St.Thomas ritz vs Caneel Bay
 

We will be in San Juan and have five days in August to spend at a resort. We are a family with a 6 yr old (need kids club) and mom is a full time wheelchair user and beach lover.<BR>We thoughtnof St. Thomas Ritz or St. John Caneel Bay. We would love PSV but not wheelchair accessable. Dad is a windsurfer but not a high priority this trip. WE would like suggestions and opinions. Thanks

This November will be my fourth trip to Caneel and first at the Ritz; consequently my info for Caneel is from ex[erience and the Ritz through research.<BR><BR>Caneel does havea program for kids, which sounds great. Beach front first floor are right on the beach. Best to check with reservations as to which would be the best for wheelchair accessability. Out of the seven beaches, I believe Caneel Bay Beachfront rooms may suit your purposes best. There may be one or no steps and the rooms are very close to the main pavillian where breakfast, lunch and some dinners are served. However if there is adequet means of shuttle, Hawksnest or Scotts beaches are more private.<BR><BR>The grounds are beautiful and extensive. Shuttle busses run frequently, but I do not think that they are wheel chair accessable. You might check if they have other types of shuttles that are available. You will need them to get to the parking/taxi area to go into town if you choose, or to the other Caneel restaurants.<BR><BR>From what I have learned about the Riz, it is much more compact and the rooms are lovely; however the beach is small and there is a lovely pool, but cannot compare to the grounds and beaches of Caneel. I always spend a few days on St. Thomas for shopping and restaurants, but the bulk of my time at Caneel, St. John.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.

Ritz would present multiple accessibility challenges beetween rooms and beach. Inquire about availablity of new Club rooms that might work better than the Resort but you still have lots of stairs to get to dining rooms, pool at Ritz. Scott's Beach at Caneel would work since the paths are maintained well to go between rooms and Caneel Terrace for dining and it's not far. Turtle Bay Estate House would be a half dozen steps up but you could possibly approach off the path around the steps. Equator would be inaccessable.

The Ritz is quite clearly the superior property hands down--much more luxurious than Caneel, whose grounds really are NOT all that impressive, unless you like brown patches of dirt all over the place!!

I just returned from Caneel with my family and it was perfectly lovely. ( I saw no "dirt patches") <BR>Caneel also provides windsurfers, sunfish, paddle boats, and kayaks for their guests. This was great for my budding sailors.<BR><BR>Have a great time wherever you choose.

Is there a pool at caneel bay? I was at it's sister property Little Dix last year and was surprised to find that there was no pool!

Yes there is a pool set up the hill from the beach, near the spa and tennis courts. I have been to Caneel several times and have never used it, and I must admit I just glanced at it!

The pool is rectangular, average in size and is nothing special. However, the beaches are outstanding and made me feel no desire for a pool no matter how spectacular it could be.