We decided to book The Palms due to its #1 ranking on TripAdvisor - a method that has worked for us several times in the past. Well, i have to say that i have no idea how this hotel could possibly be # 1. The room itself is something you'd find find at a cheap rate motel in the states. The bedding was low quality, the tile floors were not clean, and the corners in the closet reminded me of caulking around a tub that had become grimy and dirty. There was dirt all around the edges to the point that my wife refused to put anything on the floor. The safe- which is actually a metal lockbox in the closet- was covered in rust both inside and out and the lighting in the room was so poor you could barely see - there were no overhead lights - just 2 lamps which were inadequate. But my chief complaint has to be the insects. The room was infested with mosquitos. I would spend my nights killing mosquitos so that my wife and I could get some bite-free sleep but it was to no avail. I killed 8 each of my first two nights and even requested no maid service so as to keep the door closed as much as possible to cut down on the infestation. And I get that I'm on an island and that bugs are part of the deal but I have stayed at hotels in Costa Rica in the rain forest that were not nearly as buggy as this because the maids would spray and take precaution to be mindful of the bug problem. Another issue was the snorkeling gear. While it was nice that the gear was offered to hotel guests free of charge, the gear itself did not appear to have been washed. On one occasion while going thru the gear to find a pair of fins, I pulled out a pair that was full of sand. When returning the gear one evening, our used snorkels which had been in our mouths all day were thrown right into the pile of gear that was offered to guests for use the following morning. Gross. The idea that we were putting unwashed snorkels in our mouths was disgusting. On the positive side, the hotel staff was extremely helpful and very friendly. The location of the hotel is great in that it is a short drive to Christiansted where the boardwalk is located, where boat excursions depart from and where you can find good restaurants and shopping. In addition, the hotel is right on the beach and you can snorkel or sunbathe right there. But all those features do not compensate for the poor quality of the room, particularly when the cost is nearly $300 per night.

For the price, this place couldn't be beat! I have stayed in 5 star hotels, and while this doesn't compare to the Ritz, it's a superb for what you pay, and I would certainly go back. Rent a car, dinners must be experienced elsewere!

Room Interior: Very basic interior: Off-white tile floors, light-yellow walls. Bathroom was nicely configured, and the shower temperature and pressure were good. We stayed in a corner room on the first floor. The room was very large. But it had a mildly "musty" order. The best I could figure out was that the inside of the AC's may have had some mold, as the smell was strongest near the AC. The smell was not bad, but it was noticeable. I did ask the front desk if we could switch rooms but they were full until midweek, and by then I was not about to give up my fabulous private patio.

Room Exterior: Great private patio with lounge seats right on the ocean. Amazing views! This was heavenly.

Beach: Because there is a great deal of coral just off the shore, the width of the beach is roughly 6 feet - 30 feel. Just enough room to walk comfortably and lounge in chairs. The upside of this is that it was a very quiet area. If you like to hunt for sea glass, this place is amazing! (I'm convinced many throw wine bottles into the ocean daily, and with all of the coral immediately off the shore, it doesn't take long for the glass to become sea glass.) There is not too many areas to swim due to the coral. Bring water shoes if you want to wade in the water, the coral can be rough on the feet.

Swimming/Snorkeling: This hotel has the best reputation for snorkeling on St. Croix, and I would have to agree. It is a great place to swim? Not so much. There is a channel that you can swim in perpendicular to the shore. But that's about it. The staff are more than happy to give a guided snorkeling tours just off their beach. These were fun! (And informative, and the safety overview was beneficial. If you were to get swept away in a rip tide, swim perpendicular to the shore, until you are out of it, then swim in. Fortunately this didn't happen to me, and do I think it happens often.) In high tide you can comfortably swim over all of the coral and see amazing see life. In low tide you need to be careful since you could scrape your stomach on the coral if you are not careful where you swim.There is an underwater coral "ridge" to the right of the channel that had a sting ray nest just over it, on occasion I would find myself unexpectedly just a few feet from the stingray. That was cool! (Due to the copious amounts of coral, this is not a good beach for toddlers.)

Local Activities: We rented a car and toured the entire island. Great hikes! Be sure to see Point Udall--beautiful views of the ocean from there. The Divi Hotel on the other side of the island is a great day trip. And they have amazing frozen drinks that are not to be missed! We also visited many beaches simply by using our smart phones and heading out to see what we could find. Great beaches can be found all over the island!

Hotel Restaurant: Breakfasts were great. However, skip the hotel restaurant for dinner. We ate dinner here twice and were disappointed both times. High priced food that was very bland. The bar provides typical pub food that is good for pub food.

Local Restaurants: The forums for St. Croix are fabulous for dining recommendations. Don't miss The Buccaneer for a sunset dinner. The views are simply breathtaking, and the food here was probably the best meal of our week.

Would I go back? Yes, but I will try the Buccaneer next time just for a change. Though I might have to stay a night or two at the Palms for the snorkeling! Great place for the price!

We just returned from a week stay at the palms Nov 10th to 17th. This was our third stay at the Palms in 4 years and it seems to just keep getting better with time. Our room was clean, comfortable beds, and what you would expect for a beachside resort. Liked the convienence of the remote controlled AC unit in the room along with mini fridge and microwave. Staff were very friendly and accomadating. Mama G (housekeeping) always checked in with us every time we ran into her inquiring about our room and if we needed anything. Access to washer/dryer and the ice machine worked well.
We ate most of our meals at the restaurant and received very good service regardless of how busy they were (which was often so be prepared). Highly recommend Friday Lobster night and not to miss their Monday "Caribbean Night" with the firedancing ladies and Mooko Jumbi stilt walkers. Very entertaining. Other nights they seemed to always have live singers serenading through the dinner service. Excellent ambiance. Food was great value.

My wife and I stayed here during the last weekend of September and we could not have been happier. We opted to stay here because my wife's close friends were getting married at the resort, what a great choice. From the moment we checked in until the moment we checked out the staff was excellent. They attended to our every need and want. The grounds were very well maintained and the beach was very clean. Two helpful tips, enjoy swimming in the breathtaking ocean and snorkeling with Mitch is a must. Our bartender Rico made the best drinks on the island and was welcoming to everyone at a busy bar. The room was more than enough for my wife and I and the view was amazing. If you're considering a trip to St. Croix, please do yourself a favor and stay at The Palms.