St. John- other resorts?
 

Hi,
My husband and I have decided on St. John for our anniversary trip after taking our Honeymoon to Cap Juluca on Anguilla last year for a change of scenery. In checking up on accomodations, the only two resorts that seem to come up are The Westin or Caneel Bay. Does anyone know of a comparable hideaway on St. John other than your own villa? We would like the smaller feel of Caneel Bay over The Westin and might go with that resort if there is nothing else to check out that is similar. Thanks so much!

Caneel Bay and the Westin are the only two "resorts" on St John. You have to remember that St John is a small island and approximately 2/3's of it is National Park. Doesn't leave alot of room for resorts.
There are several smaller properties but the nicest IMHO is Estate Lindholm. It's a small but lovely B&B overlooking Cruz Bay. You can see the website at http://www.estatelindholm.com/

There are a few other small inns, St John Inn, the Inn at Tamarind Court but if you really want a resort and if being on the beach is an issue than you'll have to choose between Caneel and the Westin. For what it's worth I'd choose Caneel over the Westin in a heartbeat, not saying anything bad abotu the Westin at all but Caneel has my heart!
Mermaid

Ditto what Mermaid said about Estate Lindholm. It has a nice dipping pool and is located next to the great restaurant Asolare, which BTW, is where my husband and I had our 10th anniversary dinner. Very romantic sunset views of Pillsbury Sound and St. Thomas. There is also an adorable hideway bed and breakfast place within walking distance of Cruz Bay and up the hill from the water: Garden By The Sea (gardenbythesea.com). I would not recommend St. John Inn or Tamarind Court only for the reason that these two places are great for the casual traveler looking for a good economic value. They aren't comparable in accomodations or ambiance to a resort or even to Estate Lindholm or Garden By The Sea. BTW, Caneel is not small by any stretch of the imagination. It doesn't feel small either. It has a IMO very romantic, understated elegance kind of feel to it.

Thanks Tuxedocat. Just to clarify I didn't mean to equate St John Inn or Tamarind with Estate Lindholm. They are not the same thing at all. They are, as you said, clean, convenient and reasonably priced.
I agree about Garden by the Sea, it is adorable and would be a decent choice if Lindholm is full and Caneel is ruled out for whatever reason.

I also concur that Caneel is not small but you never get the feeling of being at a huge resort. The accomodations are spread out over the rather large property and even when they are full you never feel as though it's crowded.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Mermaid

Cap Juluca is a wonderful resort on my favorite island Anguilla! We love St. John and Caneel. The beach is at your doorstep--we enjoy Scott beach, the walking paths, great snorkeling, fun little restaurants in Cruz Bay. Caneel does not feel large at all!

Thank you all for the advice- I look forward to checking into both b&b's recommended and will probably post again soon for restaurant advice as we were quite spoiled on Anguilla!
McCharen

You might also try Gallows Point, one BR condos right on the water in Cruz Bay. It gets very good reviews. While I wouldn't consider it a resort, it does have housekeeping, a service area to books activities such as a day sail, and a market/store. It also discourages bringing young children.

As St. John is pretty small, the resorts are not far from each other or the suggestions mentioned by this board. Just bear in mind that if you choose a smaller accomodation, you still have access to most of the resort activities and spa services. The Westin, especially, will gladly let you book any of their spa services. And you can still dine at their lovely restaurants. Sort of the best of all worlds.