Thank god, not much!!! BSV looks just as beautiful as before that b*tch Irma came to visit!! The ocean is stunning, St. Barts comes and goes whenever she pleases and she gets permission from Pat!




The pool is just as lovely.



The gazebo gives a lovely view out down the beach and provides much needed shade for whimps like me..



"MY" chair looks out over the best view on earth..



The kitchen has everything you need to be able to cook meals if you like




The atrium--since they enclosed all of them last year and put a/c in the main room--has a dining table inside in the a/c if you choose



The living room is comfy as ever




as is the bedroom (sorry, forgot to take that picture!)


For long term visitors, you will notice that the vegetation took a big hit, but it is coming back






As always, Beachside is therapy for everything that ails you.





Life doesn't get better than this..





Oh, cr*p! I actually did intend to post the couple of small things that are different... Sorry. Edited to add this...


Marvlyn is gone, Michelle is here now, but all the rest of the staff are here.


Tiny thing, but I personally appreciate it, there is an alarm clock in the bedroom now.


Small thing, but I like it, there are now plastic wine glasses (although again, we bought our own glasses at Super U this time, and will leave them here)


The TV now has the FOOD NETWORK and Cooking Channel Sorry, I know that makes me a geek, but I love it!!! There's HDTV, ESPN, History Channel, TBS, TNT, AMC, Travel Channel, lots of stuff, but NO CBS, NBC, ABC or Fox..


And, as has been posted several times, there is now a real viewing stand for the airport, with nice stairs, seats, and cupholders!!!

Ok not yellow tomatoes (sorry meant green tomatoes), but seaweed. Started a couple of hours ago.

In front of us, not so bad as of now. But see patches out on the horizon. Down toward ElZafero, they already have close to 2 or 3 feet wide and more coming. Based on current, etc. there is a lot about to hit there.

In front of us not so bad at this point, but time will tell.

Will let you know more later. Not that we can do anything about it regardless. Have to go with the flow or tide in this case! (G)

Just throwing this out there in case there is anyone that will be staying at SBR in the near future. We are going in January but I have heard that the upper B buildings' top floors (4 and 5) are not ready for occupation. If someone is there I would really appreciate any info regarding the progress of those two floors (we are on the 5th)...still plenty of time but just a bit anxious

I tried getting info from SBR a month ago but didn't get a response as to when those floors would be done

Yesterday was our anniversary. Eric wanted to try Marigot for lunch, which turned out to be a very good idea!

We ended up at Tropicana, based on recommendations here in my thread I posted before we left, requesting info for a special lunch. I have to say, this lunch did NOT come anywhere close to the "Best Meal I Ever Had", at Dreams. which would be impossible, but it was very nice and we both enjoyed it very much.




We started with a nice Cote de Provence






They didn't appear to have a printed menu, at least for lunch, but only the chalkboard menu here. The owner (??) translated anything we didn't understand for us.



Note they were giving 1.15 on the Euro, which isn't bad, compared to the real exchange rate. They did accept credit cards. I had to ask, since I spent more than I thought I would at the stalls there in the open market in Marigot.


We shared the special appetizer salad, which featured crab, salmon, shrimp and grapefruit.



Eric, being much more of a 'fish' person than I am, loved it! I thought it was ok..


On the other hand, I positively LOVED my beef tenderloin with a mushroom sauce!!! OMG!!




I have to say, the presentation wasn't up to real Grand Case standards, but that steak was some of the best I've had in a long time, with that sauce!!!

I ordered French fries (ok, pomme frites!) and Eric had a garlic potatoes side dish that could make me give up French fries forever, in exchange!



Eric had a snapper dish, with a crab crust




We finished with an OMG GRAND MARNIER SOUFFLE that was OUT of this world!!!



WOW!!!


The finishing touch was some home made banana vanilla rum





What a lovely meal!!!

Here are a bunch of pictures we took yesterday of Orient. We did NOT go to Club O side, so no pictures of there yet. I took a bunch more pictures of various places around Orient, but a lot of them, I don't know exactly what they were.

Bikini is going to be BEAUTIFUL. My guess is that they may open just for chairs and the bar relatively soon, but it sure seems like the restaurant is going to be quite a while.
















LaPlaya hotel




LaPlaya bar





Sad picture of Kontiki remains





Esmeralda





This one looks like it's been repaired, as compared to the first one.




Plantation Restaurant, open for business





Orient Village--picture taken at 11 am, approximately





Petit Casino


Construction happening where Yellow Sub used to be



Bar open on same side of street at Petit Casino, sorry I didn't catch the name.




One of the units at Green Cay Village, where we stayed, years ago.




Bruno's O Paradis, which looks fully open for business.

Offering up our family video to help the next in line get fired up for your trip. Fantastic week, as always. Fourth BVI charter for us, but the first to 1) fly into EIS, 2) make a stop at Scrub, 3) Necker tour with Gumption, 4) Anegada tour with Alex from Anegada Adventures, 5) dinner at Hog Heaven, and 6) hang at Hendo's Hideout. Looking forward to our fifth charter to knock off even more "firsts".

BVI2018 Video

I’m trying to plan my winter 2019 trip and wondering what lodging is open on Jost. Also does the ferry run there on weekends?

Ok Carol and Eric, if we don’t start seeing some pictures, REALLY SOON, we might have to seek counseling! The withdrawals are unbearable! So we might have to seek some sort of legal counseling! LOL!!! Y’all have fun! It is the best place in the entire WORLD! Just joking y’all now!

I have been here for a week and have my first week's trip report written; however, I'm experiencing some technology issues. Whether it's Divi bandwidth, a lack of understanding of the new TTOL photo process, or something else, I just can't get photos posted. Also, now that Hills are on island, I don't want to compete with them. So my trip reports, as well as photos of Divi to substantiate this post, will have to wait.

Here are my observations of Divi so far.

Divi has made amazing recovery, and work is ongoing on a constant basis. Trucks and workmen everywhere! At the time of my owner update, Buildings H1, H2, H3, A, B, and B1-4 were occupied. Building D is to be opened sometime this week. I snuck a peek at one of the renovated rooms in D; very nice.

Landscaping in the occupied areas has been replanted and looks lovely. The guest parking lot has received new pavers in a U shape for driving on (with both an entrance and exit), but the parking areas on either side of the pavers are still gravel. I’ve never understood why the rental car area is all pavers but not the guest area.

Only five TV stations are currently available: ABC (sometimes), CNN, A&E, and 2 sports channels. Wifi is spotty at best. I usually have to go out on my deck to get service. I’m spoiled as I had excellent reception in my timeshare pre-Irma.

I was told in my owner meeting that no additional hurricane assessments will occur as insurance covered the hurricane damage. Since I was hit with an assessment just before Irma, that was good news.

The only pool that is open is Seabreeze in the center of the property. That is also the only location currently serving food: breakfast, lunch, dinner; oh, and there's some food "to go" from the little deli. The room I am in this year, since my building still hasn’t been renovated, is next door to Seabreeze. Noisy and no privacy; however, it’s better than not being here!

The fitness center is operational. While someone told me it’s all new equipment, I don’t believe it as some of the machines have the same quirks I remember from last June. But it’s a very well-equipped room.

The little café has been renamed New Amsterdam and seems to be open longer hours. Shipwreck Shop is open although not as fully stocked as before. The insect repellent they now sell is Bug Off; they no longer carry mosquito milk. Too bad because Bug Off is medicinal-smelling.

The beach is pretty much restored to how I remember it from last June. Sand may not be quite as silky, but there is plenty of it. The Aqua Mania folks are good about getting umbrellas set up. I have not yet experienced a “towel outage.”

Currently there is only one party: the Manager’s party on Monday. I had another commitment last Monday but will go tomorrow. There is no live music at this time.

The timeshare sales office has relocated, temporarily I assume, next to the guest lounge. Their former office is currently a storage room for furniture.

Overall, the progress here is remarkable, especially compared to other resorts that won’t reopen for some time. Everyone is working very hard to bring it back to its former glory.

Are they still planning on opening this month?