Just got back from a stay at Maho Bay's Harmony Studios and would not recommend unless you are prepared with your own food and drinks and also like cleaning your own room (sweeping, garbage, linen removal etc). We arrived by taxi and was expecting the beach cafe would be open for a burger or whatever but it had been closed since July and I did not see any of this info on their website. The store was pretty much bare of pre-made sandwiches so a little hungry waiting for the dinnerThe dinner's were quite good and staff and everyone was friendly. The beach was nice also. Overall for the money you would be much better off somewhere else if you are looking for your own shower (cold) and toilet.

Although we stayed here over two years ago, we remember the good and not so good times on St. John, and Harmony Studios was definitely the low point of our trip. After 4 beautiful but austere days at the National Park (cabin #8) at Cinnamon Bay, we were ready for a little luxury. Unfortunately we were disappointed from the start. We tried to check in at 1pm but were told by an inexperienced staff that was way too early, even though there were almost no other boarders (off-season). We waited at the beach down the hill where sand flies feasted on one of us. The room was clean and comfortable (except the very noisy tree frogs that chirpped all night). The next morning, the water was turned off in the middle of our shower and did not come on until after we left , with soapy hair. Our next three nights at the Concordia Eco tents was our best experience.

My friend and I absolutely loved Harmony. We had a drop dead view from our studio that felt like we were flying over the Caribbean. The highlight of our trip was hiking in to Waterlemon Cay early Sunday morning to snorkel with the sea turtles. They are beautiful, quiet creatures who put up with visitors. The National Park is not to be missed and Maho Bay is smack in the middle of it.
The accommodations were hardly luxurious but perfectly clean and adequate. It was nice to have a kitchen so that we could cook breakfast and not have to leave the deck. We would be gone for the whole day so we weren't climbing up and down the many many steps so much. But we'd always back in the afternoon for the sunset on our deck.
The staff was lovely- fun, energetic, 20 year olds taking some time off from the real world.
We would both go back in a second.

This review comes from a 55-year old father and two daughters ages 21 and 16. We stayed in a studio (H3-A) primarily because I wanted the best view possible. The higher you are up on the hill, the better. The studio is not a tent cabin--it has a normal roof and walls and windows. The tent cabins (and they far outnumber the studios) are located at lower levels and unfortunately many of them do not have views at all. I undertand the desire to keep the slopes ecologically secure and that restricts what can be cut down. I am hardly a fit person, but the stairs from the beach all the way to the top are not that bad. Yes, you get winded; no, it is not a physically devastating event. Generally, I can't imagine why one would want to walk back and forth. The beach is magnificent and you can easily spend your whole day down there--plenty of shady plants under which to hide from the sun--and the little snack shack is steps up from the beach.
I found the staff friendly, courteous and the folks down at the watersports rental near the beach--knowledgeable and patient. They will fit you with the right mask and off you go snorkeling--literally steps into the water at both ends of the beach. We saw a giant--and I mean giant--tarpon 15 feet offshore on the right side. Don't miss a kayak trip to Whistling Cay-15 minutes and a world away. You can also rent a nice Hobie Cat--although we did not.
The restaurant has perfectly fine food and breakfast is a definite value on an island not known for inexpensive anything (except maybe rum). Adequate self-serve salad bar. You also pick up your meal at the counter. Yes, the place has a certain summer camp atmosphere to it--nothing wrong with that. You can strike up a conversation with many interesting and delightful people. And the view from the eating area--magnificent.
Sure, you might spot some bugs around your room. I think you will find those in any lodging in the warmer climes. And when you realize you are paying radically less than you would in a resort--then you begin to smile. You do come for the overall experience and the proximity to the beach and the snorkeling. Its almost like spending the night on the rim of the Grand Canyon. I don't think there is any lodging facility on St. John which offers the proximity to the truly important elements--unless you want to pay some exhorbitant nightly charges or rent a villa for $6,000 per week (which also might not have A/C, by the way!!!) We did not encounter any problems with running out of warm water for showers.
If you want to see the rest of the island, renting a jeep is really your only rational option which gives you the freedom an flexibility not available from the taxis that service the island.
Yes, we were very pleased with our experience-but we knew what we were going to encounter. What we could not imagine was the magnificence of the views, the water and beach--those are preciously beautiful. The place has a certain isolation to it which makes it as special as it is.
The temperature when we were there was about 83 high/73 low--summer temps in the low 90's could prove to be intolerable without a/c. But then again, with a steep drop in price for the off season, you might be reading another glowing review come August. Anyone looking for an active, outdoorsy vacation centered around family and friends is encouraged to experience this wonderful place. We did not want to leave--but when we did, we went to Concordia Studios on the south side of the island, which I will review separately under that name.