Caneel bay is a luxury resort without many of the immenities that some people may expect, such as phone and t.v. in room....but who would want that in paradise?? Home to the most beautiful beaches in the world and definitely in all of St. John. There is beautiful snorkeling right of the beaches with rays, turtles and gorgeous fish. I tried the dinner in the ruins but there were too many mosquitoes around. I do wish there was some sort of program to offer return guests reduced rates when the resort had openings. I stayed Courtside and will never be able to afford anything but!

My wife and I cannot communicate enough positive feedback on our experiences at Caneel Bay, a Rosewood Resort. February, 2013 was our second visit. The first time we stayed three nights. This time was for ten nights. We will definitely return next year (circumstances permitting), probably for 12 nights. The resort has become a special break and second home offering an escape from vicious northern winters. There is absolutely nothing negative that we can think of that was under the control of the resort. From the moment of arrival at the St. Thomas airport to the welcoming bottle of cool water from Caneel Bay staff inside the terminal, to the taxi ride to the boat dock in St. Thomas and boat trip to the resort, to the welcome at the Caneel Bay dock, and all that followed, it was consistently a relaxing, welcoming experience that was worthy of the high end price. You definitely receive top value at Caneel Bay. If you are compiling a list of places to relax, snorkel, sunbathe, hike, explore, watch wildlife and spectacular scenery, wine and dine, then place Caneel Bay at the top of the list. Staff quickly learn who you are, what your preferences may be, and discreetly take care of your every need. My wife has a need for filtered coffee every morning. She asked for a coffee pot with a filter system to replace the pods that are standard for the rooms and on arrival it was there - this eased her into each morning and so began a positive start to each day's activities and adventures. And don't miss out on the complimentary afternoon tea, the wild donkeys, deer, iguanas, mongooses and multitudes of birds that wander and fly freely about the expansive property. Finally, the meals on site were consistently of top quality and served with particular attention to every detail. A special kudo to all the staff for making us feel special and important. Well done!

My family and I just returned from our second trip to Caneel and wanted to give some updates. For starters, we still consider it the best resort in the Caribbean. As I stated in my previous posting, http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147413-d147592-Reviews-Caneel_Bay_A_Rosewood_Resort-Caneel_Bay_St_John_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html, you will not find a better staff and more beautiful resort.
This year I wanted to post an update for people with children, we traveled with children ages 6, 3 and 9 months. Caneel can be an intimidating place to take young children because there are no TVs or kitchens in the rooms. Here are some thoughts for those of you considering it. You have a three options for rooms. Everyone shares a room, depending of on your threshold for pain and how much you like your kids, this is by far the most economical choice. The second choice is to get adjoining rooms, we did this for a night this year and it worked out really well. The last choice is room 12, which is expensive, but has plenty of room. The only thing that is concerning about room 12 is there is a hug drop off to the water from the patio, which may increase the stress of your vacation a bit.
Now to the most important part of Caneel for parents, the Kids Club. Caneel offers a free childcare program for kids ages 3 and up in an amazing newly updated play space on the resort. The staff, in particular, Laurinda and Ivy were a true joy and left our son emotional during his goodbye. Caneel also provide referrals to the same babysitter during your stay for days and nights. We were fortunate to be introduced to Tasha last year who is amazing. Our daily schedule was to drop off the older two at the kids club at 9am where Tasha would meet us, taking our youngest and allowing us 3 hours of adult vacationing time. At night Tasha would show up around 6:30, and allow up to head out for an adult dinner for the evening. In addition to the childcare staff, all of the employees were extremely gracious and accommodating to the kids. Just another reason that Caneel is the best travel option for anyone. Most people don't want to bring their young children on vacation, but if you must, Caneel does everything to make it enjoyable

Just returned from our second spring break visit with my college-student sons (we went again this year at their request). Had to laugh at the previous review, because as the resort is in the national park, guests at other resorts/properties may use the beaches, but they are not permitted to use the beach chairs or equipment, which are reserved for hotel guests, and this is made quite clear.
As well as we were treated as first-time guests last year, returning guests are treated like family. Which is why, I guess, that they have so many repeat guests. It was nice to re-connect with employees and other guests we remembered. The staff here are exceptional.
This year my younger son dove again with the dive shop at the resort (Patagon) and had the same dive master. This is a first-rate operation. I hiked with my older son on the trails. We saw land crabs, mongooses, iguanas, birds, turtles, rays, the resident barracuda (Barry), and of course the donkeys and deer.
If you want casinos and highrises, don't come to St. John. If you want TVs and glitz, go to a different resort. If you want to get away from everything in a serene and beautiful setting, Caneel Bay is the place for you.