One of the most frequently asked questions I get asked as the GoTo girl is “Where is the best place to stay on St. Croix?” My first and most truthful answer, is Hacienda Holley, aka my house, but I have enough guests in a year as it is. I usually answer with the question “How much do you want to spend?”
I am not saying that you have to spend a lot to stay in a nice place. Don’t get me wrong. Some of the lesser expensive accommodations, like the Caravelle Hotel or King Christian may not provide the amenities the high end resorts do, but they are in the heart of downtown Christiansted, where all the action is.
I tell people to evaluate their vacation style and needs (and wants!) If you are looking for peace and quiet, to be waited on hand and foot, spa services, gym, a couple of pools, beaches, and restaurants to choose from, maybe even a kids club, then splurge a little and go with one of the high-end resorts. It will be worth it. This is a great option for those who do not want to think at all.
What if you want to live a little? How about a smaller hotel, inn or B&B? The atmosphere is a bit more cozy, the bartender knows your name by day two and is already making your kids non-alcoholic daiquiris (well, lets at least hope so). If you stay at a locally owned inn or bed and breakfast, chances are the inn-keeper is up at the crack of dawn making coffee or bush tea, getting ready for breakfast. The Pink Fancy, a very charming historic Danish townhouse right on the out-skirts of Christiansted, even does a pool-side happy hour for their guests to get to know each other.
If this is the year for a family vacation, then The Tamarind Reef Hotel or Chenay Bay are PERFECT. Just a bit out of the way, but only a short taxi ride into town. Sprawling grounds, kid friendly beaches, water activities, and restaurants/bar.
A private villa is a seductive option for a couple looking for a romantic get-away. Privacy is the number one priority when you rent a private villa. Villas are also a nice option for a few couples or families who want to share the cost of a private home. Some of these properties are drop dead gorgeous (remember the villa in the movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back?)! Beachfront, and views as far as the eye can see. Ain’t nobody gonna’ care if you wake up in the middle of the night, sunburned, walking around in your towel looking for the bottle of aloe-vera.
St. Croix even has eco-lodging for those who truly want to experience the nightly show of twinkling stars to the sound of tree frogs and other insects that make music in the dark that I don’t know the name of. Mt. Victory Camp has unique dwellings built around mahogany trees (some of them are even screened in, YIPPEE!) and Northside Valley, St. Croix’s newest eco-accommodation describes itself as “a simple luxury for both the Northside visitor and Northside vegetation.”. They also have outdoor showers -MY FAVORITE (just a little tid bit you didn’t know about me!)
So there you it in a rather large nut shell. This is not meant to be a full list of your options, just a general idea, and to get you thinking about your own vacation style and needs. I don’t mean to be cliche, but St. Croix really does have something for everyone, that is what makes it the PERFECT Caribbean vacation spot.
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