Recently in St. John Category

Lucy Williams is an Orlando-based writer for Starwood Vacation Ownership and thelobby.com's expert on the subject.

The Travelocity Roaming Gnome is on another adventure, and this time he has been seen at several different Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts. When you stay at one of these resorts in 2008, you can go on a Roaming Gnome scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes. Roaming Gnomes will be hidden in secret spots around the resorts. Participants will receive a clue sheet with hints as to where they are hiding. Once you complete your clue sheet, you can redeem it for a prize at the resort. You will also be entered into a grand prize drawing to win a five-day, four-night resort stay, plus two airline tickets worth up to $750 each. The contest began on May 1 and will continue through the end of 2008. The grand prize winner will be chosen at the end of the year.

Participating Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts are: Sheraton Vistana Villages and Sheraton Vistana Resort in Orlando, Florida; The Westin St. John Resort & Villas in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas in Maui, Hawai'i; The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Kaua'i, Hawai'i; The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas in Rancho Mirage, California; Sheraton Desert Oasis and The Westin Kierland Villas in Scottsdale, Arizona; Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, Colorado; Sheraton Broadway Plantation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Vistana's Beach Club in Jensen Beach, Florida.

Lucy Williams is an Orlando-based writer for Starwood Vacation Ownership and thelobby.com's expert on the subject.

If you're seeking new ways to beat the heat this summer, consider slipping away for a refreshing vacation on St. John, a serene island that offers an array of water sports in its sparkling Caribbean waters. For a limited time, you can experience invigorating adventures amid the wonders of the Virgin Islands with a six-day, five-night vacation package at The Westin St. John Resort & Villas. A retail value of $4,500 during peak season, you can vacation at this resort for just $1,995. To learn more about this offer or to view the complete details of participation, please call 888.294.0616 or click here.Whether you prefer relaxing strolls along powdery white sand beaches, exhilarating underwater excursions or the culinary delights of tropical cuisine, the pleasures of St. John will renew your spirit when you stay at The Westin St. John Resort & Villas.

St. John is one of the most enchanting of all the Virgin Islands, with miles of powdery white beaches and more than 7,000 acres of protected forests. If this sounds good, then now is a great time to plan a visit, because the Westin St. John Resort & Villas is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties. This means that impulsive travelers can snag last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weeks. The Westin St. John has everything a beach bum could want, including a 1,200-foot private beach, full-service spa, water sports, pristine swimming pool, and world-class dining and refreshments.

But if you can tear yourself away from the resort, with its 266 guest rooms, suites, and villas set among 47 lush acres of hibiscus and bougainvillea, you'll find that an island of adventure awaits you. Your best bet for fun and recreation is a tour through Virgin Islands National Park. Encompassing two-thirds of St. John, the park contains fascinating remnants of the Taino people, the island's original residents who made a home on this tropical paradise long before the arrival of the Europeans. St. John is an easy trip from the mainland: flights arrive in neighboring St. Thomas, and a ferry between the islands will have you dipping your toes into the clear blue waters in no time at all.