Wind Spirit departure port

[Xoe]

I'm booked on Wind Spirit's Caribbean itinerary next winter, and would appreciate information about logistics on St. Thomas. I arrive the evening of January 10th for a departure on the 12th (earlier than I wanted to arrive there, but required to get f.f. airfare).

 

QUESTIONS:

 

Any recommendations for a hotel for 2 nights? I like local-type accommodations, clean and comfortable, with airport shuttle service included.

 

I'm seeking ideas for sightseeing on my full day there (Friday Jan. 11) before boarding Wind Spirit on the 12th.

 

Also, recommendations for getting from the hotel to the ship on the 12th. In January I was on Wind Star's Costa Rica trip (great trip!), and stayed 2 nights in a charming small hotel near the San Jose airport, and used Coach Costa Rica's transfer service from the hotel to the ship at Puerto Caldera. That worked wonderfully well, so I'm looking for that sort of thing for my 2 nights and a full day in St. Thomas (where I've never been before).

 

Thank you!

[lovecruisingtoo]

I doubt that you will be able to find a hotel that has a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and the hotel to the ship. However, there are plenty of shuttles that are available for $12 or so (if I recall correctly) per person one way.

 

One hotel that has good reviews and is "local" type hotel is "Hotel 1829". Not fancy at all but seems good from the reviews. 1829 is within easy walking distance to the city center and all the main streets. Does have A/C but no phones in the rooms.

[MGC]

We stayed at Hotel 1829 before our cruise in December last year. It is a small friendly hotel. The room we had was really pretty sizeable, with a small balcony (big enough for a small table and two chairs) overlooking the downtown area. Our friends had a room with a balcony -- much larger with enough room for a lounge chair or two, but I think their room was a little smaller. I never got around to posting the pictures I took, but I daresay we had the room that is posted on the homepage of their website. They do not have a shuttle service. Breakfast was provided in the bar area, and consisted of juices, coffee/tea and some assorted pastries (I don't pay much attention to breakfast usually, so there may have been more stuff than I remember.) There are several places to eat lunch or dinner within easy walking distance. You are only a couple of blocks from the shopping area, and the hotel gives you free admission to Blackbeard's Castle which is just up the hill from the hotel.

 

Since we weren't boarding until 2 pm, we checked out of the hotel room in the morning and they held our luggage in the office, then called us a taxi when we were ready to go to the ship.

[xsnowman99]

Hotel 1829 is always our choice for St. Thomas. It has lots of 'old world' charm. There is a wonderful restaurant 2 doors down fromit that is worth having dinner. Do ask for a room on the front so you can see the harbor and town below you! Enjoy...I wish I was with you...but, who knows--maybe I will be :)

[Xoe]

I LOVE this board -- such great information, and such helpful people.

 

I also saw a recommendation for The Green Iguana hotel. Any thoughts on how Hotel 1829 and The Green Iguana compare?

 

I'm thinking perhaps just wandering the town and its sights will be enough for my full day there, rather than seeking out a day trip. Any thoughts on that?

[mielyse]

We are going to stay at the Mafolie. It looks like a nice enough place. Any reviews on this hotel?

[jsiegel]

We are going to stay at the Mafolie. It looks like a nice enough place. Any reviews on this hotel?

 

We stayed at the Mafolie this past March. It was a very nice place and a good value. I'll post more about it this weekend when I'm at home.

 

Jackie

[wayzer]

I have been on the Surf out of Barbados numerous times. The advantage of Barbados for me being a Canadian is that you can fly direct from Toronto or Montreal. You leave either airport in morning and arrive in Barbados at 1430. Go directly to ship and board. That was easy!!!!!

[jsiegel]

I had contacted the Green Iguana, it sounded like a nice place, but they required three nights stay during the high season and we only planned on staying two.

 

The Mafolie also had a three night minimum but allowed us to reserve for less with a "run of the house" We booked a desired category but would not be guaranteed that category, only a room for the two nights at whatever rate that room was. We ended up with a room one level up from the standard rate we requested at only a few dollars more than the standard, so still a very good deal.

 

Got to run now, more later about the Mafolie.

 

Jackie

[jsiegel]

It is very easy to get around St. Thomas by taxi. There are a lot of taxi vans and open-air taxi truck type things. They are constantly cruising about town looking for people needing rides. Rates are controlled and are reasonable. You may need to share with others (kind of a SuperShuttle model) but they are inexpensive. At the airport you can't miss them. Just yell out which hotel you are going to and a porter will find a taxi going in that general direction.

The Mafolie hotel is up on a hill. You can't walk to or from there easily, but they will call a cab for you. The owner does take his truck daily to Megans Bay and into downtown for all interested guests, just let them know in the front office earlier in the morning. Getting back up is easy by catching any cruising cab.

All the rooms at the Mafolie require going up or down stairs. (the same is true at the Hotel 1829 I believe) Our room was good sized. The water pressure in the shower was extremely low, made it hard to shampoo my hair. The rooms were air conditioned but you needed to keep the air conditioner running all night to keep the room comfortable.

The Mafolie has a pretty decent continental breakfast. It is served in the open air restaurant. There is coffee and orange juice and milk and cold cereals and bagels and cream cheese and toast and jelly. The restaurant serves fabulous food for dinner. It is pricey and reservations are needed. At the pool there is a informal grill/snack bar. They have hamburgers and grilled chicken sandwiches. Very laid back, you just ask at the bar and then they fire up the grill.

The hotel pool and restaurant look down onto Charlotte Amalie. From the hotel you can see both cruise ports so if you are unsure where the Spirit will be, just look down in the morning. To the right is Crown Bay and to the left is Havensight. The Spirit was sailing out of Crown Bay in March 2007.

[Xoe]

I now have a reservation at the Green Iguana, which sounds perfect.

 

I appreciate all the information about how to get around. Very helpful. I am very excited about this trip! Right now our Pacific Northwest island home is at its sparkling best, but in January, Caribbean islands will have huge appeal.

[jsiegel]

One final post for Mielyse about the Mafolie.

 

This link takes you to a picture taken from the Mafolie of the Wind Spirit in Crown Bay, St Thomas. It's towards the right edge of the picture.

http://flickr.com/photos/75268079@N00/450963300/

 

Jackie

[mielyse]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like it will be fine for a day's stay.