Sorry, I have not had time to do a full trip report, and not sure I will, so let me try to hit the high points...

We stayed in Villa Maria on STJ Again and cannot wait to return. Absolutely love the location and the views are amazing. You open the door and immediately walk to the deck and here is the view that greats you.
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The folks at CATERED TO once again were the greatest. We did lose a hot water heater under the kitchen sink, but they were right out to investigate and troubleshoot. Unfortunately it was New Years Day when it broke, so we had to wait a day for the part. No big deal the dishes could wait.

This was a family getaway with Mom and Dad picking up most the tab, but the kids treated us to a day snorkeling trip to the BVI and more than enough rounds at Beach Bar and Woodys. They selected Island Roots and Capt John S for our day on the water. We had a great day even though it was a little windy. Capt Johns boat was immaculate and well stocked for a day of fun. I was most impressed by his keen eye after we went overboard. If you are not a strong snorkeler you will fell much safer knowing he is watching CAREFULLY.

The best meals are always at the Villa in my mind. The children did most of the food prep and cooking and we ate like kings. It is hard to beat fresh Mahi on the grill. We did a New Years dinner at La Plancha del Mar. They offered a five course dinner, with each serving paired with a wine. Service was excellent and the food exceeded my expectations, and I thought the wine selection was right on except for one course. As if it could not get any better - got back to the villa just in time to watch a great fireworks show at the Westin from our deck. A very specail night!

Beaches hit: Maho, Salt Pond, Hawknest, Honeymoon, and Maho again. We did Waterlemon and the BVI by boat. As I said earlier the winds were brisk so visibility was not as good as I have seen, but when one is in the blue water all is good

Here is what we saw: Underwater Slide Show

As for transportation we had multiple airlines in the mix and all delivered us on time +/- an hour. We only had 6 days with late arrivals on day one so I decide to stay in STT the first night. We stayed at the Best Western Carib. Clean, convenient, and was a great decision for us. It was nice to walk off the plane keep walking to your room, a shower, and a cold beer. We could sit by the pool and wait for the next group to arrive by plane and walk over and great them. This is not a hotel that you want to vacation at, but it is great for a staging or exiting point from any VI adventure.

We got up early and hit the Burrito Deli in Red Hook for breakfast (which was excellent), and caught the 9 am ferry to STJ. We were at Maho by 11:30 and had checked into Villa Maria (thanks again to CATERED TO) and with our car from St John rental. It was great to be able to park downtown after hours and the car treated us well.

We did have one incident - On our last night I heard a horn and it sound like our vehicle. Stuck my head out but all was quiet so I went back to bed. When we arose to check out and load the car the drivers door was open. A neighbor stopped by and said that they had closed our doors two days ago because they were all open. I told St John rental and they were truly concerned and the car was headed to STT to get a new ignition. Bottom line if you have a problem or a concern of any kind - tell the rental company and do not leave anything in your vehicles. No big deal just a little disconcerting.

A very special week for my wife and I to be able to enjoy one of my favorite spots in the world with our adult children. Hope when I am old and and living on a fixed income they will remember how much fun we had. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

“Every time I open a bottle of wine, it is an amazing trip somewhere!” José Andrés