August 12, 2025
I just updated the list. Check it out at www.explorestj.com/closings.
Cafe Roma is getting in on the lunch game, yet again!
Our friends over at Cafe Roma started up lunch service last week. They’re tried it before, and I, personally, loved it, so let’s hope it sticks this time.
Check out the menu:
Cafe Roma is a great little Italian spot in the heart of Cruz Bay. It is located above The Longboard. Cafe Roma is serving lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are open for dinner daily from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Click here to check out their website.
Last month, we told you that Southwest Airlines was planning to begin nonstop service to St. Thomas. Well today, we’ve learned that those nonstop routes will originate from Baltimore and St. Thomas. These flights are scheduled to begin in February 2025. This will be the first time that a nonstop flight will originate from Baltimore (to my knowledge).
With the addition of Southwest, we will soon have nine airlines that fly direct to St. Thomas. The others are Delta, American Airlines, JetBlue, United, Spirit, Frontier, Sun Country and Cape Air. (Silver Airlines, which flew between St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rio, ceased operations earlier this year.)
We have daily nonstop flights from Atlanta on Delta, from Miami on American and from San Juan on Cape Air. We have seasonal direct flights from the following cities:
- Boston
- New York
- Newark
- Philadelphia
- Washington, DC
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Minneapolis
- Orlando
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Houston
- Dallas
Visitors to St. John must fly in and out of St. Thomas. The airport code is STT. From the airport, travelers must ferry over to St. Thomas from either Red Hook (30 minute taxi ride), Crown Bay (five-minute taxi ride), or Charlotte Amalie (10-minute taxi ride). The ferry rides take between 15 and 45 minutes depending on the port.
Want to know exactly how to get to St. John? Click here to read a recent article we posted.
If you vacation in St. John yearly, or hope to one day, you may want to consider purchasing a week through Grande Bay’s fractional residence program. You can choose to use the week yourself or you can rent it out. These fractional residences are long-term leases, not deeded weeks, and they come with full use of all of Grande Bay’s amenities, including pool, spa, gym, concierge, and more.
The following are my listings. There are others available if you are interested.
- I have a one-bedroom for sale. This is available for flex weeks 17-23, which is April 25th through June 13th next year. This means that you can choose one available week during that period. All rentals are Saturday to Saturday. The unit has a full kitchen, balcony, and washer and dryer. It also comes with a parking spot. You can purchase the Jeep Club through Grande Bay for an additional $2,500. This comes with full use of all of Grande Bay’s amenities, including the pool, spa, gym and concierge. The list price for this unit is $15,000. The annual fee was $1,288 for 2025.
- I have a large studio for sale. This is available for flex weeks 17-23, which is April 25th through June 13th next year. This means that you can choose one available week during that period. All rentals are Saturday to Saturday. The unit has a kitchenette, balcony, and washer and dryer. This unit does not come with a parking spot. It does, however, come with full use of all of Grande Bay’s amenities, including the pool, spa, gym and concierge. The list price is $9,950. The annual fee was $988 for 2025.
- I have a second large studio for sale. This is available for flex weeks 15-50, which is April 11th through December 19th next year. This means that you can choose one available week during that period. All rentals are Saturday to Saturday. The unit has a kitchenette, balcony, and washer and dryer. This unit does not come with a parking spot. It does, however, come with full use of all of Grande Bay’s amenities, including the pool, spa, gym and concierge. The list price is $8,000. The annual fee was $988 for 2025.
Please contact me, Jenn Manes, at jenn@explorestj.com or 203-376-3786 for more information. I am a licensed real estate agent with 340 Real Estate Co.
The Coral Bay Community Council is holding a raffle to support their efforts in working to protect and preserve the natural beauty and vibrant spirit of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The raffle ends this Sunday, August 3rd at 11:59 p.m. AST. Here are all of the details:
Get ready for the ultimate getaway!
Imagine yourself basking in the sun and taking in the stunning beauty of the Caribbean…well this fantasy may not be so far-fetched because one lucky winner will receive a 3-night luxury stay in an Ocean View Room at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, West Indies!
The raffle prize includes round trip transport between the airport and resort, along with daily breakfast for two guests. This prize is valued at $5,800, and it is valid from December 2025 to December 2026. The stay is contingent upon availability and may be subject to blackout dates. Please note that this prize does not include airfare.
Click on the following links to enter:
☀️ Tropical Traveler – 1 entry for $50
🌊 Caribbean Dreamer – 3 entries for $125
🌸 Island Hopper – 5 entries for $225
Click here for all of the raffle details, including the fine print.
This raffle is not affiliated with Explore STJ. Please contact the Coral Bay Community Council with any questions.
About the Coral Bay Community Council
As a watershed management association, CBCC works to protect the Coral Bay watershed, watersheds across the territory, and the people that live within them. This is accomplished through our work which includes: Climate & Coastal Resilience, Useable Water Infrastructure, Coastal Cleanups, and Watershed Education. These efforts are designed to protect and strengthen Coral Bay—and that of the broader island— improving coastal infrastructure and planning, promoting sustainable maintenance practices within our neighborhoods in response to a changing climate, and by educating and empowering youth for future environmental leadership.
By purchasing a ticket, you’re supporting an incredible cause that directly contributes to the future of our island and its community! Check out our website to learn more about our other initiatives: https://coralbaycommunitycouncil.org/.
Looking for a great family home where everyone has their own space? Perhaps you’re looking for an investment property? Joy Life & Castaway Cottage have all of this and more. And even better, owner financing is available to qualified buyers!
Joy of Life and Castaway Cottage are located on a beautiful, 2.6-acre hilltop estate in Coral Bay. (Three parcels are included in this sale.) Joy of Life is the main house, and includes a large, one-bedroom suite, a generously-sized studio suite and a caretaker’s suite on the top floor. Outside of the caretaker’s suite is an expansive deck that is ready to be completed to your liking. There is ample room for an outdoor kitchen, living space, hot tub and more. And the views up there are unreal! You can see all of Coral Bay, St. John’s East End, the British Virgin Islands and beyond from the property, however the views are the best from this top-floor area.
Castaway Cottage is located on the lower portion of the property and is accessed by a quaint, well-lit stone stairwell. The standalone cottage is currently a studio, but it can be easily be converted into a one-bedroom. This ultra-private cottage, which was built using high-quality materials and appliances, also has beautiful views. This is a great spot for an owner to live while renting out the main building, or you can keep it as is, which is an income-producing vacation rental.
There is ample room on this professionally-landscaped property to add a pool or additional dwellings. The property has solar, battery backup, net metering & a Kubota backup generator. Both Joy of Life and Castaway Cottage have large cisterns too.
There are currently three income-producing vacation rentals on this property – Joy of Life (one bedroom), Sunrise Sweet (studio), and Castaway Cottage (studio). All have full kitchens and bathrooms. The caretaker’s suite is currently being used as just that – as the owner’s suite. P&Ls for all three rentals are available upon request.
*This is a great property for an owner to live onsite while renting the other units. It would also make a great family compound where each guest has his or her own space.*
Joy of Life and Castaway Cottage is being offered at $2.495 million. Please contact me, Jenn Manes, at jenn@explorestj.com or via phone/text at 203-376-3786. I am a licensed real estate agent with 340 Real Estate Co.
