Questions - Preparing for Dec Trip to Frenchman's Cove

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Will be traveling with the family (kids ages 5 & 7) to Frenchman's Cove (St. Thomas) next month. A few questions I would like input on from fellow TUG members......

Are there activities for the kids?

Where to dine? (casual/inexpensive)

Common to bring/ship food from home? (if shipped, how long in advance and will they hold package?).

Best building/room/floor for quiet and view...?

Recommendations for 1 or 2 day/off-site activities?

Difficulty of getting pool/beach chairs?

How far from airport?

Thanks.

SBD

 

[jimf41]

Children 5 & & will love it there, two sets of my grandkids certainly did. Plenty of organized activities but the most fun they had was with a pail, a shovel and the beach. They loved wading out into the clear water and watching fish swim between their legs.

Casual dining is just about everywhere except for a few but even those are not exactly what I'd call formal dining. For fish try Hook, Line & Sinker, for a burger try the Shipwreck, The Greenhouse is a Caribbean version of Applebee's as is the Fat Turtle, Pizza Amore in the Cohen Mall, Amici's in the AH Riis Mall (lunch only). The front desk or the activity desk will tell you how to get to them.

We don't ship food, some do, it's really personal preference.

There is no best bldg. Jost van Dyke is the only one without a blocked view from any room. Ask for a high floor.

St John, Megans Bay, Smith Bay, shopping downtown or at Havansite, charter boat, power or sail, snorkeling or fishing. The kids will like the little ferry from the Cove to CA, $6 each way PP.

Get down at 0700 and pick anyone you want, at 0800 still ok, at 0900 you'll be OK at the beach but in one of the back rows at the pool. At about 1100 everything on the beach is taken but still room in the back rows at the pool. At 1700 the beach is pretty open so go pull some lounges to the waters edge and watch a very nice sunset at 1815. Bring wine. Let the kids wander on the beach and explore. The beach is only 200' wide and very calm in December.

Four miles.

 

[Fairwinds]

I think jimf41 nails it but I'm one that brings some food. I've never shipped but always bring a suitcase dedicated to food. I like to bring frozen meat for grilling (chicken, brats, and steaks). I don't like the look, selection or the price of the meat in the grocery. I also like to bring spices, condiments, foil, plastic wrap, baggies etc. I bring these because I find they are items that quickly drive up my grocery bill. Then I just fill the bag with general things like cereal, mixes and whatever else will fit but not weigh to much. We don't eat out much and will even pack lunch. Some complain about Sunset Grill (by the pool) but I like it. It can be a little pricey but it's convenient. I've used the Subway in Buccaneers Mall for take out.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Thank you.....

Is it walkable between the Marriott properties?

Will they let you charge to your villa if you dine at the Marriott hotel?

How is the cell phone reception on site?

How is the wi-fi on-site?

Finally, are most restaurants very casual dress-wise (shorts) or more formal?

 

[Fasttr]

Thank you.....

Is it walkable between the Marriott properties?

Will they let you charge to your villa if you dine at the Marriott hotel?

How is the cell phone reception on site?

How is the wi-fi on-site?

Finally, are most restaurants very casual dress-wise (shorts) or more formal?

Yes, it is walkable between the Marriott properties. There is a path shown as letter L on THIS map. Its a short walk till you get to a wing of Reef rooms, a short walk along the rooms, up a few stairs, over a little covered bridge and you are there. There is also a shuttle that runs between the two, and will also take you to Morningstar beach, which is also walkable, but has a decent amount of stairs involved to get to.

Yes, you can charge from the Reef restaurants, etc to your Villa.

We have AT&T and the cell service was great at the Villas and the Reef.

The WiFi seemed fine as well.

We dined at a combination of nice spots and casual spots and I wore shorts at all of them and fit right in.

 

[jimf41]

I would add that Sprint works equally as well as AT&T. Verizon does not work except for roaming. As FASTTR said shorts and a collared shirt will get you in anywhere. The only exception I've seen is Valentines Day. We usually go to Oceana and you'll see a few guys in jackets, ladies in dresses and almost all the guys in long pants.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Thank you. Two more questions, if I may.....

1. Do you think that during Christmas to New Years week Frenchman's Cove (TS) guests will be restricted from using the amenities at the main Marriott Hotel Resort (Marriott Frenchman's Reef & Morningstar Resort [and is that one facility])?

2. Does anybody have a recent weekly activities sheet or can you describe some of the general activities over a week's period?

Thanks.

 

[suzannesimon]

Thank you. Two more questions, if I may.....

1. Do you think that during Christmas to New Years week Frenchman's Cove (TS) guests will be restricted from using the amenities at the main Marriott Hotel Resort (Marriott Frenchman's Reef & Morningstar Resort [and is that one facility])?

2. Does anybody have a recent weekly activities sheet or can you describe some of the general activities over a week's period?

Thanks.

We always go Christmas week. They have never restricted the amenities at the Reef. Don't miss kareoke night by the pool - so much fun. We always ship presents a couple weeks ahead and they hold the boxes in their luggage room and give them to you at check-in.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Has anybody ever been to Coral World? Worth the visit (with young kids)? Are advance ticket purchases required?

 

[suzannesimon]

Has anybody ever been to Coral World? Worth the visit (with young kids)? Are advance ticket purchases required?

I've always wanted to go to Coral World but the concierge discourages it because it's not in a very safe area. I've heard the attraction itself is good.

 

[jimf41]

My son took his kids there and they loved it. They were about 6 and 8 then. Coral World is at the end of the road that goes to Coki Beach but Coral World has it's own parking lot so it's pretty safe IMO. There's really nothing unsafe about Coki. It's just a seedy looking place with some seedy looking characters. The beach itself is beautiful and if you park in Coral World walk over and swim with the fish.

 

[happymum]

We visited (3 adult women) and enjoyed it, even without doing the Snuba. Also the snorkelling off of Coki is excellent.

 

[GrayFal]

We visited (3 adult women) and enjoyed it, even without doing the Snuba. Also the snorkelling off of Coki is excellent.

Agree, worth a visit but check the cruise ship schedule and go on a day with the least ships in port. Same for Going into town shopping, it can get quite crowded.
http://www.vinow.com/cruise/ship-schedule/12-2015/

As for the area, I recommend you take a taxi over because parking is quite limited and it just makes it easier. The new Wyndham Margaritaville Resort is located on this road now so traffic has definitely increased.

As Happymum said, GREAT snorkeling right next door at Coki Beach.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Is there a health club/fitness center (gym) on site?

 

[GrayFal]

Is there a health club/fitness center (gym) on site?

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sttuv-marriotts-frenchmans-cove/

Visit the resort website to find out about all the facilities. Or else do a search in this board about the resort. The resources are right at your fingertips.

 

[TUGBrian]

here now, its quite nice! Easily the top Marriott resort ive ever stayed in. Given the size of the pool and beach, I can see how it would get very crowded very fast...but this week seems to be some sort of a dead zone for traveling, even the few couples ive spoken too at the pool that travel here regularly say they have never seen it this empty.

looks like most of your questions got answered sofar...im attempting to upload a photo of the current November activities page =)

will of course write a much larger review when I get home!

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

here now, its quite nice! Easily the top Marriott resort ive ever stayed in. Given the size of the pool and beach, I can see how it would get very crowded very fast...but this week seems to be some sort of a dead zone for traveling, even the few couples ive spoken too at the pool that travel here regularly say they have never seen it this empty.

looks like most of your questions got answered sofar...im attempting to upload a photo of the current November activities page =)

will of course write a much larger review when I get home!

Thank you!

 

[TUGBrian]

review posted today...was an outstanding resort and a fabulous vacation. Id return to that resort in a heartbeat

http://tug2.com/ResortOverview.aspx?Marriotts Frenchmans Cove&ID=14019

 

[SueDonJ]

review posted today...was an outstanding resort and a fabulous vacation. Id return to that resort in a heartbeat

http://tug2.com/ResortOverview.aspx?Marriotts Frenchmans Cove&ID=14019

Brian, I had to stop after the first paragraph to ask this - you got married? And this is how you tell us?!?!

Congratulations!

 

[Fasttr]

review posted today...was an outstanding resort and a fabulous vacation. Id return to that resort in a heartbeat

http://tug2.com/ResortOverview.aspx?Marriotts Frenchmans Cove&ID=14019

Brian...first Congratulations....next, nice review. As for the walk between the Cove and the Reef, all I can say is that you missed one small flight of stairs up to the next higher level while walking by the rooms in the hotel wing....and from there, its a very easy stroll. Your explanation of the rock climbing road access brought back memories as we did that on our first attempt as well, which happens when you go all the way to the end of the rooms and then go down the stairs (not the intended way). We discovered on our second attempt, that we had missed a small sign about half way down the hotel room wing of rooms that told us to go up one level. I agree, easily missed, but following the signs, makes the walk between the two oh so much easier.

 

[Fairwinds]

Yes Congratulations. +1 on the shuttle preference although sometimes I like to walk. The walk from the Cove to the Morningstar beach is certainly convoluted. I'm not sure of the exact path you walked but they're is an elevator in the main hotel that brings you down to the beach area by the tennis courts. It's still not the tropical lush walkway that you were looking for but there is a water fall behind the tennis courts. When MFC was first built We used a path from the timeshare to the Reef that went between a maintenance building and the ocean and joined the path to the hotels pier. I wish they had dressed that up a little and not changed to the path on the back side of the hotel rooms.

 

[TUGBrian]

haha, i literally just pointed my feet in the direction of the signs on the "street signs" that said "to frenchmans reef".

but I started at the top from my building (st john) vs down near the pool/beach...so maybe thats where i screwed up.

I did think it was odd that the "path" took me literally thru the morningstar resort!

 

[TUGBrian]

haha...yes I got married the day before we left!

I figured it was fitting to put in a review =)

 

[Fasttr]

haha, i literally just pointed my feet in the direction of the signs on the "street signs" that said "to frenchmans reef".

but I started at the top from my building (st john) vs down near the pool/beach...so maybe thats where i screwed up.

I did think it was odd that the "path" took me literally thru the morningstar resort!

Holy Wah....you walked along the main roads? That is brave!!! Yes, there is a "path" that leaves the Cove just past the St. John building (ground level just past the parking)....so it starts much higher up than from the beach.