This wasn't our first time renting a villa on St John and we're had mixed experiences with real…read moreestate managers there in the past. We were a little unsure of what to expect when we went through McLaughlin for our villa on this past trip. But now cannot say enough great things about them. Great communication prior to the trip, totally professional, well organized paperwork, polite, everything we wanted in a rental broker. There were some minor problems with the villa when we arrived (the hot tub didn't work) and they told us in advance, apologized, and had someone out to fix it the next day. The last few times we went through another broker (Windspree) and whenever there was an issue with a villa (occasionally more serious like no hot water or broken air conditioning) it was like pulling teeth to get someone on the phone...and then getting something fixed just didn't happen without more than a little aggravation and wasted vacation time. McLaughlin was the complete opposite. We will 100% definitely use them again on our next trip to St John.

From the owner: Luxury Caribbean Villa rentals, U.S. Virgin Islands villas, Tortola Villas, Virgin Gorda villas,…read moreSt. Thomas villas, St. Croix villas, St. John villas, Grenada villas,The Ritz-Carlton Club St. Thomas rentals, Luxury St. John Condo rentals at Seashore Allure, Virgin Gorda rentals at Nail Bay. On-island management, Concierge and Guest Services.

We rented a condo in this resort. It's a crazy drive from the airport with dozens of turns on small…read morestreets. Driving on the left takes some adjustment. We finally arrived. Our condo was in the "F" complex. I suppose the resort as a whole is ok. There is a resort pool, bars and restaurants on the beach, and Sapphire beach is perfectly fine. But for a family that is used to going to Hawaii I can't really say that we were all that impressed by the beach. The guidebooks say Sapphire beach is one of the nicest on the island. It is fine. Our condo definitely is showing its age. I would guess the resort was built in the 1960s or 1970s. It is sort of rundown and many things need repair. The condo itself has a nice view and is functional. But it is not "luxury." Screen doors are hard to open and close. The bathroom door does not close all the way. The mattresses are thin. They did not give enough pillows for three people. Worst of all, the AC sounds like a jet taking off and it cannot be changed because the temperature is centrally controlled. All you can do it turn it on or off. Off makes the condo too hot so we are stuck. I don't think that I would stay at this resort or this specific condo again.

Sapphire Beach Resort on St. Thomas sits right on one of the island's prettiest stretches of sand…read moreSapphire Beach itself, that long, curving crescent of white with calm turquoise water perfect for snorkeling or just floating away the hours. It's got that secluded, east-end feel: far enough from the cruise-ship chaos of Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook that you can actually hear the waves instead of engines, and at night, with the right room, it's just you, the lady, the trade winds, and whatever mischief the darkness allows. Whatever happens at Sapphire stays at Sapphire no prying eyes, no judgment, just the kind of quiet romance that makes you forget the mainland exists. But let's not kid ourselves: this place has seen better decades. It's a condo-style resort with wear and tear showing in the rooms some units feel updated and decent, others lean toward faded Motel 6 vibes with dated fixtures, inconsistent maintenance, and that middle-of-the-road luxury tax that hits harder these days with inflation. You're paying a premium for direct beach access, pools, a marina, nearby spots like Sea Salt for a solid meal, and the privacy that seclusion brings, yet for a few extra bucks you could land something fresher and more polished elsewhere on the island. It's hit-or-miss depending on the unit you draw, and if you're on a tight budget, the value can feel stretched. Still, I've come back multiple times because that beach is iconic, the seclusion is a rare gift in the Virgins, and in the right light with a cold drink and no agenda it delivers exactly the kind of unpretentious escape that keeps pulling you back to these islands. If you're chasing flawless five-star polish, look elsewhere; if you want real, raw, beautiful imperfection with a side of solitude, Sapphire still has soul.

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My husband and I chose to stay in Old San Juan because it's a walking city and we didn't want to…read morerent a car. We compared hotel rates and couldn't find anything below 180.00 a night. I had heard about short term apartment rentals as an option to hotel stays so I checked it out. Vida Urbana (managing company) was great to do business with. They were prompt, professional and very nice. I felt safe sending my payment information to them and I didn't have any problems. Our assistant Wanda was very personable and bilingual, which was important because my husband doesn't speak Spanish. She made herself available to us whenever and for whatever we needed and even suggested restaurants and places to see. Turns out we didn't need her at all and everything was just wonderful. We will definitely be returning next year and will book through Vida Urbana.

Painless transaction, very helpful management. Our apartment was as advertised…read more Had great time in old San Juan with my daughter's family

Yes the island is beautiful; I got married there and wouldn't have changed a thing EXCEPT staying…read moreat this villa!!!!!! LITERALLY I must have called the "bravo boys" 3 times a DAY! The refrigerator, lights, toilet even doors ALL broke oh and did I mention it was my wedding vacations?? It's very important to have a working refrigerator when you're hosting 50+ people, but did they care? nope, not even a phone call so I had to go out and literally buy tiny coolers for food for 50+ people, and now I'm slowly making my way around the internet to let people know this is NOT the villa to choice if you want a stress free vacation, oh AND the pool light was not working and it took them 3 days to fix it then told us to not swim in it, so we also did not have a pool... I hate this place and the "bravo losers" for not giving a crap about their customers

- - - June, 2025 Visit…read more- - - Summary: - great staff and property - Nice rooms - Great pool, with food and drink options at the pool bar - Beautiful beach, with sea hammocks (better than a raft), kayaks and more - On-site Marketplace with food made there - pizzas, sandwiches (and I think some breakfast food, too) - Grocery store - Dolphin Market (Chocolate Hole location) less than 5 minute walk from lobby, less than 10 minutes from furthest room - Two on-site restaurants - Disc golf, tennis and more - Internet/wifi - - - The Property - - - The Westin St. John is located on Great Cruz Bay, with most of the rooms, and the pool, located close to the water; three buildings to each side of the central pool. The property extends away from the water up a hillside, and there are some there rooms / buildings there, too; it appears they may have a bit of a different view with their slightly higher elevation (30-50 feet above, approx). The lobby, MVCI tour, workout room, and Mango Deli are in a building in between the two groups of rooms. The arrival Taxi will drop you at the lobby. The departure taxis have a pickup space next to the lobby, up a few stairs; if stairs are a challenge, they can meet you at the bottom. - - - Getting there - - - There is no airport on St. John; arrival is by sea, by ferry or another boat. Most guests will arrive via St. Thomas; ferries are also available from St. Croix (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands. There are two ferry options, both from the same dock at Red Hook on the east side of St. Thomas): 1. Westin ferry... arrives at the Westin's dock... disembark and walk to check-in... cost multiple times more than public ferry 2. Virgin Island Ferry / Public ferry... multiple departure locations to get to STJ; arrives one bay to north of the Westin; about than a mile away, in as the crow flies; 5-10 min drive... taxis available at dock throughout the day... $6-$12 per person per way... even with taxi will be much less expensive option; remember tip money for the ferry crew who handles your bags for you Both ferries offer Charlotte-Amalie to St. John routes, seasonal. - - - Check-in - - - Welcoming! Shania sped us to our room. We were here for our anniversary; when we arrived to the room, the bellhop presented us with a bottle of wine - so nice. Thank you, Shania! The room was also fantastic, with an ocean view of Great Cruz Bay - so peaceful and relaxing. - - - The Room - - - This is our first visit to a Westin vacation club; lone noticeable difference compared to a Marriott vacation club... most MVCI have kitchens... is that the Westin kitchen only has a two-burner stove and no oven; place settings for 6. The living room is a little smaller than elsewhere and not cramped. Otherwise the rest is standard MVCI: - 2 bedrooms, one king and two full sized beds- 2 bathrooms- Laundry- Kitchens with servings for 6 and all the utensils you need; refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, microwave and coffee machine.. with coffee available; just ask housekeeping for more / anything else- Patio table and chairs with a viewRecommendation: bring a Bluetooth speaker for music. - - - Food, groceries - - - Mango deli offers a good selection of food, and also souvenirs. They will make pizza, sandwiches, and even breakfast food for you. Otherwise it's a good selection; more than a typical MarketPlace, and not quite as much as a grocery; you could readily shop here for most of your needs and not need a grocery during a week's visit. The Mango Deli team is friendly and helpful. - - - Food, restaurants - - - The Westin has a sit-down restaurant, Lemongrass; it looked quite nice; we just did not get a chance to dine here. Snorkels Bar & Grill, at the pool, makes great burgers & fries, and drinks. - - - The Pool - - - Nice and well-sized. Also surrounded by trees, so you can definitely get sun, and if you need shade, you can relocate into the shadow of a palm tree. The activities team hosts trivia games and more. There is a volleyball net, too. - - - The Beach - - - The Westin has a beautiful view of Great Cruz Bay! The sand is nice and soft. The activities team offers hammocks, which are like rafts, but better... a pillow for neck and feet; the rest is a mesh that suspends you just under the water, letting you get sun without drying out - nice! The activities team offers beach games, too. You can rent kayaks; there is night kayaking, too. The Surf... not so much We've been blessed to visit a few Caribbean islands and they seem similar... beauty all around; but for surf, not so much. The tides are only six inches to a foot variation, which does not lead to many waves. You'll surely enjoy relaxing to the sounds of the water lapping at the shore. But for boogie boards, leave yours at home. - - - Thank you! - - - Thank you to Shania and all the team at the Westin St. John for being so welcoming! See you soon. ----- ----- -----

The main reason for the poor review is the staff. While one or two were semi-friendly, all others…read moreseemed angry at us for no reason. Short and curt responses often before we even finished the question, no eye contact, grunts instead of actual words spoken, frowns all over! Stains on the couch and a small villa compared to Marriott timeshares. Won't return.

Let me start with the bad but don't stop reading because I would stay again…read moreThe bad. The pool area is dirty, full of weeds and is an eyesore. The room has a fan (a bit beaten up but works). The walls have old screw holes where things like towel racks and bars were replaced (it's not time consuming, difficult or expensive to fill the holes). Pool area chairs are cracked (a lot of them) and no sun beds. And in our unit the AC for the living room drop at night on the floor in the kitchen doorway. 1 bedroom light is out. Lastly the gates are rotting/rusting away. Lastly 1 dryer doesn't work and 2 washers and only 1 works and it's crap (falling apart and missing buttons but it did clean our stuff) So if all that bothers you this is the place for you Note to Otium. A little money spent and some TLC goes a long way However. My wife and I take 2 types of trips to Puerto Rico 1 long 10 day stays often in a group but we relax, see some sites and explore food but spend a lot of time in a larger, nicer house with a private private pool 2 a trip like this, 5 days max, quick stay with the intent to spend most of the days sightseeing so being in a smaller place like a small condo or apartment with a private community pool is fine What matters most is cleanliness and a complete fail by the pool but the pool itself is clean and the room is clean We have a tv, bathroom, kitchenette, bed as well as amenities like soap (hand and dish soap), shampoo, conditioner, body gel, toilet paper and paper towels so for the price we swim in a clean pool and live in a clean comfortable room near a lot of bars, restaurants and beaches so to satisfy our lower budget trips (money is spent on excursions vs living space) it's worth it to me to come again

I don't often do this, but I have to share my terrible experience staying with otiumrentals Airbnb…read morein Puerto Rico. upon arrival to the building, we were rudely greeted by a broken security gate. After speaking to their customer service representative on the phone, we were told that a repairman would arrive in 15 minutes and to wait in our car. Not ideal after 8 hours of travel. this same individual then texted us 5 minutes later saying the repairman would arrive in 25 minutes. 60 minutes later and still no repairman, I called the customer service rep back. My call was screened and sent immediately to voicemail. 4 more calls, 4 more times sent to voicemail. Another 30 minutes go by and still no repairman. Finally, after deciding we were fed up with this, my partner sees a resident of the building enter with a key and politely asks if they could let us in. They say yes. they open the parking gate for us and we drive into the parking lot. The Airbnb's instructions are that we can park in any open spot, so we pull into the first spot we see. A different building resident sees us and tells us that unless we have a blue sticker, we will be towed. there's no mention of a blue sticker in the instructions, so we decide to ignore her and try to find our Airbnb. We finally locate it and walk in 2 hours after arriving by car. Still no sign of the gate repairman. fast forward to the following morning, and there's no running water in our otiumrentals Airbnb. This has become a total nightmare. We reach out to Otium to inform them that the Airbnb has become uninhabitable and that we'd like a refund. otiumrentals responds by only giving us a portion of our money back and to take it up with Airbnb. Now, 2 days later, we're in a hotel nearby feeling ripped off, poorly treated, and our trip ruined by @otiumrentals. for a large rental corporation, this is extremely poor form. You'd think they would recognize the miserable experience we had with empathy and at least give us a full refund. Instead, we're left battling with Airbnb for our money and a poor taste in our mouths. moral of the story is never rent a place from otiumrentals. They treat their customers poorly and have no sense for customer service. Rant over.