Still waiting to hear from my family vacation query, but in the meantime, if you had to pick one for a family of 4 on st. john what would it be Caneel or Westin -- and why. My girls are 9 and 11.

Hi Kflodin,

The Westin is much better suited for families... Caneel Bay caters much more to a quiet romantic getaway clientel.

Westin is more active and you'll find more kids there, which I'm sure your girls will enjoy.

I would suggest the Westin. My husband and I stayed there a few years ago and there were other kids there. Nice pool and beach, family friendly atmosphere. Caneel seemed to be more quiet and adult oriented. I don't think Caneel even has tvs. As highly rated as Caneel was, we felt the grounds at the Westin were prettier as well. Enjoy.

thank you both; very helpful!

My choice would be Caneel especially if the girls love the beach. There are 7 wonderful beaches on Caneel's property and each group of accomodations (some directly on a beach) give the feeling of a small intimate setting rather than a large resort. If they can survive without phones, tv and enjoy family time, Caneel is ideal. The Westin is a typical hotel setting with small standard rooms although there are some "townhouse"-style accomodations. The Westin is a good place if you enjoy traveling to the other beaches and it is a beautifully manicured property but for a real feel of the Caribbean and it's beaches with snorkeling right off them without commuting trips to the beach, Caneel is the choice - abeit a pricier choice.

i agree with previous posters who say westin is better suited for families. caneel has no tvs and no pool, in case that matters to your daughters.

Caneel definitely has a pool,,,however why would someone use it with those beautiful beaches.

Children are welcome at Caneel Beach whereas the other beaches on property are adult only.

Westin is fine but not at all natural!!

We went to St. John last summer with our kids, who were 9 and 11 at the time. Do a search for my complete trip report! Basically, we loved Caneel for the great access to the beaches - which the Westin does NOT have. Depends on what you like. We loved being together and weren't interested in other kids for our one week away. My kids loved the snorkelling. I'm happy to answer any of your questions, but check out the trip report first!

I just returned from St. John & split my stay between the Westin and Caneel(for financial reasons). We don't have children but noticed plenty of kids at both resorts. Although we enjoyed our stay at the Westin, if money is no object, I can't imagine why anyone would choose the Westin over Caneel. The beaches and snorkeling at Caneel offer so many learning and bonding experiences that kids (just like adults) won't miss the TV. There was an 11 yr-old girl staying in the room next to us at Caneel with her parents & she was having a blast swimming with the stingrays and turtles. The Westin is a nice, manicured property (although the tennis courts were decimated with the rain), and the villa rooms have kitchenettes which can be convenient for families (however, the location of the villas is far from the rest of the property). During the time we stayed at the Westin, we rented a jeep and visited beaches in other parts of the island. We also took a boat trip to Jost Van Dyke that was great fun. (I think it was run by Cruz Bay Sports & the staff was amazing, but there was a lot of alcohal served & there were no kids on this trip.) We spent almost no time at the resort, except late in the afternoon. The staffs at both resorts are friendly and helpful, but many members of Caneel's staff have been there for over 20 years & they're great at remembering faces. Whatever you decide, St. John is an awesome island--you're sure to enjoy.

Our family just came back from St John and stayed at the Westin. We loved it! The girls had such a great time and met some nice friends to hang out with so that my husband and I had a chance to enjoy sitting by the pool! We went over to Caneel and while it was nice the pool was nothing compared to Westin! We loved the deli packing our cooler in the mornings so that we could take a day to explore...cinnamon bay is beautiful! The breakfast buffet was quick & convenient and so filling so that we hardly needed a big lunch. Dinners on St John are very good. We went out two nights, ordered room service twice and went to the Beach Cafe once. Roon Service was on the ball and arrived hot and tasty..even the fish! Beach cafe was fun and the kids loved it since it was right on the beach. We also went to Lime Inn & Morgan's Mango...very good.
We loved the Westin's service and St John so much that we bought a time share and cannot wait to go back. We bought the three bedroom that includes an adorable little private pool! Did I mention the heavenly beds?????