** This place is temporarily closed** Further to the devastating impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September of 2017, Caneel Bay was damaged to such an extent that it was impossible to re-open. The owners are working diligently with many constituencies, including both local and Federal authorities, to establish a framework for Caneel Bay to operate as a luxury resort moving forward and to once again become an active part of the vibrant community on St. John. Achieving this goal requires many components to come together and regrettably at this stage, it is not possible to advise of a re-opening date. As soon as more information is know, a time-line towards a re-opening date will be made available.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
On our first trip to Caneel Bay, we stood on the bow of the shuttle boat, and an older couple next to us said, "There it is!" We looked out at the low-lying resort nestled into the landscape and asked if they'd been there before. "Every year for 20 years." They replied. My wife and I thought they must have endless funds to come to a place like this every year, but by the end of our trip, we understood. They just had their priorities straight.
We vowed to follow their example and come back annually to this magnificent, peaceful place, with no TVs or phones to distract you from the pristine experience. We found ourselves surrounded by sea turtles, deer, hummingbirds, donkeys, iguanas, mongooses, and more. All so unbothered by the nearby humans, it seemed like we were in Eden. Perhaps we were. Just as Eve and Adam were forced out, Hurricane Irma brought ruin to this paradise — our dream of an annual pilgrimage ended after only five years.
If those gates ever reopen, we will be there — again and again.
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Date of stay: September 2023
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Location
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Patrick Kidd, Marketing at Caneel Bay Resort
Responded Sep 5, 2023
Thank you for taking time to share these evocative and beautifully described memories - our hearts are broken that we have been thus far prevented from rebuilding Caneel Bay Resort exactly as it was. Our stewardship of that incredible piece of paradise ensured that repeat guests like yourselves could disconnect from the outside world, and simply enjoy the beauty of the natural environment. On behalf of past long-term team members who worked at Caneel Bay Resort, and our local community, we express our deepest wish that we have the pleasure of welcoming you back in the future.
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Staying at Caneel Bay Resort was a trip of a lifetime with stellar 5 star service across all aspects. Sadly, on this trip, it was not open due to previous hurricane damage which is a true disappointment. Here is so hoping it returns.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurence Rockefeller helped create the first and greatest Eco resort in America. Living in New York City, and visiting Caneel Bay were polar opposites. Spending many nights sleeping at Scott Beach was an incredible gift. We were around many renowned and famous people, but everyone was there for the same reason. An incredible experience. Rockresorts mangement was superior. We’ve traveled all over the world, but Caneel will always be my favorite . I hope everything gets straightened out, and we may be able to visit again, but if not, thanks for incredible memories
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just got back from 5 nights at Caneel Bay and needed a few days to reflect on the experience before writing this review. Because I spent my honeymoon at Caneel Bay over 11 years ago I’ve been anxious to return as I remember it being an absolutely wonderful resort. Back then it was owned by Rosewood Resorts – now it’s independently owned and operated – and while some things were the same, much was had changed. Overall, it was an average experience.
First of all - a little background. Over the last 25 years I’ve spent a lot of business and personal travel time in everything from a Ritz Carlton to Four Seasons to a Marriott to a La Quinta Inn - I feel I’ve developed a fair understanding of good customer service, quality, consistency, and value. Personally, I’m uncomfortable at a Ritz Carlton because I’m a laid back kind-of-guy who doesn’t like to get overly dressed up or need to be called “sir” all the time. My bed doesn’t need to be turned down at night by housekeeping, I usually carry my own bags when possible, and I like to park my own car. However, I’ve also grown to appreciate good customer service – and the Ritz is known for this. But over the years experience has taught me that you don’t have to stay at a Ritz to get great customer service. For example, back home in Tennessee my favorite restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall Burrito joint where you can get a great healthy meal for about $10 – and they have unbelievable customer service. But here’s the rub – if I don’t get good customer service at my favorite hole-in-the-wall, it really doesn’t matter because I’m getting an inexpensive meal – which is all I need. But if I’m paying a premium rate for a 5 star hotel, I sort of expect customer service to be top-notch. Not because I have some petty need to be called “sir” or have someone anticipate my every desire, but simply because I’m paying a premium for a premier property and I can’t imagine anyone would expect customer service to be nothing short of excellent.
11 years ago I remember Caneel Bay having great customer service. Today, it’s below average. There’s an expression we often use here in the US called “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” – which loosely translated means don’t make a sweeping generalization based on a single experience. Caneel Bay, after all, has some great people – and I fortunately got to experience this first hand. For example, when we booked our hotel, we mentioned that we’d stayed there on our honeymoon 11 years ago and we requested a room in a particular area of the resort. When we entered our room, there was a complementary chilled bottle of champagne, a bottle of Rum, and a few other items – along with a card from Caneel’s Managing Director, Nikolay Hotze, thanking us for our stay. Another example - after our first night we regretted our room choice (our fault) and wished we’d asked for something closer to Caneel Bay. That evening we were on a taxi into Cruz Bay and met Mary – who worked in reservations. She asked how we were enjoying our stay and we mentioned we wished we’d chosen a different room. To make a long story shorter, she personally arranged for us to change rooms and that evening, we were enjoying a wonderful evening in a newly renovated room. There were a few other positive experiences with the staff, but overall, it wasn’t good. About 1/5 of Caneel’s staff (that we interacted with directly) were great. About 3/5 were just below average. And the remaining 1/5 were terrible and in my opinion, should be fired. Particularly the guys who work on the beach – but that’s another story.
My wife and I both felt the staff just didn’t care much about their jobs – and certainly not about us. We felt this mostly from the food service staff and the beach-front staff – the two groups of employees we interacted with the most. Over drinks one evening I was talking about this with another guest who interestingly felt the same way. In fact, he’d had such a negative experience with one of the beach staff guys that he came very close to making a complaint.
3 weeks ago we were in a much less posh resort in Roatan (another Caribbean Island – off the coast of Honduras) with a much lower price point than Caneel Bay. Without a doubt, if was obvious to us that every single member of their staff was grateful for their jobs – and that was reflected in how they interacted with resort guests. The price of that trip was about ½ of what we paid at Caneel which goes to show you can get great customer service without paying a premium. Maybe it was a culture thing – St. John is a US protectorate while Roatan is a solid Hispanic culture and a strong work ethic.
I could give more specific examples, but I’ll end with this. Would I return to Caneel Bay? Absolutely – it’s such a beautiful property on a very beautiful island. Such an amazing place that even marginal customer service can’t ruin the entire experience. My advice if you’re considering Caneel - set your expectations low for customer service, don’t eat at the resort as you can get much better food for about ½ the price in Cruz Bay (a much longer story), and just accept / don’t be upset with the fact you paid a premium for marginal customer service. If you do all of the above, you’ll have a great time. Seriously – Caneel is a beautiful place and there is a lot to do on St. John – both on and off the resort. I had to go to the Westin Resort one morning to pick up a boat and it was crowded, impersonal, and nowhere near as beautiful as Caneel. I have no idea what the Westin’s customer service is like but it was a stark reminder of Caneel Bay’s pristine beauty.
Finally, I know other reviewers won’t agree my assessment of this resort – and that’s fine. Most of these Trip Advisor reports for Caneel are positive while mine is more critical. They’re entitled to their opinions and I’m entitled to mine. But I like to be fair and as I've pointed out, not everything was bad. Other reviewers may have different expectations / experience with customer service, maybe they came at a time of the year when things weren’t so busy, or maybe they just don’t care. If I get nasty messages from people (it wouldn’t be the first time) I just won’t answer them. I put a lot of stake in TripAdvisor reviews and feel it’s important to contribute based on my experiences. I wish I had better things to say, but unfortunately I think Caneel Bay needs some work. I wish the Managing Director had been there during my stay as I’d love to have sat down with him one evening and constructively shared some of my thoughts. After all, I’d love to return one day and feel like I was getting a better value from a premium resort. I expect to return one day – hopefully things will be better.
A few final tips: if you have kids, pay the premium to stay in one of the rooms on Caneel Beach / Bay. It’s close to the water sports, on one of the nicest beaches, close to food options, and just steps from your back door to the beach. They don’t make promises for room preferences but ask for room 24 – it’s newly renovated and awesome. Also Google “Dinghy Rentals” and rent one for a day – it’s a great way to explore the island by water.
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Date of stay: July 2015
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Stay on Caneel Bay - the main beach. Ask for room 24
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So, I never write reviews but felt compelled to write this in hopes of saving someone else the money/headache. I had a destination wedding of about 15 people at Caneel Bay (at Turtle Bay) in August 2013 and the service was shockingly terrible. My previous experience with Rosewood (and the amount of money I was spending) led me to believe that it would be upscale/nice but instead, the staff was rude, lazy, and honestly, kind of mean. And- note that most of the rooms do not have phones in them, which causes a myriad of issues (for example the night before my wedding we wanted room service so my fiance had to walk around the resort searching for a "phone station" to call in our order). Although we asked (and offered to pay more for) a large/nice room (because the bridesmaids would be getting ready there), we were put in a tiny room with no phone. Finally, after asking twice more once we got there, we were switched to a larger room (after being treated like they were doing us a favor and already spending 2 nights in the other one).
But, the room issue was just the beginning-The day of the wedding, I requested access to a full-length mirror three times (so I could fully see myself in my wedding dress) and, although a mirror was supposedly "on its way," I never got one. The wedding dinner table set-up literally looked like it was decorated with purchases from the Dollar Store (for example, the main decoration was fake candles-without any kind of decorative votives- throughout the room). The "wedding coordinator" LEFT THE WEDDING literally 20 minutes after the ceremony. The guy that books events for the venue served as the dinner "wait staff" (and was, apparently, put off by having to do so because he threw our plates in front of us like he was mad at us for even being there). My fiance and I had to coordinate the cake cutting (as the wedding coordinator had left- see above) and were instructed that we had to cut the cake as soon as the ceremony was over (before anyone even sat down to eat dinner) because, although we had paid for and chosen a separate dessert, they were using the cake as the dessert and they had to start cutting it right away. The ENTIRE STAFF LEFT THE WEDDING so that, at the end of the night (the entire wedding lasted about 3 hours- it was only about 10 pm), THERE WAS LITERALLY NO STAFF AT THE VENUE- seriously- they left myself and my guests just at the venue by ourselves without even notifying us that they were leaving. I had to go to the entrance of the venue, find a "phone station," and call for a bus to come get us to take us back to the main part of the resort.
Other examples of my honeymoon experience at Caneel Bay include: ordering ice cream room service and not bringing us spoons and them being mad that they had to send someone back to our room to bring us spoons (they suggested that we go to the front and get spoons ourselves); At the wedding, when my husband asked a member of the staff to remember to put the drink garnishes that we provided on the drinks, he was literally ignored; When we asked to use a sailboat (which Caneel Bay touts as being complimentary to guests), we were told that the “owner’s children” were using the only one that was not broken (although there were 3 other sailboats in the rental area, we were told they were all broken) and so we would have to wait until the children were done; Total lack of communication/coordination leading up to and including the wedding.
The above examples are merely events that are at the top of my head right now- we were there for a week and a half and there are many more examples of the terrible service. Overall, they just treated us like we were a burden that they had to deal with.
There was one woman that seemed to work at the front desk a lot and she was the only staff member that seemed to care about anything- in fact, she went out of her way to get us a golf cat when we were running late for the pre-wedding rehearsal. She was the one person whose attitude/service would generally be deserving of “Rosewood quality” (I don’t remember her name but she has very light brown eyes).
Notably, gratuity is included in everything so the staff doesn’t appear to have motivation to provide good service… Frankly, I dont know what the deal was- maybe everyone was being lazy because it was the end of their season or maybe I got the "skeleton crew" because the normal staff was on vacation but, in any event, it doesnt matter- the entire experience was simply overshadowed by the staff's general rude attitude and carelessness.
Also, note that there have been multiple reviews as to the terrible service that have somehow been removed from review sites.
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Date of stay: August 2013
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Let me begin as annoying as it may be when reading these reviews to state my descripition as a guest at this resort. We are a famly of three (one eight yr old child) who travels extensively to warm tropical places and have visited many wonderful properties throughout Mexico,United States, Europe and the Caribbean including Ritz Carltons, Montage, One and Only, Capella Pedegral, among others. Having a wife that worked many years in the hotel business, we also expect top level service and hospitality at such resorts. Let me also say that we did a lot of research on Caneel Bay Resort before choosing it and were aware of the "understated elegance" of the property as well as the lack of some amenities in guest rooms (phones, tv, etc),and the "primitiveness" was a welcome change. Arriving in St. Thomas, the transfer to Caneel Bay ferry was flawless. Boat attendants very nice and quick to serve rum punches. Upon reaching the resort, we were told our room was not quite ready but would be in next 15 minutes. We ended up waitng an hour and half after check-in time for our particular room and found the front desk to be less than apologetic about our lenghty wait time. The room was exactly what we expected. We chose a garden view deluxe room with a small extra bedroom for my child. It was immaculately clean with comfy bedding and great towels and two A/Cs which worked wonderfully throughout our stay. We were prepared for the fact that the rooms are dated and referred to in some reviews as "tired", but we had no complaints with this and were quite comfortable during our stay. As for the resort property, it is a truly unique place that one must experience rather than describe. With our seven night stay, we visited all the beaches and found each one distinctively different. Spent the most time at Caneel Beach due to the fact that our 8 yr old enjoys swimming in calm water with other children around and snorkeling the area between Caneel and Paradise Beach. Overall, the natural beauty of the resort is unparalled to any that we have visited in the Caribbean. Snorkeling all over the property is great with an abundance of sea life to be easily found any time of the day. The physical beauty of the property is truly amazing and the reason that so many guests return year after year. The service component of Caneel Bay is definitely the weak link of this resort. We were often astonished throughout our stay with certain employees and their apathetic effect. The shuttle drivers would often go out of their way to not pick up guests. Employees seemed to rarely converse with guests even when spoken to. A beach server even complained to us about the distance that they had to cover with drink service. We were floored by the lack of simple gestures by employees (ie smiles, saying good morning etc) that make the difference in a resort of this quality. We did, however; come across some stand out employees. The main lady in Turtle Town is wonderful. Our child spent an evening with her while we dined at ZoZo's and he had a blast with her. Mugsy also gave us great service for an afternoon or two at Scott Beach. The ladies in the gift shop were also warm and welcoming. Sadly, most of the employees seemed rather put out with the guests, but I can say we got used to this attitude. Strangely, it became easier to tolerate as our week progressed because we came to expect it.. Breakfast at Caneel Bay is fabulous with many choices of fresh fruit, omelette/egg station, as well as breakfast meats, yogurt cereal etc. We ate multiple lunches at the grill and enjoyed the sushi, pizza and other sandwiches. Dinners consisted of some at CBR and others in town. We found ZoZo's to be far superior to any of the other restaurants that we dined at in Cruz Bay and is a must if visiting St. John. Overall, Caneel Bay is a unique, wonderfully special resort rich in tradition and history. We plan on returning as a couple in the Spring (look forward to staying on Scott Beach) and as a family in June. To us, the plethora of outdoor activities and natural beauty overshadows many of the service problems that we encountered, and we hope that with proper managment these will be resolved.
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Date of stay: July 2014
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Let me preface my review by telling you a little about myself and my family for those that read reviews based on similar interests and relatable experiences. We are a very humble, modest, hard working family. We are not the “Joneses” nor do we try to “keep up with the Joneses”. We are not millionaires by any means nor do we live like millionaires; however, we do appreciate good food, fine wine, first class air travel, and 5 star accommodations. I am in my late forties along with my husband and 3 children, 2 girls in college and a young son in elementary school. I consider myself upper middle class, college educated, credentialed in my chosen field, modest home, modest salaries. My husband and I take a much needed vacation together without our kids every year. This helps our relationship with each other and our family. We work hard and are constantly pulled in many directions balancing work and family so when we take a vacation we choose to visit 5 star resorts around the world. We want breathtaking views in places where we feel like we are in another world, we want to be pampered and treated like royalty (this is the only time we get these things!).
We have visited some of the most beautiful places in the world and have seen more spectacular views than your average American. We are not your typical tourists. We are somewhat adventurous, we like to explore and we prefer to live like the locals (“When in Rome”). We can be normal at home, why be normal the 1-2 weeks you are spending your hard earned money taking a vacation. Taking a vacation means you want to get away from normal life, doesn’t it? We started out our travels visiting All Inclusive resorts but quickly learned that generally meant lots of average American tourists. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, my parents fit that mold, that is just not our personal preference unless we are traveling with the kids. We want unique and different. For this reason we also don’t like to take cruises.
I typically spend several months planning our vacation. I want it to be perfect and might I add, better than the previous year’s trip, if that’s possible. I want to impress my husband with my findings. It’s very satisfying after all my time invested in researching and planning the trip to hear him say “You did a great job picking out this place. I didn’t think you could top last year but you’ve outdone yourself”.
We’ve been to Paris, London, traveled through Italy, visited Hong Kong, Thailand, Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, most of the Caribbean Islands, not to mention many destinations in the States among other places. It’s never really been on our radar to visit any of the Virgin Islands, U.S. or British though I knew we had to visit to check off our bucket list that we’ve traveled to every Caribbean Island. We had planned to visit Vietnam or Bali this summer but our time was limited this year as we began the first 4 days in California at the Classic West Festival at Dodger Stadium (yes, it was an amazing experience). We were just going to stay in California for the week and take in the amazing views California has to offer, nothing big this year. About a month before the trip my husband called American Express out of curiosity to see if they had any deals at a great destination. They had a deal to Spain and one to St Thomas. We went with St. Thomas based on our limited time. We could take a ferry to any of the islands after landing in St Thomas. I started doing research and found only 3 resorts on all of the islands that were considered 5 star. The Ritz Carlton on St Thomas, Scrub Island, and Caneel Bay in St John’s. We turned down The Ritz as we thought there would be too many kids. We love kids but we don’t want to be around them when we travel on our own. Scrub Island did not have any rooms available. That left us with Caneel Bay. From the photos it did not look like the kind of place we typically would prefer but with the first class air deal and a 5 star hotel rating how bad could it be? The Virgin Islands it turns out are absolutely GORGEOUS! The sand is soft and sparkling white, the water as clear as any I have ever seen, perfect for snorkeling and viewing the underwater world. A world so mysterious, beautiful and mostly untouched by man. We spent one day sailing through the islands and over to the BVIs. If you go, you must visit The Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke. The Virgin Islands are, in my opinion, the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean though we have not visited Aruba yet. This brings me to my opinion on Caneel Bay. If a 5 star rating is a worldwide rating, this one needs to be brought down a couple of notches to 3 stars. If the 5 star rating is a relative rating based on other accommodations in the same location I cannot judge, I did not see any other hotels/resorts. We supposedly stayed in the highest level room on the best beach (Scott’s Beach). The rooms were nothing better than what you would generally find in a Holiday Inn. A bed to sleep on and a hot shower in the bathroom. We were also told that our room had just been remodeled. The pictures made the rooms look very Colonial but they had been remodeled to look more modern which I did not like. There is one “nice” restaurant that takes reservations that is apparently not associated with Caneel Bay yet on their grounds called ZoZo’s Sugar Mill. The only other restaurant is a casual one that never changes from the same boring, bland menu. The food is less than desirable. I consider myself a fairly decent cook and in my opinion, my food tastes better. The staff is rude. They put off an air of laziness. There is a difference between “island time” and laziness, this was laziness. They were not helpful in the least and acted like they did not want to be there. As a matter of fact, very put off when asked a question.
The coffee cups at breakfast had not been cleaned properly from prior use, they still had a rim of coffee around the top. The staff could not even get our last name right. Our last name is simple and uncomplicated. It did not bother them that we had to keep correcting them on our name. I don’t understand how they got it incorrect or why they could not fix it. The beach bathroom was not kept clean and one time was out of toilet paper. The breakfast buffet was probably the worst I’ve ever had. The pastries tasted stored or frozen. In fairness, I never ordered an omelette or waffle but I noticed my husband did not eat his. The fruit was so-so but not a big selection. The only problem I had with the fruit was the black molded raspberries. If you’ve visited beach resorts before you know there are usually birds waiting for your food in the mornings which is fine and normal. Typically the staff will try to keep them away from the food and you. At Caneel Bay there are seagulls everywhere waiting for your food. The staff does nothing to keep them away and the seagulls are not afraid to cut in line in front of you in the breakfast buffet line. As soon as my husband sat down at the table on the last morning one came with his giant wingspan and took his bacon. The staff was not attentive. We had to wait and track down people to get more water or coffee. We never could get a spoon in the mornings for our coffee. This was the case at every meal with the exception of Zozo’s. The meal at ZoZo’s was nothing to write home about but the staff was much friendlier. It was very overpriced for the value of what was served. Excluding the cost of our wine, the meal was $200 which was 2 entrees, 1 salad, and 1 dessert. The resort itself was extremely overpriced. Most resorts are because they have a captive audience but this was one of the most overpriced places we’ve been, especially for the value of the product you are receiving. They get you in on a deal but make up for it once you are there. We had a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar for $6 and one at a local restaurant on St Thomas for $7. The resort charged $12 with about ¼ less in the cup.
The best things we experienced were away from the resort. The boat tour through the islands was so nice that we are planning on a trip back to the British Virgin Islands just to sail the islands with our kids. We also hiked through the mountains and the National Park which brought you to scenic overlooks well worth the hike.
We went shopping on St Thomas but unless you’re in the market for jewelry the choices are limited. I heard someone at the resort complaining about a diamond ring she bought from a so-called discount jewelry store that had already lost its diamonds so beware if you go shopping at a discount jeweler on the island. They are lined up and down the streets as well as the vultures trying to get you to go in their stores.
We are pretty laid back people, we don’t get easily offended and usually give people the benefit of the doubt. I do not like to be negative and always look for the good in someone or some place but after diligently seeking it out at his place, I never found it. The snorkeling, the sunsets, the sand, the views, the sounds of the ocean were nothing short of amazing; however, I personally would not recommend Caneel Bay to anyone looking for upscale accommodations. Maybe all of the accommodations on the islands are the same, I have no way of knowing at this point. What I do know is that we did not leave with our usual recharged, satisfied selves heading back home which is a disappointment. There’s always next year and redemption :)
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Date of stay: July 2017
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Best beach is Scott's Beach
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The setting is to die for but the place is a dump. Apparently because its lease from the National Park Service expires in 2018, the owners do not appear to have put a penny into the rooms in several decades. That might be ok if the price was right but at $1,120 per room per night (plus 20% for tax and service) with a 10-day minimum over the Xmas holidays, it's outrageous. I suppose that is capitalism -- people were willing to pay it and the place was full -- but I have stayed in Holiday Inns that were nicer.
I'm fine with no television and can survive with no phones in the rooms (although it would make arranging activities a lot easier) but the general decrepitude is depressing. (It would also be nice to have wifi that functioned reliably.)
And of course, an expiring lease has nothing to do with serving bad food (every restaurant we ate in outside the resort was better than every restaurant inside it) or with other weirdnesses: There is no a la carte breakfast service at all -- only an expensive buffet, presumably for Americans who like to overeat. The only a la carte lunch option is a glorified coffee shop with appallingly bad service and indifferent food.
The staff is nice and tries hard but often falls short in competence (see above, re: appallingly bad service). And the grounds and beaches are beautiful.
For some retro chic clientele, all of this is charming. But for me (and at these prices), give me a Four Seasons or even a Ritz-Carlton every day of the week.
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Date of stay: December 2014
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MDCaneel, General Manager at Caneel Bay Resort
Responded Jan 5, 2015
Dear Steve R Thank you for your recent review on Tripadvsior. Please accept my apologies for your disappointment with your recent stay. It is unfortunate that you did not have the opportunity to enjoy our a la carte breakfast available either in room, or presented personally to you on your patio. It is also unfortunate you were unable to enjoy our a la carte lunch served daily at the Turtle Bay Estate House, both of which are offered for those who would like a more intimate setting. As for our property; while it is true we are awaiting the final signatures on our lease to begin our extensive renovation project, please know we spend 2 months each year, during our annual closure, to perform maintenance and property wide refreshing of all accommodations and public areas. We remain true to our founder Laurance Rockefeller and his vision and his reverence for the environment. The resort remains purposefully absent of modern glitz and digital distractions. Respectfully, Nikolay Hotze Managing Director Caneel Bay Resort
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
First, I don't like big splashy mega all inclusive resorts. if I have to even take an elevator...it's out. I like luxury boutique resorts. I don't think lying on a cheap chair under a tree is worth 1,600 a night. The premium beachfront rooms are equivalent to cheap motel 6. No umbrella,or even a table. I went to put my bag down and had to cover up the donkey feces with sand. my bed was a mere 6' from the toilet which only has a louvered door. We have a great travel agent which got us the only better room but the ac broke the first night. They sort of fixed it but instead it was the loud wall unit. The beach is narrow and sloped....uncomfortable in your cheap chair. You can't stay on the beach in the afternoon because the trees don't block the sun. The bed was comfortable...the young kids hired as staff were friendly but others were not. We went to other beaches but they were full of day trippers. I just hate to be so negative but just let people know what to expect so they can decide. Here's where I've been...canarY islands, Italian coast, phi phi islands Thailand, Phuket,, Dead Sea, Antigua mill reef, Turks grace bay, Mexico maroma spa, Barbados fairmont , sandy lane, Anguilla cap juluca, pearl islands panama, Vieques island Puerto Rico, Aruba, Costa Rica sugar beach, Jamaica half moon, caymans....plus numerous other land adventures. I just like to get what I pay for......the icing ( or should I say donkey poop) on the cake was when an assistant manager asked us if we had jumped the balcony on made our way into the room next door ie. breaking and entering. An idea so absurd that just to even ask is an insult. Our travel agent got us a refund and we left and are now very happily ensconced at cap juluca, Antigua.
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Date of stay: March 2014
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been to St John several times & have stayed at Caneel each time.My first trip was in July 1966 - my honeymoon. We went there on the recommendation of my parents who had stayed there in 1965. It was EVERYTHING a honeymoon spot should be-amazing beaches, wonderful restaurants, beautiful quiet rooms, beautiful grounds to stroll ,& so much more! We returned for our 25th anniversary & were so happy to see that not much had changed- the resort had undergone some upgrading, but the overall experience was very much as it had been in 1966. We loved it so much that we returned 3 more times & just loved it. My husband passed away in 2003. July 2016 would have been our 50th anniversary & I decided to return to Caneel Bay to celebrate my marriage. I spent 10days there thinking, reflecting, & remembering. What a great place to do it! It was all as I remembered! My heart breaks to see the devastation & to hear that it may not reopen. What a tragedy that would be! Caneel Bay Resort - Please come back!!!
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Date of stay: July 2019Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MDCaneel, Public Relations Manager at Caneel Bay Resort
Responded Sep 13, 2019
What a joy to read a post from one of our most long-time guests. Thank you for sharing some wonderful memories of past stays at Caneel Bay Resort with your husband. Please know that the team at Caneel Bay is working to ensure we can restore the resort, providing increased economic activity to the island. We have made it clear we are ready to rebuild and start down the path to a new Caneel Bay, that honors Laurance Rockefeller’s vision. It is our sincere wish that this happens quickly. We have heard that our past guests are eager for the re-building to commence and I hope that we will be sharing some positive updates in the coming months. We look forward to welcoming you back to Caneel Bay Resort and our beautiful island of St. John. I feel sure that you will experience the same opportunity for reflection and remembering, as on past occasions.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sorry for the late response and thank you for your kind message. We are confirmed closed through 2021 but hope to be sharing some updates soon as to a re-opening date. Please visit our website from time to time and if you wish, sign-up to receive e-mail updates. Warm regards and best wishes to you both on the occasion of your 40th Anniversary.
Thank you for your question - Caneel Bay Resort is closed through 2020. We hope to have some information to share regarding our construction and a timeline towards reopening in the coming months.
Thank you for your question - Caneel Bay Resort is closed for the duration of 2019. As there is no time limit on when a subscriber can post a review about a stay they have enjoyed, I would suggest that reviews posted since Hurricanes devastated St. John in September 2017, that past guests are recalling memorable stays at Caneel Bay Resort.
Further to the devastating impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September of 2017, Caneel Bay was damaged to such an extent that it was impossible to re-open. Our owners are working diligently with many constituencies, including both local and Federal authorities, to establish a framework for Caneel Bay to operate as a luxury resort moving forward and to once again become an active part of the vibrant community on St. John. Achieving this goal requires many components to come together and regrettably at this stage, we are unable to advise you of a re-opening date. We are looking at a complete rebuild and as construction has not yet commenced, we have confirmed that we will be closed at this time through to December 2019.
I have not heard anything but have seen aerial photos and it looks bad. Also, I am worried about the reefs just off the beach - if they were damaged or destroyed. Those reefs are so fragile - between hurricanes and thoughtless snorkelers slathering on sunblock that is not reef safe and not biodegradable that leeches by the gallons into the fragile ecosystem, I am always worrying about Caneel, which is truly one of my favorite places on the planet. Note to everyone - if you are going swimming in that water and need to use sunblock, use only reef safe and long-sleeve swim shirts so you don't have to put so much on.
There are more places to choose from in the Caneel Bay area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
caneel bay, a rosewood hotel caneel bay, caneel bay a rosewood resort, caneel bay resort st john, caneel bay st john
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort
LOCATION
CaribbeanU.S. Virgin IslandsSt. JohnCaneel Bay
NUMBER OF ROOMS
166
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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