St. John Villa, Presidio del Mar. November 2009
One of our travel agents checked in with her guests following their stay at Presidio del Mar... a breathtaking 6-bedroom property that is perched at water's edge, with beach access and concierge services...
Just to let you know...
I am worried on how to top this one for them next year – well... may have to stay there again! Christmas @ Presidio del Mar
Substantial savings on your last-minute holiday rental at this ultra-luxurious 6 BR villa in Peter Bay, St. John featuring Concierge service and beach access.
See more information about Presidio del Mar on our site...Virgin Gorda Villa, On the Rocks. May 2009
It's interesting how different villas are in the BVI's vs USVI's... I say this because On The Rocks was simple, yet elegant. Nothing flashy, but a well furnished, well built, well appointed villa with lots of land and a focus on service (common in the BVI's). So...for that, I'll start on service.
I must say, I get upset about the (12%) "cleaning fee" most of the BVI villas incur. That has deterred us a number of times from staying in the BVI's. The fee never makes sense until you actually get there (even for this being my second BVI villa) when you're reminded that your villa has maid service each day. There's nothing better than someone else cleaning up after you while on holiday. Who the hell wants to do that? Our maid (I forgot her name) arrived each morning "around 10" and cleaned up nicely. We're not messy folks by any means, but it's nice to have your bed made, towels folded, dishes put in the dish washer and most surfaces wiped down. As mentioned, it's a luxury you don't understand until you're there. I personally think you could make that more apparent on your site. It's just says "Yes" next to Maid Service. "Daily" would be preferred and maybe a more apparent explanation of what that 12% actually buys you.
The bedrooms were all very nice. I was impressed with how simple and understated the decor was, but more impressed with the sturdiness and overall quality. The 2 master rooms were much larger than the photos imply. There weren't any complaints about room size from any of my guests. Storage space for luggage, snorkel/scuba gear and the 5,000 pairs of shoes our friends bring fit snugly in their respective spaces. The A/C units were adequate for the size of the rooms. The door triggers are genius and a huge plus in my book for an owner trying to be "green". Each bathroom received accolades for being ergonomically correct. Everything has it's place AND there was a place for everything my guests brought. Our crowd loves outdoor showers and we were all pleased to know this villa had all 4. The 2 non-master showers could be a little too "open" for anyone modest.
The Kitchen and Living Room were just large enough to comfortably fit 6 adults. The dining table received lots of use! The pool and pool area were excellent. Some of the best we've stayed. It's large enough to fit everyone and not too small to be unusable (an unfortunate attribute of some villas).
I think the best part was the proximity of the ocean. The "short walk to the beach" was truly a short walk. It took no time to get there and it was a "to die for" location for romantic walks or relaxing on the sand with friends and music.
I could go on, but this has taken me months of periodically updating and it's time to send.
I hope this is of value to you.
All the best,
Gene C. / Atlanta, GA
St. John Villa, Bordeaux Breeze.
McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas thrives on feedback from our guests. Usually we receive it directly, via a questionnaire, mid-stay guest callout, or the guests call us to request assistance. Occasionally, we spot a great review online, and in this case, it was at www.virgin-islands-on-line.com. It's a thorough review, provided by one of the owner's guests. We hope you enjoy it, as we did!
The U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association pulled out all the stops for the 8th annual Tommy Star Awards gala on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the St. Peter Mountain Greathouse.
Cocktails began at 7pm, and attendees were treated to videotaped greetings to all that was to come by the finalists themselves. After rounds of champagne and hors-d'oeuvres, the audience was directed to the dining room, which was outfitted royally, with pink roses and matching table treatments. The finalists were led in one by one, beneath their own taped introductions of themselves.
McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas' Anita Davis, who doubles as Help Desk and IT as well as Reservations, was one of the finalists who had made it this far. She was nominated by McLaughlin Anderson staff and management in the category of Hotel Associate of the Year for her able assistance to internal and external customers. She keeps the web site, blog and social networking pages clicking and manages the customized web site portal, image libraries, and documents. She assists the web developer with feedback and troubleshooting on behalf of guest visitors to the site, owners, vendors, and the McLaughlin Anderson Luxury Villas staff. She also continues to act as Reservationist, with her own roster of direct repeat guests as well as travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers.
Also nominated in this category were Mary Ryan of the Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort, Jasmine Steward of the Westin St. John Resort, and Gertrude "Trudi" Gillmore of The Ritz-Carlton. Gillmore captured the prize and the warmth of the audience with her enthusiastic acceptance speech, "I'm elated!"... and her several happy kisses to her presenter, the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Hon. John de Johngh, Jr.
Read more about the 2009 Tommy Star Awards and the Award of Excellence (Stanley Selengut), Tommy Star Student Award (Akeiba Barnard), and the Green Award (Jennifer McQueen). (Complete winner list will be provided upon publication)
St. Thomas Source article featuring all winners and honorees
Photo album on our Facebook page
Pictured: Nancy's gift to Anita, an "A" initial pin and studded star; Tommy Star Finalist memento, and other keepsakes from the big night. Click either image to see larger version.
Recent Comments