After almost 2 years of working with St. John Ultimate Villas, we shake hands and go out on our own to learn the ins-and-outs of St. John rental villa management.
Living on a Rock: 5 years Ahead of the Plan
Testing out St. John in the Summer
Having fun at Cane Garden Bay 6 days before Irma wrecked it.
Our last vacation on St. John was 10 days ending Labor Day 2017. The plan was fairly simple: spend 10 days with Carrie’s brother and his wife, do some diving, spend a few full days on Maho, and relax by Great Expectations’ big pool. The secondary goal was to see how St. John was in summer. We have talked for at least 5 years about moving down full-time by 2023.
The water was warm, really warm - even diving down 50 feet. We stayed neck deep at Maho throwing a frisbee for hours. We’d get a fresh beer out of the cooler every hour or so. We took a “local’s trip” with Jimmy & Bridgett to the BVI. Then the weather reports got more accurate. The water was too warm. Depressions were forming. Our friends were starting to make plans. Power tools and plywood came out of storage units. News reports were sounding more ominous by the day.
We left Monday September 4, 2017. The villa got buttoned up on Tuesday by an unknown-at-the-time Erickson and his crew. The weather came 2 days later. You heard - it wasn’t pretty.
Carrie, Sadie & Steve with plants from Josephine’s
Island Relativity
Fast forward almost 2 years. We helped get Great Expectations sorted after the storm. Then we bought it. We took 2 dozen trips back and forth. We’ve now been on island with Sadie for just over 4 months. Some days it feels like 3 years. Some days it feels like 3 days. We try to go to the beach every week, but sometimes we just have too much going on. We have a small group of fellow island business owners we consider dear friends. We still marvel at the sunsets. I don’t think that will ever go away.
I have been underwater diving 5 days (10 tanks) since March and wish I could spend more time down with the spotted drum and yellow headed jawfish. I did just buy a local’s 40-tank package from Low Key Watersports - I call it instant dive insurance.
Carrie & I are renting an apartment at Bogie’s Villa on Gifft Hill, just 1.5 miles from the villa. The 6 unit complex was completely rebuilt by owners KC & Basil Bsisu and is made up of 2 long-term apartments, 4 short-term rentals and a pool area.
Constant Improvements
Phase 1 of Solar Panel replacement by ProSolar
We try to spend as much time at the villa as possible upgrading, cataloging, and planning. This summer is entirely booked except for 2 x 1 night openings. We’ve just checked in our 46th group of guests since January. We’ve had construction management crews stay for 2 to 8 weeks, many 3-generation families, 6 weddings, and a whole lot of repeat guests.
We’ve blocked off 5 weeks over this September to do some more work:
New villa-wide Window Treatments (sound minor? It’s 16 sliding glass doors worth of curtains and rods!)
Final 2 new sliding glass doors in Jumbie and Denis
Last 3 new in-wall safes
Pool/Patio furniture
Painting
Landscaping
Hardwood refinishing
Low-voltage lighting additions
Pool pump house doors
New Tennis net and Basketball hoop & backboard
We’re also making plans now for some pretty major work for the fall of 2020. We’re looking at tiling, bathroom upgrades, and some activity items.
Our 4th Life
Carrie kept her job and went remote. She plans to be back in Vermont 3-4x a year. I’m doing web development work here, back in Vermont, and all over the country as usual. I think i’m on my 19th plane ticket since Irma. While we miss friends in Vermont, we remember, this was the original plan - the storms just accelerated the timeline a few dozen months. When we meet up with Chuck & Kristin again, it will be with warm smiles and big hugs. We didn’t expect anything like this, but are embracing it full on.
Steve & Carrie in the big pool
Our Goal: Give each group of villa guests a beautiful, welcoming place to relax on St. John while they celebrate their marriage, anniversary, birthday, family reunion, corporate successes, or just simply their ability to come to a small rock in the Caribbean where warm smiles and “good mornings” are commonplace and the hardships and negativity melt away.
What’s Next? Stay tuned!
Steve Butcher
July 31, 2019
What do you do when a guest won't leave your St John Villa?
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| Steve seems to be living in our new pool |
We actually have no complaints and thought it was funny when Steve e-mailed to ask if he and his wife, Carrie, could stay on for a few more days! Luckily for them we happened to be available this week so we said yes, indeed!
Steve and his wife first stayed at Great Expectations 10 years ago this past week when they were married on St John. At that time they rented Great Expectations for their family and friends - 14 in all. The actual wedding ceremony was at Oppenheimer beach and they had their reception catered by our good friend and fabulous chef Laura Samms, owner of Passion Fruit Chefs.
About a year ago Steve reserved Great Expectations for his 10th anniversary. This time it was to be a surprise for his wife. Carrie thought that she and Steve would be coming to St John for their anniversary to stay at Beau Geste, the Guest House of Great Expectations (as they have several times over the last 10 years). Well, instead, Steve invited Carrie's siblings (and their spouses) and several of their friends to join them. It was only along the way, at the airports when Carrie saw one sister and then another, that she realized something was 'up'! But it was not until she arrived at Great Expectations that she realized that Steve had invited 15 friends and family to celebrate with them! Tears - of joy (luckily!) - flowed and a great week was had. So great that when their family and guests left on Saturday they could not tear themselves away so they stayed on...a happy ending!
Here is an e-mail we received from Carrie on the first morning of their stay:
"I'm sitting alone on the porch, waiting for the sunrise. Still taking in the events of the last 24 hours! I'm shocked at what Steve was able to pull off! And laughing at your complicity in it all! You are all sneaky!
Everyone loves GE....The new pool is absolutely amazing, seems like it was always here. Just a perfect addition to an already perfect place. I know we'll have lots if fun stories to share, but I wanted to just thank you and Chuck now for this week and everything you did to make it happen for us. It's going to be unforgettable!"
Everyone loves GE....The new pool is absolutely amazing, seems like it was always here. Just a perfect addition to an already perfect place. I know we'll have lots if fun stories to share, but I wanted to just thank you and Chuck now for this week and everything you did to make it happen for us. It's going to be unforgettable!"
Here is a picture Steve took, from where he now apparently lives near our new pool, on what was to be his last morning on St John:
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| Steve calls this is 'bacon 'n cake' breakfast by new pool (obviously, all sense and sensibility has left his head!) |
And, the vacation continues....
Our new St John swimming pool is finished and fabulous!
Early morning view to the west overlooking
Chocolate Hole Harbor from our new pool
What a week this past one has been! Lots of great work was completed this week by the Carlson Construction crew.
We re-plastered the existing wading and swimming pools
at the Main Villa
As soon as the pool was plastered we filled the pools with water:
Coby ensures the force of the water does not damage the new plaster
on the existing Villa pools
The existing Villa wading and swimming pools are filled:
As soon as the existing wading and swimming pool were filled with water
the crew then tiled and plastered our new pool
Carlson's whole crew was on site working hard to make our tight schedule:
Abraham laying the dark blue trim tile
on the new pool stairs and underwater bench
After another long, long day the plaster was finished and the new pool was filled with water:
Coby filling the new pool -- it took three truckloads of Henry's Pure Water
While the rest of us are working in the hot sun,
Chuck (right) and Henry (left) congratulate each other on a job well done!
It took way into the night to fill the pool
but it was not hard duty watching the sun set over the Caribbean
The next morning it was a pleasure to see the the finished product:
Villa wading and dip pools in foreground and
the new pool in the distance
Great, but physically exhausting week, so there was no better way to end the week but with a massage!
Chuck is ready for Tammi (owner of Massage & Bodywork) to give him a massage while listening to the ocean
break on the shore below Great Expectations
Now that we are 'refreshed' we are on to finishing the new pool patio...
Progress continues on our new pool; the infinity edge has been tiled!
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| The mosaic glass tile arrived last week by ship and has been installed |
We looked all over for tile that would blend into the color of the water and found the perfect tile -- in Canada!
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| The tile we chose is called 'bubble glass' since it truly looks like there are bubbles in the tile |
Our excavator returned to backfill around the pool and to level the ground next to the pool to form a wonderful new patio area. Steve Paris, the owner of the excavator company, came himself to personally ensure the job was done to his satisfaction. We are delighted that Steve proudly displays the 'Digging for a cure' banner, in support of the fight against breast cancer, on his backhoe). We think it is perfectly placed:
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| Steve takes a moment to survey his work - well done! |
At the last minute we changed the location of the new pool patio and we are delighted!
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| We will have a new huge patio which will be shaded by our banyan tree (and the views are fabulous!) |
While we have been busy building a brand new (HUGE) pool and patio area, we are also re-plastering our current swimming pool and wading pool (very popular with our littlest guests and their parents!):
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| The guys re-plastering the original Villa swimming and wading pools have good reason to be proud; great job! |
This coming week's agenda is a busy one - finish tiling and plastering the pool and install the new pump and filters and fill with water!
Our new St John swimming pool project is on the home stretch!
The pool has been 'unveiled' (aka the wooden concrete forms have been stripped away) and we have lots more work to do but just look at that view!
We now have to let the concrete 'cure' (i.e. have the concrete dry) before we can tile and plaster the pool. The pump house has to be built and then the electrician and plumber can install their wires and piping, filters, and pumps and then - finally - we can add the 'sweet liquid gold' -- water!
Can't you see yourself in it....soon?
Starfish (recycled glass ones) have been placed in our new St John pool -- can water be far behind?
This past week, after receiving our building inspection sign off, we had another big concrete pour. This was an exciting one since it included pouring the pool walls, stairs, and bench seat (which extends along the entire length of one of the sides so you will be able to sit in the pool while looking out over the Caribbean!).
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| The concrete has been poured into the wooden forms |
We made a change in the design last week about which we are excited. It actually was the suggestion of Dave Carlson, our wonderful contractor. We were talking about the edge of the pool and how to finish it. We have always been planning to have the side closest to the water sloped so we would have the feel of an infinity edge that fades into the sea. Dave suggested sloping the two abutting sides as well. Maybe you can figure it out, but we could not until Dave explained just how in the world one slopes the top of a concrete wall; as you can see, he did it! A nice touch.
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| The pool edge will be sloped into the pool |
As far as we are concerned, one of the favorite 'signature' marks of a 'Carlson' project are recycled glass starfish! Dave Carlson put them in our Great Room recycled glass countertop they designed and installed this past year and we loved it so much we asked Dave to put some in our pool. The recycled glass starfish come from the Maho Bay Glass Studio (which is a fun place to visit when you are next on St John):
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| The color of this starfish will be a perfect match with our waterline tile |
Dave asked us where we wanted him to place the starfish and we said that we were in his good hands. Well, Dave having great faith in his crew, told his foreman the same thing...use your judgment and place them wherever he felt they should be....perfect!
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| Starfish are placed along the bench seat |
Can't have too many starfish:
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| More starfish in the stairs |
The concrete arrived in big trucks and had to be pumped to the location of our pool. Dave's crew made sure there was not an errant drop of concrete to be seen (no easy task)! Thank you all!
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| Not a drop of concrete ended up on our sidewalk, patio, or driveway! |
What is next? Literally to watch concrete dry! Once the concrete has cured (e.g. dried) enough the wooden forms get taken down and our friend Rock-a-Rock, the excavator, returns to backfill around the pool. We will then start 'coping' the pool floor (rounding out the corners and bottom edges of the pool), then we will be ready to install the waterline tile. Another great week in paradise!
Our new St John swimming pool is taking shape...literally!
The plywood forms for the pool walls are up and ready for the plumber & electrician
to run their piping & wiring before they are literally set in concrete
Friday morning we had our regular weekly conference with our terrific contractor -
. What is amazing to us about that is, first virtually nothing on St John happens on a '
regular
' basis! The fact that we have our weekly meetings on schedule is remarkable (and telling about just how good Carlson Construction is!). This leads me to the second almost universally-held feeling -- that it is next to impossible, at least during the construction period, to think of your contractor as '
terrific
'! Well, terrific they are! Dave Carlson and Matt Mueller lead our team and are both great craftsmen, honest, good-natured, and
great
problem solvers!
We are about midway through our pool project and are progressing well on schedule. This past week we formed the walls of the pool and started the forming of the stairs and bench seat. Yes, a cool amenity of the pool will be a bench seat across the entire east side of the pool so, you can sit in the water and look out at the Caribbean Sea.
Lovely!
The bench seat is being formed by Phillip, the closest worker
(the seat will extend 20' along the east side of the pool next to the existing tiled patio)
The pool stairs and bench are being formed
(you can see the cut-out for the stairs on the left)
Work is being done on the western side of the pool
which will be curved
(really cool!)
I love the footings!
Stay tuned!
Newest St John villa swimming pool - soon come!
Last week was sure a busy one getting ready for the concrete pour on Friday. We had 5 huge concrete trucks arrive on Friday morning, starting at 7:30 AM. Getting the concrete to the construction site was a challenge in that the concrete truck could not make it up the steep temporary construction road from the west to get to where they had to pour the concrete so the concrete had to be pumped through large hoses (like a fire hose) to carry the liquid concrete about 100' to the site. To make sure that we did not get concrete all over our sidewalk and patios Dave Carlson's crew covered our patio and walkway with plywood and tarps and even had one person available whose sole job was to make sure no concrete spilled on the patio. None did!
The morning started off gray and rainy which is not a bad thing when you are pouring concrete -- actually, it is better to have a bit of rain than hot, hot sun which might cure the concrete too quickly:
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| A concrete pumper truck in the Villa parking area. The sidewalk is nicely protected. |
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| As is the Villa pool patio |
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| The hoses to carry the concrete are connected |
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| We are ready to pump and pour! |
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| Carlson Construction crew spreads the concrete |
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| The guys worked fast before the 'crete hardened |
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| Lots of great detailing |
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| The two white 'dots' are the pool drains |
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| Looking good |
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| It's a wrap! for the day that is |
Five concrete trucks with 42 yards of concrete -- just for the pool floor! This is going to be one solid swimming pool! Now, onto forming the walls. The guys deserved a great, long, Labor Day weekend!
Well done!
Caneel Bay is asking for help - can you name this little girl?
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| Oh, how cute she is!
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Straight from Facebook:
Please suggest a name for the baby donkey - it's a girl ... and we will let you know the winning suggestion (chosen by Oriel Smith, who is in-charge of the welfare our four-legged friends). If you prefer to e-mail this, please send any suggestions to patrick.kidd@rosewoodhotels.com - thank you..
What island is on your bucket list?
St John and the US Virgin Islands tops the 'Top Destinations lists for 2012' by Conde Neste Traveller and Lonely Planet and we hope it is on your list as well.
- Fabulously beautiful views - No matter where you look, whether above water or below, the views are spectacular. With our mountainous terrains and turquoise waters the vistas are truly spectacular.
- Silky soft sandy beaches - With well over 30 beaches to choose from your choices are virtually endless.
- Family and kid friendly island - Whether you are introducing young children to swimming and snorkeling or wanting to have a quality family time St John is for you. The waters are virtually free of undertow and even the smallest ones can stand at the water's edge and see fish swim by their feet. Restaurants are extremely casual and most welcome kids.
- We take great pride that our villa, Great Expectations, also makes the 'Trip Advisor's Top 10' list of over 400 villas.
Villa Hot Tub and Pool patio overlooking Chocolate Hole harbor
February News flashes and fun St John clips
- St John 2nd Annual Arts Festival - is a great time to experience the best of St John's culture. From music of steel bands & gospel music to viewing original films from traditional narrative-type documentaries to abstract works dealing with images and sound. The first VIP Mini Film Festival, held in 2010, included videos ranging from funny home movies to professional animation and award-winning videos by international artists. This year's Fest happening February 18 - 20 will be even more diverse.
- 10th Annual Love City Vow Renewals - Valentine's Day February 14 is a very special day worldwide but on St John we kick it up a notch with a wonderful event hosted at Trunk Bay. Whether people are celebrating their first day of marriage or their 50th year, rain or shine, love is in the air.
- 8 Tuff Mile Race - This February 25 marks the 'Sweet 16th' year of this aptly named race. Whether you are a runner, walker, or cheerleader this is a fun day showcasing the rugged beauty of St John.
- Movie night at Great Expectations - Our newly renovated Great Room now features a fabulous 12 foot recycled-glass-top counter (designed and made by the same artisans who make the beautiful recycled glassworks at Maho Bay Glass Studio), a 60 inch Sharp High Definition LED TV, and for your movie snacks, we have added a 48" Sub-Zero stainless-steel refrigerator and a Scotsman automatic ice-maker.
Enough good reasons to plan a trip to St John? We hope so! Come to St John - and Great Expectations - to experience the magic for yourself.
Best,
Chuck & Kristin
owners of Great Expectations
P.S. Check out our availability and discounts including our Last Minute 20% Off Travel Special for March 17 to 24 which is yours now for the asking, a week ahead of when it would usually become available!
Follow us on Facebook for news about Great Expectations specials & St John activities
Now available on St John - new fall happenings
St John - where a picture is worth a 1,000 words!
Cover of Steve Simonsen's 2012 St John calendar
It is true that Steve is an amazing artist. His photographer's eye is very special yet so is his landscape! This is the 6th year Steve has produced a calendar and this year's result is in a word - stunning! Both landscape and underwater scenes capture the magic of St John. Each month is more delicious than the last one. Having this hang in your home or office during the cold winter months will surely take a bit of chill out of the winter's air -- that is, until you can get to St John yourself! These calendar's can be purchased at several stores on St John or through Steve's on-line store. Until you get the calendar or visit St John yourself, you might enjoy peeking at our webcam which, hopefully, will entice you make a reservation for your St John vacation.If you are more of a graphic artist type of person you might also enjoy the work of another fabulous St John artist. Elaine Estern is, among other things, a wonderful watercolorist who has also been producing St John calendars for a number of years.
The title of this one says it all: 'Living the Dream'
Elaine's calendar is also available on St John at her studio as well as in other shops or on-line; and, when on St John her studio is a must-see.
Our new HD St John webcam wins 'Top 10' Award!
Our brand new HD St John webcam has already won a 'Top 10 webcams' award in from the International web directory, EarthCam. We are delighted to help people enjoy the beauty of St John USVI no matter where in the world they are at any given time. Sometimes it is blustery, sometimes calm, but, always beautiful and warm! Bookmark our webcam and come back often to enjoy. Let us know if we can ever entice you to come enjoy the beauty and breezes for yourself. Tell us you found us because of the webcam and we will extend our Webcam special for you!
St John villa Great Expectations launches new website
The popular St John villa, Great Expectations, has recently dusted off and spruced up its website by adding lots more pictures of the villa and of St John including the beautiful St John beaches. You will also be able to find information about activities on St John including boating & hiking. Guests of Great Expectations are also eligible for discounts not only at the villa but for their rental cars, boating trips, photography, and catering. What's not to like? Check it out for yourself.