Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort

Caneel Bay is the only resort I know of which is dedicated to preserving nature and the natural tropical world surrounding their guest. Besides the 7 different beaches, snorkeling, and tremendous service, the property is filled with wild roaming donkeys, lovely deer and little fast mongoose running around. This is the place to relax, swim, appreciate nature and forget about your life back home.

-First of all, Caneel Bay is perhaps the best place I have stayed in the Caribbean. It is absolutely a first class resort with a beautiful property in a perfect setting. I was told by the locals that it is the best place the USVI has to offer. Hands down I have to agree. Most of the gusts we met have been coming for years. Everything from the beautiful calm beaches to the tame deer and donkeys all over the place, it was the perfect get away! -Be aware that Spirit Airlines charges fees for EVERYTHING. You are allowed one free personal bag (small backpack size) that will fit under the seat and all other bags you have to pay for. Also take note that selecting seat assignments will cost you. See their website for details and if you plan to sit together, select and pay for your seat assignments early. -If you plan to arrive late on your first day on St. Thomas, I would recommend staying at the Best Western Emerald Beach Resort (not the Carib Beach resort) which is close to the airport. The Caneel Bay taxi van will simply pick you up at the hotel the next day and take you to the boat ferry dock. Just make arrangements with the Caneel Bay folks before you arrive in St Thomas and also check in with them when you get to the baggage claim area after you land to make sure they have you down for a pick up time. -It is not recommended to drink the water, so I recommend taking a taxi to the local Pueblo grocery store in St. Thomas and get a case of water, fruit and snacks before you get on the boat to go to Caneel Bay. The water is about $5 for a whole case versus $2 per bottle out of the machines or from the bars. The food and snacks are expensive at the store too, but it will still save you some money especially if you have kids. -Be aware when walking around St. Thomas to keep your money in your front pockets, don’t wear jewelry and take a reputable taxi. There have been reports of robberies and killings for money and jewelry. Not sure if this is true, but I figure it’s not worth finding out the hard way! -If you get sea sick, take Dramamine before you get on the Caneel boat. -Bring lots of $5’s and $10s for tips for the boat drinks, bell boys, tour guide, wait staff, etc. -The staff is friendly, but smiles, friendly greetings and hand waves go a long way here, so use them a lot. Tips are appreciate by the staff and go a long way as well. -There is some roaming cell service available (I have Sprint). -WiFi Internet works great in the rooms. -There are no TV’s in the rooms, but there is a nightly movie at the Activity Center. -Rooms on Scott beach would be the best from what I can tell. -They had a very large spread for breakfast and it was free with our package which worked out for us because we every morning we had a big breakfast around 10 and never had to eat lunch. -Afternoon Tea at the Estate house was wonderful. -Dinner at the Sugar Mill and Caneel Bar and Grill was expensive but great. -Tame deer, donkeys and the occasional friendly mongoose were everywhere, dove were everywhere too. -Lastly, our trip was booked the last week of July in the middle of the off-season, so it was perfect not being crowded or over booked. It is supposedly the hottest month, but the air and water temperatures were perfect to us. At night it can even get a little chilly. And there are literally no annoying insects (mosquitos or no-see-ums) which was great. The only thing you have to worry about is a Tropical Storm or Hurricane popping up.

This property is nothing short of amazing and I would highly recommend this resort for couples. I love that you had access to free snorkeling, kayaking, wind surfing, paddle boarding, etc. We loved visiting the various beaches. It was also extremely easy to grab a taxi and head down to Cruz Bay.

There are seven beaches on this resort; two where no children are allowed. No additional charge for use of non-motorized watercraft, and there was a free bottle of rum waiting for us in our room. The snorkeling was great! I saw sea turtles, sting rays, a couple of small barracudas, and of course many fish.

We loved the resort. The resort was beautiful and the staff there was very friendly. The food on the resort was great. There were two negative points, if you can even call it that, the room was humid due to the proximity to the beach and the air conditioner broke. The air conditioner was fixed immediately. I would definitely go back.

Stunning setting and spotless rooms with one of the most comfortable beds we have ever slept in. This hotel caters to your every need - quickly and always with a smile. There was a bottle of rum and a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for us in a very cool air conditioned room - heaven after such a long hot day of traveling. We have stayed at many places on many islands over the years and have never experienced such an expertly run facility. They truly strive to make your vacation sheer perfection, and I can't thank the staff and management at Caneel Bay enough.

My family stayed for a week and had the most relaxing time. The staff was so gracious, the service was everywhere without being in your face. The food was good to very good. Some meals better than others, but still well worth it. The beaches are the best around and the snorkeling from anywhere is great. We saw all kinds of wildlife both in and out of the water.

Enjoyed the best honeymoon ever! The grounds were great, the staff friendly and helpful and the location on St. John was the best. We've tried other places on St. John - Caneel will always be our choice from now on.

Location, location, location!!!!! Incredible 360 degree scenery; seven gorgeous swimmable beaches; spectacular grounds with interesting and colorful trees, plants and flowers; families of deer and white donkeys grazing on plant life undisturbed by humans; wonderful staff; delicious food; located on an island that is 75 percent National Park, so that lots of it is still pristine and unspoiled. Upon arrival, you check in at the Caneel Bay Resort airport desk, get taken by bus to their private ferry, and then transported from St. Thomas to the resort on St. John. Stress free and worry free! From there on in, much attention is lavished by the staff in all situations to make your vacation enjoyable, comfortable and memorable. Many activities available onsite – snorkeling, diving, sailing, tennis, Pilatus, yoga, etc., or easily arranged offsite – land and sea tours, hikes, shopping or dining on the island, etc. Wonderful gift shop, car rental or taxis onsite, free shuttle on grounds of resort. Two restaurants and a bar located beachfront, and for dinner, the Sugar Mill Restaurant, which is located on a hill next to the ruins. All the restaurants and bar overlook the sea from various vantage points. Spotless rooms. Super clean fresh sheets and fluffy towels provided daily for use in the room and on the beach. Many pleasant special touches, like tea at 4 PM on the Veranda at Turtle Bay, or the tradition of leaving a sea shell and card with a thought for the day, during turn-down service in the evening. A vacation at Caneel Bay Resort is an unforgettable experience. Even if you do it only once in life, you won’t ever forget it. But, you will want to return.

We celebrated our 25th anniversary at Caneel. Weather was perfect, our room had everything we needed. Didn't miss having a TV in our room! Staff were great! They went out of their way to make us happy! Food on the premises was good. Enjoyed the Seafood Buffet, breafast buffet and the Sugar Mill. Ortbitz made it easy!