St. John
U.S. Virgin Islands


The Experience

Caneel Bay has the manners of a well-bred country club, yet with a rustic soul and, of course, Caribbean breezes. Spread over some 170 acres folded into the protected grounds of the 5,000-acre Virgin Islands National Park, this Laurance Rockefeller legacy began its life offering luxury camping. That green mentality continues today, its buildings blending into the park landscape, with no phones or TVs in the rooms; the underlying philosophy is a complete disconnect from the jangle of urban life. Assisting in that effort are the resort’s seven separate beaches.

The Rooms

All recently renovated cottages have a huge bed-sitting area with sage patterned spreads and drapes and a stocked refrigerator and minibar. They may have a rustic look, with native stone, natural woods and handcrafted furniture, but there’s an elegant feel to all of them. Skip the gardenview rooms and grab one with at least a view of the ocean -- and a patio or balcony. However, the premium beachfront rooms are not only the most private (with touches like outdoor showers), but open up right onto the sand. And for a taste of the Rockefeller lifestyle, stay where Laurance did -- in Cottage 7, with its five bedrooms updated in a decor similar to Rockefeller’s original furnishings.

The Service

Caneel Bay has more than 450 staffers, many with 15-plus years of service. All seem to have a “we care” attitude, and go out of their way to accommodate even the trickiest island requests.

The Highlights

Management will lend cell phones to guests in communication withdrawal, but they’d rather encourage nature tours of the gardens and hiking trails within the National Park; watercolor classes with a resident artist; an in-room massage; tennis and golf. Or just relax on one of those seven beaches, from soft and pristine Paradise and Scott beaches to wind-whipped Hawksnest Beach. While there are four restaurants on the property, there is also the more personal option of Dinner in the Ruins, with a table for two under an open sky, surrounded by the ruins of the original sugar mill. Or make an equally private reservation in the Wine Room, part of a restored 18th-century plantation, with a choice of some 1,000 bottles of wine.

--Sandra Hart

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