Caribbean Trip...

[StlBeachBum]

Planning a Feb. trip to the Caribbean in Feb. Almost booked at The Buccaneer on St. John USVI. Read a few really bad reviews and am now looking elsewhere.
Suggestions??? Or has anyone stayed at The Buccaneer and enjoyed the experience??

[nutmeg]

If you can swing it Caneel Bay on St John is a slice of heaven.

[StlBeachBum]

If you can swing it Caneel Bay on St John is a slice of heaven.

I have had relatives stay there...is it still nice?

[nutmeg]

You can read some recent reviews on Tripadvisor.com. It looks like the number one rated on St John was Gallows point. I've never stayed there.

It would be hard to go wrong on St John. It is such a wonderful place.

[lilsalty]

If you can swing it Caneel Bay on St John is a slice of heaven.

I have had relatives stay there...is it still nice?

LOVE Caneel Bay!!! Stayed there 3 times over the past few years and it is wonderful every time...I prefer Caneel's location (and its 7 gorgeous beaches) to where Gallows Point is. Never stayed at Gallows, but we are huge Caneel fans.

[StlBeachBum]

If you can swing it Caneel Bay on St John is a slice of heaven.

I have had relatives stay there...is it still nice?

LOVE Caneel Bay!!! Stayed there 3 times over the past few years and it is wonderful every time...I prefer Caneel's location (and its 7 gorgeous beaches) to where Gallows Point is. Never stayed at Gallows, but we are huge Caneel fans.

Well it looks like Caneel Bay it is. Now...since there are so many room and beach choices, what would your recomendation be for both? Prefer beachfront. I also see they offer the transfers to and from St. Thomas for $100 a person. I assume that is smart to do? They do say you get boat drinks on the ferry ride over to St. John!!!
Any other helpful info would be appreciated!! Thanks

[lilsalty]

If you can swing it Caneel Bay on St John is a slice of heaven.

I have had relatives stay there...is it still nice?

LOVE Caneel Bay!!! Stayed there 3 times over the past few years and it is wonderful every time...I prefer Caneel's location (and its 7 gorgeous beaches) to where Gallows Point is. Never stayed at Gallows, but we are huge Caneel fans.

Well it looks like Caneel Bay it is. Now...since there are so many room and beach choices, what would your recomendation be for both? Prefer beachfront. I also see they offer the transfers to and from St. Thomas for $100 a person. I assume that is smart to do? They do say you get boat drinks on the ferry ride over to St. John!!!
Any other helpful info would be appreciated!! Thanks

We've stayed courtside twice..it's a little walk to the beach (5 minutes or so) but they also have shuttles that take you all over the (large) property. We didn't mind the location at all and rooms were big. One time we booked one of the higher level rooms & ended up with the most amazing room (#99). French doors leading to a balcony overlooking Turtle Bay Beach, another huge deck, and a king size bed that--if you open the french doors--you can lay in and see the Caribbean Sea! The transfer is a good idea if you want to shell out the 100 per person and it is convenient. In the past, we were traveling to Caneel from other islands so we just took ferries and then a cab from Cruz Bay (maybe 25 a person if I remember correctly for the ferry and then ten bucks or so to cab it to Caneel). Not luxurious, but cheaper--and there's a bar at the St Thomas ferry station where you can procure your own rum punch Be sure to do a day trip to Jost Van Dyke to visit the awesome Soggy Dollar Bar, Foxy's, Corsairs, Ivan's, and One Love!

[StlBeachBum]

Thanks Lilsalty for the reply. It really helps having more opinions when trying to make these really "hard" decisions!!

[nutmeg]

We stayed in a room at Hawksnest beach. Would stay there again in a minute!

[StlBeachBum]

We stayed in a room at Hawksnest beach. Would stay there again in a minute!

Thanks, and love the cats!
It seems like a "hard" decision on what type of room and location on the property to book. It also sounds like we can't go wrong!!
Was the dress code pretty stuffy? I am a Parrothead afterall!!!

[lilsalty]

Dress code not stuffy at all. You'd want to dress nicely (nothing fancy) at dinner--pants and a nice shirt for guys, but otherwise shorts and a pair of flip flops are fine!

[StlBeachBum]

Dress code not stuffy at all. You'd want to dress nicely (nothing fancy) at dinner--pants and a nice shirt for guys, but otherwise shorts and a pair of flip flops are fine!

Thanks.
I have been reading some of the reviews on tripadvisor...
Should I believe some of them? Old, worn out, super eight furnishings, bugs, etc?
My relatives stayed there over 10 years ago and never made comments like that. But could things have possible run down since then?
You guys seem to give it a glowing report, which greatly eases my mind...if you can't trust a fellow Parrothead, who can you trust?
Fins up and ready to get back in the water!!!!

[lilsalty]

The furnishings are simple but by no means motel-like! Our rooms have always been clean and very comfortable. No TVs or phones; very quiet and peaceful. But most of the times you're in the water, on the beach, or visiting the bars & restaurants in Cruz Bay! The only bug issue we've ever had is the mosquitos and no-see-ums, but they're everywhere in the islands!! Bug spray is provided in the rooms. Use it!

[StlBeachBum]

The furnishings are simple but by no means motel-like! Our rooms have always been clean and very comfortable. No TVs or phones; very quiet and peaceful. But most of the times you're in the water, on the beach, or visiting the bars & restaurants in Cruz Bay! The only bug issue we've ever had is the mosquitos and no-see-ums, but they're everywhere in the islands!! Bug spray is provided in the rooms. Use it!

Thanks. Looks like we will be booking it soon. Really appreciate the helpful comments!!

[nutmeg]

It has been a good while since I was there, but a year or so ago when I was briefly on St John, they were closed for a couple of months for renovations....so I would assume that things are up to par.

This has never been a "luxurious" place in the way of furnishings. The emphasis is on the nature of the resort which is spectacular. The furnishings were simple and quality. They did not have phones or TVs in the rooms. I don't know if that is still the case. It was definitely a place to "disconnect" from day to day living.

Everything they did, they did well. I will be interested in hearing your trip report when you return. We would love to go there again.

Oh, and while I use tripadvisor, I keep in mind that people who want to say awful things are more likely to sign on than those who enjoyed their trip. I wonder about some of those people. I have stayed somewhere where people really slammed the place and said how awful it was and we were there the same week and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

[StlBeachBum]

Our trip is planned for early Feb. but I will be sure to post a review.

[nutmeg]

Ok now you've got me REALLY wanting to go back there.

I was just looking at their website. Some things have changed. (wireless in the rooms and a fitness center) Yeah like I'm going to be on a treadmill when there is a beach near by

St John was my very first Caribbean Island vacation and I have super fond memories of it.

Oh, and just so you know, Caneel was NOT a party place. Pretty much everyone went to bed early (or maybe went into town for nightlife)

[Ambition At Bay]

Caneel Bay is nice, stayed there a few times. Sail the BVI's quite a bit so usually staying on board but have stayed there for a break at the end of a trip, nice, quiet, laid back, recover from the hangover's

[StlBeachBum]

Ok now you've got me REALLY wanting to go back there.

I was just looking at their website. Some things have changed. (wireless in the rooms and a fitness center) Yeah like I'm going to be on a treadmill when there is a beach near by

St John was my very first Caribbean Island vacation and I have super fond memories of it.

Oh, and just so you know, Caneel was NOT a party place. Pretty much everyone went to bed early (or maybe went into town for nightlife)

Not to much into night life...Get up, walk the beach, read for a while, wife finally gets up, go lay on the beach and nap, sip on a beer, read, nap, sip on a beer, (you get the idea), get ready for dinner, enjoy some wine, off to bed!
Get up the next morning and repeat!
That is how I roll on vacation!!! Slow and easy. So Caneel Bay sounds...PERFECT!!!
Keep the recommendations and ideas coming, very helpful!! And thank you Ambition!!:pirate:
I never met a hangover I didn't deserve!!! And worked really hard to earn!!!

[lilsalty]

STL, based on your description of what you like to do, Caneel will be PERFECT for you! Be sure to get into Cruz Bay for lunch or dinner: the Beach Bar, Woody's for happy hour, Quiet Mon Pub, Rhumbline, Sun Dog Cafe/Gecko Gazebo, the Tap Room...lots of great places to grab a beer and have some food. Now I think I'm going to book a return trip for the end of June!!! Happy planning!