By: Marcia Abramson
But I did get to St. Thomas/Cyril E. King International Airport to find a Westin Resort representative waiting for me there. I was ushered to the resort's private hospitality suite located in the baggage area where I was registered, checked into the hotel, given a room assignment, and accorded VIP treatment. My next stop was the Crown Bay Marina where a private Westin high-speed ferry took me on the 20-minute boat ride to St. John.
The Westin St. John Resort & Villas is located on the southwest coast of St. John set on 47 lush acres with gently swaying palm trees, magnificent bougainvillea and an assortment of many species of tropical flowering plants. I had a spacious room with a private patio, a glorious marble bathroom, a coffee maker with complimentary Starbucks decaffeinated coffee, data ports for computer, fax and Internet hook-ups, in-room safes and iron and ironing boards. The rooms and villas are along a 1,200 foot-long crescent-shaped beach not far from the emerald green blue waters of Great Cruz Bay.
Upon my arrival a reservation was made for me at the brand new Chloe and Bernard's awesome open air dining room with Romanesque columns and an exquisite ambiance representing world travel and intrigue. I wondered about the name of the restaurant and learned that the restaurant with its eclectic menu was named for two fictional personages who traveled the world over seeking new and delicious recipes.
The appetizers on the menu consisted of various seafood delicacies. I selected the filet mignon for my entree. It was served with garlic mashed potatoes and a bouquet of fresh vegetables and was prepared to perfection.
Breakfast and lunch are served at the Beach Cafe & Bar located off the pier and at the edge of Great Cruz Bay. This is also the setting for the evening's activities featuring a nightly buffet with a menu to compliment the themed entertainment presentations. Snorkel's Bar & Barbeque is the pool side spot for light meals and snacks and those wonderful tropical drinks of frozen fruit, ice cream delicious sandwiches and salads.
In addition to the varied dining options, there is a heavenly spa, six lighted tennis courts, Jacuzzis and wonderful family amenities. Greg Lundberg, the general manager of the Westin St. John, has recognized the boom in family travel. He has made the Westin Kids Club a fully supervised program with interactive playtime for different age groups that feature nature walks, hermit crab races, sandcastle building contests, arts and crafts and pool fun. Evening activities include star gazing, video games and music and dance. The themed programs seemed particularly interesting to me such as the Caribbean Safari, Under the Sun, Our Island, Our World and U-Wanna Iguana? Children are taken on adventures of discovery including learning about life of the people in the Virgin Islands, the environment and observing the sun-worshipping mongoose.
It was Laurance Rockefeller who recognized the beauty of the island of St. John and donated 5,000 acres to the federal government to establish the National Park in 1956. The Virgin Islands National Park covers two-thirds of the island's 19 square miles. More than the 11,560 acres that make up the National Park land are underwater, offering fantastic diving and snorkeling with some of the most beautiful coral reefs, flora, tropical fish and beaches in the Caribbean, as well as 22 hiking trails within the park. The Rockefellers also developed the world-renowned Caneel Bay Resort with a policy of no TV or telephones to pollute the fabulous environment of their resort.
Stanley Selengut, a New Yorker, was a pioneer in the eco-tourism movement. His philosophy was to balance "creature comfort and environmental sensitivity" in the Maho Bay Camps, Harmony, Estate Concordia and Concordia Ecotents. These camps are rustic, but do provide some comfort and conveyance at affordable costs.
Another must when visiting St. John is a snorkeling tour on the vivacious Captain Sandy West's boat tour to the glorious beaches, Honeymoon, Hawksnest on the north shore of St. John.
For additional information on the Westin Resort and St. John, call your local travel agent or call 1(800) 808-5020 or visit www.westinresortstjohn.com
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail: mascribe@aol.com
