planning to visit auc. recommend hotel ?

[pufbub]

I am planning a visit to AUC in a few weeks. Can anyone recommend a reasonable, but safe hotel?

Is there a hotel that is in walking distance or in short cab distance to the school?

Also, if I contact the admissions office before I arrive, will they show me around or allow me to sit in on any of the classes?

How large is the first term Jan. class?

Thanks very much,
Pufbub

[dar2drm]

My husband and I went down in mid-October. We stayed at the Flamingo Beach Resort in Pelican Key (across Simpson Bay from the airport). If I remember right the room number was 1302...it was a very nice room with awesome views of the caribbean and pool. We booked the hotel through onetravel.com and got a good rate for it (108.00) per night. The room had a king size bed, tv/vcr, kitchen, dining room table and 4 chairs, and a decent balcony. This particular room is on the second floor and the last room on the point of land...very nice. I felt totally safe at the hotel. There is a hertz rental desk in the lobby if you need to rent a car. The university is about a 10-15 min drive from the hotel.

We rented a nissan sentra from hertz for about 35 a day.

We called MEIO in Florida prior to leaving and they told us that officially, they were not supposed to give tours if you had not already put in your application....we hadn't...they set up the tour anyway. I think they realized that we must be seriously considering the school if we were going to St. Martin.

Dr. Behrisch met with us toward the end of the tour for an informal question and answer session/interview. He invited us to come back the next day and attend the first semester morning classes (biochem--he teaches and embyrology). After the lectures we met with Dr. Behrisch again and he wanted to know what we thought of them.

We were impressed with the island, the school and the students. All of the students we met were very helpful.

As for dining...ask the students where to go. The hotel is not a lot of help, nor is the faculty. There was a good barbeque rib place on airport road (I think it is called JOES...) between the airport and that hotel. There is also a good pastry/bread shop in a pink or white row building (both the rib and pastry shop are on the simpson bay side of the road). Turtle Pier is pricey but has an awesome dish..I think it was called something like champagne lobster or shrimp...

By the way, you have to go to Sunset Beach Bar and Grill it is near the dolphin casino at the end of the runway (you will fly over it when your plane lands--- the place squeezed between the runway and the water with blue table umbrellas.

We found the cheapest tickets at the time for us was straight off aa.com.

Good Luck and hope you have a good time.

sorry for the length guys.

[dar2drm]

There is one called the Caravanaseri?? that is supposed to offer good rates to students. I have heard also that the Maho Casino offers decent rates to students. The Wyndam Saphire resort is near AUC but the staff were nearly impossible to work with and I could never get them to answer any question concerning room rates, availability, accomadations, etc....the service was so poor that I gave up trying. I stopped by there while I was down and got the same treatment in person. It is now on my personal avoid list. There is a hotel, I think called the Mullet Bay Hotel that is right next to AUC.

[microphage]

Dr. Behrisch met with us toward the end of the tour for an informal question and answer session/interview. He invited us to come back the next day and attend the first semester morning classes (biochem--he teaches and embyrology).


You went to more biochem classes than I did for that month! :lol:

Actually, he only teaches Biochem. Dr. Rogers teaches Embryology.

[dar2drm]

so how did you end up doing in biochem? The lecture we sat in was a bit chaotic....he managed to flip through the slides back and forth repeatedly faster than I would previously thought possible for the equipment...

He later told us that it was an exam review for the next week's test.

[microphage]

so how did you end up doing in biochem? The lecture we sat in was a bit chaotic....he managed to flip through the slides back and forth repeatedly faster than I would previously thought possible for the equipment...

He later told us that it was an exam review for the next week's test.

I honored it but it wasn't because there was no need to goto class, it was because I learned most of it in undergrad.

[mitchpf]

Hand down, the best hotel at which to stay for anyone wanting to visit the Island is the Summit Hotel and Resort. It is literally a 5 minute walk from the school. Also, it is very reasonably priced, especially if you book your reservation through Orbitz. This is what I did back in the day when I came to see the school. Also, you don't have to plan it too far in advance. I called the registrar and told them I was on the island and wanted a tour about 10 minutes before I actually went on the tour. They are really nice. The average January class is usually around 40 or 50 I think, maybe a little less. Good luck.

[mitchpf]

P.S. If anyone does stay at the Summit, be sure that you get the french guy that works at the bar to make you some french toast while you are there. I can easily say that was one of the best breakfast's I've ever had.