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I am unbelievably excited to share today’s story with all of you. I just listed an incredible condo for sale. It is not only gorgeous and completely remodeled, but it is also an extremely solid investment! Curious? Then read on!

St. John Escape is a beautifully-designed & decorated one-bedroom condo that’s located in a premier location at Grande Bay Resort. This impeccably-maintained unit was remodeled from top to bottom in 2020. Not only was it remodeled, the owners even reconfigured the space to create the ultimate vacation rental.

The Details

St. John Escape is a large, one bedroom, one bathroom corner unit located in building four, which is the top left section of the resort. It has a large patio complete with vaulted ceilings, and unobstructed, panoramic views of Cruz Bay beach, the harbor and St. Thomas, and all the way out to the outlying cays, including Thatch, Grass, Mingo and Lovango. I have been in a lot of units at Grande Bay, and I have to admit, St. John Escape is top-notch.

A new kitchen was installed in 2020, including all new cabinetry, countertops and appliances. The bathroom was remodeled, as well, and now features a new vanity in addition to the large, newly tiled shower. Even the floors were updated! St. John Escape features beautiful, modern-looking tiled floors, both inside and out. This is truly a special property.

The unit is designed with comfort in mind, however it does not lack styling. St. John Escape is decorated beautifully and features numerous pieces of the owner’s photography throughout.

Making the unit even more special is a large, walk-in laundry with storage. No more leaving your dirty laundry in the hallway like a lot of the other units!

An Incredible Investment

St. John Escape is not only beautiful, but it is also a great investment. This unit rents extremely well. The occupancy rate for 2024, thus far, is 95 percent. It is on track to rent just as well in 2025.

(If you have a future reservation to stay at St. John Escape, do not worry. The new owners will honor all rental reservations.)

The Location & Resort

Grande Bay Resort is located in the heart of Cruz Bay. It is within walking distance to the ferry, taxis, shops and restaurants, as well as beaches and hiking trails. It is located directly across the street from Cruz Bay beach, so you do not have to walk far to dip your toes in the sand. The resort has a heated pool, hut tub, gym and concierge services onsite. There is an ice maker in the garage, a trash compactor and the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day.

Additional Details

St. John Escape comes with one parking spot, a feature that vacation renters often prefer. Because the unit is owned by one of the first people to buy at Grande Bay, it has a great location in the upper parking garage and is an easy spot to park. (For those of you who have been to Grande Bay, you may be aware that some of the parking spaces are tricky to get into.) There is a large owners’ closet inside of the unit that allows you to store personal items. There is an additional storage locker in the garage for beach chairs, noodles, and more.

Want More Information? 

St. John Escape is listed for $995,000 with me, Jenn Manes. I am a licensed agent at 340 Real Estate Co.. Please email me at jenn@explorestj.com or call/text at 203-376-3786 to learn more. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. As I mentioned above., St. John Escape is a solid investment. Financials are available upon request. All confirmed rental reservations must be honored.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Book Now. 

I received a message from one of my readers a few months back regarding an old USVI restaurant guide and recipe book. Noelle, a frequent visitor to St. John, told me that her cousin found the book at a garage sale and asked if I would like it. “Of course I would!” I immediately responded, so Noelle graciously shipped it down to me.

The Virgin Island Restaurant Guide & Recipe Book was printed in 1994. It includes dozens of restaurants located in both the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. Twelve restaurants from St. John were included. Of those, only three remain open today.

Who is ready to take a little trip down memory lane?

The Old Gallery

The Old Gallery was owned by one of St. John’s most treasured residents – Slim. Bernard Wesselhoft, known as Slim or Slimman, now owns two parking lots in Cruz Bay. Slim owned The Old Gallery, which was located in the former Quiet Mon Pub location, with his sister Maria. The building is where Slim was raised along with his 11 brothers and sisters. The restaurants served traditional West Indian cuisine. Lunch averages $4 a plate, and dinner was only about $15. Slim’s mother operated a bakery below in the space that is now occupied by The Refinery.

Pusser’s Wharfside

Pusser’s was located on the second floor of Wharfside Village. This space is now part of the Wharfside Hotel, but it was located in the former Vista Mare location, which was on the second floor above Joe’s Rum Hut. Prior to being Vista Mare, the restaurant was called Spyglass.

The setting at Pusser’s Wharfisde is described in the book as being like a maritime museum, as it was decorated with old ship models, paintings and antiques. There was a casual Crow’s Nest restaurant that served finger foods, and a fancier Terrace restaurant that features steaks and seafood. Lunch was only $6, and dinner averaged $16 a person.  We need to bring these prices back!

Mongoose Cafe & Bar 

One of the first restaurants I remember visiting in the 90s was Mongoose Cafe & Bar. It was located in the space where 1864 currently is. Prior to 1864, Ocean Grill operated in the space. Mongoose Cafe & Bar was a breezy, open-air restaurant that was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests had the option of dining in an open air gazebo, tropical garden or around a casual bar. The restaurant was owned by Henry Muus and Roland Czekelius. Mongoose Cafe & Bar featured gourmet meals that were healthier versions of traditional Mediterranean dishes, according to the guide book. Meals ranged in price from $5 to $11.

The three restaurants featured that are still open are Morgan’s Mango, The Lime Inn and Skinny Legs. Check out the pics:

I absolutely love history, and I love reading things like this. I hope you all do too. 🙂

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Book Now. 

I miss the sun. I miss blue skies. It won’t stop raining!

I can’t remember when it started to rain, but it was sometime around Halloween. It seems to have been raining ever since.

I woke up overnight to some of the hardest rain I can remember happening here on St. John. According to the St. John Weather page on Facebook, we received three inches in an hour overnight. My friend Tracy, who owns Into the Mystic villa in Coral Bay, recorded over five inches of rain in the past 24 hours. Crazy!

The ghut beside my house in a raging river at the moment. At one point overnight, it appeared to double in size and the water flowed over the road – several feet higher than it typically is. Dalton is currently outside with one of the neighbors “supervising” as he clears the road with his bulldozer.

We may have a little sun on Wednesday, but it looks like it’s going to be another wet week. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the most accurate weather website/app for St. John is Wunderground.

When it rains like this, you have to be careful driving. It floods regularly near the tennis courts, and rock slides can happen everywhere. You also have to be careful about runoff on the beaches. If the water is brown (this happens near Maho often), do not go in the water.

Hiking will be tough this week, as the trails are undoubtedly soaked. For those of you who plan to conquer Reef Bay this week, the waterfall will definitely be flowing.

What else can you do in the rain? Go shopping. Eat and drink around the island. Check out some historical sites like Annaberg or Cinnamon Bay. You can even consider taking a half-day island tour with me. The island is still beautiful without the sun. I am offering discounted rates this week due to the wet weather. Email me at jenn@explorestj.com for more information.

Stay dry friends.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour

See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

Click Here to Book Now.