My family of 4 just returned from a week at Harmony. We got two units (my children are teenagers), and that worked well. The units would be very crowded for four. As other reviews note, the accomodations are pretty basic. We found them adequate in terms of comfort. We did not have trouble with insects, and were comfortable sleeping at night. We did not mind the stairs, but all of us are in pretty good shape.

We had a jeep and spent most of the each day exploring the Island, and that worked extremely well. While Maho Bay is nice, we found it important to get out every day and explore this extraordinary island. We went into Cruz Bay and Coral Bay for dinner, and, while expensive, it was fun. We had breakfast each morning at Maho and found the food adequate and the view stunning. You eat your food while you look out at the water and watch the iquanas in the trees. Harmony is not for everyone. It is not luxurious and it presents some challenges (like the stairs). But the setting is beautiful and we came to appreciate how close to nature we were.

We are 63 and 64 years old, and we have travelled to St. John on several occasions. This year it was "my turn" to select where we stayed. I really wanted to stay in the Tent-Cottages, but my husband, not quite so adventurous as I, said "no"...he wanted a private bathroom...imagine!

So, we stayed in Harmony 6-A. Let me tell you about Harmony.

We were there off season, so things were nice and peaceful. In Harmony, choose either 6-A or 5-A...they are the two upper level suites that have the best view...Harmony 1 through 4 have NO VIEW, so remember that.

We took way too much stuff and hauling the suitcases up the fifty steps from the Jeep (Highly recommended) to the room was angina-producing, according to my husband. The room is large with king sized bed (comfortable), sofa bed and two rollaways. Refrigerator, microwave, sink. Good fans. No air-conditioning, but great breeze at night, and in the day time, we were under water snorkeling. Water pressure is weak but certainly adequate. Regular American toilet (hey, remember that this indoor bathroom was high priority for us!).

The staff was great at supplying fresh towels and sheets...things sour fast in that humidity. The dinner meals at the Pavilion were extremely good...not expensive in comparison with the other Cruz Bay restaurants of St. John, and what a view. Two nights we ate in our room just because we wanted to.

The bays around Maho are excellent...we did a bay a day. I'd advise taking your own snorkel gear, a beach towel, bug spray. Harmony supplies you with a nice little cooler for beach jaunts.

We stayed eight days, and it was fabulous, and we had many tales to tell when we came home. I am taking our 23 year old daughter down in January, and she and I ARE going to stay in a tent-cottage...I'll write a comparison afterwards.

Maho is not made for the staid, luxury requiring traveler...we've stayed in plenty of 5 Stars, but this was the perfect way to feel at peace with nature and to relax totally...ladies, no makeup...just shorts, slacks, the less you take, the better. By the way, take a hair dryer if you need one...there is plenty of electricity generated by the solar panels.

A long review, but I just had to tell you what a truly memorable week we had. If you feel at all in-tune with the environment, go for it and stay in Harmony Suites at Maho Bay. It is different, but what an experience!

By the way, my husband is somewhat physically handicapped and the steps from the Pavilion or from the beach to our cottage were really hard on him, but we found a way to drive right down to the beach (adjacent Francis Bay), and we could drive right to the Pavilion. The steps from the Jeep to the room were not bad except when we were hauling suitcases.

Go and have fun! I am a physician and this was just what this doctor ordered!

Each of the Harmony Studios is a two unit. One on top of the other. We stayed on the lower unit (a few bucks cheaper) and my folks were in the upper. From day one we had bugs. Not little water bugs, mind you, I mean giant "Fear Factor" cockroaches every night. On the third night I awoke to a roach running across my face and then under the sheets. We bought a mosquito net, hung it from the ceiling, and tucked it under the mattress to keep them off us at night. We called the management and they came and sprayed. From then on, we would wake up to five to ten roaches writhing half dead on the floor surrounding our bed. My folks upstairs had no roaches- just bees, ants, and unbearable heat. It was so hot that they had to avoid the room during daylight hours and would go down to the restaurant to sit and read. The bottom units had no view. The water went out twice for about 8 hours. The stairs are brutal. The roads are treacherous. On the last day our neighbor was robbed. She had left her door unlocked while she slept, and she woke up around dawn to a guy standing right in front of her, holding her purse.

We stayed at Harmony several years ago, so it has probably changed in that time. But I'm sure the views are as fabulous as ever. True, it requires about 500 steps to reach the beach, so make sure you have everything with you when you go. At the time the Park Service presented fequent evening programs about the natural splendors of the island. The food wasn't that great, but it was filling. The unit was large enough with excellent cross ventilation. I recall that the sheets smelled rather sour. What most impressed me was the view from our porch. We were out there for every sunset, watching the incredible colors fade and the lights come on over the water on St Thomas and Tortola, while St John stayed pitch dark. Their beach on Little Maho Bay is a bit crowded, but you can walk or better yet swim around the point to Big Maho Bay, with some excellent snorkeling along the way.