# Staying in BVI or US VI



## alex_sauvage (Aug 31, 2012)

I apologize in advance if some will consider it's not a suitable place for this question, but I believe some of you might be able to help me. 
I am looking to charter a boat in BVI and to fly in/out of St Thomas and would like to spent 2-3 days on shore before or after the trip. 
Can anybody recommend a nice place to stay either in Tortola or US VI, preferably on a seaside??? And would it be better to stay in BVI or US VI?
I have been in Tortola before and it looks pretty nice, but I heard a few horror stories about US VI while lurking on this forum. Is it really so unsafe or it's mostly in the urban part, and seaside resorts are OK? 
Thanks for your help.


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## johnnyquest37 (Feb 16, 2012)

Last time I chartered out of Tortola, I stayed at a hotel right at the Moorings. I thought it was pretty nice. New Moorings Village on Tortola | The Moorings

If you are chartering in the BVIs, I'd recommend you stay there just for convience sake. I'm sure others will recommend the USVI, and I can't fault them. Just what I'd do.


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## nkamper (May 15, 2012)

You can fly in & out of Tortola, which may be more convenient if you are cruising the BVIs. Cane Garden Bay, on Tortola, is a lovely place and has rental places.


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

We are chartering a couple of monos from BVIYC next March. We are flying thru St. Thomas and taking the ferry. This was more convenient for us based on times of direct flights from Boston. We are staying 3 extra days in Tortola at the Sugar Mill Hotel. I have not stayed here before but it gets good reviews.


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## captainjay (Oct 11, 2007)

Given three days I would be looking at St John, the nicest island in the chain US or British. It is a simply ferry ride from Red Hook to St John, the you can catch a ferry to Tortola from St John when it's time to go to Tortola. For a short stay look at Grande Bay or Gallows Bay right in Cruz Bay.

I also wouldn't rule out just renting the boat in USVI and spending the whole time on board. Cruise both US and British Islands. For the record I work for CYOA in St Thomas.
Jay


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

nkamper said:


> You can fly in & out of Tortola, which may be more convenient if you are cruising the BVIs. Cane Garden Bay, on Tortola, is a lovely place and has rental places.


I'm sure it depends on where you start, but from Tampa, flights to Tortola are expensive! I can fly into STT and then take the ferry for several hundred dollars less than a flight to Beef Island.


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## alex_sauvage (Aug 31, 2012)

denverd0n said:


> I'm sure it depends on where you start, but from Tampa, flights to Tortola are expensive! I can fly into STT and then take the ferry for several hundred dollars less than a flight to Beef Island.


This is exactly why I want to fly to US VI: it is generally cheaper and way more flights giving more flexibility. Only problem: a lot of flights land late afternoon when last ferry (4.30?) is gone, so I am thinking staying for a couple of days there, then taking ferry to Tortola. 
Unfortunately, sailing from US VI is not an option: I am probably going with flotilla and the only one in VI sails from BVI.


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## CLucas (Feb 10, 2007)

Can recommend two places on St. Thomas...
1. Marriot Frenchman's Reef -- pretty high-end, but you get what you pay for. (15+ minutes to Charlotte Amalie Ferry Terminal)
2. Best Western Emerald Bay -- walking distance from the St Thomas airport (or a *very* short cab ride). Not as nice as the Marriott, but a fantastic beach with great snorkeling. A little funky, but still decent. Not inexpensive, but cheaper than Frenchman's Reef. (10 minutes to Charlotte Amalie Ferry Terminal).

I stayed at both earlier this summer before and after a charter out of BVI. The Mooring's Mariner Inn looks like nothing special -- no beach, a mediocre pool and waaaay overpriced restaurant.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I always stay an extra day on St Thomas rather than rush to the airport after a charter.

I stay at Marriot's Frenchman's Reef...Like it alot,


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## seaojoe (May 4, 2002)

Sebastians in Tortola. Enjoy their beachfront view.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We stayed for a couple of days at the hotel by the Moorings in Tortola over the winter of 2011 and one day after we returned, so that we had plenty of time to provision and didn't have to rush to the airport when we returned. At that time, the hotel had refurbished about half their rooms and there was a huge difference. The new rooms were a touch more expensive, but completely worth it. We thought we would save a few bucks and take the older rooms, but asked to move. Perhaps they've done them all by now.


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## SeaQuinn (Jul 31, 2012)

We stayed before and after at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast that was walking distance from Moorings. It overlooked the bay and had a pool and wonderful homemade breakfast. I can't remember the name now but found iron the internet.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

SeaQuinn said:


> I can't remember the name now but found iron the internet.


Hummingbird House?


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## rhr1956 (Dec 18, 2010)

We chartered a yacht out of Road Town. We arrived three days early and stayed at Frenchman's Reef. Wonderful place...not Ritz Carlton prices but still pretty high-end. We hired a crewed boat operated by a husband and wife. On the morning we were to climb aboard, they picked us up at the Red Hook gas dock. It's only about 20 miles by water from Road Town to Red Hook. I'm guessing it took them a couple hours or so. They didn't mind at all. Everything worked out great.


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## rhr1956 (Dec 18, 2010)

I forgot to ask. Are you going to bareboat or hire a crew. If bareboat, obviously what we did won't work.


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## alex_sauvage (Aug 31, 2012)

rhr1956 said:


> I forgot to ask. Are you going to bareboat or hire a crew. If bareboat, obviously what we did won't work.


No, we go bareboat (or rather flotilla), so it won't work for us. But it is a good setup. If we will decide to hire an instructor with the boat, then it might work out for us too.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm not following how a flotilla has any connection to bareboating or chartering.


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## alex_sauvage (Aug 31, 2012)

Minnewaska said:


> I'm not following how a flotilla has any connection to bareboating or chartering.


Well, I don't know....I see flotilla as chartering a boat, but sailing it in a group of other boats with the technical support of lead crew. In any case I will have to get to Tortola to pick up a boat. I just brought it up to indicate that I don't have a flexibility to be picked up by the captain on some other island.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

alex_sauvage said:


> Well, I don't know....I see flotilla as chartering a boat, but sailing it in a group of other boats with the technical support of lead crew. In any case I will have to get to Tortola to pick up a boat. I just brought it up to indicate that I don't have a flexibility to be picked up by the captain on some other island.


Gotcha. A flotilla in its simplest form is just a fleet of boats, doesn't matter if they are chartered, owned, rented, bareboats, or captained or a combination thereof. Although, the term is typically used when describing an organized event, so you are right, it would present an issue for you. However, they can still comprise boats of all types above. You can charter a captained boat into a flotilla or you can bareboat one yourself.


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## alex_sauvage (Aug 31, 2012)

Minnewaska said:


> Gotcha. A flotilla in its simplest form is just a fleet of boats, doesn't matter if they are chartered, owned, rented, bareboats, or captained or a combination thereof. Although, the term is typically used when describing an organized event, so you are right, it would present an issue for you. However, they can still comprise boats of all types above. You can charter a captained boat into a flotilla or you can bareboat one yourself.


Sorry for not being clear from the beginning. I was just using the term as defined by charter companies (basically bareboat charter with "technical support"). You are right: it would be possible to get captained boat into flotilla, but probably doesn't make much of a sense. The reason I am looking at flotilla arrangement, is that I have significant experience sailing and skippering keelboats, but in a racing environment, not cruising. So I am looking for an extra "safety net" for my first cruise.


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