Concordia ecotents: “Best week ever! Best Wedding Ever! We love Concordia and St. John!”

Get the latest news about the U.S. Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Daily News

Concordia ecotents:

We had an unconventional wedding in St. John during the week of March 7-14th, 2009, and we decided to have our guests stay at Concordia so that we could all experience the island together.

It worked out beautifully, and the staff was wonderful and accomodating.

We had 33 people in total staying at Concordia, in 7 different tents, 2 studios and 1 of the duplexes.

We had our rehearsal dinner at Cafe Concordia, and it was amazing food and even better views.

I will say a few things to help visitors in the future:

1. Stay in the Premium tents. They are superior because they have better toilet systems, fewer bugs and they are just generally nicer and newer. And worth the small amount of money in the costs. There is no difference in views. All of the tents have amazing views.

2. Bring bug spray and wear it always.

3. Do NOT let the feral cats into your tent. Even if you like cats, don't let them in. They are pests, not pets.

4. If you are with a loud group that likes to drink, do not expect to party at Concordia. Many people come there for a quiet retreat. We tried to respect this, but because it was a wedding and there were so many of us, it was quite difficult, and thus, I think we disturbed people. I hope our behaviour does not damage Concordia's reputation as a quiet, peaceful and serene place to vacation.

If you are there and you would like to be loud, go to the bottom of the hill to the rocky beach. No one can hear groups that are down there. Enjoy!

5. Check your bed to make sure there are no critters, and use the containers that they provide for your food.

6. Read the journals that are in your tents. They give you excellent information about what to do and what to watch out for.

7. You MUST rent a car. It won't be worth it if you don't have a car.

All in all, this was our dream wedding! The staff, the other patrons, the weather, the views, the food, the drinks, the snorkeling, the hiking.....EVERYTHING was awesome.

I highly recommend Concordia. The tents and the studios and the duplexes are all wonderful. Have a great time if you go!

Erik and Lauren Perley

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness 5 of 5 stars Service

“Great Experience”Concordia Eco-Tents

So I know our travel date is over two years ago, but we really had a great experience.

We had the opportunity to volunteer at the camp. We were able to stay on the island for a whole month and really experience eco and island living.

For us, this was a treasured time. The cabins are super cool...more like being in a tree house than a tent. All the tree houses face the sea and even the ones by the road get a decent breeze.

You can't beat the view or the sounds of nature. This is our favorite place to travel and we hope to go back soon!

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Truly spectacular eco-camp/nature retreat”

If you want to get away and commune with nature, this is the place! Other reviewers have talked about the decor and the eco tents, so I won't get into that.

If you want to know more about it, got to my travel blog, http://www.flashnomad.com, as I have a gallery of photos of the tent cabins and the setup of the camp.

I stayed at three eco-camps in the USVI and each one was different. While their sister camp, Maho, is more for the family or party scene (either college age or baby boomers), Concordia is more of a private retreat.

It is a place where you want to be silent and commune with nature instead of indulging in summer camp antics. The beach just down the trail has wonderful snorkeling and their are so many trails to hike.

The food is absolutely delicious and their is also a fabulous little food place called the Tourist Trap that has the best lobster rolls!

“For the Adventurous”

We had a wonderful time at the Concordia Eco Tents. The staff was friendly and helpful, the location was beautiful and the idea of a resort leaving no ecological damage was wonderful.

If you're a five star type, it isn't for you, but if you want a piece of unspoiled Caribbean, you can't beat it.

* My ratings for this hotel 4 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Like Swiss Family Robinson”

The whole complex is very cool, and in a great location: just an easy hike to some of the best snorkeling on St John.

The eco-tent itself was every childhood Swiss Family Robinson fantasy, but with nice warm solar showers.

One small glitch: the potable water system was down when we went so we had to walk over to the store to fill jugs of drinking water. But that didn't put too much of a damper on things - I would definitely stay here again.

My wife loved it as well. If you are looking for a large cheap quiet place in a beautiful location near great hiking and snorkeling you can't go wrong.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 3 of 5 stars Service

“What a cool experience!”

We found the Concordia Eco Tents online, and they sounded too interesting not to try.

So we made a reservation for the first two nights of our honeymoon. We're very glad we did!

As other reviews have said, the tents are permanent wooden structures that have canvas walls and screens for windows.

We think of them more as tree houses than tents. If you're used to camping in a normal tent, this will seem like luxury camping.

If you're used to staying at resorts, the accommodations will seem charmingly simple. There are no luxuries, but you won't miss them.

The tents have everything you'll need for your stay, including biodegradable shampoo/body wash to use in your solar-heated shower.

The kitchen was well stocked with everything from utensils to gadgets. Most useful was a book about everything you could ever want to know about St John and it's beaches.

We were tempted to take it with us because it had so much interesting information, but we left it there for the next guests. The beds were comfortable, as were the linens.

The tents are built on a steep cliff overlooking Salt Pond Bay and the ocean.

We stayed in tent P13, which gave us rock star status among the camp's staff. Everyone there, when hearing we were in that tent, were like “Oooohhhh, P13 has the best view.” And it really does.

I've never stayed at a location that looked out over as much undeveloped, unspoiled natural prettiness before. Everywhere you looked the view got better.

We heard the food was good at the cafe, so we tried it for dinner one night. Seating is outdoors, and the views are spectacular.

The food and drinks were indeed good (if a little on the pricey side), and the service was too. I went to tip the server, and he informed me that they don't accept tips at Concordia. Interesting and a nice change from the rest of the world.

There are some practical things to consider when you stay at Concordia.

First, bring as little with you as possible. Not because there isn't space to put it, but because there are 150 stairs between your car and your tent. This is not an exaggeration. Hauling anything is a chore, so you don't want to do much of it.

Secondly, the camp has a lending area that comes in really handy. People leave behind stuff that they can't bring back home. So you'll find all kinds of useful items here like mustard, bug spray, sunblock, ziploc bags and toiletries.

We made good use of that lending area, and it saved us a bunch of money. Our tip: check it before you do any grocery shopping since you might find perfectly good peanut butter there for free.

Thirdly, you'll need a car to get to the camp, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a four wheel drive vehicle. If you want to save some cash, skip the Jeep and go for an economy car.

Finally, mine the staff for information about the island. Everyone there is very friendly and will give you great tips on where to go and what to do when you're there.

Because of all the rain that's been falling on the islands this year, the mosquitoes were an issue. When there was a nice breeze blowing, which was most of the time, they weren't bad. But if the air was calm, they were brutal.

Bring lots of bug spray with DEET. I know, it's horrible stuff to have on your skin, but it's the only thing that was effective. The tent's screening kept a lot of them at bay, but many got inside.

We had a great time at Concordia, and would stay there again just for the view. It's not often you can wake up to such awesome sunrises outside of your tent's windows!

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Total relaxation”

We had a fabulous time at the eco-tents. I'm not a great camping kind of girl, but this is more like a treehouse.

My favorite things were the fantastic view, hearing the surf 24/7 and the million stars every night.

Kids loved the pool when we came back from our daily explorations....

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Concordia Eco-resort”

This is a luxury campground, built on the hillside and has stunning view over Salt Pond Bay.

There are tent/cabin and studio available. we opted for a tent and we do not regret it!! the tent has everything, bathroom with shower, kitchen with fridge and real beds.

we felt like we were kids in a tree-house! the view and the feeling of getting closer to nature pays off having to pump water or not having electric plugs.

In addition the resort has a swimming pool, cafe-restaurant, a store, and snorkeling gear and beach chairs rental.

The closest beach is Salt Pond Beach which is perfect for both sunbathing and snorkeling; getting there takes about 15 minutes hiking. Definitely to recommend!!

* My ratings for this hotel 4 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Fantastic Home base for Exploring St. John!”

I just returned from a 5 night stay at Concordia. I went with a friend and we stayed in Eco-Tent E22.Estate Concordia provided ideal lodging.

I should say up front that staying at Concordia is like having the most plush camping experience you can imagine.

The screens kept 99% of all of the bugs out and the linens, pillows, and beds were very cozy.

There is a kitchen in each unit, stocked with a fridge, two gas burners, plates, utensils, cooking pans and tools.

The tent tended to get stuffy during the day while we were out, but it always cooled down quickly by opening windows and turning on the fans.

The composting toilet worked exactly like a regular toilet. The only downside was the shower head, which you had to hold in your hand to use.

Since the water would heat over the course of the day, we took our showers in the afternoon which was an easy adaptation.

I also loved that the hotel was so eco-friendly and really felt like you were a part of the beautiful natural surroundings instead of separate from them.

And of course the view was absolutely fabulous looking out over Salt Pond Bay and Drunk Bay.

The mood of the hotel was very friendly and the staff was always willing to answer any questions we had.

There was a washer/dryer on site, as well as a pool and small store.

The restaurant also serves delicious food. The pool was small but definitely adequate especially considering that Salt Pond Bay is either a 5 minute drive or a 20 minute walk away.

There are definitely a lot of stairs, but you quickly get used to them and there are handicap accessible tents for those that need them.

Personally, I loved the location because it was very secluded, but there was still a grocery store 15 minutes away and of course plenty of trails and bays nearby.

All of that being said, if you are looking for an air-conditioned, manicured, and typical luxury resort experience(without a view) that has access to the bars and shopping, you should go elsewhere.

But if you are excited about the idea of staying in ecologically friendly accommodations with gorgeous views and a front row seat to all of the beautiful natural activities that St. John has to offer, this is the place for you.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 5 of 5 stars Service

“the most wonderful place”

This place has million dollar views and all you hear is the ocean, birds and insects at night.

The breezes kept our tent cool and totally bug free. This is the drier end of the island so bugs are not a problem like at Maho. Star-gazing was amazing.

A most beautiful beach with great snorkleing, white sand and shade trees is a 15 min hike down the hill.

The pool is nice, good store, covered yoga area, trendy cafe, internet at the office if you really must.

The tent was roomy and each of our teenagers got their own "room". They were knocked out by the place even though we made them keep cell phones at home.

Would love to go back and see that view again.

* My ratings for this hotel 4 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Service

“Very nice views”

Our best stay on St John , which included 4 nights at the National Park at Cinnamon Bay and Harmony suites at Maho Bay.

It was off-season so there were few other people and we felt mostly by ourselves overlooking Salt Pond and Drunk Bays.

The hillside accomodations are wooden structures with zippable vinyl windows all around so you can regulate breezes and sunshine into the tent. A couple small fans help circulate air.

From our attached deck, we quietly watched lighted cruise ships sailing to St. Thomas in the evenings.

Our primary reason for visiting St John was for the snorkeling which was particularly good at Waterlemon Cay, Trunk Bay, and Salt Pond Bay.

We would highly recommend this place.

* My ratings for this hotel 3 of 5 stars Value 3 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 2 of 5 stars Service

“Simple and Perfect”

We had planned on staying at Maho but I had unexpected knee surgery just prior to our vacation so we could not do the steps at Maho.

We had one of the wheel chair ramp units (E-3) and it was perfect.

I loved the simplicity of the furniture, floor plan, and bathroom. Our shower was very hot during the day and our toilet worked great.

I was envious of the units closer to the ocean due to the breeze and views, but was very grateful for the clean little cottage that we had.

The no-see ums were very hungry and we were really bit up- the only bad point. We had a few lizards and one mouse that was eager to leave as soon as we opened up the door.

Our beds were comfy and the stars were like diamonds in the sky.

The staff were very nice and we loved the restaurant.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk 5 of 5 stars Service

“Great Concordia experience”

We stayed in an Eco-tent (E-6) at Concordia for the first five nights of our nine nights on St. John (I also posted a review of Harmony Studios at Maho).

I think my expectations had been set correctly because I just loved our little tent cabin.

We made use of the camp stove every morning for breakfast, and kept enough food in our refrigerator so that we could prepare our lunches for days spent out hiking, and even prepared some simple meals for dinner.

Oh, we also always had rum in the fridge! Unfortunately, we didn't ever dine at the Pavilion as we were on a bit of a budget.

Concordia was situated well to hike some of the south coast trails, and discover the quieter beaches.

There aren't a lot of activities that take place out of Concordia, so you should be prepared to plan your own days out.

A rental car is really a must on this part of the island. I would return here again!

* My ratings for this hotel 4 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness 3 of 5 stars Check in / front desk 3 of 5 stars Service 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)

“Bungle (low) in the Jungle (low)”

First trip to Concordia, 3rd trip to the island. We've stayed at Cinnamon Bay, a cottage and now the tent.

How did we like it?Well, we're booking another Eco-Tent for next year.

Our mornings consisted of hours of feeding banaquits (sp?) , bull finches (nice red males) and brown thrasers. Sooooo relaxing. We watched herons and hawks soaring.

The structure was one of the low numbered tents on the Salt Pond side and it was really sweet.

The composting toilet , solar shower and refridgerator made life easy, a gentleman's version of camping.

The lizards and crabs were entertaining and the footprint of all of these buildings has almost no effect on plant and animal life here.

We live in a wooded area of Maine (State motto: "Vacationland") and it's summer as I write and we still can't wait to return to Concordia.

Jennifer (the manager) and the rest of the staff were great.

Wherever you go, it's a treat that the "Smoothie-Shack" and "Skinny-Legs" is on your way home. Lily's store is nice too.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk 5 of 5 stars Service 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)

“WOW !! Can't wait to go back!”

I almost hate to tell people how much we loved it! I feel like we found our own piece of heaven on earth here.

Don't go expecting the Ritz, but for a true getaway, it doesn't get any better than this.

Things move slower, but you have to remember you are on island time. Jennifer and Patrick were great and informative at check-in.

Our room was the last room at the bottom of the last set of stairs. That's 140 stairs each way to be exact!!! Built in cardio everyday!

Pack light and leave things like your snorkel gear and a small cooler in the jeep. You get a ton of direct sun on the way up so try not to forget anything on the first trip.

Make sure you eat at the property. Shane rocks! He also keeps a stash oh REAL sweet tea in the back. Food was excellent and prices are great for dinner.

Our room was everything we needed. Beds were not bad. It took a day to adjust to the sounds and feel of the wind, but would definitely do it again.

There are "premium" tents and are the same price right now, but I think that is changing. Its worth the premium price whatever that may be.

Shower gets hot if its sunny and warm if it isn't. Make sure you open your bathroom door and your front door to connect everything. Take a flashlight for the walk back at night.

Dining on Coral Bay side is good.

You can't beat Shipwreck, the lemon shark is awesome.

Do Miss Lucy's for Sunday brunch.

Plantains, is excellent and should be considered high dining for the Coral Bay side of the island.

Good food;good wine; good rum. Pricey.

Cruise Bay offers Lime Inn All-You- Can-Eat shrimp for $20 something bucks. It ROCKS!!!

We have been to St. John several times now, and will keep coming back!

* My ratings for this hotel 4 of 5 stars Value 5 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk 5 of 5 stars Service 3 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)

“Eco Paradise”

These Eco-Tents are the perfect way to go for low-budget/ high result places to stay.

Located right on the south-east corner of St. John the Concordia Eco-Tents are right on Ram's Head giving the impression that you are at the end of the world.

Floor to ceiling sreened windows offer the best front row seats to the most beautiful sunsets/sunrises.

“Wonderful stay at Concordia Eco-Tents may 2007”

We stayed at Concordia eco-tents from May 7th -14th 2007 and had a wonderful first time experience.

It was off season so tents or "canvas condos" as we like to called them were only 95 per night.

You will quickly learn to love the casual island style. Pack light (really) because you really only need some light tshirts and shorts and flip flops, tevas too for hikes.

The night is great as you can fall asleep to the sound of the critters that come alive as the sun sets. Its loud but kind of nice.

A couple of tips, stay in the tents that are more towards the ocean "breezy side" for this you will have to call concordia directly (these tents cost 20 more a night).

We stayed in tent e2 and it was great but we could have used a breeze. Pack buy spray or just buy it there though you will need it as there are many mosquitos but of course there will be since you are really in what looks like the jungle , its so worth it though as we had many beaches all to ourselves.

Def check out skinny legs, shipwreck landing, miss lucys (our fav), sweet plantains, salt pond beach, reef trail, rams head trail, frances beach (saw sea turtles there), little lamphear, trunk bay, jumbee....

amazing views, secluded secret spots, great price, adventure.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk

“Concordia was great”

My family (2 adults and 3 children) just returned from a week at Concordia, and I'm pleased to give it a very high recommendation.

Concordia is remote and beautifully situated. Our cabin (E-25) was fine for 5 of us. Next time though, I'd probably prefer a cabin on the east end of the property because they get a better breeze at night.

We cooked most of our meals, which worked out well, but you should remember that the kitchen is small and a bit cramped and you have to boil water for cleaning up the dishes...this is much closer to camping than staying in a hotel.

Groceries are very expensive everywhere, probably 30% more than the mainland, so it's worth bringing some with you. Booze, however, is cheap, and rum is almost cheaper than bottled water!

My only real complaint was that the upstairs loft was a bit warm and buggy at night. I would suggest to the management that they install one of the little fans in the loft...that would make all the difference.

The pool was great, and the staff was very helpful.

The nearby Salt Pond Bay beach is one of the nicest on the Island.

Drunk Bay, a 15 minute walk from Salt Pond Bay is very interesting and totally different, with hundreds of cool little scuptures people have made from coral fragments.

Just about everything else is within a about a 20 minute drive.

We also visited Maho Bay Camps for a day. Frankly I thought Maho looked a little worn at the heels, and I'd prefer Condordia.

* My ratings for this hotel 5 of 5 stars Value 4 of 5 stars Rooms 5 of 5 stars Location 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk 5 of 5 stars Service 4 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)

Concordia ecotents Reviews continued

Share your own beach photo's or stories with us!

Now you can share photos and stories from your own vacations from beaches that you have traveled in the Virgin Islands, and around the world!