A Word on the Tripadvisor Reviews

I really liked the Westin St Thomas. But the Tripadvisor reviews are pretty negative. So what gives?

When I read the reviews, I remember why I don’t trust Tripadvisor Reviews any more! It’s just a mess of random people’s brain farts!

The resort has a 3.8* rating, and there’s a large number of negative reviews. Many people complain that the resort is overpriced.

One reviewer said that they paid $1,000/night and they had to wait 45 minutes for a Pina Colada at lunch.

Another person complained that they paid $32 for the breakfast buffet and that it didn’t include cappuccino. Only filter coffee. This is absolutely standard in the US at all hotels. The reviewer was from New York, so I’m surprised he didn’t know that.

Ultimately, the Caribbean is expensive as the waters are clear and beautiful. And the weather is warm. The US Virgin Islands are part of the US, and it’s safer than places like Jamaica. In addition, beach front resorts with sea view are expensive.

I can’t promise that you’ll never have to wait 45 minutes for a drink. But I still think it’s a lovely resort.

What I Liked/What Could Be Improved

• Beautifully designed resort
  
• Stylish infinity pool
  
• Beach front property
  
• Amazing views
  
• Complimentary Kayaks and paddle boards
  

• The food wasn’t the best
  
• A bit of a walk to the beach

The Booking

During my visit to the hotel, the cheapest room was $867 per night. That was a refundable rate for the cheapest room with Garden view.

An ocean king was available for $921 per night. This room had a sofa bed and partial ocean view.

Both rooms allow four people to stay, which is a convenient benefit.

Book your stay at the Westin St. Thomas here.

If you stay at the resort, you should pay a little extra and get a sea view. This resort is all about the panoramic sea views. If you paid $867 to get a view of the garden, you’d be disappointed!

Another option is to use Marriott Bonvoy Points to book the hotel. When I looked, you could book both of the above rooms for 89,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points.

If you don’t have any Marriott Bonvoy Points, you could transfer them from AMEX Membership Rewards Points.

If you want to save money, you can book in the low season (during the summer). However, that’s also hurricane season. So it’s more likely to rain.

The Resort

The Westin St. Thomas is all about the views. From virtually everywhere in the resort, you have uninterrupted panoramic sea views. This is because the resort is on the side of a cliff, above the sea.

There’s a fantastic deck with seating and uninterrupted sea views. You can sit down, and get drinks and something to eat. When I was there it was too hot to sit out, so we just took some photos and went back inside. But in late afternoon, I’m sure it’s packed.

The swimming pool is out the back of the hotel. There are 3 infinity pools. Also with great sew views.

You also have a pickleball court, with great ocean views.

The Westin is a modern and luxury hotel. With a large lobby. The hotel has been completely refurbished, after hurricane Irma in 2017. There was a $425mm rebuild project and the works were completed in 2023.

The resort has 364 guest rooms and 28 suites.

When I visited the resort, I had lunch at the beach bar with my family. Just some snacks, French fries and a sandwich. It wasn’t great to be honest. That being said, I’m vegetarian and restaurant food normally isn’t good. So that’s on me!

The Swimming Pools

The resort has three infinity pools. All next to each other. The main pool is in the middle. It’s large and anyone can use it. There are two smaller pools on either side, that can only be used by adults.

These swimming pools are fantastic. A great temperature. Also, because you’re at a raised level, above the sea. The views are terrific.

When I was there, the vibe was very much like an Ibiza beach party. There was music playing, and people were chilling by the pool bar.

There were also hot tubs available to use. I didn’t get a photo, as they were always occupied. Normally, I get up at the crack of dawn to get good photos. But that wasn’t possible on this occasion, as I wasn’t staying at the Westin.

The Beach

The Westin St. Thomas backs on to Morningstar Beach. Unfortunately, the resort’s best feature mans that the beach access isn’t great.

The best feature of the resort are the views. Because the resort is raised above sea level, on the side of a cliff.

However, this means that access to the beach is a pain. You need to walk down some external steps to get to the beach. When you get down to the bottom, it’s quite rocky. You need to walk further to get to the sandy beach.

It was so hot when I was there, that I couldn’t be bothered to walk to the beach. I didn’t see anyone else walk to the beach either.

The hotel offers kayaks and paddle boards to guests for free. To use in the sea. I assume you need to sign these items out and then carry them to the beach.

The beach at the Marriott Frenchman’s cove is probably better. It’s right next to the swimming pool. Just a 10 second walk away.

My Take on the Westin St Thomas

I liked the Westin St. Thomas. I admit that I didn’t sleep at the hotel, but I did enjoy my time here.

The ocean views are out of this world. The infinity pool is fantastic. The resort also has a really cool vibe.

I reviewed the Westin Hapuna. A spectacular resort in Big Island, Hawaii. The view from the lobby was out of this world. The review is worth reading for that photo alone! The breakfast was awesome too.