Just like any die hard villa fan - When given the opportunity to really get to know an island, I treat the destination just as I would a new boss I need to impress! Therefore it only makes sense that I would arrive early and prepared for my first meeting with the Virgin Islands! I arrived at the airport a few hours before the 2 co-workers I was to travel with - so of course I sat at the tiny bar in the St. Thomas airport waiting with a rum drink in hand!
Once my partners arrived we were greeted just as our clients are by an on island representative who helped us get our car rental, handed us a walkie talkie and then instructed us to follow her up up up the winding roads of St. Thomas to the villa we would be staying in. I loved the walkie talkies and thought they were the best idea! She used them to give us information from her car to ours about little things we were driving by. Upon arrival the the beautiful villa she gave us the general "villa rundown." We each picked our room (I got the master:)) and then she gave us keys, wireless codes, maps, phone numbers and more information than anyone would never need about our villa and our new island of residence .
By the time we were oriented and left alone at our villa - the sun had already decided to start her show- and what a performance it was! Maybe it was the long day of travel or being out of the office - that had us all giddy like children - but I believe it was the magical mixture of sitting in the infinity pool overlooking Magen's Bay along with knowing that the next 10 days was all villas and Virgin Islands that made this particular sunset one for the books. Believe it or not- these small moments of "me" time are few and far between on FAM trips - so I sat with a big smile on my face and really let the beauty around me sink into my skin.
My favorite fancy meal while on the island: On night one, after enjoying an incredible sunset we got dressed for the business dinner we had arranged with our closest partner on the island. The owner of our partner company who I like to call “The Villa Goddess”, picked us up from Star Garden and took us to meet her team at a wonderful restaurant called The Grille at Mahogany Run and it was beautiful and delicious! I enjoyed a large portion of shrimp and scallop garlic pasta along with a fantastic glass of white wine! The food and atmosphere were almost as good as all the villa gossip!
My best laid back meal in St. Thomas: Day two was a whirlwind of villa viewing! At 7:30am we set out to meet our first friend from the airport the previous day! Sherri and her bag of keys to over 15 villas scattered around the island were as ready as we were to tackle the villas! After villa number 5 or 6 we were all getting pretty hungry so we took a nice break and went into Red Hook to grab a bite at a great little place called The Big Bambooz Bar and Burger Hut! My coworker and I split the Ahi tuna wrap and the fish tacos with mango salsa, both were delicious!
My most memorable moment while in St. Thomas: The perfect early morning walk we took on Magen's Bay before breakfast. The beach was quiet and I immediately knew why all the hype around Magen's Bay existed.
My favorite local treat: Udder Delight! Yes, that is Udder! The establishment itself is a small, cash only, eat outside joint with the best ice cream and shakes I have ever had! They have several flavors and even offer "adult" additions for your frozen dairy beverage!
How I felt about St. Thomas before the trip: Easy access! I felt St. Thomas was perfect for anyone who wanted to get somewhere tropical with non-stop flights. To be perfectly honest however besides the ease of getting to the island I did not feel the urge to guide someone into traveling there.
How I feel about St. Thomas now: Rent a beautiful villa in St. Thomas!! The island has so much more to offer than I ever imagined! The villas have stunning views and offer so much privacy yet you are still SO close to several great restaurants, bars, beaches, shopping and fun!!
What I loved most about Star Garden as a villa was: There is nothing to not like about this villa! If I must highlight one part however I will- but it is still a bit broad. What I loved MOST about Star Garden was the outside of the villa. The infinity pool and hot tub with a perfect view, the expansive porch, the lush gardens all around and of course the actual name sake of the villa -the "star garden" in the middle of the yard where the owners have a small lawn cut perfectly that slants downward just slightly so you can sit alone or with friends in a great Adirondack chair and view the stars!!
My favorite place to spend alone time at Star Garden: Right outside of my bedroom! Although I was in the master suite and had a large kitchenette, work area, and living room connected to the main bedroom, ALL of the bedrooms enjoyed their own porches, coffee makers and stunning views! When I did have time to spend alone at Star Garden, I used it to drink my coffee on my own little porch while taking in the fresh air.
I would recommend Star Garden for: Couples! The idea of staying in this villa again with my significant other and 3 to 4 of our best couple friends sounds too good to be true! Every room is comfortable and large enough that no couple would feel like they were getting "the short end of the stick" plus each would have their own private space! Therefore, even if you were lucky enough to travel with a group of friends, you would still feel the intimacy of being alone on your porch with your hunny or even yourself! I would also recommend Star garden to families with older children in an instant! Everyone likes a little privacy and the owner of Star Garden has successfully found a way to balance the human need for both time alone and time with family and friends!
A small detail Star Garden offered that made a big difference: Sugar, spices and coffee! I have stayed in several villas while working in this industry where the pantry was bone dry. After making my coffee on morning one, I thought "shoot, I will have to drink black coffee today", but no! I went to the pantry and found sugar and spices galore! This little detail made our last morning at Star Garden far from bland! Before loading up to head to St. John for the next portion of our trip, I sipped my sweet cup of joe while whipping up a breakfast for three- a breakfast with flavor! We drove away from our villa not only savoring the spice of our morning meal - but also holding onto the lasting tastes of Star Garden and the island of St. Thomas!
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