Do I need to rent a car, and do I need one with 4-wheel drive?
Exploring St. John with your own rental car is an experience not to be missed and we do advise having one with four-wheel drive to navigate the rustic roads, hillsides and switchbacks that are common. We recommend Courtesy Car Rental on St. John. Let them know that you are renting villa Arc du Soleil, which is in the Virgin Grand Estates. Their contact information is as follows:
Courtesy Car Rental
www.courtesycarrental.com
info@courtesycarrental.com
Toll Free 1-866-776-4228
Fax 1-340-776-6734
It is important to secure your car rental as soon as you have determined your flights and dates as there are a limited number of rental cars available on St. John and demand is high.
How far away is the villa from town (Cruz Bay) and the beaches?
The villa is located on the Cruz Bay side of St. John, in the Virgin Grand Estates, which is on the mountainside, above the Westin Resort on the south shore of the island. The villa is in an upscale, gated neighborhood and is very quiet and private. It is approximately 2 1/2 miles, or six minute by car to town (Cruz Bay) where most of the shopping and restaurants are located, and about seven to ten minutes away from the beaches on the north shore located in the National Park. St. John is a small island; only 4 miles by 5 miles long, so even a trip to the other side of the island (Coral Bay), is only about 20 minute car ride away.
How do you reserve dates and confirm a booking?
Once you have chosen the dates and confirmed availability for your rental, it is imperative that a deposit payment be sent to us immediately so that we may secure the Villa for your preferred dates. This is the only way to confirm your reservation. A 50% deposit is required to confirm your dates if booking more than 60 days out. We are happy to accept your personal or business check; sorry, but at the moment we are not set up to take credit cards. Once you have indicated that you are sending a deposit, we will place a “working hold” on your dates for seven days. Within that timeframe we will need to receive your deposit check to confirm your booking. A “working hold” is not a confirmed booking; only receipt of a deposit check is a confirmed reservation.
To insure receipt of your deposit in a timely manner, you should express mail your deposit check via Federal Express or U.S. Postal Service Express Mail. Please note the two different addresses below based on courier:
FedEx Overnight Service to our address:
Arc du Soleil
c/o Scandic Executive Offices
Mongoose Junction
Cruz Bay, St. John, VI 00831
U.S. Virgin Islands
Ph. # 340-693-7012
U.S. Postal Service Express Mail to our address:
Arc du Soleil
c/o Scandic Executive Services
P.O. Box 8331
St. John, VI 00831
* Please do not use U.S. Postal Service Priority Airmail, regardless of what your local post office tells you about delivery times. Priority Airmail to the Virgin Islands normally takes ten days to two weeks for delivery. Please use Express Overnight Mail.
Do you offer discounts?
Yes, a 5% discount when booking six months or more in advance and 5% discount when booking 10 days or longer. Discounts can be combined, please inquire.
What is your cancellation policy?
We hope it will not be necessary for you to cancel, but should you need to do so, it is important that we are notified immediately and in writing (e-mail works fine). You may cancel your reservation up to 60 days prior to your arrival. In the event of cancellation, any refund of deposit(s) will be only to the extent that the Villa is rebooked for the same time period at the same rate. We reserve the right to charge 20% of total rent for canceled reservations. If you cancel within 60 days of your arrival you will not receive any refund. The security/damage deposit ($500) is not subject to cancellation charges and will be refunded in full. For peace of mind we recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance. Please visit http://www.insuremytrip.com/ for more information on trip insurance options.
How do you get to St. John?
Since St. John does not have an airport, you will need to fly into nearby St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and take a short ten-minute ferry ride to St. John. There is a ferry that leaves St. Thomas to St. John and visa-a-versa, every hour, on the hour, beginning at 6:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m.
How do we get to the villa once we are on St. John?
We will monitor your incoming flight via the Internet, and will be able to discern which ferry you will arrive on into St. John. Most of the time, we will contact you on your cell phone to confirm which ferry you have boarded. We will greet you at the ferry dock in St. John, assist you with your luggage, and take you to your car rental agency to pick up your rental. Then we will escort you to the villa and give you a brief orientation on the house and its features.
What should we bring?
The villa comes equipped with bed linens, bath and beach towels, hair dryers, cooler and beach chairs for the beach, and a courtesy supply of soap, paper towels, toilet tissue and cleaning supplies, etc. Dress attire is very casual; shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits, sandals and nice tropical wear for evenings out. You probably want to bring sunscreen, hats, and personal toiletry items. However, there is a local drug store to purchase these items as well. And don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the highlights of your holiday.
What is the weather like?
The consistent and balmy weather of the Virgin Islands is what makes it a premier holiday destination virtually year round. In the winter, the average January high temperature is 83 degrees Fahrenheit; the average low is 72 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, the average July high temperature is 89 degrees, with a low of 78 degrees. Relative humidity is on average 75% year round. Our cooling tropical trade winds average around 15 to 20 knots, which makes it feel cooler than the temperature suggest. October/November tend to be our rainiest months of the year, while March/April are the driest. Long-term average rainfall per year is approximately 40 inches. September is the most active for hurricanes, and as such, you will notice many of the villas, including Arc du Soleil, are closed for that month. This allows us to do long-term maintenance and refurbishment for the upcoming season.
Are there grocery stores near the villa?
Yes, there are three grocery stores in or near Cruz Bay, which is only about a six-minute drive from the villa. They are all generally open for business seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. through 8:30 p.m. Pine Peace Grocery, located at the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder on the south shore road, is known for their liquor, beer and wine prices, and canned/dry foods, amongst an assortment of other oddball items you might not find anywhere else. Starfish Market, located in The Marketplace just outside of Cruz Bay, on the south shore road, is the largest of the three, is best for fresh meats & fish, dairy products, and fresh produce. There is also Starfish Gourmet located across from Starfish, which has a large selection of wines and cheeses, and other hard to find gourmet items. And there is Dolphin Market, located in Cruz Bay on Centerline Road, which has excellent produce, a vast array of refrigerated items and a large wine selection.
Do you recommend any restaurants?
Yes, some of our favorites are Morgan’s Mango for their relaxed atmosphere (and of course Tuesday night Lobster and Friday night Prime Rib) and La Tapa for its fine culinary delights in a cozy, romantic setting.
Do bedrooms have air conditioning?
Currently, the villa does not have air conditioning. Although accommodation was made for the future instillation, as of to date, there has not been a compelling need for it. Three reasons; 1) is that the elevation of the villa which is 465 ft. above sea level, where cooler temperatures persist and the cooling trade winds are stronger, and 2), the open air design of the villa allows these cooling trade winds through the house keeping the temperature very comfortable through the day and night. (please see: “what is the weather like?”. 3) Cost savings to you. Our utility rates are at least double if not triple what most in the States pay. We prefer to use common sense and practicality to keep our cost basis down and pass the savings along to you in our rates. We also feel that we are keeping our home true to Caribbean tradition, making it more of a Caribbean experience, and not just a “far away place that is just like home”.
Do you allow children under the age of 16?
Due to the layout, depth of the pool and design of the villa, we do not accept children under 16. Sorry.
Do cell phones work on St. John?
Yes, most of them do. Sprint and AT&T are local and provide roaming to others like Verizon. You may experience drops from the coverage while touring about, due to the mountainous topography. Villa Arc du Soleil has excellent coverage for cell phones, as we are high in altitude with clear line of sight of the cell phone towers.
Is there Internet available at the villa?
Yes, for those of you traveling with your laptop, we offer complementary wireless DSL.
