We just returned from our honeymoon at Frenchman's Reef last week. We had a good time only because we had each other. The hotel was very boring for a supposedly 5-star resort. There were no worthwhile activities and the ones planned didn't happen (beach volleyball). I expect a 5-star resort to have an activities director to keep you entertained if you choose to. There was absolutely no nightlife. No club on site which is what I would have expected. The restaurants are extremely overpriced and the service is terrible. No one was even concerned that they were moving in slow motion. The only reason we even chose this hotel was because my dad is a marriott employee. This hotel is just O.K. Definitely not 5-star, maybe 3. The room was dated, moldy smelling and typical of a days inn. The beach was just average, full of coral and rocks. Difficult beach access. Iguana are everywhere. Parking situation is horrendous. I fell on the crooked pavement the day we arrived and slightly twisted my ankle and wrist. What a way to start a honeymoon! Will never return. Marriott must never read these reviews.

I travel for business about 40% of the year and am a Marriott Rewards member and the Frenchmen's Reef is by FAR the worst Marriott that I have ever stayed at. I stayed there for 2 weeks in August when I was in St. Thomas for work. The hotel loses power almost daily, tv. goes out daily, the pools are disgusting, I've never seen so many bugs floating in a pool and I grew up a swimmer and lifeguarded during my summers! Service is not even CLOSE to being up to Marriott levels. Room service claims to take 45 minutes but over an hour is almost a guarantee and the food is nothing to write home about. The beach area is nice, but not easy to get to. Havanna Blue is a great restaurant that is on the Morning Star side, but quite pricey, I wouldn't take the family there for dinner. Also, you're not centrally located, you will have to take a cab or rent a car and fend for yourself on the hilly blind curves while driving on the left side of the road if you want to get anywhere other than the resort. When I checked for my 2nd week I had to change rooms twice, first time because they put me on the ground floor which not only smelled horrible but also had cockroaches. The second time I had to switch because the floor of my room was covered in water from a leak in the wall. Not impressed at all. And if you have any fear of lizards, you better get over it because there are giant iguanas all over the place and they will approach you and beg for food...they will in fact, climb onto your pool chair and join you for lunch. I was also present for the fire that the hotel experienced where the hotel was evacuated for 4 hours and several people were sent to the Holiday Inn. That's all I can think of to share for now. Moral of the story, I wouldn't recommend it and I don't think it qualifies as a 4 star hotel. Maybe a 3.

We stayed at the Marriott from August 9th to 14th, 2008. We had a reservation for a "resort view" room. When we finally were allowed in our room (4pm), we found that we had the room next to the elevator, and the window opened up to the roof drain lines. No view of anything. Not acceptable at all. The explanation from the front desk was that there are ocean view rooms, then everything else, no matter where it is, is a resort view. After much complaining, we were moved one of the other buildings. That one wasn't much better. Our balcony overlooked the employee parking lot. We decided to suck it up - weren't spending much time in the room anyway.

We did not do the all inclusive package, and here's the problem: if you eat on property, the restaurants are ridiculously expensive. $15 burgers, $20 salads, entrees in the $30s. If you go off property, the only way to get there is via cab (nothing in walking distance), and cabs are very pricey. The closest area to the hotel with restaurant options is Yacht Haven, and the cab is $6pp each way, so (with tip) over $25 total for the two of us per meal just to go out to eat. If you want to go someplace else on the island, cabs are that much more - for example, $12pp each way to go to Red Hook.

The hotel is just old. Period. It obviously hasn't been renovated in years. Bits and pieces here and there may have been renovated (new headboards, new bathroom counters), but not enough to make this a top tier hotel. Moldy linens, mildewy bathrooms, chipped paint everywhere, stained carpet. The list goes on.

All in all, it was a good trip. We were in the Caribbean, can't complain that much. But this hotel is not worth it. Simply attaching a Marriott name to an old, outdated property doesn't make it a nice resort.

We were very disappointed in our stay at the Frenchman's reef. We were given a room in the sea cliff section, which appears to be the oldest section of the resort. The ceiling had stains, tiles on the floor had holes and it is just in dire need of updating. The first day there we complained to the front that our whole hallway smelled like urine. They didn't do much the first day and the next two times we complained they just sprayed a bunch of Lysol and after a few hours the stench returned. One evening they had an electrical fire and the whole hotel was evacuated and we were not allowed back to our rooms for several hours. The pool & hot tube by the beach were closed several times for weddings. You have to walk down 500 steps to get to the beach, just look at the pictures. The days the pool and hot tub by the beach were open they had more junk floating in them than the ocean and it was mainly because the water level was below the water level needed to circulate water through the filter. We complained but they didn’t do anything. Our rental car was hit at least once while parked in the parking garage and since they don’t charge for parking they are not responsible. So the Marriott has chosen to take the easy route out and just not charge for parking so they don’t have to worry about your rental car in the garage instead of using their brains and figuring out a way to charge a few dollars for parking so you don’t have to worry about expensive charges for other people hitting your rental car! Thanks Marriott! There was a big load of bird crap on the glass window in the atrium for the elevator on the day we got there and it was there nine days later when we were leaving, so it’s obvious they don’t spend too much time cleaning the common areas. The seawall below the walkway for the beach is all eroded away. The tennis courts were closed for renovations the whole time we were there and not one person touched one object the whole time. It looked like they hadn't even started. The last day we were there we were standing in the hallway with our luggage and the maid came running through in route to her next room and almost knocked me over. She didn’t say excuse me or apologize for running me over. Each local phone call is $2.50, which adds up quick when you’re trying to schedule local activities. The first night there we got three waters and three ice creams from the gift shop and it was $30. I know hotels need to mark up to make a profit, but that’s a joke. They have a ferry ride to downtown which would be nice if it was complementary, but it’s $6, per person, each way! What a rip off! It was just a very disappointing experience and I'm glad to be done with the place. For the money I'm sure there are better resorts in the Islands. Best of luck!