Where to stay on St. John??
Jan 23rd, 2002, 09:10 AM
#4
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I would pick Caneel over the Westin for your honeymoon. While it is pricier than the Westin, in June you will be able to take advantage of the off-season rates. <BR>My husband and I spent our honeymoon at Caneel in June 2000 and really enjoyed it. You really feel like you are getting away from it all. Very relaxing and the beaches are beautiful. <BR>We went back to Caneel in June 2001 for our first anniversary. We spent one night at the Westin as a comparison. It was pretty disappointing. The beach is manmade and the resort is centered around a big pool. Fun for families, but not a great honeymoon spot.
Jan 23rd, 2002, 09:19 AM
#5
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Of the two I would definitely choose Caneel. The Westin has more of a "hotel" feel and you will need to commute to the beaches since the Westin's pales in comparison to St. John beaches. Just for the proximity to the beaches (all 7 of 'em at Caneel) I would choose to stay there. No TV's, no phones, no glitz or glamour but those beaches ... but you pay for 'em! If you don't mind the jeeping about, trekking to beaches and can give up some of the hotel/resort amenities (restaurant on premises, room service, daily maid service, activity coordination, etc) you might want to think about a villa. It is a good option that many enjoy on St. John.
Jan 23rd, 2002, 09:34 AM
#8
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Sarah:<BR>While the beaches at Caneel are beautiful, keep in mind that Caneel is NOT "luxurious" in the way that say a Ritz Carlton is luxurious. The rooms are simply furnished. What makes it luxurious is that you feel like you are getting away from daily life -- no tvs, phones, etc. in the rooms -- and no matter what beach you go on at Caneel (Turtle and Honeymoon are our favorites!) you feel like you have them all to yourself.<BR>Caneel has non-motorized watersports -- kayaks, sailboats, windsurfers -- and provides snorkeling gear, floats, beach towels and beach chairs. <BR>As far as the food at Caneel , I can't tell you too much because in two visits there, my husband and I did not have one dinner there. We meant to but we really loved going into Cruz Bay at night (which is a short taxi ride away - $2.50 pp)and trying out the different restaurants. We did try the breakfast buffet and lunch buffet. Both good. There is also a nice outdoor complimentary continental breakfast.<BR>The negatives:<BR>-The staff at times can be less than cordial. Especially the guy who works at the snorkel gear hut by Caneel beach. He was still there the 2nd time we were at Caneel! However, overall everyone there is very nice. You just have to remember that people down there are on "island time". We are from the NYC area so we are used to service at a quicker pace.<BR>-Another negative is there is no place at Caneel to get a reasonable meal. Lunch at the bar consisting of a burger, a salad and two drinks came to $40!<BR><BR>Some Cruz Bay restaurant recommendations: <BR>Expensive - Asolare, Stone Terrace, La Tapas<BR>Chateau Bordeaux (not in Cruz Bay). <BR>Moderate - Morgan's Mango, Cafe Roma, Also, For happy hour, Woody's.<BR>Hope this helps. <BR>Where ever you stay, you will love St. John!
Jan 23rd, 2002, 09:45 AM
#9
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If you can afford Caneel, stay there.<BR>One main reason: the water at the Westin is murky and I would not want to swim there.<BR>Caneel has several beaches with clear water.<BR>There are, of course, other nice beaches on the island that you can drive to.<BR>
Jan 23rd, 2002, 05:33 PM
#10
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If you're going on your honeymoon in June, you may want to consider Bermuda vs. St. Johns. I've been to both (Caneel is better that the Westin - too many kids splashing around in the pool- no privacy for honeymooners). In June, you may be dealing with the "noseeums" (alias gnats and bugs) in St. John - Bermuda would be lovely in June (btw, 75% of the tourists on Bermuda are repeat visitors; what does that tell you?). Check it out
Jan 24th, 2002, 01:42 PM
#12
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Sarah go with Caneel Bay. My wife and I stayed there on our honeymoon late last May. You will get plenty of bang for your buck at that time of year and the service is excellent despite what any of these sometimes cranky posters say. I travel often and the portfolio of dining and activity choices make this place the obvious choice. Do not get the meal plan as the dining choices in Cruz Bay are many and you will be too busy to eat every meal. The Westin is a chain hotel and alot is lost on the chain mentality. Caneel is an experience and the character of the place is awesome for a honeymoon. Bring your wallet its not cheap but worth it. You only have one honeymoon.
Jan 25th, 2002, 05:00 AM
#14
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Jason -<BR><BR>Believe it or not, it actually is murky.<BR>During our trip a few weeks ago, we visited 4 beaches on St. Thomas, 4 on St. John, 2 on Tortola, and 2 on Jost Van Dyke. The one at the Westin is the only one where I would not want to swim.<BR><BR>I know from past trips that water clarity can vary depending on conditions. However, the bay at the Westin is very sheltered and calm, so I don't think that was the problem. Also, I have seen several other comments on the Internet about the same issue at the Westin.<BR><BR>That said, I will add that the Westin is a very attractive property with probably the best pool on the island. I've heard that they have been offering rooms at deep discounts recently, if you don't go during a peak (holiday) week. There are so few places to stay on St. John, I wouldn't rule out staying at the Westin if the price is right, sitting on the beach, swimming in the pool, and going to other spots on St. John for swimming and snorkeling.<BR><BR><BR>
Jan 25th, 2002, 05:50 AM
#16
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While Chris may have found the service excellent, plenty of people have encountered problems at Caneel and I would rather make other people aware of the good AND the not so good before they book an expensive trip, especially their honeymoon. I certainly appreciated all the input I got from this forum and others before I planned mine.<BR>Caneel has had customer service issues in the last several years. I have to say, we saw a noticable improvement from when we were there in 2000 to when we returned in 2001, which may be why Chris did not encounter any service problems. <BR>Enjoy!
Jan 25th, 2002, 06:40 AM
#17
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We just returned from a week at the Westin, and while we went to other beaches almost every day, we spent the first day on the beach at the Westin.<BR>Is the water as clear as other places on the island-no. However, it is far from being un-swimmable!! Really, it is perfectly fine to swim/lay on a raft.<BR><BR>
Jan 25th, 2002, 06:26 PM
#19
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Believe me, you will not swim in the bay water at the Westin. The locals will tell you they wouldn't swim there and for good reason. Some "boats" have been anchored there for a good while and where does their sewage go?? Referred to as "tootsie roll bay". You will travel to another beach.
