Our ten day experience in this tropical wonder was better than average, but not as great as our experience with other Ritz Carlton facilities. The weather in December was better than our weather in Hawaii last year at the same time, so that was a plus. My understanding is the temperature is always a bit warmer than even the Bahamas, so the destination choice for weather was a good one, even though it rained a fair amount every day. We had one storm come through, but even so it lasted only a couple of hours.

Don't plan on any walking around the area off the hotel or club properties. Not only are there some questionable safety concerns in terms of people, but also issues with pedestian zones for walking along the roads. There are hardly any shoulders anywhere on the island and of course, if you're not careful you may get fooled by the right hand right of way traffic pattern.We rented a van for our party, and it was a good choice. The food is fairly expensive on premise and gets a bit boring, so the only alternative is finding a place to eat in nearby Red Hook area, right by the island ferry dock. There are plenty of good spots to choose from as good alternatives to Ritz Carlton monopoly of foods at the resort. But you will need transportation as the Club or hotel provide nothing. Either have your own or get a cab, which will cost a fair amount every day. Might as well rent a vehicle.

That said, we found both the hotel and clubs's eateries decent and generous in portions for the high cost. We prefered the hotel's poolside restaurant and service over the Club's offerings. Plus the swimming pool was heated, a definite plus for our 4 year old who refused to come out of the water the entire trip! Club bookings give you access to the hotel's facilities also, and it's just a very short walk between the complexes.

Service was very good except for one day, when an electronic glitch caused us to be locked out of our rooms and when opened we found the rooms had not been made up. It occured late at night and getting in to our room proved to be a very trying experience. No concierge on duty after early evening, it seems. We had to go over to the hotel for help, and it was not readily forthcoming, causing a tiring end to a long day.

Then there was the incessant noise from the generator rooms right behind the building. they have a de-salinazation plant and generator there running 24/7 and the hum is prevalent even on the side of our rooms away from their location. A definite drawback, at least for those in the building located closest to the West side of the complex. The water tasted salty to me, so we bought plenty of drinking water in Red Hook groceries.

I indulged in a bourbon and seven at several establishments on the island including the bars at the Ritz Carlton. Not one had the proper ingredients and they tasted horrible. Be forwarned!

The staff by the pool at the hotel was uneven in friendliness and cooperation. Some of the staff gave the distinct impression they were put out by accomodating even simple requests - towels, umbrellas. moving lounges, etc. Others were very friendly. So a mixed rating there.

We spent a lot of every relaxing morning listening to leafblowers, lawnmowers and rakers going over the grounds. Maintenance is one thing. Constant noise is another. Worst hotel/Club we've been in for that aspect.

The animal life is something to deal with. We had hordes of iguanas competing for our scraps of lettuce left in dishes. And we had hordes of stray cats competing for the rest of the scraps in our dishes. There was zero effort on the part of management to limit this unwanted intrusion of beasts into our lounging areas anywhere on the complex.

Overall, Hawaii was and will be a better choice for a vacation. The island itself harbors a poverty ridden mentality and appearance. We are not shoppers and the shops of Charlotte Amalie offered nothing of interest. We took in a round of golf at the only facility on the island - Mahogany Run which I will write about soon.

Last we want to point out that the fourth floor view we wanted came at a price. Our room was located in the same place as the breakfast room which is located one floor above our bedroom. Not good. At 6 every morning the staff could be heard moving about, bumping things, dropping things and scrapping tables around. I cannot stand anybody over me when I try to sleep, so that was intolerable. About 7 when the noise overhead quieted down, the leaf blowers and lawn mowers started up outside. Terrible. Hope you like getting up early in the dark with nothing to do.

I visited St Thomas and stayed a week at the Ritz in January 2013. I thought the location of the hotel on St. Thomas was great. It was secluded but still convenient to Red Hook.

The grounds of the hotel were beautiful.. great views of St John. I thought the rooms were nice... but I should add, I was attending an event and didn't pay for the room (nice perk, eh?) so I can't really comment on the "value" of the rooms/resort.

I did a few dives with the onsite dive shop (Patagon) .. in general they go to dives sites close to the resort. If I were to return to the Ritz, I think I'd give the dive shop in Red Hook a try instead hoping for better dives sites and more variety.

I played tennis almost each day and the two courts were nice but there is some type of machinery (perhaps the AC units for the entire resort) adjacent to the courts and they were loud! I couldn't even hear my opponent across the court announce the score during the game... kinda odd for a property like the Ritz in a setting like the Caribbean.

I ate several meals on site and enjoyed the global dining place the best... decent food and I didnt think the cost was too bad for the Ritz.

Overall, a nice stay and great service. Everyone I encountered seemed friendly.

We read our fair share of reviews on here before booking the Ritz. Some were a little too harsh, but overall, the reviews came through for us in our planning phase.

We found the staff to be exceptional. They were friendly, engaging, and very helpful. It seemed like they couldn't do enough for us.

Our room with the ocean view was tremendous. The hotel is sprawled out over several buildings. We were in the last building (they are lettered with associated names. A is closest and F is the farthest). People on here complained that the valets with the golf carts were never available. They were great! Every time we called for our car, guest services would ask if we needed a ride (we walked 95% of the time). As we were walking, carts driving by would stop and ask us if we wanted a ride. Again, they were very helpful.

It's a nice gym, tennis courts were good, and the beach was plenty big enough, and the watersports folks were very personable, as well.

Where the trip advisor reviews saved us was with the food. We concur on overpriced and average. Our first day there, we had a sandwich and the tacos with a lemonade and water...$62! We know the island is expensive, but way to stick it to your guests

But we didn't complain because we knew this was coming and we had decided to rent a car for the week. You HAVE to rent one! It's very easy driving around the island. You get used to the left side quickly and the signage on the island helps with that, as well. We hit all the places in Red Hook, we drove the island, went to other beaches, etc. Why spend tons of money on mediocre, overpriced food? The car paid for itself. (We had a BRIGHT green 4-door jeep. Ask the Valets about it. It was the ongoing joke we all laughed about)

Bottom line: Great hotel, great location, east end is the best. Get a car!

Ps We took the ferry to St John one day to walk around. We should have taken the car there.

My family enjoyed spending New Years as this great resort within a resort. Not to belabor all of the positive points previously made, but there are severalworth reiterating:

1. The rooms were excellent. Spacious, well equipped, expansive water views, clean, updated and the perfect place for a family to unwind for a week. The ability to cook and do laundry throughout the week was a real plus. We couldn't have asked for more and the accommodations exceeded our expectations. Pictures offered by website are direct correlation to what you will experience.

2. Service. I read seval places where this property did not have service that was comparable to other Ritz locations. This was not our experience. We have had the good fortune of staying at many Ritz Carlton properties throughout the US, Caribbean and Mexico. That said, we found the service at this hotel excellent. From the moment we checked in and were greeted with "Welcome home" by the GM to the time we left, we found the service was excellent throughout the property. Everyone we encountered was happy, was genuinely willing to assist us and did so in an expeditious manner.

3. Beach. I also read complaints of the beach being too small, etc. Are you kidding me? The setting is absolutely to die for on a natural cove with the most beautiful water and sand you have ever experienced. Our children (ages 5, 9 & 12) we entertained all week long swimming, snorkeling and exploring. It is also very nice that the water is very calm which is perfect for little ones.

4. Location. For anyone who desires to book water excursions, the resort is ideally located a short drive to Red Hook to catch ferries, water taxis and private boat tours. There are also several restaurants in Red Hook that we enjoyed. We had a great meal at Pesce.

5. Cost. High cost in absence of value is a waste of money. You will not find that to be the case at this wonderful property. In previous reviews, several have mentioned how expensive the resort, restaurants, etc. are. If you are planning to visit St. Thomas or the surrounding islands and are looking for low cost you might as well stay home and save yourself the frustration. This is notnan inexpensive place to visit. That said, if you desire an ideal Caribbean setting, access to great restaurants, ferries to explore other islands and access to an imoeccable Ritz you have the makings of a perfect vacation.

6. Relaxing. We found jthe hotel guests were respectful with not a lot of loud music or anything of that nature during the day or evening. if you desire more activity, you also have access to the Ritz hotel next door. The pool at the hotel was busier and lively than the residences. Also more restaurant choices there too.

7. Pool Bar. We enjoyed lunch, snacks and a numbe of great cocktails here. Service was impeccable, food was very good and the drinks were worth it!

In sum, this is a great resort to enjoy for families and couples who desire a place to unwind. I hope you have as great of an experience as we did at this resort!