Ritz Carlton St Thomas

Hubby and I visited the Virgin Islands in Summer 2016 and instantly fell in love with these beautiful, picturesque islands.  We flew in and out of St. Thomas and though we spent the majority of our vacation on Scrub Island off the coast of Tortola, we did spend one night prior to our return at the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas.  One night just wasn’t enough and I was immediately enamored with this wonderful resort.  I decided to write a post outlining the amazing property and what I loved most about staying there.

Flawless tropical settings and impeccable landscaping

As soon as our taxi pulled up at the entrance to the Ritz Carlton St Thomas I was impressed with the incredibly lush surroundings.  The sky was the most impossibly perfect blue and the surrounding greenery and landscaping was just perfect.

The open air lobby is beautifully designed and of course the staff and service were near perfect.  Walking throughout the property you can see the attention to detail in every nook and cranny.  The pool area overlooking the gorgeous beach is perfectly placed and well maintained.

The hotel rooms are spread out in large buildings that feature tropical flower names and have cute little courtyards and open stairways between levels.

I really loved the open and sprawling nature of the resort and actually enjoyed the short walks from our building to other locations in the resort.

Beautiful, cleanly modern rooms

Of course at the Ritz you expect the most discerning taste in suite decor and our room did not disappoint.  The design in bright and freshly modern with some classical touches.  We found the rooms were quite spacious and the balcony as well.

Gorgeous beach and pool

The Ritz Carlton main pool is situated perfectly, overlooking the beautiful beach with views of St. John across the water.

The pool featured a smaller splash pool for kids and babies.  There were many loungers alongside the pool.  The bathroom facilities were very clean and well kept considering they were near to the pool and beach.

Kid’s splash pool at the main pool area which has plenty of loungers

The beach loungers were super comfy as well; there were ever present beach staff who were on hand to set up your loungers, attend to your questions and your needs and take orders for beverages or snacks.  There was also a clear water cooler set up on the beach, making it easy for sunbathers to get a cool drink of lemon or lime infused water at any time.

The water was gentle for the most part though the sea bed had a lot of broken shells mixed with the sand, making it not as comfortable to swim without water shoes.  Despite that, the water was perfectly clear and warm; we spent a lot of time in the water.

The view of the hotel from the beautiful beach

Gourmet restaurants

There are 4 main restaurants on property: Essenza (Italian cuisine, open for dinner), Bleuwater (prime meats and seafood at dinner, also open for breakfast), Sails (the poolside grill, open for lunch only) and Coconut Cove (ocean front, open lunch and dinner).  We were able to sample a few of the restaurants over our short stay and each one one was fantastic.  We had lunch at Sails and loved the fresh seafood offerings and fun atmosphere.  Dinner at Essenza was incredible and the service was phenomenal.  We had brunch at Bleuwater the morning we checked out and we fully enjoyed the buffet as well as a la carte options.

The awesome kids club area….

Chic amenities including the Jacques Cousteau Kids Club

The Ritz Carlton St. Thomas is truly designed with families in mind, with adventures and amenities designed to please each member of the family.  There is, of course, a lovely spa and fitness center.  The resort also caters to golfers with access to nearby Mahogany Run.  Water sports and adventures abound, as well as private sailings on the resort’s 53 foot catamaran Lady Lynsey.

The Ritz Carlton also features a unique program called Ambassadors of the Environment which features learning and exploring adventures for the whole family to enjoy.  Created by Jean-Michel Cousteau, this program is a unique way for resort guests to discover the natural beauty of St. Thomas.  Some of the offerings for children include snorkeling lessons, nighttime sea life exploration in the mangroves, and cooking classes with foods grown in the on property organic garden.  There is also a standard children’s club which offers a variety of playful activities throughout the day with expert staff.

We were blown away during our short stay at the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas.  We hope to visit again in the future as a family and spend more time there.

Have any of you been to St. Thomas?  What were your favorite things to do/see while in the Virgin Islands?