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My wife and I are looking to head down to the islands first week of December and had been considering Sandcastle. I was hoping to get info from people that had stayed there. I know it is very remote and no frills. How close is the walk to town? Is the service up to/above expectations? Are the yachties at the Soggy Dollar a problem during the day? Has the hotel improved or lost a step under new ownership? Etc. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Can 't speak for the hotel, never stayed there, but would love to. Loved the Soggy Dollar though - great place

Thanks Mon.

YOu have to walk over a hill to "town" but it consists of one shop, one ice cream stand, one store and one civic building and some houses and a school... I mean that's the town. Also goats in the street and don't let your pet chase 'em cause the man who owns them will shoot your dog if his goats are harrassed. Oh and Foxy Callwood's bar is in "town". Over the hill is Sandcastle, its bar, a beach bar and a bunch of coconut trees. it was absolutely super and simple when we ere there 2 years ago, but we understand they sometimes now tender or commercially catamaran in cruise ship people which may have made it not so nice. it is the most beautiful beach. Off the end of the island are several small keys like Green Key, which are now the BVI National Park, thanks in great part to the efforts of Mr. Callwood. Excellent snorkeling.
You might enjoy the Sugar Mill restaurant and inn above Cane Garden Bay if you want someplace BVI but a little more active. You can walk to the beach bars from it. Very romantic. There's a small ferry from Sopers Hole, which also has a small ferry connecting to St. John USVI. (PS from San Juan the Beef Island BVI airport is a nicer flight than into St. Thomas USVI, a brand new small airport built by the Mother Country.)

South Caribbean... Bequia in the Grenadines, and a daytrip to Saltwhistle Bay on Passion out of Bequia if Marty is still doing it. (There's a website.) Bequia is developed enough not to be so quiet, but far enough from Donald Trump on Caounan... We fear The Donald's proximity may have ruined Mayreau, which was just beginning to be visited by cruise ships on the NON Saltwhistle Bay side, and the Tobago Keys which were so lovely, but the hurricane which hit Grenada to the south so hard may have slowed him down. But this is 1000 miles from the Virgin Islands so you have to likely pick one or the other.

You have to want to just lie in a hammock, sleep, snorkel sail read hang out in bars and sit on the beach if you want to vacation on Jost. If that suits, you might like it. Physically is not that remote from St. John. Parts of Roadtown BVI not so great to hang out in. Hope this helps. PS try Tripadvisor ratings on Sandcastle also for up to date reviews.

JB did California Promises last night... wheee. :)

Ahhh......just returned from a week in St. John---I would definitely stay there and do a day trip to JVD! We stayed 5 nights at Caneel Bay (sooo wonderful) and then did a day trip to Jost--hung out at the Soggy Dollar (probably the coolest bar on the most beautiful beach ever!) for a few hours and then a drink over at Foxys. During the day (at least the day we were there) it was much more lively & fun at the Soggy Dollar. I miss it already and I haven't even been home for 18 hours...

Agree -- Caneel Bay is super. Also the snorkeling on St. John. If you are on St. John, make sure you drive over to the "other side" and spend a couple of hours at Skinny Legs, which is a bit hard to find but anyone there will be glad to show you. We liked the restaurant Morgan's Mango... Morgan is an iguana.
PS you should be aware, and this is from the point of view of someone who lived in the islands and is used to the islanders being black West Indians, which they mostly are in the BVI, that St. John is very "white". Which bothered us as it made it seem like a sort of sanitized Caribbean. But it may not bother you, if you weren't expecting real West Indians. Anyway, have a great trip and a Painkiller or two. :)

Also try Sydney's Peace & Love at Little Harbor on Jost Van Dyke. It's around the corner to the east of Foxy's. Sydney has good food, ribs, chicken & a self serve honor bar. Mix your own & mark it on your ticket. Also looks like Sydney in one of the new Kenny Chesney videos.

When at Foxy's, check out the boat being built by some of the school kids on the island.

Loved Skinny Legs in Coral Bay! Great outdoor darts!! One Love on JVD was pretty cool too--the entire floor is made of sand and you're looking out on gorgeous White Bay.

Missing B'dos wrote: You have to want to just lie in a hammock, sleep, snorkel sail read hang out in bars and sit on the beach if you want to vacation on Jost. If that suits, you might like it. Physically is not that remote from St. John. Parts of Roadtown BVI not so great to hang out in. Hope this helps. PS try Tripadvisor ratings on Sandcastle also for up to date reviews.

JB did California Promises last night... wheee.

That sounds like my speed! Thanks for the great insight MB.

lilsalty wrote:Ahhh......just returned from a week in St. John---I would definitely stay there and do a day trip to JVD! We stayed 5 nights at Caneel Bay (sooo wonderful) and then did a day trip to Jost--hung out at the Soggy Dollar (probably the coolest bar on the most beautiful beach ever!) for a few hours and then a drink over at Foxys. During the day (at least the day we were there) it was much more lively & fun at the Soggy Dollar. I miss it already and I haven't even been home for 18 hours...

Thanks Salty. Stayed at Caneel and Peter Island on my honeymoon. Loved them both.

Are you a Huskie? Jimmy (mine) went to UConn, grad school. [Aksh, we have a nephew there now-- beautiful babygirl is a grad student at UMass also.] Seems a far way from here in CA where de sun has come back out. have a brilliant vacation. Never drink ANY rum but Mt. Gay, the Extra Old if you can find it, otherwise the Eclipse. Well you are allowed to also drink Appleton Old Estate if nothing else is available. Actually in BVI it is Pusser's.... make sure you buy a couple tin Pussers mugs at Sopers Hole at the store. We're just sort of Mt. Gay fans, and WE HATE BACARDI! And on that cheerful note, I will go to work.

Missing B'dos wrote:Are you a Huskie? Jimmy (mine) went to UConn, grad school. [Aksh, we have a nephew there now-- beautiful babygirl is a grad student at UMass also.] Seems a far way from here in CA where de sun has come back out. have a brilliant vacation. Never drink ANY rum but Mt. Gay, the Extra Old if you can find it, otherwise the Eclipse. Well you are allowed to also drink Appleton Old Estate if nothing else is available. Actually in BVI it is Pusser's.... make sure you buy a couple tin Pussers mugs at Sopers Hole at the store. We're just sort of Mt. Gay fans, and WE HATE BACARDI! And on that cheerful note, I will go to work.

UConn class of '97. Have had many a Mount Gay and OJ on Block Island. Block Island has adopted Mount Gay as their official rum.