Westin St John Master Thread - Part 3 [Dec. 2017 and forward]

[tomandrobin]

The low area before you get to Annaberg is all dead

 

[DavidnRobin]

Thanks for the photos.
So sad to see over 1 year later.


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[tomandrobin]

We saw lots of Donkeys every day of the trip and a few deer.

 

[bobpark56]

Has anyone yet received 2019 maintenance fee statements for WSJ?

 

[alexadeparis]

Did you hear any of the locals talking about the three donkeys and a dog that were shot over the weekend?

 

[Theiggy]

Did you hear any of the locals talking about the three donkeys and a dog that were shot over the weekend?

I saw that on a Facebook group. So upsetting.


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[SandyPGravel]

Has anyone yet received 2019 maintenance fee statements for WSJ?

USPS informed delivery shows I should receive my SVV bill today, but nothing from WSJ yet.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Did you hear any of the locals talking about the three donkeys and a dog that were shot over the weekend?

Sadly.
Two donkeys - one was pregnant.
Dog was suffocated with plastic bag and left at ACC.
I hope they catch this Psychopath soon.


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[OCsun]

Tom and Robin,
Thank you so much for all the great pictures and many suggestions. There is always a certain feel of adventure when we go to St. John, which is part of it's charm. Thanks to your detailed insight of what is happening on the island, we are looking forward to our annual family vacation in April.
Pam

 

[tomandrobin]

Tom and Robin,
Thank you so much for all the great pictures and many suggestions. There is always a certain feel of adventure when we go to St. John, which is part of it's charm. Thanks to your detailed insight of what is happening on the island, we are looking forward to our annual family vacation in April.
Pam

Pam

We had a great time and I am sure you will too. Once the Westin is open, the island will feel more "normal" with tourists on the island. The vegetation damage will take time.....3-5 years from now the trees will be doing so much better. I am not sure of the timetable for beaches like Cinnamon and Trunk, which needs the National Park Service to rebuild. By April. all the Cruz Bay waterfront shops will be done and open.

Tom

 

[bonsai27]

Has anyone yet received 2019 maintenance fee statements for WSJ?

Nothing in WA area. Has anyone see or heard anything about opening on time? January or February? Kept my week in April but still uncertain.

Any updates?


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[NNerland]

The Bay Vista Statements and Assessments are up on the website

3 Bedroom Bay Vista Annual - $2763.81
3 Bedroom Bay Vista Bi-Annual (odd) - $1381.90

Overall an increase of $255.66/unit week a 12.4% increase compared to 2017 (final year before hurricane) -- Ouch, along with the $25/day tax (means 1 week x 7 x 25 - $175) means $425/year increase

Insurance Expense +$59 (expected)
Front Office Wages +58.30 - driven by allocation changes of hotel conversion (# of doors)
Housekeeping Wages +45.64 - driven by higher occupancy along with wage and benefit increases
Bad Deb Expense +$28 - increase in provision for non-paying accounts projected with hurricane
Engineering Wages $+28 - reflects in-house pool maintenance services along with merit increases

Additional notes - Sunset Bay has metal roofs to better withstand hurricanes. As you can recall they were trashed compared to other buildings. Can't believe they didn't think of this earlier...but not my phase of concern.

 

[Helios]

Pool Villas $2,928.43

 

[Helios]

Sunset 2BR $3,167.77

 

[DavidnRobin]

WSJ-VGV 2019 MFs just showed up online - they were not listed earlier today.
Due January 8th.

2Bd TH $2440.33
(2017: $2310.07)
5.54% increase as expected (over this 2 year period)

2016: $2332
2015: $2368
2014: $2383
2013: $2406
2012: $2449

So... about same MFs as 7 years ago.

 

[NNerland]

$2,456.38 Coral Vista - 2 Bedroom
Was pleasantly surprised on this one, was anticipating more like Sunset Bay

 

[schafercpa]

Bay Vista - 2BR - $2,282.88

2017 - $2,041.45
2016 - $2,021.52
2015 - $2,011.88
2014 - $1,971.67
2013 - $1,925.84

 

[DavidnRobin]

Bay Vista - 2BR - $2,282.88

2017 - $2,041.45
2016 - $2,021.52
2015 - $2,011.88
2014 - $1,971.67
2013 - $1,925.84

11.8% 2017 to 2019

 

[DavidnRobin]

$2,456.38 Coral Vista - 2 Bedroom
Was pleasantly surprised on this one, was anticipating more like Sunset Bay

It would be good to know what the 2017 comparison would be?


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[cubigbird]

With the reopening just around the corner, do we know what buildings are going to be open and what is still down and when those would reopen??

On a side note, I still have not yet received my WSJ SB MF notice yet....

 

[SandyPGravel]

On a side note, I still have not yet received my WSJ SB MF notice yet....

+1 or VGV MF statement (Or should I have said -1 ). But I never received my tax bill either...

 

[Henry M.]

I just got an e-mail that the resort is opening in January:

Quote:

We couldn’t be more excited to reopen The Westin St. John Resort Villas in January after undergoing restoration to repair damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. While the resort will reopen Jan. 4, 2019, there will be ongoing recovery through May.

Before we welcome Owners and Guests back, we want you to know about some important changes to the resort:

• Check-in: To enhance your arrival time there are now three check-in facilities for your convenience. You may choose to check in at the Westin® reception lounge at the airport on St. Thomas, and if you have registered for the Westin Ferry, the staff will accept your bags and transport them directly to the resort. In addition, the new dockside Westin Waterfront Desk has been installed for seamless check-in, while a facility has been added to the first floor of the administrative building (formerly where the gift shop was located). The former reception area is being converted to an open-air sun terrace with umbrellas, tables and chairs, and Wi-Fi. The terrace is anticipated to open late January.
• Private Westin Ferry: We invite you to utilize the beautiful new private Westin Ferry and enjoy the exclusive services that come with it, including unlimited trips to and from St. Thomas for shopping and exploring, and air-conditioned transportation (with Wi-Fi) from the airport to the Red Hook ferry dock directly to the private Westin dock. Click here for ferry prices and times.
• Amenities: The main pool and lower Iguana pool will reopen in January; the upper Iguana pool will reopen when buildings 33 and 34 become available for occupancy in May 2019. Please note that the Iguana pools are ONLY available to registered Guests and Virgin Grand Owners who are currently staying in the Virgin Grand phase. The tennis courts will reopen April 30, 2019, with two of the courts converted into one multi-use court. All water sports amenities will also be available. Non-motorized water sport activities are complimentary (fees apply for snorkel gear).
• Dining: Snorkels Bar & Grill will be the only operational restaurant when the resort opens, offering daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Marketplace at Great Cruz Bay is going away and Mango Deli will reopen in its former location, offering breakfast sandwiches, light fare and sundries. A new restaurant will open later in the year in the space formerly known as Lemongrass. If you prefer to prepare meals in your villa, the local markets are fully stocked or you may utilize the grocery pre-stock from Mango Deli.
• Transportation: Both taxi service and car rentals are available on St. John and at the resort. If you plan to rent a car, we recommend that you do it on St. John as the car barges running between St. Thomas and St. John are fewer and smaller than prior to the storm. Wait times may be more than two hours to board the car barge, especially during the peak periods of travel.
• Additional Bedding: To accommodate extra Guests there are sleeper sofas in all villas, however, rollaway beds are no longer available.

To provide a smooth, quick and easy check-in experience for you, please fill out and submit our Diamond Lane pre-arrival form at least seven days prior to your arrival date.

While visitors are being welcomed to the island, there are still some services that are not fully restored. The on-island medical clinic is still closed and the hospital on St. Thomas operates in a very limited capacity. If you have medical concerns, we recommend subscribing to an air ambulance evacuation service. Contact Owner Services for the names of independent providers.

The support we have received from Owners during this time has been overwhelming and we can’t wait to get back to what we do best: providing unforgettable vacations.

Sincerely,

Sam Hugli
General Manager

 

[tomandrobin]

2019 pricing for the Westin Ferry

• Adult: $120 round trip
• Youth (ages 4-17): $90 round trip
• Children (3 and under): complimentary

Prices subject to change without notice. Note that the Owner discount is available for two adults per Owner reservation.

The private taxi and ferry operate on set schedules. While waiting, you are invited to relax in the Westin Airport Lounge.

Westin Ferry Schedule

FERRY DEPARTURE TIMES

DEPART WESTIN DOCK DEPART RED HOOK
5:15 a.m. 6:00 a.m.
7:00 a.m. 7:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. 2:15 p.m.
3:15 p.m. 4:15 p.m.
4:45 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
6:15 p.m. 7:15 p.m.
8:45 p.m. 10:45 p.m.
11:40 p.m.

 

[SandyPGravel]

Just received notification from my CC that my VGV tax bill payment went through...wow that's island time for ya!

 

[sachia007]

Just received notification from my CC that my VGV tax bill payment went through...wow that's island time for ya!

When did you pay it with the credit card? Online or did you mail in the slip?

I have not rec'd my MF statement (and never got tax bill either) - can someone tell me when MF bill due - can we do online?