Maho Bay ReviewsVirgin Islands Daily News
Simple island Weddings | Simple, Fun, Stress-Free St Thomas weddings can be simple and affordable. Stress-free Virgin Islands weddings are our specialty. We'll do the work - you have the fun. Maho Bay Reviews: We stayed at Maho Bay Camp for a week over spring break in April. This is the busiest week of the year in St John, but we never felt crowded. Maho Bay: Our family of 4 (kids are 6 and 7) stayed in a platform tent in the upper E section at Maho Bay Camp. Pluses were that our tent was quiet and private (and high enough so that staff dropped off our luggage for us!), drawback was that it was 150+ steps to the restaurant and 120 more stairs to the beach. Next time, we will ask for a tent in the A section to minimize the stair climbing. The food was generally very good -- breakfast was uniformly great and well-priced. We didn't cook in our tent at all except for making coffee in the mornings. We did a full-day excursion to the BVI's on Lion in Da Sun -- great for kids and worth the price -- plus a sunset sail on the Pepper, which was also a highlight. Fred and Renee (the couple who own the Pepper) were warm and patient with the kids. Our 6 year old loved the glass blowing demonstrations and the kids took a class and made their own sun catchers. We packed very light and did a load of laundry mid-week, which was inexpensive and not much of a hassle. Didn't rent a car and relied on Frett's and other taxis to get around, which was easy (although we spent most of our time on the beach at Maho -- didn't want to leave the gorgeous beach!).
Yes, it is camping. Yes, there are a lot of stairs. We didn't feel like it was too rustic (even though our last 2 trips have been to Shutters in Santa Monica and a deluxe villa on Kiawah Island). It was an adventure and we didn't miss telephones, televisions or other digital distractions at all. Will definitely return to Maho Bay Camps.
We were there for the last week of February and we had a good experience. First of all, it is camping and I would assume that anyone who had done their homework before going there would know that. However, it is a cut above camping - for one thing - real beds. The tents are on a wood base and are divided into a living area, bedroom and deck. The central bathrooms are very clean . The showers are cold but if you're used to camping that's expected. We were nervous about bugs and brought a mosquito net but only saw one mosquito the whole time we were there. We did have iguanas in the trees over our deck. The restaurant was fine - not gourmet and even though the dinners were a bit expensive we thought the breakfasts were a real bargain. We managed without a car but might rent one if we were to go again. We went into town one day, hiked on a couple of the trails from the camp another day, splurged on a snorkeling boat trip a third day - Stormy Petrel, the snorkeling was wonderful, did the reef bay hike and the rest of the time did the beach. I imagine that a lot depends on the location of the tent, the time of year and the weather, and your own expectations. If we were to go again I might bring more groceries and cook in the tent more. The structure that commands the most attention at Maho Bay Camps is the dining pavilion. The view is spectacular. Happy hour at the pavilion was our favorite time to play cards, watch the sunset, and talk about the day.
This past week I had the pleasure of visiting St John to witness close friends get married. I traveled with the best friend of the bride and having a like travel mind, we set our sights on Maho Bay Camps for the first night before joining the balance of the wedding party. Not the easiest place to reach, which at the end of the day is a good thing. We landed at St Thomas, walked to the Texaco gas station at the end of the runway / airport property (3/4 mile maybe) and caught the $1 shuttle to Charlotte Amalie for the ferry to St John. Having a bit of time on our hands, we stumbled into Jen's adjacent to the ongoing crafts market by the passenger ferry dock, and had a great meal. (highly recommend). Next we hit the ferry for $10 and approx. 30 min later we hit Cruz Bay. Love the place and the variety of eats and treats. Will save this for a later report, but, a must do to troll for a night or two. We were beat, so instead grabbed a taxi to Maho ($10) What a fun place. Sort of a tree house environment with private huts scattered throughout the grounds, excellent hospitality, nice general store with reasonable prices on property and the beach down the steps. Canvas covered, with separate bedroom, dining area and deck, the huts cover all that is needed once you set on a routine. Snag your water and ice for the day and you are worry free. we had an awesome view and enjoyed the starry nights.
Its beaches are beautiful; the snorkeling was awesome, with many options for watercraft rental. The location almost guarantees that you will have to relax and enjoy the people you are with and the people you meet here. Perfect to reconnect with your teenage children. I would even propose that it is like stepping back in time 20 years (except there are computers in a small building you can pay to log onto).
Our family of 4 (with 2 young boys age 4 and 7) stayed at Maho Bay during the kids' spring break. It was wonderful! Not many bugs at all either- we brought bug spray but didn't use it at all. Our boys loved staying in our "tree house." I'm not much of a camper myself but I didn't find the experience to be too rustic- the only thing I got tired of was the cold showers. In fact I think it was a lot more fun than staying in a regular hotel. The food was great, the staff were friendly and nice, the beaches were beautiful!!
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