to a good start, according to comments on the Web site over the past week.

In voting over the past week, several hundred people selected from a list of options and decided having the house stocked with food and drink was the best thing they could get (31%), close behind was Internet access (29%), and in third place, that 'designated driver' service (14%).  See the poll results here.

Some respondents said there were other things that make their stay at a rental villa comfortable.

"That welcome basket (can be) great!," said Michelle Reen.  A working washer and dryer are important, too.

Making the connection to get to the house is critical, pointed out Vince. He says villa rental companies should, "Make sure 'greeters' are carrying a cell phone.  (We) have had instances where we got in a bit later and only get an answering machine (when we call the management company)."

Heather wants a practical introduction to her rental house, hoping for a walk-through of the property. "In the past three trips, we encountered a disconnected hot water heater, closed cistern valves resulting in no water, pumps in need of priming, a tripped circuit breaker, and a broken hot tub, all discovered after the agent left the house."

James Rogers said he requires "complete privacy.  Last year, his girl friend was in the shower and the villa owner "got a free (although most assuredly not intentional) peep show as the shower had a huge curtain-less window in it!!"

There is one thing more, said Debbie. "A lime squeezer ... to make those rum punches and other yummy drinks with fresh lime."

Hotel group's Blyth bolts

This is not good.  After just a few months, the president of the Hotel and Tourism Association quit, abruptly. 

Rik Blyth, formerly managing director at Caneel Bay Resort on St. John, indicated the job wasn't his cup of tea.  Blyth told the Virgin Islands Daily News he was accustomed to large organizations with hundreds of employees.  "It just wasn't the right decision for me ... I just felt very miscast (in a small nonprofit association)."

It's quite possible that Blyth simply wanted to move too fast for a trade group whose members are all in competition with each other.  With his background and experience at the upscale Rosewood Hotels organization, He may well have felt more urgency than his members to increase off-island promotion, improve employee courtesy and customer service, and expand the islands' activities on the Web.

Figuring your new property tax bill

Every villa owner is waiting to find out what the government does with its new property revaluation data.  With the island's estimated assessments rising by factors of 2 to 10, many fear their tax bills could climb accordingly.

Maybe not, according to a report in the Virgin Islands Daily News.

Nathan Simmonds, a senior policy adviser to the Governor, told the V.I. Senate that while the average property value, on all three islands, rose 60%.  Realizing that boosting tax bills that much could cause "undue hardship," he said the government intends to tax only 30% of the increase in property value.

My thinking is informed by this Daily News report.  Do your own calculation. Your mileage may vary.

Simmonds said the new tax bills will be mailed by November.

Tipping the Villa Greeter

There are a lot of outstretched hands looking for a tip between the St. Thomas airport and the Cruz Bay ferry dock, including baggage porters, taxicab drivers, and ferry luggage loaders. Is the person who greets you on St. John another one?

Greeters are part of the villa rental package. They meet you at the ferry dock, take you to a car rental pickup, and then lead you to your house. The greeter's service is worth $50. That's what one villa management company charges owners when guests arrive off-hours, like late at night or on Sundays.  If every thing's on time (on St. John?), it's about an hour's work.  So, that cost has been figured into your rental rate. Greeters are paid by the rental company.

Some island visitors wonder, though, "Should I tip the greeter?" 

What do you think? Make a comment here.

Caneel vs. Gallows

The St. John forum at Virgin-Islands-On-Line.com is hosting an interesting debate about the differences between Caneel Bay and Gallows Point. 

It's kind of like, "Tastes Great! Less Filling" because when you come down to it, nothing beats renting a villa ... but, I digress, if not pander.

The Caneel-ites tout the resort's easy access to seven fantastic beaches and great food, and "a feeling of being at a resort back in time, probably the most relaxing place I have ever been," said Traveler22.  "We definitely felt pampered while we were there," added St. John Lover, who went on to say, "But we could only afford a couple days."

Booking for '08? You might do it now.

The Virgin Islands Daily News published two stories last week that have been gnawing at me.  They were headlined, OMB chief projects V.I. revenue will increase $26 million and, a day later, DeJongh submits $15.3 million supplemental spending bill.

Debra Gottlieb, the director of the Office and Management and Budget, told the Senate Finance Committee that "anticipated increases in real property tax collections based on newly assessed values" are the reason.  And even before any Senators had sniffed the smell of new money, the Governor came in on top of them to propose new ways to spend it. When the initial property re-revaluation numbers came out, I waited for Senators to put 2 and 2 together.  The Governor beat them to it.

Now, thanks to the unbelievable increases in St. John real estate assessments, and with property owners unsure only of how high their new taxes will be, it appears the government is eagerly waiting to see the trough filled.

I don't think it's unreasonable for  corrections officers to get long-delayed overtime payments, or for firefighters and supervisors to receive their also long-delayed raises and to pay other personnel and health services costs.  These bills were way overdue.

What could this mean to you? Real estate taxes are part of a busines's operating costs - doesn't matter whether it's a restaurant, a gift shop, or ... a hardware store, a supermarket, a fruit stand, a timeshare development or .... dare I say ... a villa.

It's simple mathematics.  If a villa, condo, resort or timeshare has been socked with a 500% higher assessment, the owner knows real estate taxes are going to up. What do we know about business costs? "Business" doesn't pay them.  The consumer does.

This is why every vacationer and visitor to St. John has a stake in the revaluation process of properties on St. John.  Bottom line advice: book your next villa stay asap.

Broker to property owners: Relax!

Kayre Carney of Islandia Real Estate is using the 'R' word a lot on the phone these days.  To clients calling and exclaiming about the huge property tax valuation increases, she is saying, relax. 

"These are preliminary property values," she wrote on her Web site, saying, "the values are still under review and subject to change, and change they likely will."

Assessor cometh, property owners screameth

The value of Blue Tang, our two-bedroom villa overlooking Great Cruz Bay, has increased 500%, according to the Territory-wide revaluation project.  We're not alone in seeing a stupendous increase. 

A three-bedroom Chocolate Hole property owned by a friend, had its assessment increase 1,100%; another's value was raised 550%. The assessment on a house we sold at Reef Bay increased almost 500%.

Sally Powers of the Bearing Point consulting firm which oversaw the project, told the St. John Source the islands' overall increase in valuations was about 85%.  However, St. John properties are clearly showing the hugest (is that a word?) gains.

Tequila tasting a new highlight of Katilady

Vodka and wine tasting are now part of Kate Steinborn's Katilady Catering.  The 10-year-old firm has staged events like these in island villas. A beer tasting is planned, too.

"We're trying to appeal to the local market," said Edika Franco one of Katilady's chefs.  "There's not much to do here for locals, so we just want to have some fun" with things like cooking demonstrations and wine pairings.

In the second part of an interview with Steinborn, she also explains how a Virgin Islands business owner like herself has to be flexible and always adapting.  "If you want to do one thing, and only one thing, this is not the place for you," she explained.

To listen, click the "Play" button below.

You can also download or hear the conversation by clicking here.

How Katilady puts the 'Welcome' in baskets

Everybody's gotta eat, even if they are on vacation. 

That simple fact, and the fact that many of St. John's visitors have money or want to splurge, may be behind the fact that there are at least four catering businesses on island.  Each will provision your villa before you arrive, have a private chef prepare a great meal for you in the villa, or maybe even prepare a beach picnic for you.

Perhaps the oldest catering business is Katilady, owned by Katherine Steinborn.  She started 10 years ago, by herself in a 12-foot-by-12-foot efficiency apartment, putting together "Welcome Baskets" of snacks and drinks and delivering them to rental homes.  Now, Katilady has 18 full- and part-time employees.

Architectural Digest "covers" St. John villa

A German couple's north shore villa is on the cover of this month's Architectural Digest magazine. 

Hawksview Estate, described on the property's Web site as a "villa that marries the best of old world charm and modern comfort" rents for $25,000 a week in high season, $18,000 off season. 

The five-bedroom property, located between Hawksnest and Trunk Bays, sits on five acres within the National Park.  It also has a media room and a gymnasium featuring Bowflex equipment, a Great Room with a 21-foot high ceiling, and an infinity pool offering views of St. Thomas and the BVI's.

If you owned this villa, would you rent it?  Comment here.

Renovations at Caneel continue

Executives at Caneel Bay Resort are quoted saying renovations to its some 170 rooms will be completed, on schedule, by November.  A Dallas, Texas design firm was contracted for the work.

"The renovation will enhance the resort's luxurious island atmosphere by re-introducing an element of Americana beach house theme-the foundation of the resort's mid-20th century beginnings," said Dan Nelson, president of Vision Design and the project's lead designer.

Do it Yourself to break even on a villa

The owner of Sundancer, a three-bedroom villa in Fish Bay, says he treats his villa rental business like, well, a business.  You have to pay attention and be willing to get your hands dirty.

Bob Faucett says he does that.  From doing his own maintenance on the property to "outsourcing" marketing to his daughter, Faucett keeps his costs low to make a profit.

So you want to own a villa: an owner speaks

Many people dream of having a villa on St. John.  And they figure that if they put it on the rental market, maybe - just maybe - it'll break even.  They'll have free vacations, real estate appreciation, and no cash out of pocket.

I did say "dream", didn't I?

Now, some people can make this deal.  The big "gotcha" is mortgage payments. 

For Bob Faucett, the owner of the three-bedroom house Sundancer in Fish Bay, the dream has come true.  (Sundancer.com)  He has a small, old, mortgage.

In conversation, Faucett explained how his first smart move was, what's called in retail, "buying right."  He purchased the property in 1998.  The average home price, then, was about $450,000.  He made some other smart decisions which he reveals in this first part of the conversation. To listen, click the "Play" button below.

If you own a villa, are building one ... or are a dreamer ... listen to this.

You can also download or hear the conversation by clicking here.

Westin names Director of Fun

There's a new Iguana wrangler at the Westin. Toya Frazer-Ellis, a native St. Thomian and University of Florida graduate, has been promoted to be the new Director of Fun at the Westin Resort. Her job, according to a news release, is to "ensure that kids of all ages have an enjoyable stay." That means she manages the daily Iguana feedings and Hermit Crab Races, organizes Bobbing for Sodas and Beer by the pool, and sets up Dive-In Movies, too.

Frazer-Ellis has worked at the Westin for two years.  Her previous title was Director of Romance. She helped plan guests' weddings.

How much would pay for dinner with Ted?

The guru behind the restaurant Tage has joined with KatiLady Katering to offer "In Villa Private Dinners." 

Ted Robinson, the closest thing the island has to a "Top Chef" personality, is being hired out by KatiLady for gourmet food prep for six to 14 people.  The costs include $450 for him, plus tip, $125 for a server, and food shopping.  Using Mrs. Inquiring Iguana's expertise at budgeting, dinner might come to $155 a person.

"Ted will arrive on site 1.5-2 hours prior to appetizer service and create the majority of your meal in your private villa’s kitchen," a brochure from KatiLady explained. "Ted will prepare and plate your meal. Our staff will serve each course while Ted will offer descriptions and details of your meal. KatiLady staff will leave your kitchen sparkling clean." Robinson is also available for cooking classes at $150/person.

His's skills are such that he managed to make Tage, and its uber urban location, a "must taste" stop for splurging visitors during three years as executive chef. He departed a few months ago.

Caneel aces tennis resort rankings

Caneel Bay's tennis facilities were rated tops in the Caribbean by US Tennis Resorts Online.  The St. John resort also scored #12 among the Top Resorts, #3 for staff, and #4 for most romantic.

TennisresortsOnline.com said its survey included "vacationers like you: people who pay for their holiday and have every reason to be objective."  The Caneel Bay tennis complex has 11 courts and is overseen by its resident tennis pro, Patrick Alle.

While summer rates at Caneel start at $375 a night, you don't have to stay there to play there.  The resort offers complimentary round robins Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. when locals as well as guests are invited to pair up and march up.    

Here’s what TennisResortsOnline.com has to say about Caneel: http://tennisresortsonline.com/trofiles/CaneelBay.cfm

Buyers selling incomplete condos

Some early buyers of Sirenusa and Grande Bay units are trying to get out - before the first owners have moved in. 

A listing of real estate offerings from John McCann and Associates shows six condos at Grande Bay for sale.  None appear to be from the developer.  Prices begin at $629,000 for a 1-bedroom, 1-bath unit and go up to $1 million for a two-bedroom, two bath apartment.

Sirenusa's a different story.  There are 17 units on the market, 13 of which are listed by Enighed Condominiums LLC, the builder. The other four units have different owners.  The least expensive Sirenusa condo is $1.39 million. It's got two bedrooms.  The high end is a 3-bedroom, 3.5 bath units offered at $1.85 million.

Congress does Caneel for spring break

Members of the House of Representatives opted to get out of the capital's cloudy weather and make a Congressional delegation trip to  the Virgin Islands, Honduras, and Mexico.  Washington, DC's Examiner said nine Democrats and two Republicans stayed at Caneel Bay while on island. 

The office of Rep. Bennie Thompson said he wanted to tour toured the Caribbean to "examine border security and port security".  He is chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.  An aide to Thompson told the newspaper he and his wife paid the "government rate".  But the reservations department at Caneel told the Examiner the resort "doesn't offer government rates."  Three other Members also brought their spouses, the newspaper said.

Their timing was good. The average temperature on Easter Sunday in the DC area was 51 degrees.  On St. John, it was 81.

Why the Westin is timesharing so many rooms

The New York Times says fractional home ownership is "a warm spot in a cooling (real estate) market."  Using the Ritz-Carlton company as an example of companies shifting their business plans, The Times points out that "if they cannot make it one year, they may exchange their time for stays at one of Ritz’s three other fractional properties in places like Jupiter, Fla., or the Virgin Islands."

Neither of the St. John's two big developments, Grande Bay and Sirenusa, are being offered as timeshares or fractionals.  There are dozens of timeshares available at the Westin.

Free night at the Westin

Book four nights and get a fifth free is the deal being offered by the St. John Westin, as well as hotels on both St. Thomas and St Croix, according to the VI Hotel and Tourism Association. The offer is tied to the 90oth anniversary of "Transfer Day," when the islands moved from being owned by the Danes to becoming a United States territory. Book your stay by July 15th and you also get tickets to various activities on St. Thomas including