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I am completely overwhelmed by the reviews of the hotels... you read 15 great ones,then one that is so awful you cringe!! First of all, this is our 1st visit to usvi.. do we do st. thomas or st. john?
Also, are the bugs on st john really as bad as I've read? We are going end of July. Suggestions for hotels on both islands? All I require is on the beach, (very) nice pool and CLEAN!!!!! Help!I need to book soon!!!
Kara-
Does "we" include children? Do you have an overall budget for the vacation? How long will you stay? Are you willing to cook your own food in order to save on meals? Are you going to rent a car?
First, your STJ vs STT question is loaded. STJ is very quiet and tropical. If you want long, lazy days in the sand, and little else, STJ is for you. Ofcourse, if you stay in the Cruz Bay area, there is nightlife in the little town...very nice.
STT has more shopping, hotels with bars/lounges/patios, restaurants.....and cars, traffic, lights, etc.
I'm a fan of villa vacations...on whichever island you prefer. I like the seclusion of a villa. I'm a stressed out, single, working mom who wants SOLITUDE and peace when on vacation. Even with kids, villas give parents more freedom because the kids can nap in the bedroom while you're by the pool....or swim in the pool without being bopped on the head by hoards of larger kids.....or you can grill you lunch while they swim.....
And renting a villa really makes you feel like an islander....a WEALTHY islander.
Villas are not cheap (the ones you would want aren't cheap).
But, for $300 (I've done it cheaper) a night you can get something luxurious, new, with pool, large enough to sleep a family.
If that's really too much and you want to cut that in half, you can try Sapphire or Secret Harbor on STT. Both will allow you to cook your own meals, which is a big money saver....even if you just use it for breakfast and snacks. I CANNOT take my kids to a hotel where there is no fridge and microwave, at least. We stayed a couple nights at the Ritz last summer and the minibar bill was HUGE...(teen boys were in their own room - and got hungry - and at the Ritz it wouldn't have mattered if they had gone to the restaurant/bar/grill, it hits hard - at the Ritz!
I can afford to stay there, but not eat there. LOL
Remember that reviews are subjective. I've read reviews that I couldn't believe were of the same hotel where I had previously stayed. And, hotels I might have highly recommended 3 years ago are now on my "no way" list because I've changed my level of expectation. Yet, what matters to me might be of little significance to you....and vice-versa.
