We had a great stay at Elysian Beach Resort. We visited both restaurants and enjoyed the food and…read moredrinks at both places. The front desk was helpful and accommodating when we had issues. The rooms were clean and AC worked great. There is a laundry room available to use as well as a pool & hot tub for guests. It has its own beach front access & lounge chairs available to use free. Our favorite place was Rico's bar located next to the pool. He gave us the best recommendations and we had such a great time hanging at the bar with him. Definitely stop by for a drink at Rico's bar! Personally I wish it was located closer to the main road but we had a rental car so it wasn't a big deal. We stayed on the 3rd floor bldg Y. Our room had a fridge.

Booked through AirB&B so this experience might not be the same for members. We got to the resort…read moreeasily from the airport via taxi. We were allowed to check in 2 hours early, so that was a plus. The lobby is small but has cold water, a small lounge, a bathroom and an ATM. But no concierge (front desk person: "I don't know where she is--I haven't seen her in a long time.")--so had to figure out everything ourselves. They had a concierge contact us from one of their sister properties but she never texted back when I asked about a time to connect. Only one restaurant was open on Sunday when we arrived so we were barely in time to order before they closed. The dive shop was supposed to be open but was not. Even though we were advertised a late check-out, we only got 30 more minutes so stored our bags and went into town as they did not have guest showers on property to be able to enjoy the beach after we checked out. The room was nice, clean, and spacious for a studio king. The kitchenette had a blender, toaster, coffeemaker, small fridge, and cups/plates/silverware etc. Bathroom had towels, shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, and lotion. Room had a safe. There was a dresser and end tables and a small table and chairs inside. On the balcony, there was a table and chairs and one chaise lounge chair. Each room has its own air conditioner. The property is built into a hill but relatively easily accessible (not ADA accessible but not crazy) despite the stairs. The grounds were well-maintained and the pool was a decent size and clean. At first I was not impressed with the beach because it was a bit rocky especially on one side and had lots of boats on the bay, but after touring four other properties on the island, I realized ours was the best we had seen. The lounge chairs are adequate and towels are provided both in your room and at the front desk. The shore is dotted with trees for natural shade if you want it. The water is clear but a bit rocky. The dive shop offers snorkels, boat rentals (kayaks, SUPs, and paddle boats), sand toys, sundries like sunscreen and tampons, and gear like hats and shirts and waterproof bags. They also offer snorkeling excursions departing from other nearby properties. Shout out to the attendant working the shop this week--he gave us great recommendations. No market or store on property--go into Red Hook (small nearby town) to the shops. Also, warning, you can't go to the glamorous property next door even to have lunch as they do not allow visitors on property. The two restaurants onsite were fine for our needs. One is pizza and sandwiches (Sangria's) and the other is more upscale (Caribbean Fish Market). But definitely recommend going into Red Hook to enjoy the local cuisine! I would recommend this hotel for a less expensive option than many competitors, especially if your party wants to go out and explore and do activities. The beach was the best we saw on the East End, and being close to Red Hook was a real plus. There are lots of options to take a boat road or the ferry to St. John and it's a pretty quick ride. If you want an immersive, pampered experience, this place isn't likely for you. But this is a good home base to enjoy all that USVI has to offer.

We had an amazing time and I can't recommend it enough.  "Blue Bitch" is perfect for anyone looking…read morefor a wonderful relaxing, beautiful, and comfortable location to visit while on St. John. Our own private lomo (included in the rate) met us at St Thomas airport and took us to Red Hook where we took the ferry to St John. There Albion met us, took us on a quick tour of the island, stopped at Starfish Market to pick up staples, and then on to Bluebitch Villa. "Bluebitch" is impeccably clean, spacious and has everything you'll need for a relaxing and enjoyable vacation.  A fully equipped kitchen (even a bbq), wonderful views, and a private beach that became our go-to place for a morning cup of coffee, afternoon swim or great place to read a book and watch the sun set.  We wanted to experience the culture and special spots of St. John and the information and suggestions provided were very helpful and gave us lots of ideas for our adventures around the island.   Thank you for helping create some amazing memories and a refreshing week in St. John Albion and Ann were gracious and welcoming and they made us feel like family. We'll definitely be making this our yearly vacation spot.

From the owner: An all inclusive Vacation Rental on the island of St. John, US Virgin Islands, includes luxury…read moreaccommodations for 2 on a private estate, an SUV, airport limo service, secluded beach, dining & excursion discounts and much more.

I stayed there for a few days last year and am on my way back in a few weeks. Don was so incredibly…read morenice to me and his place is just a few minutes from the ferry. His rentals are immaculately kept and cozy. They are also affordable and he has Jeep rentals on site. I can't wait to go back!

My husband and I stay in the Amore Loft when we visit the island. It is fabulous and Donald is a…read moregenius. you could not ask for a more gracious host or a more generous and genuine soul. If you are looking to check your email and phone and work all day...DO NOT COME TO THIS ISLAND. If you are looking to relax and visit the most beautiful beaches in the world and walk with wildlife on abandoned trails and snorkel and boat around a peaceful enchanted island...then this place is for you,and do it via Donald Schnell. When you go home, you will know that you are doing life so wrong. You will know that you need to do your best to get back to Saint John and you will know it because the genius of Donald Schnell and his artistic touches, you will notice all over the island.

About a year ago we had the amazing pleasure of staying at the Blue Turtle Beach House for a week…read more We couldn't have chosen a better place to stay. By the end of summer Hurricane Maria had hammered the island and the ocean had a new home in the Blue Turtle pool. Thankfully this April the beautiful beachfront property (and the pool) were back looking beautiful! If you're heading to St. Croix I totally recommend this place (just not the same time as me, ). I seriously cannot wait for the opportunity to come back to Blue Turtle-fully furnished and all the gear a family needs to have a great time in the ocean. It really was a relaxing week...this place is Heaven. https://www.facebook.com/BlueTurtleBeachHouseSTX/

This is the BEST holiday vacation ever!!! Perfect beach location, private beach alcove, beautiful…read morehome with all of the amenities you can imagine! Awesome snorkeling, great restaurants and shopping close by. And if you prefer hiking then it's right up the road in the rain forest! Best value, best location, BEST EVER!!! We have chosen to make this our annual holiday destination!!!!

I booked a villa for a destination wedding on St John. It was a first class experience from the…read moremoment we landed in St John. We were greeted with a taxi, who whisked us to Red Hook to catch the boat to St John. We were met on St John by a lovely greeter, Denise who gave us keys to a Jeep we reserved. We followed her to Hawksbill villa, a couple of miles from town. Denise explained all features of the magnificent hilltop villa, gave us tourist information, showed us highlights on a map, and made us feel welcome. The return trip was equally expertly arranged. Caribbean Villas is a top notch villa operator and I would not hesitate to book with them on St John again.

I wanted to rent a house on St. John USVI, for my family of eleven and the ladies at Caribbean…read moreVillas where great in helping me find the perfect house to meet our needs. Not only did they direct me to the right property but our reservation was the beginning of the Chinese Virus shut down for the Islands. No worries though, everyone at Caribbean Villas couldn't have been more accomodating to work with me rearranging our schedule around this crazy epidemic. We finally made our trip the first week of the opening of the USVI in September. The Property, Cinnamon was better than presented on their site. We had a couple of minor issues during the week and the local representatives where more than responsive in addressing our issues. I can't say enough good things about these folks at Caribbean Villas except we will be back! Thanks for a great job done and helping my family have a gathering of a life time.

Everything about this villa is great, especially for families. The view is elite, top 5 out of all…read morethe STJ homes I've rented throughout the years. The pool is great. Perfect size and depth for families. The villa itself was recently updated so everything is new. The fitness room is a huge bonus. I was able to workout without driving to St John Fitness...saving time and money. Central AC through which helps on the hot days. Outside grilling and lounging areas were great. We were a family of four but there is a 3rd downstairs bedroom for grandparents or a teenager who wants some privacy. We will definitely consider this home again and I highly recommend for families with children.

This resort is unbeatable! Everything was perfect. We had our 25th anniversary here. We stayed for…read more5 nights, 6 days. Service was top notch. Starting with the Bellman JB, who was superb, he even brought us wine and fruit and a card to welcome us. Our guest experience supervisor Erika was absolutely amazing. She did more for us than anyone ever has at any resort, any place we've stayed. Top notch hospitality. Too much to mention here. Harrison in the club lounge always made us feel welcome and appreciated. We had a photographer (blue glass photography) Alain Brin, he was amazing for our photo shoot. Overall a 5 star experience. We will be back!

The Ritz Carlton in St. Thomas does not meet expectations of what you would expect staying at a…read moreRitz and in this price point. We came a few days early on our own and then the ladder half of the week we were part of a large group. The hotel was obviously empty when we got there. When we checked in, they told me I had a garden view room and I had been told I would get Ocean view. When I asked if they could accommodate because I knew the hotel was fairly empty they disagreed with me and told me oh that is far from the truth. I guess they're not allowed to tell you That they are at low capacity because for the next few days we barely saw anybody there. They did give us a different room, however, there was a card in the room, made out to someone else and a plate of fruit for them too that never got moved. The room appears older, but they tried to do some modern renovations. There was still dings on the walls, scratches in the paint and older looking flooring. The towels in the room were older, not very white anymore, and very rough to the touch. My oldest towels at home are far nicer than these, again, not what you expect staying at the Ritz. We went to one of the restaurants called Coconut Grove for lunch. We ordered a jerk seasoned fish sandwich. The fish was fresh and decent, however, there was no jerk seasoning on it as described. When the waitress came over and asked how everything was, we told her and she just laughed and said she would have to have a talk with the kitchen. There was no offer of fixing it or replacing it. I did share this information with one of the food and beverage managers walking around when she asked me how my lunch was. She did make the situation right by giving us a certificate for lunch on property the next day. That was very nice of her and we did appreciate that. The next day we had scheduled spa treatments. The spa facility was a huge disappointment. When going into the steam room, there are chipped and loose tiles all over the floor. I nearly cut my foot on a piece of broken tile. I then proceeded to pick up a whole handful of broken tiles that were loose on the floor. They need to warn their guests to make sure to wear their provided rubber flip-flops. This is extremely hazardous and unacceptable. In addition, the bathroom had no toilet paper. They were not cleaning up empty glasses that were left in the spa. The relaxation area was very basic and not even anywhere to put your feet up. The treatment rooms are Also really old and not up kept. The room I got my facial in had an air conditioning vent that was covered in black mold, and that is the first thing you notice while you're lying on your back, looking up. The door to the treatment room opened when I was not dressed and had to jump underneath the provided blanket. The aesthetician told me that door is broken and just keeps opening and scared the last customer because she also was undressed. Why has this not gotten fixed yet? Unacceptable! The gym facility looks nice. when you first walk in however the walls need paint and parts of the flooring in there are damaged. Housekeeping did not clean our room until 4 o'clock or later on most days. We would do activities during the day and either they had not been there yet or were there and we had to wait for them. Would be nice if they did that a little bit earlier in the day. Most of the people who work there are friendly and polite. Everyone greets you. As far as how the spa handled my situation, I would have hoped they would have taken care of our spa bill based on that, but they sent a lotion to my room and said thanks for understanding. The receptionist at the spa had asked for my contact number and told me someone would call or text me on it and they never did. Also, the spa will add a 25% gratuity to your treatment. I was told that can be adjusted based on preference. They never gave me that opportunity to even look at it just fully charged me without me even signing for my spa visit. The treatments themselves were decent, but I don't typically tip $50 on a 50 minute massage and was made to feel uncomfortable for questioning that. We decided to get some breakfast at the Bluewater restaurant on our list morning before heading to the airport. We ordered eggs, Benedict and a yogurt and waited over 20 minutes with no acknowledgment as to where our food was. After about 25 minutes, we asked the hostess and said we were getting concerned we would miss our transportation to the airport. She said she would go check, went into the kitchen, And never came out. We waited and waited with zero communication and then just ended up leaving because we had no time left. Sadly, the cons here added up and out weighed the pros and left a negative overall experience. We would not come back to this resort and it makes me question the integrity of the brand Ritz Carlton moving forward.

Catch n Keep is not actually in CRUZ Bay as the address avows - it is in Coral Bay, just as the map…read moreshows. WHAT A TREAT!!! Too many times have we looked for a place to stay on St John on the "less busy" (although none of the island is really "busy") side of the island and thought, "oh myyyy, what if it's in one of those less desirable areas." Well - - think that no more and book this place. We wanted to be on our favorite side of the island and this fit the bill. It is absolutely perfect for two who like a little peace and quite. Yet, it's extremely convenient to all the wonderful things in Coral Bay. Just minutes down the mountain to Love's grocer, a few mins from Salt Pond Bay for the best snorkeling you will find on island, and not far from Calabash either. Catch n Keep is supremely decorated - in fact, we realized how much we have in common with the owner by looking at all the sweet touches on the place. It's very well maintained - in PERFECT condition, and the view is breathtaking. While it's not an ocean view, you feel like you're in a tropical rain forest and that is just fabulous. We enjoyed gorgeous sunsets on the porch with wine and cheese and had early, early morning coffee with the hummingbirds to watch the sun come up out there too. The porch is a treat! Miss Judy keeps it well maintained with comfy furniture and it's super clean --- it felt just like home! And speaking of Miss Judy - She's awesome to deal with. Very responsive (in the middle of the evening when we needed to find our way in the dark, she met us at Love's to direct us to her place!), she is just below you in case you need her, but you would never know she's there. She is also very knowledgeable about the island and has tons of treats in store for you, if it's your first time. We are already planning our next St John trip in April and will stay at Catch n Keep!

Great place. Super simple cottage, very nice, total relaxation time. No AC, but the breezes and…read morefans kept it comfortable during our April stay. This is the less developed side of the island. We enjoyed our stay.

This wasn't our first time renting a villa on St John and we're had mixed experiences with real…read moreestate managers there in the past. We were a little unsure of what to expect when we went through McLaughlin for our villa on this past trip. But now cannot say enough great things about them. Great communication prior to the trip, totally professional, well organized paperwork, polite, everything we wanted in a rental broker. There were some minor problems with the villa when we arrived (the hot tub didn't work) and they told us in advance, apologized, and had someone out to fix it the next day. The last few times we went through another broker (Windspree) and whenever there was an issue with a villa (occasionally more serious like no hot water or broken air conditioning) it was like pulling teeth to get someone on the phone...and then getting something fixed just didn't happen without more than a little aggravation and wasted vacation time. McLaughlin was the complete opposite. We will 100% definitely use them again on our next trip to St John.

From the owner: Luxury Caribbean Villa rentals, U.S. Virgin Islands villas, Tortola Villas, Virgin Gorda villas,…read moreSt. Thomas villas, St. Croix villas, St. John villas, Grenada villas,The Ritz-Carlton Club St. Thomas rentals, Luxury St. John Condo rentals at Seashore Allure, Virgin Gorda rentals at Nail Bay. On-island management, Concierge and Guest Services.