Staying at the RC club in St Thomas

Checked in last Saturday for two weeks and the kids and grandkids are with us till Sunday. It's a bit hectic right now but if any one has any questions just ask and I'll get to them next week along with posting some photos on the link below.

This is definitely a high end place but it has some really unusual quirks especially in the resort layout. More to follow the GK's want to go snorkeling.

jimf41 said:

Checked in last Saturday for two weeks and the kids and grandkids are with us till Sunday. It's a bit hectic right now but if any one has any questions just ask and I'll get to them next week along with posting some photos on the link below.

This is definitely a high end place but it has some really unusual quirks especially in the resort layout. More to follow the GK's want to go snorkeling.

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Jim, we stayed in the hotel section a couple of years ago and thought the property was fantastic. We toured the time share units and thought they were very well done, but the ones we saw had the full kitchen, and I recall that the suites have a more limited kitchen.

A couple of questions:

1) Can you tell if all of the DC units are in the same building?
2) If so, does that building have a good view (or is it partially obstructed). I think all buildings should have a nice view, just curious if unobstructed
3) Are there grills close by the building
4) How does the size of the 2BR unit feel relative to the MFC 2BR

I will be very curious to hear your thoughts on the Ritz Carlton property, considering how much you love MFC. It's not many more points to stay at RC and I think Great Bay and the Ritz Carlton beach amenities alone warrant the increased points requirement.

I will also be curious to see how you feel about being on the East End of the island versus being near Charlotte Amalie.

Have a great trip and please let us know how you like the property!

Best,

Greg

Did you send those few showers to FC this morning? We actually have not been in the chairs until today. There is a family with children who needed close to pool. They were going out today so we are sitting there. Enjoy your family.

GregT said:

Jim, we stayed in the hotel section a couple of years ago and thought the property was fantastic. We toured the time share units and thought they were very well done, but the ones we saw had the full kitchen, and I recall that the suites have a more limited kitchen.

A couple of questions:

1) Can you tell if all of the DC units are in the same building?
2) If so, does that building have a good view (or is it partially obstructed). I think all buildings should have a nice view, just curious if unobstructed
3) Are there grills close by the building
4) How does the size of the 2BR unit feel relative to the MFC 2BR

I will be very curious to hear your thoughts on the Ritz Carlton property, considering how much you love MFC. It's not many more points to stay at RC and I think Great Bay and the Ritz Carlton beach amenities alone warrant the increased points requirement.

I will also be curious to see how you feel about being on the East End of the island versus being near Charlotte Amalie.

Have a great trip and please let us know how you like the property!

Best,

Greg

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What is it you like about Great Bay? What are the beach amenities?

not necessarily RC related...

but would love to hear about must do's (or donts) for STT. I just exchanged for MVC for December and will have a 6 year old and 1 year old traveling with us.

What is the booking availability there like? For ex., if my kids wanted mid- end of March partial week there, would that be a pipe dream, or does availability closer in open up? I know I can call to check current availability, but I wanted to know from other's experience how easy/hard it was to get reservations there.

Fairwinds said:

What is it you like about Great Bay? What are the beach amenities?

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I think Great Bay is beautiful, the sand is fabulous and the beach bottom is good (not grassy or rocky).

The beach/lounge chairs that the Ritz has are very plush, as you would imagine. They also have a beach activity hut where you can take out kayaks, little hobie cat catamarans, etc. I took out a hobie cat every day and it was one of my favorite things about the Ritz.

Lady Lyndsey is also there for excursions, leaving straight from the beach. It rocks.

Now I want to go to St. Thomas again.

Best,

Greg

GregT said:

I think Great Bay is beautiful, the sand is fabulous and the beach bottom is good (not grassy or rocky).

The beach/lounge chairs that the Ritz has are very plush, as you would imagine. They also have a beach activity hut where you can take out kayaks, little hobie cat catamarans, etc. I took out a hobie cat every day and it was one of my favorite things about the Ritz.

Lady Lyndsey is also there for excursions, leaving straight from the beach. It rocks.

Now I want to go to St. Thomas again.

Best,


Greg

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Awesome! TKS

The attached is exactly where JimF is right now (except without my beautiful wife).





Now I really want to go back to STT.



.

GregT said:

The attached is exactly where JimF is right now (except without my beautiful wife).

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Talk about having the pool to yourself!!

Is that you on the little hobie in the background??

Please write a review of your awesome vacation !!!

pedro47 said:

Please write a review of your awesome vacation !!!

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My issue was that some guy kept taking pictures of my wife when she was in the pool and I was on the hobie cat.

GregT said:

My issue was that some guy kept taking pictures of my wife when she was in the pool and I was on the hobie cat.

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Hey Gregger, I could have disrespected you and asked if that was you with the man-boobs in the background. :hysterical::hysterical:

I can't wait to hear about it as well. It is really the best deal I've heard of for using points instead of just renting my weeks and renting where I want to go. My only fear is that once I go there, Frenchman's Cove will be a let-down.

GregT said:

The attached is exactly where JimF is right now (except without my beautiful wife).

Now I really want to go back to STT.

.

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I promise I will answer all these questions shortly and post some pics but first I have to correct Greg T a little bit. The pic he showed was the hotel side, the TS side is quite different. Right now I'm on babysitting duty as the kids get their romantic night out at Oceana.

GregT said:

A couple of questions:

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1) Can you tell if all of the DC units are in the same building?

The units they use for DC trades are in the two closest bldgs. To the hotel Gardenia and Heliconia. They are all suites not residences. The residences are in the four other bldgs. The residences have a full kitchen but only 1 King in each bedroom. There are 3bdrm residences on the corner of each residence bldg. but the third bedroom does not have a window, similar to the Hyatt layout at Siesta Key.

The suites have a king in the master and 2 queens in the 2nd bedroom but a rather scaled back kitchen with no oven and two mini fridges instead of a full refridgerator.



2) If so, does that building have a good view (or is it partially obstructed). I think all buildings should have a nice view, just curious if unobstructed

We are on the bottom floor of Gardenia. I will post pics from the balcony soon but the view is great. There is a restaurant on the top floor that gives a full breakfast complimentary to guests. The view from there is about as good as you’re going to get in any resort anywhere. You look straight out at Cruz Bay in St John. The food is very good. It’s a full buffet and you can order waffles, pancakes and eggs to order including any type omelet you can think of.

3) Are there grills close by the building

There are a couple of grills but they seem to be over near the residences. I have not found any near the suite side yet and they are not depicted on the resort map.

4) How does the size of the 2BR unit feel relative to the MFC 2BR

Much larger, I would say 30% larger. The balconies are full length. The master is separated from the 2nd bdrm. The 2nd bdrm is as big as the main balcony at MFC. The baths in each bedroom are identical with each having a full size tub and separate shower stall. There is a walk in closet in the main and a separate alcove in the 2nd that is great for storing you bags and snorkel gear.

Apologize in advance for what probably is a stupid question- but you mention buildings with Ritz residences and others with Ritz suites , and a Ritz hotel are all mentioned. What is the layout/proximity of everything? Are there separate pools or is it basically one big resort?

Not a stupid question at all. There are separate pools and it is two separate resorts that are co-located adjacent to each other. I'll post the resort map within a day or two and that will give a clear idea of the layout.

jimf41 said:

Not a stupid question at all. There are separate pools and it is two separate resorts that are co-located adjacent to each other. I'll post the resort map within a day or two and that will give a clear idea of the layout.

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Thanks- and do guests have access to either pool/beach area?

You also mention watching the grandkids - how old are they? Do the pools, etc., have kid friendly activities (slides, etc.)? Any wading pool or zero entry area for real little ones? All these posts have been intriguing, and tempting for a family trip perhaps next year but didn't know if the resort lends itself to the under five crowd (and one would be about 9 months, since he's not due for a few months yet).

jimf41 said:

Not a stupid question at all. There are separate pools and it is two separate resorts that are co-located adjacent to each other. I'll post the resort map within a day or two and that will give a clear idea of the layout.

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That's very interesting -- when we were there and visiting the Ritz DC, they told us that the guests at the Residence Club had full access to the Ritz hotel, its beach, pool and amenities. Do you get the impression they are trying to keep you on the timeshare side?

That would be a bit of a bummer for me because I walked the beach/pool area in front of the timeshares and I definitely preferred the beach/pool area in front of the hotel.

I rationalized it thinking I'd just walk over to the hotel side, which is about the same as walking from Lahaina Villas to the Napili Villas (if even that far).

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Greg

GregT said:

That's very interesting -- when we were there and visiting the Ritz DC, they told us that the guests at the Residence Club had full access to the Ritz hotel, its beach, pool and amenities. Do you get the impression they are trying to keep you on the timeshare side?

That would be a bit of a bummer for me because I walked the beach/pool area in front of the timeshares and I definitely preferred the beach/pool area in front of the hotel.

I rationalized it thinking I'd just walk over to the hotel side, which is about the same as walking from Lahaina Villas to the Napili Villas (if even that far).

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Greg

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Greg,

The guests at the TS have equal access to the hotel or the TS. The guests at the hotel are not "encouraged" to use the TS facilities. In practice I see no disparity at all except maybe for the restaurant in the TS in Gardenia. You have to have a room key at the TS to access that floor. I asked the host this morning and he confirmed that then he added if someone calls the restaurant from the phone by the elevator they buzz them up.

The guys that set up the chairs at the pool/beach asked me for my room number so I don't think the hotel guests get a towel setup but there are lots of folks walking back and forth with hotel towels. I think it's more of a "let's make the owners feel special" than an enforced policy.

I've attached a resort map but I had to compress it. I'll put a photo of it up later in the photo link for those that can't view it

I have a question for you. When I was last there in April I heard they were converting the lounge where the free breakfast was to a restaurant. I am asuming that is done giving your reference to a restaurant in the top of the Gardenia Building(that is where the lounge was located). Is there complimentary breakfast there or has that benefit been removed?

fluke said:

I have a question for you. When I was last there in April I heard they were converting the lounge where the free breakfast was to a restaurant. I am asuming that is done giving your reference to a restaurant in the top of the Gardenia Building(that is where the lounge was located). Is there complimentary breakfast there or has that benefit been removed?

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Hello Fluke,how was the resort like in April. I am looking at the resort for my wedding anniversary ?

fluke said:

I have a question for you. When I was last there in April I heard they were converting the lounge where the free breakfast was to a restaurant. I am asuming that is done giving your reference to a restaurant in the top of the Gardenia Building(that is where the lounge was located). Is there complimentary breakfast there or has that benefit been removed?

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Yes but the complimentary breakfast is only for VAC guests. It is open for lunch and dinner but only to the RC TS guests except as noted in my previous post.

pedro47 said:

Hello Fluke,how was the resort like in April. I am looking at the resort for my wedding anniversary ?

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I was there 3 weeks after Easter so it was pretty empty. I was told they slow down considerably the week after Easter, so that would have alot of impact on the crowds depending on the year. Although they had their full services going.

The weather was nice in the mid 80's. There was a daily rain shower in the afternoon lasting 30 minutes or so.