Hi Bobb,

The only experience I've had with Hotel on the Cay was when I was on a cruise about 7 years ago and went there to sit on the beach for a few hours. The beach was lovely & quite picturesque. The building, however, appeared a bit run-down... but, things may have changed since then.

Whenever we go to a hotel, I look at every review I can find on line - and in books - so I am very rarely surprised when I get there! Here is a link to Tripadvisor.com for that particular hotel...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147402-d148773-Reviews-Hotel_on_the_Cay-Christiansted_St_Croix_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

Best of luck!

This hotel is not in the best shape, so much depends on the price you are paying. It is very handy to town and is safe. The beach is ok, but if you stay here do plan on renting a car for at least part of your stay so you can see other areas on STX.

if you stay on the cay finding a place to park your car at night ...a safe place might be hard ..also the boat ferry is not dependable..........there are limited hours and trips...........i personally think there are much better choices for your $$$

Thank you for the responses. Other suggestions would be appreciated. We hope to spend around 1,000 a week for two weeks.

February is the most expensive time of the year............you can find deals though try a villa ?........carambolla is where I send my family when they spill out of my house......but thats my neighborhood............1000 a week is hard to forecast for February with hovensa doing another turn a round in that time frame...........gentle winds, nice pool and kid friendly areas ?, cottages by the sea ....not the most up to date but has a very nice beach area and is in-expensive ..........

The cottages by the sea look very interesting. Are they within walking distance to Frederiksted? And does Frederiksted have a fair number of restaraunt/bars etc?

Frederiksted is not (IMHO) a place that you want to be walking around too much. It does have some bars and restaurants that are very good, but it has some severe socio-economic problems (poverty and drugs) that still need some work. That said, when it is further along its path to rejuvenation, I believe it could be one of the lovliest towns in the Caribbean.
I have heard good things about Cottages by the Sea - also bad reviews. Get a car.

Jane

thank you. i will have a car for some of the time. Is Christiansted pretty much the same way you describe Frederiksted. Of course we don't plan on walking around late at night. I an just wondering if it is reasonably safe, remembering to be careful, to walk and from a family restaraunt say no later that say 10 (In either of the two towns). I am focusing on hotel on the Cay and cottages by the sea.

Jane
Do they plan to open the cruise ship dock in F'sted at all? I lived there 1981-85 and the cruise ships would come in all week.

The cruise ship dock has never been closed. It was the decision of the cruise lines to limit their visits.

And the pier is open right now. Dive boats leave from there and many people begin their shore dives from the peir. It is a truly impressive sight. It also serves as a sort of "gas station" for cruise ships needing fuel.

bobb,
Cottages by the Sea has been making extensive renovations on their cottages. We have stayed there a few times. My oldest son and his wife and friends are booked there for this fall. There is a very good restaurant next door. The down side is, no pool (not needed, your on the water) and it's a little far to be walking into town. There are several great places to eat in F'sted in all price ranges too.

Sandcastle by the Sea which is right next door to Cottages, has TWO pools - one near the bar. I stayed there last month, and we stayed on the "cheap" side (you had to cross the street to get to the beach instead of being able to walk a few steps to get to the beach). There's a pool for that side, and a pool on the other side. The complex is small, so you walk out your door, and the pool is a few steps away. There was at least one grill by the pool, so if you wanted to grill you could. Nice tropical trees/flowers all around. It was like having your own private pool, because at this time of year, there aren't many tourists. Don't know what it's like during season.

I didn't find the walk to Frederiksted to be too far, because the view is so lovely along the way.

I took a tour of HOTC a year or so ago and found it much improved from where it was, say, five or six years ago. It's decent, and suitable - just not very high end. The pool is very nice. The ferry runs about every 10 minutes through the day. They are required by law to have a captain available 24 hours a day, although after 10 PM you need to call for service.

The historic section (waterfront) of Christiansted is not at all like Frederiksted. There are many shops and historical sites, as well as numerous excellent restaurants.

Hi,

Joanne asked me to respond to this post. We are timeshare owners at Hotel on the Cay. We own two weeks in mid-March and will soon be owning three weeks. Have been going there for the last three years. I don't know where to start but will respond to some of the other posts. Obviously we love it there!

5 Star? No but you can wear you bathing suit all day long...and even walk into the office/lobby wearing one. Try that at your 5 Star! This is an old hotel converted to timeshares and rentals when available. Usually very full in February. Starts to slow down in mid to late March. Staff is very friendly, seems more like a beach camp than a hotel. Most rooms are hotel rooms with kitchenettes. Nearly all rooms have a balcony and ocean or harbor view. Suites (one bedroom and a hide-a-bed are available).

What to do? There are events to sign up for such as island tours, kayaking, snorkeling etc. There are jet ski rentals at the cay as well as kayaks. Peter at the hotel has snorkeling lessons/trips right on the cay. Crab races once a week and a very fun Caribbean BBQ on Tuesday nights at the cay, put on by the Harbormaster Beach Bar...which is not affiliated with the hotel. There is a jumbie dancer, and other entertainment that night. Last March when we were there, the water taxi...(which is extremely reliable...American Airlines should be so lucky) took hotel guests over to Gallows Bay to the Golden Rail bar/grill (free) to enjoy blues jamming music and drink and or eat. Very fun. I think they're still doing that.

Car rental: We've never rented a car and probably never will. I think it depends on how long you're there. For a week or two, we're the type of folks that spend most of the day at the beach and Hotel on the Cay has a very fine beach, especially if , I believe you said, you have a six year old. Sandy, gradual slope, crystal clear, never extremely busy and lots of things to see like boats coming and going and of course the seaplanes taking off and landing. When the urge to explore, we rent a taxi for the day and hit the high spots like the beer drinking pigs, Cruzan rum distillary, Fredricksted, etc. I don't relish the thought of having a rum or two and then getting in a rental car and drive on the "left" side of the road. I'll call Rudy's Taxi or Tan Tan Tours instead. We have friends that we've met and are also timeshare owners. They rent a car for a day or two at a time because they also spend most of their time at the cay. They just park their rental at any available parking spot on the street in town, walk a block to the water taxi pick-up point and life is good.

Pool: Very nice pool and usually not busy because the beach is very nice and not packed. HarborMaster Beach Bar and Grill has quite good food but you are also a 90 second water taxi ride away from the boardwalk where there are many good to great eating places within walking distance. Nice shopping on and around the boardwalk.

Back to the rooms: Old, outdated (except lots of new furniture), and still charming. Some years ago the management company running the place apparently took the timeshare owner's maintenance fees and spend it elsewhere. Since I've owned, there have been many updates including wi-fi in the upper level and a free computer to use. Lounges and towels are free to guests and cabanas can be rented for the day. Most rooms have a spectacular view...many 5 Stars would kill to have a view like that of Gallows Bay or Christiansted Harbor. Kitchenettes have a dorm fridge, coffe maker, and microwave. We've had many a meal in our micro-wave omellette (sp?) maker, mini- frying pan, and next year we're bringing an electric griddle because a couple of our kids are coming so we'll be doing pancakes a few times. There is a covered but outdoor common area on the upper floor where there is a counter, sink, outlets, running water as well as lots of tables and chairs. Great place to cook for a group if you should desire. Gas grills also up there for rent. Five bucks a time. Can be fun. We purchased great steaks at Schooner's Bay market. Price shock of course as compared to the mainland but still cheaper than ordering a steak out. Great food all over the island though and really not that expensive and most of the time us old farts can split a meal.

I know I missed things but feel free to email me with any other questions. I have traveled alot albeit mostly military and rarely 5 star. I prefer the clean, quaint and affordable. Joanne on the previous post has been to St Croix over a bazillion times and she's only 32 years old but she is also a wealth of information. Beware also of some very nice, quaint places that almost make a rental car mandatory due to their location.

Note: A book written by Herman Wolk (sp?) titled "Don't Stop the Carnival" was not so loosly based at Hotel on the Cay. I read it last year while I was there. Very fun.

Flatterer!!!!

There is another post I remembered at https://www.vinow.com/wwwtalk/read.php?4,21990,21990#msg-21990 which was also written by an acquaintance of mine. That person is quite discriminating and loved HOTC.

thank you for all the responses. It sounds like it is just what we are looking for. We booked a suite for the second and third week in feb. We CANT wait.

Bobb--

Sounds like you're going to be there in time for the Valentine's Day Jump Up-- a fun downtown Christiansted celebration with bands on several street corners, food and drink venders, all the shops and restaurants are open and the Mocko Jumbies dance in a parade that winds around downtown.

I think you made the right choice with Hotel on the Cay. Have a wonderful trip!