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Frenchman's Cove questions

Shirtman

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Is there shuttle service to restaurants and shopping?

Grocery store in the area?

On site restaurants?

Thanks
 

AlmostRetired

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Just did a quick check to see what I can exchange my studio lock out at the Grand Chateau for during the summer since my wife works in a school. The Frenchman's Cove popped up for mid July and airfares are reasonable so paid the upgrade fee and grabbed it. The last time I was in St Thomas my kids were 10 and 13. They are 27 and 30 now. We did a trip to St Johns, went to some famous beach and my mind is blank on all else. Can someone help me with what there is to do, if I should rent a car and restaurants. Thanks in advance.
 

jimf41

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There's only a few things to do in the USVI. Beach, watersports, shopping, food and reading books. Night life is about a 2 on a 10 scale. Beaches are a 10, watersports I'll give a 7, food gets a 7.5 for quality and a 10 for atmosphere. Reading is great but you can do that anywhere, just not sitting on a beautiful beach with warm turquoise water and a really sissified rum drink in your hand. Shopping is not my thing so I won't comment on it except to say that you can do better online. There are some unique pieces of jewelry especially on St John but that's about it. If you put an S on St John and google it you'll end up on Utopia Pkwy in Queens so be careful there.

The most famous beach on St John is Trunk Bay. It's a US National Park so if you are a senior make sure you pick up a park pass before you go as admission and parking are free to us. There are great beaches on St Thomas and IMO better than those on St John. Tell us what you like to do and I can give more specific recommendations. The kids are a little old for the USVI but there is some nightlife so they won't totally be bored. Actually Red Hook is pretty lively after dark but I'm not the one to give you advice on after dark activities as i'm usually sleeping by then.
 

Pamplemousse

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Is there shuttle service to restaurants and shopping?

Grocery store in the area?

On site restaurants?

Thanks

There is a Marriott’s Frenchmans Cove Facebook page where the resort is posting updated info. They answer posts and will also answer PMs quickly.
This is probably the best place to get info since sites like trip advisor and people’s remerances from years past may not hold true since the hurricanes.
We are going next month and I just got an email from the resort saying the marketplace, pool, kids activity center, pool bar & grill were open, but they are still using service elevators for guests in some places and they had not been able to bring in more sand for the beach. The adjoining Frenchman’s reef resort and all the restaurants/ amenities are not yet rebuilt.
There is a live webcam at Frenchmans reef. Google it.
We have never visited before and are looking forward to a relaxing visit. Looks beautiful.
 

MPERL

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The best place to get all the info on St Thomas is "What's Going on St Thomas" Facebook Page. Be sure to have a Bushwacker at the Cove the 1st day you arrive, you will be hooked for the week.
 

AlmostRetired

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There's only a few things to do in the USVI. Beach, watersports, shopping, food and reading books. Night life is about a 2 on a 10 scale. Beaches are a 10, watersports I'll give a 7, food gets a 7.5 for quality and a 10 for atmosphere. Reading is great but you can do that anywhere, just not sitting on a beautiful beach with warm turquoise water and a really sissified rum drink in your hand. Shopping is not my thing so I won't comment on it except to say that you can do better online. There are some unique pieces of jewelry especially on St John but that's about it. If you put an S on St John and google it you'll end up on Utopia Pkwy in Queens so be careful there.

The most famous beach on St John is Trunk Bay. It's a US National Park so if you are a senior make sure you pick up a park pass before you go as admission and parking are free to us. There are great beaches on St Thomas and IMO better than those on St John. Tell us what you like to do and I can give more specific recommendations. The kids are a little old for the USVI but there is some nightlife so they won't totally be bored. Actually Red Hook is pretty lively after dark but I'm not the one to give you advice on after dark activities as i'm usually sleeping by then.

When we go away with the "kids", nightlife isn't so much and issue. One lives in NYC the other a subway ride away. If they want nightlife, they can stay home. Beaches, restaurants, drinking and spending enough time together my wife and I can bitch to each other about not doing it again. The last three trips together were Aruba and HHI and HHI. The choices this year were HHI, St Thomas or St Kitts...

Do I need to rent a car. AAA rate is about 430 with taxes for the 7 nights or is cabbing it the best way to go. They were already at St Johns to see a Red Storm game a few years ago. Good restaurants in the area.
 

turkel

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We are going April 27th thru May 10th. A car for the entire 13 days is approximately $500.00 Via Costco travel. We like exploring on our own. We have wanted to go for several years the hurricane has lead to more owners depositing their week. I grabbed 2 weeks with a 1 day overlap months ago. I don't expect perfection since the hurricanes have impacted the island greatly. Our flights from LAX were in the $450 range. Quite low. The resort is open and I am sure the water will be fine ;).
We are looking forward to using our snorkel gear we were unable to use in Florida or on our honeymoon in Thailand. Our expectations aren't high we are just excited about going.
 

suzannesimon

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Marriott Frenchman's Cove, Hyatt Sunset Harbor, Harborside at Atlantis, Marriott Aruba Surf Club, Marriott Grande Ocean, Westin Kierland Villas, Westin Lagunamar
If the 4 of you cab it to dinner at night, it will run you about $80 roundtrip so do the math compared to a car. Cabs charge by the person, not trip.
 

turkel

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Wow glad we planned on renting a car!
 

jaym

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We were on STT and STJ in May 2016 and rented a vehicle. Stayed at at rented condo on St. John for a few nights and remainder on Frenchman's Cove (MFC) for week, rented a car on STT.
It is expensive for taxi's and I felt like the drivers took advantage a couple of times. We got a cab down a steep hill above Cruz Bay to the ferry when leaving STJ on a Sunday morning to check into MFC, second leg of USVI trip. The driver charged me $60.00 and said we had oversized bags although there were only 2 other people in the open air van, quite large, so plenty of space.
I complained and he basically said tough luck. I do understand the cab drivers are trying to make a living but feel that they see U.S. tourists as wealthy. Fares will not be discounted and if you planning on getting out a least once a day I would rent a car.
Be careful driving on left hand side, no cell phone use while driving, a you will be fine. I think worth it as we drove around the island and went to restaurants, KMart, and grocery stores ourselves, much easier and less expensive. Enjoy your trip....
 

hillsk

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We are going April 27th thru May 10th. A car for the entire 13 days is approximately $500.00 Via Costco travel. We like exploring on our own. We have wanted to go for several years the hurricane has lead to more owners depositing their week. I grabbed 2 weeks with a 1 day overlap months ago. I don't expect perfection since the hurricanes have impacted the island greatly. Our flights from LAX were in the $450 range. Quite low. The resort is open and I am sure the water will be fine ;).
We are looking forward to using our snorkel gear we were unable to use in Florida or on our honeymoon in Thailand. Our expectations aren't high we are just excited about going.

I would really appreciate hearing how your trip went. We are going November 30-December 7. Anxious to know if the property next door that was Frenchmen's Reef (and which I read would open early 2019) has any limited services available yet (like pool/beach, restaurant, spa services) even though they aren't receiving guests yet. Any info you can provide would be most helpful. I am not a Facebook user and can't go there for updates as some folks have suggested. Thank you.
 

turkel

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Marriott Grand Chateau
I would really appreciate hearing how your trip went. We are going November 30-December 7. Anxious to know if the property next door that was Frenchmen's Reef (and which I read would open early 2019) has any limited services available yet (like pool/beach, restaurant, spa services) even though they aren't receiving guests yet. Any info you can provide would be most helpful. I am not a Facebook user and can't go there for updates as some folks have suggested. Thank you.

I am sure I will be posting once we arrive. Starting to pack now, whoop, whoop!
 

suzannesimon

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Marriott Frenchman's Cove, Hyatt Sunset Harbor, Harborside at Atlantis, Marriott Aruba Surf Club, Marriott Grande Ocean, Westin Kierland Villas, Westin Lagunamar
I would really appreciate hearing how your trip went. We are going November 30-December 7. Anxious to know if the property next door that was Frenchmen's Reef (and which I read would open early 2019) has any limited services available yet (like pool/beach, restaurant, spa services) even though they aren't receiving guests yet. Any info you can provide would be most helpful. I am not a Facebook user and can't go there for updates as some folks have suggested. Thank you.

Reports on Facebook from a Board member is that the Reef will more than likely be torn down and replaced by a JW plus an Autograph Hotel. Since nothing has started yet, I would doubt that 2019 is unlikely.
 

gblotter

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Mountainside x 2
Maui Ocean Club x 2
Ko Olina Beach Club x 1
Reports on Facebook from a Board member is that the Reef will more than likely be torn down and replaced by a JW plus an Autograph Hotel. Since nothing has started yet, I would doubt that 2019 is unlikely.

It seems Marriott intends to rebuild Reef and Morning Star - not tear down - at a projected cost of $170 million. Delays are blamed on the insurance company. Repair workers will stay on-site. Targeted completion by end of 2019 (although they openly admit that is an ambitious goal). Morning Star will be rebranded to be more upscale.

See http://www.virginislandsdailynews.c...cle_362c3b4c-339b-58ff-b923-94fc39acebeb.html

Article from today’s The Virgin Islands Daily News

Marriott seeking greater tax benefits
By SUZANNE CARLSON Daily News Staff 4 hrs ago 0

Marriott seeking additional tax benefits

Representatives from DiamondRock, Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort’s parent company, testify Tuesday before the Economic Development Commission on St. Thomas.

ST. THOMAS — Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort’s parent company is seeking additional tax benefits from the Economic Development Commission, in light of the estimated $170 million it will cost to rebuild the St. Thomas resort complex’s hurricane damage, according to testimony given during a public hearing Tuesday.

DiamondRock, the resort complex’s owner, is already a beneficiary of the EDC program, with an existing 90 percent tax break. The company testified to the commission Tuesday that they are seeking an extension of that current agreement for an additional 10 years, through 2040, with the full 100 percent tax exemption allowed by law.

William Tennis, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for DiamondRock, said the resort is expected to reopen in December 2019 at the earliest, and the extension and expansion of EDC benefits is necessary to ensure the company’s investment will bear fruit.

Other elements of the company’s existing benefits agreement, including a minimum annual charitable donation or in-kind contribution of $90,000, would remain unchanged, according to Marjorie Rawls Roberts, attorney for DiamondRock.

Tennis said the resort has been the territory’s largest private employer since the closure of the Hovensa oil refinery on St. Croix, and will remain under the Marriott brand.

The resort contributed more than $500 million in economic contributions to the territory in the five years preceding the hurricanes, and guests shelled out more than $350 million in “ancillary spend” at local businesses, Tennis said.

As of the end of June, the company had spent more than $14 million clearing debris, doing preliminary cleanup work and stabilizing enough guest rooms for repair workers to stay on-site, he added.

The resort consists of Frenchman’s Reef, a cliffside complex of three buildings, including Harbor Tower, a 60-room building that suffered the most damage in the hurricanes; Ocean Tower, which contains 234 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting and office space; and Seacliff, an 80-room building that suffered the least damage.

The Morning Star section of the resort, located down the hill from Frenchman’s Reef, consists of five buildings, including 96 guest rooms, a lobby with restaurant, and Coco Joe’s beach bar. Storm surge during Hurricane Maria caused significant damage to the Morning Star facility, but 40 rooms have been made habitable for work crews, Tennis said.

The Morning Star portion of the resort will also likely be “upbranded” to attract wealthier clientele, he added.

The $170 million estimated rebuild cost includes major upgrades to the resort’s infrastructure, including construction of a new power plant utilizing energy efficient turbines rather than diesel generators, a new reverse osmosis plant, and new waste management system, Tennis said.

Demolition is ongoing and was significantly delayed by insurance companies that “we believe needed an excessive amount of time to assess the damage,” but reconstructed rooms will be upgraded with a more modern feel, Tennis said.

He said the goal of opening at the end of 2019 “is ambitious, but we are pulling out all stops to get there.”

The commission heard testimony at Tuesday’s hearing and will vote on benefit applications at a subsequent meeting.

— Contact Suzanne Carlson at 340-714-9122 or email scarlson@dailynews.vi.
 

mariawolf

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Frenchman’s Cove
was there in July---still working on the resort--mattresses in parking area under units. According to update I went too--actually package I had to delay due to illness and hurricane--bought into points in 5/17--the hotel is unlikely to reopen till 2020--Morningstar to be autograph collection--hotel has been gutted and treated for mold but no renovations starting--rumor is that insurance covered vacancies for first year so they were in no rush. Just FYI--the airport is still a mess--nothing open and bathrooms were gross--toilets won't flush and cleaners are just spraying stuff in bathroom--unless you really need to go hold it or go right before plane lands!
 
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