6 am – We are up with the sun and the critters. Sit on the deck for a few minutes taking in the scenery. Snap a few pictures to remember the place by & start to leisurely pack it all up again! We are finally getting our island mojo going and all of a sudden it is time to move from Maho. You would think that with 100+ stairs to our Studio we wouldn’t have taken much out of the car, but we (that’s the universal we that really means my husband) had taken lots up. So there is lots to bring back down to the car. We trek back down to registration and we are ready to move from base camp to luxury! Pile in the jeep and head back down North Shore road to find Destination St. John.
9 am – We arrive at Palm Plaza & see the sign for Destination St. John. I head up to see if anyone’s there. It is only 9ish in the morning so I think a long shot. Lucky us, there is someone there and ready to take us up. We’re warned the cleaning crew is still there but we’re told it is fine that we go and drop our luggage & just hang out by the pool. We are very happy. We head out of Cruz Bay and past the Westin.
Turn left on Rock Ridge just past the Westin and realize - oh this is what they mean by Chocolate Hole Hillside. We go up and up and up and then a hard left and we’re in the driveway. Even from the driveway I can tell we’ve picked wisely! To our left is the 2 story 2 master suite building, the pool is straight ahead, and to the right sits the main house with another master suite. View is STUNNING. We’ve stayed directly on Chocolate Hole prior but never had the view you have from the hillside. The pictures on the website don’t even begin to give this place its due.
We (again the universal I mean my husband) start taking in the luggage. We relax for a few minutes chatting with the housekeeper. She’s got her work cut out for her so we decide to head to town and see what there is to do. A few minutes later we are parked by the dock & the short one spots the Playground. We can’t say no, so we head over and after she plays for a few minutes until I think we are all about to melt.
We decide to head over to Dolphin market primarily because I know it is air conditioned. We decide to stock up on the non-perishables & grab lunch. Prices are pretty good and you get 10% off just for asking. On a whim we decide to hit up the deli for sandwiches. We get a roasted turkey with pepper jack cheese sandwich, chips, a side of cucumber salad and corn, and some cold drinks & head back to Mongoose to enjoy our lunch in the shade. Excellent food & great prices! I’d highly recommend it if you want to pack your cooler for the beach. We eat up and then hang out for a while before deciding it is now a reasonable time to head back toward the house.
1 pm – On the way back out of town, we stop again at Dolphin for me to run in and get the perishables items – eggs, bacon, milk, etc. Then we are on the way to our home for the next 11 days! When we arrive Ambiance has been transformed. Sparkling clean and all ready for us. We bring in all the goodies we’ve stocked up on, put them away and universally decide IT IS POOL TIME! Into our suits and into the pool.
The pool is awesome – an infinity style overlooking the hillside Chocolate hole & Cruz Bay. You can see all the way to St. Thomas and even St. Croix through the haze. We have about 2 hours before the rest of our crew – 2 other couples (including Gromit) and another little one (1 year old boy) – begin to arrive.
3:30 pm – Couple #1 calls to say they won’t be able to make the 4 pm ferry so they’ll be on the 5:30. No problem. But wait, 20 minutes later another call – “they threw us and our stuff on the boat and we’ll be there in ½ an hour!” You have to love the ferry guys! If they can possibly make it happen they will!
4:30 pm – We all head to the dock to greet the first timers! We load the luggage into our ride and we’re off to the car rental place to pick up their car. 10 minutes later we’re on our way back to Ambiance. We arrive and they get out and start to look around soon they ask, looking at the two story building on the left “who’s house is that?” I say ours. They say, “well who’s house is that?” pointing to the main house. I say “ours” – smiles all around. We give them the tour.
Gromit has left me a message at this point letting me know they had to change planes in Miami and will be on the late ferry – 5:30 out of Charlotte Amalie. So … you want to swim again? Twist my arm. We’re back in the pool & again before I know it the time has come to go get Gromit & her hubby.
6pm – I score a great spot right at the dock, back in and wait for the boat. Soon I see them with their megawatt STJ smiles. Throw the luggage in our Liberty and we’re off to the car rental pick-up for the 2nd time of the day. Car is waiting and we are off to the house for the last time of the day! Everyone takes the tour again and we decide on rooms. We are fortunate and get the main house bedroom (all the bedrooms are almost identical) but this one is the closest to the loft which is in the main house over the living room. There is hope that mini Flip-Flop will actually take to having her own room!
Luggage is moved to the appropriate locations & we soon decide to hit the pool AGAIN. Hubby and I have offered to handle dinner duty for the gang since we’ve been on island time for a couple of days. We fire up the grill & throw on burgers, dogs & pull out the chips & make a nice salad. YUMMY. Dinner, drinks and chilling by the pool.
Mini F-F decides the whole loft concept now known as the “treehouse” is very cool. Thanks Gromit! If Gromit likes it pretty much the short one thinks it must be cool! The ladies take turns unpacking while the guys enjoy cigars on the deck. We are in a happy place & soon we’re all off to zzzzzzzzzzz land.
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