Hi.

We're also thinking about Caneel Bay...stayed at the Westin last March and had a great time exploring the island. As a "home base," the Westin was great. The dive and snorkling trips depart right from the dock and were the best part of the vacation. The dive shop also gave great advice on where the best snorkling could be found on any given day, due to weather conditions. We rented a car and had a great time at Salt Pond Cay (saw several large turtles, rays and a lazy nurse shark). The food at the Westin was only fair, but the pool was nice. We took the Westin shuttle into town for dinner most nights (be sure to try Asolare...get reservations early in the day).

We had nothing but good experiences with the locals and the hotel staff...very friendy and often gave helpful "insider" advice.

Never stayed at Caneel Bay, but got back from the Westin about 2 months ago... we were actually surprised how nice it was after all the so-so reviews here.

Locals being rude?? Ehh, everywhere you go there are rude people. We've never encountered any on St. John from our past 2 trips.

It's a different culture there -- it's actually *rude* to not start a conversation with someone without saying Good Day or Good Morning first... simple things like that get you a long way.

Caneel Bay certainly has nicer beaches. However, renting a car is a must, IMO. When we stayed at the Westin we were only there to sleep -- we explored all the islands wonderful beaches on our own. I can see how if people go to the Westin and just stay there all week they might be a bit disappointed.

Here's some pics I took from our last trip:

www.pbase.com/mreilly01/st_john2

Good luck and if you have any other questions, let me know.

Nice username, BTW: Sleeting and snowing here right now in NJ :)

Matt

Definitely recommend the Westin, have stayed at both and Caneel Bay is extremely quiet.

Have not had any problems with the local in regard to racism.

I've stayed at Caneel twice, but never the Westin.

St. John is such a beautiful place that you'll love it regardless of which hotel you pick. The biggest difference is the beaches. If you stay at the Westin, you need to rent a car to get to any true St. John beaches.

The accommodation at Caneel is nice, comfortable, and as clean as can be expected on an fairly rustic island. It's not like staying at a large chain hotel; furniture might be a bit dinged-up and it's definitely not white-glove service. But honestly, I can't take major issue with anything. True, there's not a lot going on there, but if you're going on vacation to truly relax, it's perfect. Especially considering there aren't alarm clocks (or clocks at all for that matter) in the rooms.

Never had a problem with racism, although staff at Caneel can come off as less-than enthusiastic at times. Be prepared to drop some cash. It's not a place for the highly budget conscious, but the solitude is worth it.

Which hotel you pick really depends on what you are looking for. If you want peace and quiet, Caneel Bay is the place.

There is more lively action at the Westin.

In town you have to eat at the Lime Inn. Easy to find in Cruz Bay and delicious food with great prices. Don't miss their mint ice tea by the carafe and get their hot brownie dessert and try to get your butt up from the table. They are both must haves!

Don't miss Trunk Bay and do the underwater snorkel!

Take Bug spray and put it on at least twice a day, all over, trust me! You will thank me big time.

Some islanders can be very rude, just feel sorry for them. Start out your every communication with "Good Day"... and "Can you please..." That usually helps. If you don't understand someone's reply don't be afraid to say:

"What? I am afraid I didn't understand you."

They forget that we are not all used to their rapid lingo and dialect. they will slow it down in their repetitions.

Relax, don't expect anything to be done on time except the ferry and check out and you will have a great vacation. Wait until you see what you have to go through to get out of the Virgin Islands! Whew! that is a journey all in itself! No terrorist would bother with all the checks and counter checks!

The Caneel property and beaches are truly among the most beautiful in the world. Westin in nice but beach is man made with imported sand and palm trees and poor circulation with many live aboard boats in Great Cruz Bay. Splurge and go to Caneel.

As noted, start all conversations with "Good Morning, Good Day or Good Evening" goes a long way....

My husband and I are visiting the Westin in St. John for the first time the first week of March 2005.

I have done A LOT of research on where to stay -- and with rates at the Westin in March of $329 a night, and rates at Caneel at $600+ a night, I have not seen sufficient cause on any post to change my reservation from the Westin. For an extra $300 a night I would need Ritz-Carlton level rooms and service, or at least TRUE barefoot elegance and fantastic service, to feel I was getting my money's worth. I have read tons about Caneel, and for all of its beauty, it does not seem to deliver the high-end experience it is charging for.

So I'll take the extra $300 per day that I'm not spending at the Westin and reserve a whole-day powerboat snorkle trip to Jost Van Dyke, a half-day catamaran sail to some wonderful St. John snorkel spots, car rental to explore the beauty of the island, and buy some "nice" souvenirs for my friends back home. And I'll have enough left over to have wonderful meals in Cruz Bay at all of the restaurants I've been learning about -- Stone Terrace, Tage, Chateau Bordeaux, etc.

I know that us Jersey-types don't like to feel we're getting taken -- and I feel the value is really at the Westin.

Good luck with your trip! I will definitely be posting a comprehensive trip report on TripAdvisor when I return.

Hi

If it's Ritz-Carlton level of elegance you're looking for, Caneel is not for you. But, if you're there to snorkel & soak up the sun at any of it's 7 gorgeous beaches & can be happy with a comfortable beach-bungalow style room, than you may appreciate Caneel's laid-back charm. The Westin's advantages are it's family-friendly (huge) resort style pool and the price of it's rooms. The Westin beach isn't really worth your time when the rest of St. John's beaches offer amazing vistas. Food isn't really the draw at either resort...many other great places to eat on the island (Lime Inn, Asolare, Stone Terrace, Fish Trap, La Tapa). Personally, I enjoy the quiet of Caneel more than the "resort"-like atmosphere at the Westin, but if cost is your deciding factor, than follow JerseyKats lead.

Get me out,

We travel to St. John regularly even got married there and for the amount of money those resorts charge we recommend looking into renting a villa..............Some of the best views in the caribbean. We love to sit on the decks and just drift off.

As far as the locals go, I think that people from the states forget it's a different culture. I is customary to greet them as in goodmorning/afternoon/evening before asking questions. That and a smile and you will have no problems. One last thing...............remember to slow your pace down and have fun!

To JerseyKat

You can get the Westin on Priceline. To check how much to bid go to biddingfortravel.com

For what it is worth- Caneel Bay is worth the price!!

No one visits the Westin who is staying atCaneel Bay.

Everyone at the Westin visits Caneel Bay, get my point??