US Virgin Island and/or Puerto Rico Resort Recommendations

Maggie0829

Obviously this is not for our honeymoon, but I figured that this would be a great board to ask for recommendations.  I did a search but all the results came up as a few years old and I know that there is a post a few down from here asking about the Virgin Islands but I am looking for specifics about resorts.  Cost wise, I am looking at the middle of the road (the Ritz, as much as I would love to stay there, is out of our price range) and am thinking about staying 5 days/4 nights, anything less just doesn't seem worth it because that will give us three full days with 2 travelling days.  Definitely want something with a great beach and onsite activities (don't really plan on exploring outside of the resort that much).

So anyone have any recommendations?  Any insight would be super helpful

16maybeless

Which of the Virgin Islands are you into? In general, you'll find more economical resort options on St. Thomas than you would on St. John, while St. Croix has some mid-priced resorts (but not quite as many as St. Thomas). I would recommend Marriott Frenchman's Reef on St. Thomas for you. Bolongo Bay, Sapphire Beach, and Sugar Bay all have decent ratings on TripAdvisor and nice beaches, but the Marriott is really well located and has good facilities (and surprisingly decent food!). I think the rooms were recently reno'd as well. In general, St. Thomas is a good jumping-off point for day trips to St. John or to the BVI, and it's also the easiest to get to (JetBlue and American fly into St. Thomas). Also, the BVI tends to be both pricier than the USVI as well as slightly more difficult to reach; good for a day trip for you, but because of the higher rack rates, I would make STT your home base.

A fair warning. Unlike other Caribbean islands, the USVI doesn't have much in the way of super-all-inclusive resorts like, say, Jamaica. The beaches, with the exception of Trunk Bay on St. John, are all free, so you'll likely be heading to any of those beaches for the day rather than staying at the hotel (unless, like Frenchman's, it's beachfront). Truthfully, you'll want to explore the other beaches on the island. The snorkeling is varied and awesome, and there are multiple excursions (kayaking, paddleboarding, etc.). Another reason I recommend Frenchman's is that they have a pretty large activity center on-site that can help you plan all sorts of adventures. They're super helpful. It's also pretty close to Yacht Haven Grande and the marina, where there are shops and restaurants (and it's fun to stare at the multimillion-dollar mega yachts ... oh, to be stupidly wealthy)

I generally recommend vacation rentals when a couple wants to save money, but it sounds like you're interested in resort activities and amenities (which is totally doable). FWIW, the Ritz on STT, while nice, isn't as nice as Ritz properties elsewhere. Unless you really have the money to blow, I would always rather pocket the difference and stay at Caneel Bay on St. John instead.

LMK if you have other questions! Full disclosure. I work in travel, but I don't get paid for my recommendations. If only. Then I'd buy a multimillion-dollar mega yacht.

Maggie0829

@16maybeless - Thanks for the info!  I will definitely check out the resorts you suggested.

AprilH81

Check out La Concha in San Juan.  My sister just went down there and loved the property and the island.  It is not an AI.

lyndausvi

16maybeless

I like Frenchman's (stayed there a few times), even though I prefer the east end of the island and St John better.

I would stay away from Sapphire Beach.  There are going through some legal issues right now.   The beach is awesome, but the units are hit or miss.  

Try Secret Harbor also.   But if you want the full resort experience stick with Marriott, Sugar Bay, Westin or Caneel Bay.