Can anyone provide an update on a recent trip to the RC in St. Thomas? My fiancee and I are considering this property for our wedding.

I stayed at the Ritz on St. Thomas last year for a company trip. It was lovely, but I doubt I'd visit again. I'm so glad we went to St. John the weekend before my company trip, or else I would have formed a negative opinion about the USVI. St. Thomas is just simply gross. We loved St. John so mucn, we got married there on Dec 11th, along with 35 of our closest friends and family. We then honeymooned on Tortola, British VI.

Wow, St. John is one of our top choices as well. Can you tell me about your wedding there? Also, where did you and your friends and family stay? As many details as you are willing to provide would be most helpful. I will be in contact with a coordinator from the Westin later this week.

We chose Gallow's Pointe because on our first visit we saw the property and wished we had stayed there, due to the amazing sunsets. Gallows has rooms with either harbor or ocean views, you want the ocean views, buildings 1-5, I believe, check out their website www.gallowspointresort.com. Our ceremony took place at sunset, right behind our room. Watch out for the Iguana's, they ate my flower petal isle Mary Bartolucci was our wedding officiant and coordinator www.islandstyleweddings.com. Ask her about the Lagorin-Altiery wedding, we had the same amount of guests you are planning on. I loved Gallows for our guests simply because we could walk or take a short taxi ride to Cruz Bay, very convenient location. Rhumblines was the restaurant we had our reception (thanks to Mary) and the owners honestly decorated it like the Carribean party I dreamed of. The 2 most important lessons I learned, #1 book the DJ longer than you think you'd need (time flies) and charter a boat (Stormy Petrel & Pirate Penny) for your group the day before the wedding. It took us snorkeling all over the British VI, lunched on a barge Willy T's and went all through "The Baths" on Virgin Gorda. It was an all day excursion, and the best ice-breaker you could have for your guests. Everyone rants and raves about our wedding!!! Please feel free to contact me directly if you need more assistance, I have great "Save The Date" stuff for your guests, including important travel info. [email protected]

If the Ritz fits your budget then presumably Caneel Bay (St. John) does also. I would definitely pick Caneel over the Ritz. Spectacular setting, better beaches, better snorkeling, more pleasant island. Rooms are more luxurious at the Ritz.

Having stayed at both Caneel and the Ritz, I agree with cdt. Caneel has a choice of seven beautiful beaches which are private and romantic. I have seen wedding parties pose for pictures in front of their old restored sugar mill with mounds of red bogainvilia growing up the entrance. The accommodations are spread among 155 acres offering ultimum resort privacy.

The Rizz rooms are fancier, but the beach is small with with crowded rows of lounge chairs, and the snorkeling unspectacular. St. John is a much lovlier island than St. Thomas

Hi! I totally agree that you should go to St. John instead of St. Thomas. I wouldn't go has far as saying St. Thomas is gross, but St. John is so beautiful. The Westin is gorgeous...it is a little ways from Cruz Bay but in my opinion much nicer and private than the Caneal...The Caneal has no T.V.'s and no phones in the rooms...UGGH...Also if you can afford it - stay in a private villa...they have private pools. We got a 3 bedroom villa for $1225.00 for the week. Normally a studio runs $11,000.00 for a week!
E-mail me and I will give you the web address where we got are rates...

Caneel Bay is beautiful, but a bit too secluded for my taste. We chose Gallows for our wedding party because it was so close to downtown Cruz Bay and we had a partying crowd, even my 91 year old grandfather was present. If you are looking for more seclusion, than Caneel Bay over the Westin anyday. You will definitely have to drive everywhere, but it is a small island