St. Thomas Luxury Resorts
Recommended Best Upscale Hotels on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
Sep 26, 2006
Charlotte Amalie has the busiest cruise port in the Caribbean. Cruise boat tourists pour out, buy some duty-free souvenirs, and pile back on. But there's a lot more to this US Virgin Island than high-end shopping. Snorkeling and scuba diving, hiking and walking tours attract outdoorsy types as well as fans of luxury travel.
I recommend these upscale hotels and resorts on St. Thomas. All are great for family groups, couples, or people who choose to travel solo. The best resort hotels easily fit anyone's preferred luxury vacation style.
- The Ritz Carlton, St. Thomas is a car trip away from the bustle of the shopping district, which I like. When I was there, I didn't think of it as much of a kids' place. The Ritz Carlton seemed, instead, to be a quiet and peaceful resort, hard to find in St. Thomas and lovely for newlyweds on a honeymoon. Families with children seemed mostly clustered around the pool. I understand that the Ritz on St. Thomas has undergone a major overhaul, with renovations completed by early 2007. The Ritz Kidz day camp for children under 12, as well as "Caribbean Nanny Care," will go a long way toward making this Ritz as child-friendly as are others in the luxury hotel chain. The Coconut Cove Bar and Grill had some strong tropical drinks, as well as beachside types of food.
- The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa is similarly high-end, with well-appointed rooms amid a lush setting. The on-site Journeys Spa was given the Best Spa in the US Virgin Islands Award, and The Manor House restaurant has a delicious buffet. It's an expensive place to eat, especially compared to another on-site restaurant called Iguana Grill (mostly grilled food, by the pool). The all-inclusive plan helps defray costs, but I've always found that meal plans like these keep tourists more closely bound to their hotels while on vacation; probably because we want to keep our budget in check! We didn't try the Kids' Klub, but the resort day camp looked like it was full of happy children. The huge amount of stairs to get to the beach and back may be prohibitive, especially for those traveling with young kids.
- The Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort just finished being renovated, and everything is brand-spanking new. There's a new, appointment only, spa called the Reef Health Club, but I can't vouch for it; never been. Most of the on-site restaurants are more casual than not, which frankly is refreshing. In fact, this Marriott is overall more casual and less upscale than are the Ritz Carlton and Wyndham on St. Thomas, and it's also closer to Charlotte Amalie than both of the above as well (you take a ferry across the harbor). You can't beat the setting on any of these, however, as all offer views galore. The beach here had the wonderful soft white sand that is natural on the Virgin Islands; water shoes aren't necessary.
Remember, the concept of luxury treatment on the US Virgin Islands means something a little different than it does in cosmopolitan European and American elite destinations. Locals operate on laid-back "island time." Travelers who adjust to the slower pace of island life seem to have an easier time relaxing and having a happy vacation. What's your hurry? A luxury getaway in a tropical locale like this, is meant for taking it easy.
Related, on Suite 101:
US Virgin Islands - St. Thomas
