jeffyj

I am getting differing opinions about this resort. Has anyone stayed here? What do you think. I want people who have actually stayed there not just looked around. A friend of mine came back from Caneel Bay and she said the room she stayed in was tired looking yet the people on this site say its great.

calitexan

Westin St John is a great place. I stayed there in December 2003. Other members of my family were there in July 2006. We all love it!!

If you search this forum (box above) under "Westin St John" you will find what you're looking for, i.e. reports from people who've actually stayed there.

Tuxedocat and Calinurse are two I can think of, but there are others. There was at least one couple (i think on their honeymoon) who loved it and posted pix here.

caribtraveler

We stayed there about 3 years ago. It's a strong Westin resort. Beautiful grounds. Nice pool. Pleasant staff. Food at the time was good. The beach was our only disappointment. Not impressed (small, water looked kind of dirty to be frank - their boat docks right there), especially compared to all the beautiful beaches that make St. John such a popular destination.

Carrybean

I think sometimes Caneel gets a bad rap for not being "fancy" enough.
Caneel Bay was a resort where old-money types always went who weren't interested in glitz & glamor. When I first moved to the Caribbean, that's the way it was. No TV's, no phones in the rooms, etc. It has changed a bit since those days but this true story may give you an idea of how it was.

After I had lived in the VI for about a year, there was a management job opening at Caneel so I put on my beige linen outfit, hopped the ferry & went over where I interviewed with several people, was driven about in the little golf cart & told about the job. It was offered to me. When it got to salary, I was shocked at how low it was (much less than I was currently earning) I was told that "Oh well, several of our employees have trust funds." I didn't take the job.

jeffyj

Thanks everyone for your input. I want to stay at the Westin but the few posts that I've read in the last couple days (from Caneel Bay people) were mostly negative. I was really beginning to rethink it. Thats even with a friend of my sister who stayed in one of their Villas last month telling me how much she LOVED IT. Thanks again.

xkenx

Looking for glitter and glitz? Don't go to Caneel. Looking for paradise on earth with seven tree-shaded white sand natural beaches with wade in snorkeling, go to Caneel. Caneel is natural Caribbean. Westin's beach is man-made. Westin is a slice of the U.S. transported to the tropics.

Tuxedocat

Before the first time we stayed at the Westin, we read about St. John and the two resorts. At the time, there were comparable specials running at both. The description that caught our eye and our imagination was: "If you're Walter Cronkite, you go to Caneel Bay. If you're Madonna, you go to the Westin." Being younger then, we related more to Madonna so we picked the Westin. The resort is as caribtraveler describes it, perfectly lovely and well-maintained. While I didn't find the water at the beach dirty, there is a lot of kid-oriented float toys etc. and the beach itself is kind of bland compared to the rest of St. John. We weren't disappointed by the beach because we didn't spend any time there. We were far too busy trying to visit as many of the glorious beaches on St. John as we could. Caneel Bay is all about the understated, sublime elegance of wealthy people living more simply on vacation. We have some very wealthy friends with vacation homes they graciously share with us on occasion. Old hunting lodges with moldy deer heads, beach houses where the cotton bedspreads are clean but about 30 years old... they wouldn't change a thing. Do I get it? Perhaps not, but that is supposedly half the charm of Caneel Bay. The fact is the wealth of Caneel Bay is shown in its seven incomparable beaches, its beautiful grounds complete with dilapedated sugar plantation ruins. I guess I have a foot in both camps. I can see the rational for choosing either one. Heck, as long as it's on St. John, I don't care if it's a hut.

jeffyj

Last yr when I went to mexico I almost didn't choose the Aventura spa palace because so many people made a stink over the beach, I'm so glad I ignored them. Same with the yr before when I went to Casa De Campo in the DR, little beach etc. again I was glad I ignored everyone. I'm never the type who wants to stay on the grounds of a resort no matter how fab they are; I want to explore the whole island,the rest of the city. As Tuxedo cat said why sit on the same beach when you have an entire island (or should I say islands) of beaches.Do I want to pay for a room/bath that isn't as lux as my own marble bathroom at home? I don't think so? As for Walter Cronkite, that person would have to change there opinion if they saw his Martha's Vineyard summer house or the boat he kept up there. Thanks again everyone. Tuxedo cat, I love all your observations and other posts throughout this forum. You gotta listen to a fellow cat lover. I noticed in another posts that you also have a place in France. WHere?

Tuxedocat

jeffyi: I'd also add that there does seem to be a difference in family/kid oriented atmosphere between the two resorts. Westin is on the whole more so than Caneel. That makes a difference for folks who prefer a quieter, low kid-noise environment. We have a house just south of the Loire Valley, about 45 minutes from Tours. An entire world/universe away from St. John. I occasionally suffer from cultural whiplash.

caribtraveler

Good point from Tuxedocat. I can't believe I completely forgot to mention that as I know it could be a big deal for some people. There were LOTS of kids when we were there, especially around the pool area. We spent one morning at Caneel's main beach and it was VERY QUIET.
We never stay at our resorts either. That still doesn't mean I can't be disappointed about my hotel beach when all the other beaches all over the island are all great/beautiful. We rented a vehicle for several days to see several of the other beaches. I think knowing in advance that the Westin beach is not great will lessen one's disappointment. We were warned on this site about it so even though there was some disappointment, we were not surprised.
Enjoy your trip.