Caneel Bay Resort

Beautiful and relaxing. The grounds are vast and lovely to stroll around but there are shuttles to take you where you want to go. Each group of rooms has pretty much a private beach. Never had more than 3 people out snorkeling with us. Very peaceful and private. They also clean/rake the beaches twice a day to keep them at their best. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The best part was having the beach 10 steps away from our patio and watching the mongoose darting around all over the place. The only con about the whole resort was the price of food in the restaurants. Even a bottle of water was outrageous. We weren't able to leave the resort but they do have a taxi stand where you can get a ride into town or private ferry to take you back and forth to St Thomas. Aside from the expensive food, this place just can't be beat! All gear/water activities included. Just have a plan for meals/drinks and enjoy this fantastic resort!

Caneel Bay Resort is a fine hotel and a wonderful place to spend your vacation. The resort is still under contract negotiations to resume operations, but in the mean time I felt like I would share my experience. The concierge was wonderful with helping me find things to do around St. John. The transportation from the airport was easy with their ferry ride directly from St. Thomas. The hotel is a very expensive and be prepared to pay fees you did not expect. But all and all the hotel is beautiful with stunning views and upscale accommodations.

Amazing place! Caneel Bay resort ranks as one of my favorite places on Earth. The location is breathtaking. The vibe is relaxing and yet decadent. The staff could not be more accommodating! It is worth the extra cost to stay in a beachfront room. My husband and I woke up each morning to our own private beach where we snorkeled and relaxed our day away. I'm looking forward to my next visit!!!

Caneel Bay Resort provided a truly fantastic experience. From the moment we arrived at the check-in desk we were greeted by a warm friendly, caring and attentive staff. They have an awesome Guest Relations staff person (Carol)- she escorted us to our chalet and gave us a brief tour of the property in a fun golf cart ride. Carol is the consummate professional. We felt so welcomed by all of the staff. If you're looking for tranquility, topnotch service, great food, beautiful beaches and don't mind stretching your budget - it's worth it! It's a great blend of high quality with a simplistic touch of genuine caribbean charm. The spa massages are A+. The only recommendations that I would offer is that the path lighting at night is rather dim. Better lighting and directional signage would be helpful.

This place is paradise. It feels as if you are staying on your own private island. 7 private beaches and 3 restaurants out of the which 2 are fine dining, zozo's and the stake house. This place is very expensive so do not go there if you are pinching pennies. I suggest for you to stay ocean front at turtle bay beach if your budget allows it. You will go down a few steps from your room (4 to be exact) and you will be in one of the most private secluded beaches I have ever experienced. On a negative note...do not expect friendly staff at the main restaurant. Even though we experienced the worst service while we have been on vacation ever.......we will surely come back as the place is worth it. You will stay right inside a national park.

We love the property and wild life, but are deeply disturbed by the sour, non-accommodating, unfriendly staff. We are luxury travelers and booked their best room, Cottage 7E, to celebrate our anniversary. We kept interactions with staff to a minimal because we had been there before and knew how non-hospitable they are. It has been difficult to come back for that reason alone, but the pristine beaches and privacy keeps us coming. This time though we made sure to choose the best room to at the very least get the best treatment. But nope. Other than the welcome champagne bottle they did nothing else a luxury stay requires. They even misspelled our name (which is well-known, and completely ignored my name or presence unlike any other guests's envelope) and made no effort to get to know us. The umbrella on our deck flew off with the wind and was never replaced. There was a leak in our room that made the floor dangerously wet daily right by the entrance door, they never addressed. They did not come for turndown service on our last night (because by then they just want you gone), and then refused to accommodate us just for a few extra minutes of late checkout so we would have time to enjoy our last day as much as possible. They made us take a 12:15PM ferry that was too early for our flight and we were miserable at the airport for 4 hours. I am not sure why so much disdain and dismissive mess when you are paying over $1000 per night for a room.

Hellhole. We arrived at sunset and weren't fully processed until the last ferry had left for St Thomas. The staff were depressing and quiet. The floor in the room was sticky! The shower had black mold. The air conditioning was hard-set to on, perhaps 65F? I later found out that this is a method for keeping bedbugs dormant. Like I said we had to stay overnight, the bed was an old mattress. We had a complimentary breakfast that involved us being bothered by creepy happy-happy people telling us in a leading way about something that had changed their lives. First ferry, it was back to the Ritz in St Thomas, accompanied by a couple who'd just walked into their room, and checked out. Despite insisting we were getting a refund it took some wrestling. The cherry on top was going to the gift shop to get a t-shirt with that famous Caneel Bay symbol... and my card was cloned!

Everything about our stay here has exceeded expectations. I thought the villa we stayed in was well worth the cost. Staff were friendly and courteous. Food was great. Views and scenery speak for themselves and were even better in person than the pictures on here. Best place on St. John from what I have seen in 3 days of exploring.

Best place ever will always stay it's the best ever restaurant is awesome beach is awesome

My husband and I just spent a long weekend at Caneel Bay and had a fantastic time. It was paradise, like heaven on earth. We never took a honeymoon, so this was a mini-moon for us! First off, the whole resort is situated in a national preserve. It is gorgeous! 170 acres of land on the resort, 7 beaches, 65 private rooms (oceanview, beachfront, etc), and lots of hiking trails, a pool, gym, spa, restaurants, you name it. We had an oceanview room which was a 45 second walk to the beach. Our room also had a lanai with an amazing oceanview- I spent so much time out there. Full disclosure: This resort was very expensive and we used all of our amex points to cover 75% of lodging and travel. I have been to Marriott Grand Caymen and 4 Seasons Santa Barbara, and I was far more impressed with Caneel than either of these. It was not ritzy-glam, with that rich people, snobby feel. It was serene, peaceful and very nature oriented, while still extremely elegant and classy.

Caneel Bay was my first choice in resorts in St John, but after looking up the prices for the week of Christmas I realized my daughter would have to go without diapers for the year if we splurged here. And so we ended up at the lovely Westin thanks to my starwood points- can't beat a free vacation. While we didn't stay at Caneel Bay, we did spend a lovely day here. The concierge at the Westin had highly recommended the brunch at Caneel Bay, but when we got there we were informed they aren't serving brunch til January. It didn't make much sense to me since the holidays are the high season for them, but the regular lunch menu looked great too. Parking at Caneel Bay is $10, but if you eat lunch they'll validate your parking. Worked for me! The food at the beach restaurant was really good. I enjoyed a mozzerella sandwich and some tasty fries that came with it. And my hubby seemed to really like his club sandwich as well. The service was top notch as well, something we felt that was missing from our stay at the Westin. We took the short trail over to honeymoon beach. It was a very small beach, but quiet and beautiful. I worked on my tan, while my husband snorkeled. He had snorkeled at many different beaches on the island and said this was one of the best snorkeling experiences. We then walked back over to use the beach on Caneel Bay. They allow visitors, but you're not able to use their lounge chairs and equipment unless you're staying there. Regardless we were happy campers soaking up the rays (and more snorkeling for the hubby) on this gorgeous beach. It was one of the loveliest days on the island. I'd definitely look into staying here during the off season when the prices aren't so high...or if i ever win the lotto.

As far as the property goes, it is certainly paradise. As my reviews have stated in the past, the roaming deer and wild donkeys, the 7 pristine beaches with sea turtles and great snorkeling, and the most amazing feeling of no one else there no matter how crowded it gets, has made us return - twice. But the sour staff and disdainful, non-accommodating, dismissive treatment they render makes it now impossible to give it a high quality rating. The grounds alone deserve 5 stars, but Caneel Bay does not. We are luxury travelers and booked their best room, Cottage 7E, to celebrate our anniversary. In return for paying over $1000 per night we got the same cold shoulder, a leak in the room that caused dangerously slippery floors by the room's entrance, our umbrella on our deck flew off with the wind landing in the downstairs patio and they never put it back, on our last night we received no turn down service (because by then they could really care less about you and just want you gone), our check-out letter's envelope left on our door simply read "Lorver" - a misspelling of my husband's last name and a complete omission of mine, as if I wasn't even staying there (which really bothered me considering the people next door were properly addressed as Dr. And Mrs. Whatever their name was), and they refused to give us just a few extra minutes of late checkout despite us having tolerated all those short comings and check-in for the next guests being only after 3PM. We were forced to take a 12:15 ferry for a flight that left after 5PM and spent 4 hours in a tiny, cramped, gross airport in St Thomas for no reason other than that they use the excuse that you must be at the airport 3 hours prior (which is completely unnecessary) to kick you off property because they cannot wait to get rid of you. Turtle Bay Estate House, our favorite restaurant on the property and the reason we booked our stay to include a Sunday (since they are only open then), closed early in the season despite us having a reservation for dinner there booked three months in advance. And when we re-arranged our entire dinner schedule and booked Zozo's for the day of our arrival, we were told they could only guarantee seating at the railings at 6:00PM - very early for someone just arriving that day. We begged them to accommodate us just an hour later but they unapologetically refused, insisting it was not possible, and we arrived at our reservation on time at 6PM to find out they had changed it for later after all despite repeating three times in writing that it was not possible but never notified us of the change. Caneel Bay needs new everything and everyone. It needs a staff of people who have at least the decency of common sense and the bare minimum experience in the hospitality industry before it can be called a luxury resort again. I don't even mind the run down rooms, they are charming. But the people there absolutely suck. After this experience and the lack of any kind of VIP treatment for VIP prices it is hard to imagine returning any time soon. Maybe in a few years if all staff is terminated, re-hired, and management improves. Until then, it is purely masochism every time we come back. We really only do because of the beaches, the sea turtles, the snorkeling, the donkeys and the deer. The crowded ferry and taxis, the lower than expected class of people who stay there, the boring breakfast, the weak drinks, the salty food at Zozo's and the disgraceful staff make it really hard otherwise. I have heard from many people who used to come to Caneel at its golden era that we should try Little Dixie Bay. I am thinking perhaps some day I should be the one to buy this property and turn it into what it deserves to be.

a recent trip to caneel bay left me asking the following questions: 1. is this place for real or am I dreaming? white sand, crystal blue water, swimming alongside sea turtles, coral reef brimming with fishies... truly paradise 2. is there really not a single TV here? 3. when can i come back? canned tuna and toast for dinner starting now to save up for the sequel next year...

Caneel Bay is a near perfect resort. From the moment we arrive at the airport in St. Thomas to the moment we left, it was one of the best experiences of my life. The resort is nestled inside a national park, which by the way is super rare, and the mountains around it at night are not lit up by houses and other buildings on the hill. So you really feel like you're in the wild. Plus it's not in the middle of the city, so it's quiet and tourist free. There are free roaming donkeys and deer all over the resort. You can even pet the donkeys if they think you have food, hah (but, duh, don't feed them). One note: this is a Caribbean resort, so it's not super modern, not really fancy, and has a beach-y feel to it. Even for luxury travelers, this is fine. But don't expect pristine, modern showers, untouched dressers, etc. But I will note they've thought of everything with amenities-- include little flashlights to help you go to the bathroom at night or when the blackout curtains are drawn. PROS - All rooms are great. Even the courtside rooms overlooking the swimming pool and tennis courts are nice. They're a tad bit further from the action, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. - A shuttle drives around the resort throughout the day. If you don't want to walk to the other side, just hop on. No tipping necessary. - Zozo's at the Sugar Mill restaurant is insanely good, and right on the property. I'm glad I saved it for the last day, otherwise I would've spent $200/night on dinner there. - The sprawling land of Caneel Bay is the best part. The landscape is gorgeous and unlike anything I've seen at other resorts. - The rooms are sort of outdoors. The sides of the rooms open up to let in the air, and everything is secured with screens. So at any point you can crank open the sides and it feels like your room is outdoors. Very cool effect. - There are like 6 beaches here, some of them comparable to other beaches on St. John. You don't need to leave the resort to experience the beaches of St. John, if you don't want to. - There aren't many kids there. It's still kid-friendly and we saw some 2-5 year olds during our stay, but not many. CONS - Depending on who you deal with, the service is mediocre. For a resort at this price, you'd expect service to be impeccable, but it's far from it. Some of this is due to the "island time" mentality, which I knew going into it, but that excuse only gets you so far. Example: one server at the grill took 15 minutes to bring my wife her meal after he gave me mine. He asked why I wasn't eating my food and I said I was still waiting for her meal, which had been sitting getting cold for about 14 minutes. Another example: the concierge desk made it seem like I was bothering them when I asked them to help plan stuff to do. Even getting reservations at Zozo's seemed like a hassle. It's probably good though, I would've ended up spending a ton more money if they'd recommended things for us to do. - The birds can get annoying if you're eating breakfast. Don't turn your back on them or they'll definitely steal some food. TIPS - Pay extra for the ferry from St. Thomas directly to Caneel Bay. You get free, unlimited rum punch, and you don't touch your bags again until you're in your room. The ferry gives you free trips to/from St. Thomas each day, and they take you back to the airport-- all included in the price. - All rooms are great, but the ones directly on the beach are a bit too close to the activity than I prefer. You can get a standard ocean view, which is set back a bit but you can still see the ocean (and save some money). - Get a reservation for Zozo's the first day you arrive. They fill up quickly. - We rented a Jeep for the week through Courtesy Car Rentals, but in hindsight could have spent the entire week at the resort and just rented the Jeep for a few hours once or twice. - The best snorkeling we saw was at Honeymoon Bay, which is a small walk from Caneel Bay. - There are two breakfast options: continental breakfast and then real breakfast. Everyone gets continental for free. That's from 6-7:30am. Then at 7:30-10am is real breakfast, which is buffet style with cooks who make eggs. That breakfast is SO GOOD. We got it included in our package, so we stuffed up on food in the morning and didn't need to eat much again until dinner. - Leave your ice chest out in front of your room before you head out for the day and it will be refilled with ice when you return. - Go to Afternoon Tea every day at 4pm at Turtle Bay. Really good drinks, scones and pastries for free.

Booked a fab 6 day stay w/ an ocean front view room on hawksnest beach. We made our way to several beaches while on the island, but there was something about hawksnest that kept bringing us back. Could have been the three turtles that hung out with us for the 6 days. Or the eagle ray that glided on by. The grounds, beaches, and buildings/rooms are very well maintained. Pretty much pristine. I didn't see any donkey poop, and those things are everywhere. =) All parts of the resort are reachable with an easy walk on their well lit paths. If you don't feel like walking, there is usually a cart or bus running the length of the resort to carry you from point to point. Very frequent during the day as pretty much any of the staff will give you a ride to wherever you want to go, or about every 15-30min at night when the larger bus rolls by. There are 5-7 beaches that Caneel Bay Resort "sort of" has control over. All beaches on St John are free to the public, but these seven sit behind the gates of the resort. Good or bad, it has the immediate effect of these beaches being less crowded. As a tourist, I liked it. Scott is a kid free beach as there's a beach bar there. Hawksnest, and I'm sure the other beaches, have staff that visit regularly and will take a "room/beach service" order for you though. Honeymoon isn't on the resort proper, but real easy to get to. It's also the most crowded but by far the biggest of the beaches in the immediate area. Taxis are almost always available over by ZoZo's. $5 a person will take you to cruz bay. $6 will get you to the Westin farther out. If you need a taxi in the early AM for an excursion, call the concierge first though. Probably my only knock on this place are the dining options. Other than ZoZo's and the ice cream shop, the offerings were pretty meh. With Cruz bay so close however, it's not a real issue. Pricey for sure, but you definitely get what you pay for. We had no weird experiences with the staff, and I chatted it up with quite a few of them. If you don't like the large building hotel resort format, this is what you're looking for.

Stayed in the garden view suite for 1 night. The AC could not cool the suite below 80 and the toilet didn't flush. I cancelled the rest of my 6 day planned stay. Edit: In addition, the refund I was promise has still not been given 3 days later. Caneel bay has overcharged me around $3,000 and I now have to gravel and go through the customer support dance to get back money they promised to refund me. This is a literal nightmare stay. Avoid at all cost.

Stayed here for five nights in August, during "hurricane season", which resulted in 15 minutes of refreshing rain a day, followed by beautiful sunshine, and perhaps a scarcity of other visitors to share the resort with. From the moment we stepped off the plane in St. Thomas, we were taken care of by a welcoming, attentive and friendly group that made no missteps. This was our first visit to the USVI, and the beauty of St. John and Caneel Bay Resort exceeded our expectations. The landscape and beaches were uncrowded, unspoiled, and had the ability to make us think we were the only people in paradise. The breakfast buffet was delicious and well worth getting up for. We had no bad meals at Caneel Bay Resort and good service throughout our stay. The concierge was helpful in arranging activities that were interesting for our whole family--2 adults, and a 19 year-old and a 9 year-old. The trip to The Baths was exceptional, and the taxi driver (Mr. Denzay) that took us on a tour of the island was very personable and knowledgeable. Our adjoining rooms were spacious, comfortable, scrupulously clean, and maintained perfectly twice a day by a mind-reading housekeeper that was able to anticipate my needs! The beds were cozy and cool and very welcoming after swimming and playing and eating all day. If you seek solitude, comfort, and beauty--I can not recommend Caneel Bay Resort any more highly. We will return.

What a wonderful place! We have been to this place several times and it did not fail to impress us on all are visits. We did not stay at this resort but we used the resorts facilities such as it's beach, restaurant, ice cream place etc. It has also have a historical side as well. I can say we had one of the most delicious ice cream in Cannella ice cream coffee shop. The staff did not know much about ice cream like which ones were sorbet so we helped ourselves. Pistachio and coconut was my favourite. Everyday after the beach we stopped on our way back home just for ice cream. Caneel Beach Bar & Grill was situated on resorts main reception area. I strongly recommend you to try their amazing fresh hummus With Pineapple. They also did Sushi what was a Great starters. There was wild Donkey around what was use to people approaching them. Before i forget if you want to use facilities you don't pay for parking as long as when you show your receipt on exit.

I went here for a wedding and reception so I can not comment on the rooms, but it is a beautiful place for an outdoor wedding. It is high up on a cliff overlooking the water with sailboats gliding by in the background. It was an absolutely beautiful setting. The reception area and the service and staff were great also as far as I can remember!

How can't one love this place? This is one of those resorts that has everything.. A touch of chateau style, a beautiful beautiful location,amazing dining and above all, wonderful staff.. I had a surprise private beach on dinner on our anniversary and it was, how to put it? Umm.. Yes ! A Carribean Fairy Tale !!!!

So expensive, so exclusive, so ritzy, so exotic... basically, I loved it!!! Situated on a private nature reserve and accessed from St Thomas by private ferry to Caneel Bay on St John, it's island paradise the way it's supposed to be. Not only was it paradise, but I was also here for a wedding and it was executed impeccably. All the food I ate while on the resort was cooked excellently, and the staff was super friendly, courteous, and attentive. The only island inhabitants are mongooses, deer, donkeys, birds, and reptiles. The bugs, however, are GIGANTIC!! They must be living it up on the resort and eating all the good food, but thankfully Caneel was thoughtful enough to include some bug spray in our rooms to save us from becoming an island feast. *Something* scurried across our feet in one of the open-air large taxis that had a group of us in it, and no one really wants to know what it was, nor do we want to. It was huge, had a lot of legs, and had some serious mass to it when I knocked it off of my leg. Thankfully it didn't burrow into my skin and ruin our vacation. ;) That said, I wouldn't hesitate to go back. The crystal clear waters alone and white sandy beaches make it worthwhile. Pack your bags immediately and get out your amex black card, and a reserve platinum card. You're gonna need it.

It's amazing. It's expensive. I LOVE it. And St John has to be the most beautiful island I have ever visited.

Located miles away from the hustle and bustle of St. John's, the Caneel Bay Resort is a slice of island paradise that offers guests an opportunity to disconnect from the world. Thanks to my husband who suggested this spot for our wedding... Caneel Bay Resort provided us the most beautiful and memorable spot to tie the knot ;) From the moment we arrived at airport check-in and secured a spot on the ferry, the staff was at our side making sure that we had all we needed and knew exactly where we were going. The grounds of the resort were beautiful, well manicured, and maintained to the highest standards. Transportation around the facility was readily available day/night and the walking trails were well marked for those who preferred to walk the expansive property. Our room was a perfect getaway overlooking a private beach, a sort distance from where we exchanged our vows. Housekeeping was great with turn down service and the Welcome Committee on cue with well wishes and champagne. The bartenders and restaurant staff were great and the food was delicious. As far as our nuptials, I cannot thank enough our Wedding Coordinator, Vera, and her trusty sidekick, Robyn, both of whom made sure our special day was just that. Everything from securing the ceremony location, minister, photographer, salon services, coordinating dinner on the beach... and not to mention getting the bride to the ceremony ... they made it all happen and we so appreciate it. If you plan a stay... be sure to give yourself at least 3-5 days to enjoy all the resort has to offer.

This place is uniquely luxurious laid back fun engaging and worth a trip. It's not for everyone. ( and somewhat pricey), but it's a place that I'd like to revisit again soon. Thanks to great service, food, the water, the beaches, the beautiful grounds......

This resort is on 171 acres of national park land. We had a great vacation in Paradise. The plusses: 7 beautiful beaches you get a lot of variety. snorkeling, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding includes.wind surfing and sailing is extra. lots of turtles, manta rays and fish to see snorkeling! Great food! 5 min form town ($5 per person), which is full of great local restaurants and stores. wild deer, donkeys, mongoose, iguanas and birds on the island. beautiful scenery! 1/2 hour boat ride form St Thomas for your shopping needs! perfect place for a destination wedding (which we attended). Now why I took off 1 star: poor job of cleaning up the donkey and deer poop. the lingering smell of manure is not appealing. However staff respond quickly to complaints. Not too may eating choices on premises (2 restaurants, one open for breakfast one open for lunch). majority of native staff are not friendly and the cooks are downright rude. But this is typical of the Caribbean locals. I find the same attitude in Jamaica. I think they all need a class on improving personal customer service. over all an awesome vacation. I'd return even with these short comings !

We had been here before but this time wasn't the same. To start the grill restaurant was not impressive. The cook at the pass was sending out cold food when it should have been hot. Then the help in the breakfast area and at the front desk were a bit rude. Not really wanting to help and giving the vibe that they didn't want is there. Some of the shuttle drivers have off the same vibe. Then there was the concierge. Probably the laziest I've ever seen. Zozo's was fantastic but it's only on premises and not owned or operated by Caneel. A honeymoon memory of one of the best trips of our lives will have to remain a memory. It couldn't be remade and we won't try again at Caneel Bay.

The honeymoon beach here is so BEAUTIFUL!!! My hubby and I got to snorkel and go kayaking then took a nap on the beach under the trees before hiking the lind point trail back to the ferry. I am from Southern California and I have to say that this was indeed the most breathtaking beach I have ever been too. So secluded and not crowded by tourist at all. It was literally us and about 5 other people on the entire beach!!

We have been to Caneel Bay 3 times - if that says something. If your looking for quiet, secluded and romantic this is a good choice. Used to be a Rock Resort but changed management over the years. Despite this the resort has not changed a bit. We were always partial to Turtle Bay (secluded beach) but I think anywhere on Caneel would be fabulous. Snorkeling great. Dining at any of the restaurants superb (pricey but we always get meals included). Many good memories at Caneel.

This is a perfect resort if money is no object. 170 acres. On St. John (the whole island is 19 sq miles) From the moment they pick you up at the ferry you feel pampered. Stay here. You won't want to leave.

Let me preface my review by telling you a little about myself and my family. We are a very humble, modest, hard working family. We are not the "Joneses" nor do we try to "keep up with the Joneses". We are not millionaires by any means nor do we live like millionaires; however, we do appreciate good food, fine wine, first class air travel, and 5 star accommodations. I am in my late forties along with my husband and 3 children, 2 girls in college and a young son in elementary school. I consider myself upper middle class, college educated, credentialed in my chosen field, modest home, modest salaries. My husband and I take a much needed vacation together without our kids every year. This helps our relationship with each other and our family. We work hard and are constantly pulled in many directions balancing work and family so when we take a vacation we choose to visit 5 star resorts around the world. We want breathtaking views in places where we feel like we are in another world, we want to be pampered and treated like royalty (this is the only time we get these things!). We have visited some of the most beautiful places in the world and have seen more spectacular views than your average American. We are not your typical tourists. We are somewhat adventurous, we like to explore and we prefer to live like the locals ("When in Rome"). We can be normal at home, why be normal the 1-2 weeks you are spending your hard earned money taking a vacation. Taking a vacation means you want to get away from normal life, doesn't it? We started out our travels visiting All Inclusive resorts but quickly learned that generally meant lots of average American tourists. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, my parents fit that mold, that is just not our personal preference unless we are traveling with the kids. We want unique and different. For this reason we also don't like to take cruises. I typically spend several months planning our vacation. I want it to be perfect and might I add, better than the previous year's trip, if that's possible. I want to impress my husband with my findings. It's very satisfying after all my time invested in researching and planning the trip to hear him say "You did a great job picking out this place. I didn't think you could top last year but you've outdone yourself". We've been to Paris, London, traveled through Italy, visited Hong Kong, Thailand, Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, most of the Caribbean Islands, not to mention many destinations in the States among other places. It's never really been on our radar to visit any of the Virgin Islands, U.S. or British though I knew we had to visit to check off our bucket list that we've traveled to every Caribbean Island. We had planned to visit Vietnam or Bali this summer but our time was limited this year as we began the first 4 days in California at the Classic West Festival at Dodger Stadium (yes, it was an amazing experience). We were just going to stay in California for the week and take in the amazing views California has to offer, nothing big this year. About a month before the trip my husband called American Express out of curiosity to see if they had any deals at a great destination. They had a deal to Spain and one to St Thomas. We went with St. Thomas based on our limited time. We could take a ferry to any of the islands after landing in St Thomas. I started doing research and found only 3 resorts on all of the islands that were considered 5 star. The Ritz Carlton on St Thomas, Scrub Island, and Caneel Bay in St John's. We turned down The Ritz as we thought there would be too many kids. We love kids but we don't want to be around them when we travel on our own. Scrub Island did not have any rooms available and did not partner with American Express. That left us with Caneel Bay. From the photos it did not look like the kind of place we typically would prefer but with the first class air deal and a 5 star hotel rating how bad could it be? The Virgin Islands it turns out are absolutely GORGEOUS! The sand is soft and sparkling white, the water as clear as any I have ever seen, perfect for snorkeling and viewing the underwater world. A world so mysterious, beautiful and mostly untouched by man. We spent one day sailing through the islands and over to the BVIs. If you go, you must visit The Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke. The Virgin Islands are, in my opinion, the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean though we have not visited Aruba yet. This brings me to my opinion on Caneel Bay. If a 5 star rating is a worldwide rating, this one needs to be brought down a couple of notches to 3 stars. If the 5 star rating is a relative rating based on other accommodations in the same location I cannot judge, I did not see any other hotels/resorts. We supposedly stayed in the highest level room on the best beach (Scott's Beach). The rooms were nothing better than what you would generally find in a Holiday Inn, not

Second time here and was just as great as the first, although a bit more challenging with a baby in tow this time. :) Caneel is the ultimate relaxation resort in my opinion because you really don't have to leave to do what you want, except shop or get a bite in town. I LOVE the fact that you can get a room where you can walk right onto the beach. And the beaches there are amazing--not crowded, white sand, and fantastically clear water. But the best part about the beaches is that they are lined with trees that provide natural shade so you do not have to try to bring an umbrella, because you most likely will burn regardless of your complexion unless you are used to Caribbean sun! They have beach chairs everywhere and free snorkeling gear. (I saw an octopus this time!) They also have kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and small catamaran sailboats to use. The resort is also in the national park, so you see a lot of wildlife--wild donkeys, deer, mongooses, iguanas, pelicans, and all sorts of other birds in addition to colorful fish, stingrays, and turtles in the water. Their lawns and wooded areas are pristinely maintained. Getting into town is easy--they have taxis (mostly open air) for $5/person. Definitely go into town for dinner, there are some great places to try. Meals are pretty expensive overall on the resort, but I would recommend breakfast: it's very good and filling. The other great thing about Caneel is that the airport transport is easy--they have their own ferry, so at the airport just locate their office with your bags and they do the rest all of the way to your room! They were very accommodating with our little one--we had a crib with soft blankets and a plush toy on arrival. We also had special baby shampoo, etc., which I was not expecting. Certain beaches are off-limits to kids under 13, so check which ones if traveling with a family, but there are plenty of others! We will definitely be back again!

We came back last week from our second time to Caneel. Bottom Line The Rockefellers purchased a gem and treated it that way. The ocean and the beaches are spectacular....but... The management and staff were terrible considering they charge $1,500 a night. Why? The service comes with an attitude and the management when asked about it defends the assertive approach. We were dumbfounded that you could spend $20,000 only to have the staff act as if it wasn't enough. We asked the manger for comment and he sent a response without even having our names correct. If you want one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, Caneel has it. If you want 2 star service and culture for a 5 Star Price, Caneel has it. It so beautiful....we wish the management didn't take the real estate for granted and this review was spectacular. Makes us sad. Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple

My husband and I stayed 7 nights at Caneel Bay last April (2010). What a beautiful place. The staff were very friendly and the beaches were pristine! I'm in the process of booking another week next year we loved it so much. You can snorkel off the beaches and see stingrays, sea turtles and lots of fish. It was a wonderful vacation.

This is a review for the restaurant (breakfast buffet). After a morning swim, we ate here on 12/17/15 and it was a nice alternative to just getting a bagel somewhere. The food choices were very good (waffles, lemon ricotta pancakes, omlets) along with other meats (sausage, bacon, eggs), fruits, cereals, baked goods, wide selection of juices (guava!). Great views, gorgeous resort, great food, fantastic service (thank you Agnes!).

This is my second trip to Caneel Bay. This resort is so beautiful and special. Scott Beach is the best and the newly renovated room we stayed in was fantastic. Also, I can't say enough about the staff. Truly the best place to stay in the USVI.

Beautiful location. Welcoming and attentive staff. What will keep me from returning is the mattress. Going on my third dreaded night of attempting to get comfortable. Time to replace!

Beautiful environment. You come here for the beach and nature. Amazing. Rooms are old and run down but again, you come here for the island's beauty and openness. Enjoy.

Elite, high end, pristine resort. Offers so many great services. Love working with the wedding team. Everyone is ready to serve and provides extra care and attention to each event.

Um, absolutely incomparable. By far, the most luxurious stay I've ever had. Highlight? I was comped the ferry/taxi ride back to the airport, and had the entire ferry to myself.

Just got back from a 4 night stay at Caneel Bay. It was a family trip. It was my 1st stay there but my brother had been there 3 times previous. It is a remarkably beautiful place. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The beaches are gorgeous. The staff was polite. The on site restaurants were good. Overall it was a wonderful trip. Why only 4 stars? The answer is that it is too expensive. No TV's, slow wifi. I get that it is a Caribbean, 3rd worldish kind of place. I just think that since the resort charges 5 star prices, it should provide 5 star amenities. BTW, there is a lot to do there and I certainly wouldn't sit in my room and watch TV all day, but a little news before bed or something to do if you wake up at 5AM would have made me more comfortable, that's all. We had a great time and I'm sure you will too.

Walked to honeymoon bay and had a great time playing in the sand and snorkeling. The walk was a little intense for my son and his grandparents so one of the staff members gave us a ride back to the car and restaurant. He went well above and beyond and to top that wouldn't accept a tip for his kind deed. Every staff member that greeted us was energetic and helpful starting at the gate. Seemed like a fantastic place to vacation!

I've been on the fence about writing a review about Caneel Bay for a while but for purely selfish reasons, I kind of want to keep it all for myself but I realize maybe other brides would find this helpful. We wanted a really nice wedding. We didn't want a huge wedding. The solution was to have our wedding elsewhere so we chose a destination wedding. What this did for us is allow us to put money into a 5 star luxury wedding while maintaining the cost a bit by having it further away thus limiting the guest list. We wanted a romantic island setting but without the paperwork hassle of a destination wedding in another country like Mexico or Jamaica, so we figured the US Virgin Islands was an ideal compromise. We learned that getting married in the USVI was fairly easy so we used the wedding planner to do the 8-day waiting period for the license. After doing research on our location, and after much deliberation, the nicest hotel or resort was Caneel Bay. The menu was as impressive as the views from the resort. One of the most memorable favorites was serving the rum punch to our guests. We went all out with Caribbean inspired food. Some of what we had were a delicious cold jerk beef red pepper bruschetta, West Indian crab cakes, lobster ravioli, a conch chowder which was like a potato soup with conch (try it!), and for the entree we had lemon roasted salmon and a veal option. Okay now that I have gotten past all the food, I can try to tell you about the resort itself. The waters were very calm. It might depend on the time of year though I am not sure. We planned some water activities for our guests including the snorkeling. There are also some very fun trails around the resort for a bit of hiking. Everything on the resort is spaced apart which can be good or bad depending on what you want, seclusion or a close walk. There is a shuttle though. All of the wedding details were organized perfectly, and honestly I didn't even have to think about them much. It was so easy to get married in St John I would highly recommend it.

I had the worst experience at this place. DO NOT STAY HERE!!!!! The staff is completely incompetent and made me miss my flight home. They were horrible at communicating to their guests and flat out rude at times. The food is mediocre at best and I am so upset that I wasted my money at this place.

Caneel Bay is beautiful. We enjoyed the ambiance, but were disappointed in the attitude of front desk personnel. They need to smile and greet customers; not scowl and give you a bad attitude. The casual restaurant is closed for remodeling.

AMAZING... the resort is beautifully landscaped and the beaches are very clean and the water is crystal clear with barely any waves. The resort is super pricey, but they do permit day guests and the main beach is open to the public. I would go here over Trunk Bay any day of the week!!! I can't wait to go back!

The snobby days are a thing of the past. You can have a very nice lunch on their balcony that overlooks the bay. Sushi is great.

ok so the place was not what it seemed online. For 600+ a night I was expecting a ritz carlton experiance, but it was far from that. To start with, the place hasnt been renovated in probly 40 years. the A/C and internet are almost non-existant. The place is full of loving animals, but thier poop is everywhere!!!! the Service is somewhat decent but the place is honestly a dump. I mean the holiday inn has better features than this. the beaches are great, but for 600 buck a night its not worth it. If you do decide to stay here, ask for up to date pictures because the website is a total scam!! You are better of going to the Westin or elswhere on the island.

I never write reviews but felt compelled to write this in hopes of saving someone else the money/headache. I had a destination wedding of about 15 people at Caneel Bay (at Turtle Bay) in August 2013 and the service was shockingly terrible. My previous experience with Rosewood (and the amount of money I was spending) led me to believe that it would be upscale/nice but instead, the staff was rude, lazy, and honestly, kind of mean. And- note that most of the rooms do not have phones in them, which causes a myriad of issues (for example the night before my wedding we wanted room service so my fiance had to walk around the resort searching for a "phone station" to call in our order). Although we asked (and offered to pay more for) a large/nice room (because the bridesmaids would be getting ready there), we were put in a tiny room with no phone. Finally, after asking twice more once we got there, we were switched to a larger room (after being treated like they were doing us a favor and already spending 2 nights in the other one). But, the room issue was just the beginning-The day of the wedding, I requested access to a full-length mirror three times (so I could fully see myself in my wedding dress) and, although a mirror was supposedly "on its way," I never got one. The wedding dinner table set-up literally looked like it was decorated with purchases from the Dollar Store (for example, the main decoration was fake candles-without any kind of decorative votives- throughout the room). The "wedding coordinator" LEFT THE WEDDING literally 20 minutes after the ceremony. The guy that books events for the venue served as the dinner "wait staff" (and was, apparently, put off by having to do so because he threw our plates in front of us like he was pissed at us for even being there). My fiance and I had to coordinate the cake cutting (as the wedding coordinator had left- see above) and were instructed that we had to cut the cake as soon as the ceremony was over (before anyone even sat down to eat dinner) because, although we had paid for and chosen a separate dessert, they were using the cake as the dessert and they had to start cutting it right away. The ENTIRE STAFF LEFT THE WEDDING so that, at the end of the night (the entire wedding lasted about 3 hours- it was only about 10 pm), THERE WAS LITERALLY NO STAFF AT THE VENUE- seriously- they left myself and my guests just at the venue by ourselves without even notifying us that they were leaving. I had to go to the entrance of the venue, find a "phone station," and call for a bus to come get us to take us back to the main part of the resort. Other examples of my honeymoon experience at Caneel Bay include: ordering ice cream room service and not bringing us spoons and then being pissed that they had to send someone back to our room to bring us spoons (they suggested that we go to the front and get spoons ourselves); At the wedding, when my husband asked a member of the staff to remember to put the drink garnishes that we provided on the drinks, he was literally ignored; When we asked to use a sailboat (which Caneel Bay touts as being complimentary to guests), we were told that the "owner's children" were using the only one that was not broken (although there were 3 other sailboats in the rental area, we were told they were all broken) and so we would have to wait until the children were done; Total lack of communication/coordination leading up to and including the wedding. The above examples are merely events that are at the top of my head right now- we were there for a week and a half and there are many more examples of the terrible service. Overall, they just treated us like we were a burden that they had to deal with. There was one woman that seemed to work at the front desk a lot and she was the only staff member that seemed to care about anything- in fact, she went out of her way to get us a golf cat when we were running late for the pre-wedding rehearsal. She was the one person whose attitude/service would generally be deserving of "Rosewood quality" (I don't remember her name but she has very light brown eyes). Notably, gratuity is included in everything so the staff doesn't appear to have motivation to provide good service... Frankly, I dont know what the deal was- maybe everyone was being lazy because it was the end of their season or maybe I got the "skeleton crew" because the normal staff was on vacation but, in any event, it doesnt matter- the entire experience was simply overshadowed by the staff's general rude attitude and carelessness.

Horribly over-priced....the room is ok, but definitely not worthy of $500 plus a night. The housekeeping/dining staff were fantastic- front desk staff needed a course in customer service. Rude, unfriendly and basically snarky....definitely advise reading all reviews before booking.

i will be staying here for my honeymoon december 6th thru the 15th 2013. although i have been to several islands, i have yet to stay here on st. john. i will be updating my review once i have finished my stay. hope it is as great as everyone said it was.