Karen M.
Yelp
If you want luxury when you're visiting St. John, you're better off staying at the Westin or Caneel Bay Resorts. But if you just need a friendly, comfortable place to sleep and clean up in, then the St. John Inn is one of the best bargains on the island.
Set on a hillside, the St. John Inn (formerly the Cruz Inn) is an old, rambling, bright blue guesthouse that is constantly being renovated by the owner, Dave Wolf. The layout of the rooms and the whole inn is rather irregular, but quaint. Everything is painted in soft pastel colors.
We were expecting one tiny room for the relatively low price we were paying, but instead we had a sort of suite with a hallway, bathroom, sitting room and bedroom. Granted, the lighting may be a little dim; the paint on the walls may be a little chipped; the windows have screens covered by hurricane shutters instead of glass; the water pressure in the showers is rather low; and the pool out in back is modest, not Olympic standard, in size. However, if you're not going to spend a lot of time at your hotel or in your room (and on St. John, who would?), it's perfectly adequate.
Every room has a private bathroom, air conditioning, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, cable TV, and free WiFi access. Best of all, they provide a complimentary continental breakfast in the morning and a free Rum Punch Sunset Happy Hour every evening on the main deck, as well as free beach towels, chairs, coolers, and umbrellas for beach trips. The staff, although small, is very friendly and accommodating, and provides the same services, such as restaurant and tour reservations, as the fancier, more expensive hotels. The manager, April, is especially helpful.
The inn is located within walking distance of the shops, restaurants, and ferry docks of downtown Cruz Bay. There are also two jeep rental companies and a Spanish restaurant called The Spot Light located down the hill from the inn that draw a lot of the local people, but don't let it put you off. Everyone is very friendly, especially if you're friendly to them first, and they love it when visitors drop in.
Warning: There's a rooster somewhere down the hillside who will wake you up at 3:30 AM every morning with his crowing. Since all of the Virgin Islands are infested with roosters, however, there's really no getting away from this. Bring ear plugs and you'll be fine. To make up for the rooster, there's also a resident dog named Killer (who's named that because he's obviously not, although he might lick you to death) who will come keep you company on the deck every morning.
All in all, an inexpensive, quaint little place with a lot of character, and a friendly, at-home atmosphere that matches perfectly with the casual, laid-back style of island life.