By Danny R. Johnson – Entertainment and Travel News Editor
The San Diego County News conducted an exhaustive survey of travelers who visited the United States Virgin Islands St. Thomas over the past year to find out which resort they considered the best. Marriott’s Ritz Carlton Destination Club is the one establishment that has come up repeatedly.
The news staff and I recently spent seven days in November 2024 to explore why this resort received top honors. It was evident while exploring the breathtaking natural beauty, a bounty of outdoor adventures, a perpetually perfect climate, and renowned duty-free shopping; these are just a few reasons why St. Thomas’ Ritz Carlton Destination Club attracts people worldwide.
Nestled on 30 oceanfront acres alongside idyllic Great Bay, The Ritz-Carlton Club, St. Thomas, comprises a small group of elegant plantation-style buildings situated along the powder-white beach of Great Bay. It is a place to experience moments of dream-like island escape, perfected through the renowned service and amenities of The Ritz-Carlton.
Located on the east side of St. Thomas, the Club sits gracefully on 15 acres of sloping beachfront property. Sharing the site is The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, named the number one resort property on the island by Fodors. Experience unparalleled pampering, from a relaxing cliff-side massage to an elegant dinner in Alloro or Bleuwater restaurants to a sunset cruise on The Lady Lynsey II, a newly designed 65-foot catamaran. Feel at ease, knowing your Club Concierge will take care of everything.
There is no need for a U.S. Passport to explore the beaches and streets of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
My love for the Caribbean is no secret: I travel three times a year to the region to dig my feet in its golden sands, wine to the rhythm of soca music during Carnival season, and find solace between blanketed green rain forests or a streetside rum bar with no name.
When I first visited the U.S. Virgin Islands—including the main islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix and 50 other minor islands and cays, for years, I had been hesitant to go, worried that its association with America would introduce many of the all too familiar comforts of home. Fortunately, I was wrong, and my weeklong adventure to the islands of St. Thomas and St. John felt just as Caribbean as any other islands I’ve visited—from the sound of its music to the pride of its people.
St Thomas’s capital, Charlotte Amalie, is a cosmopolitan city filled with docked cruise ships, duty-free shops, and restaurants. Though there’s a bustling commercial district, there are also beaches like Lindbergh Bay. Carnival, the Caribbean celebration filled with soca, rum, and celebration, also takes place along these streets during a weeklong period in April, and it has served as a central location for concerts performed by some of soca’s biggest stars, including USVI artist Adam O and Trinidad’s Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons. I’m a passionate bacchanalist, and it was great to experience the same joy on the streets of St. Thomas that I’ve felt all across the region.
Beyond cultural events like Carnival, St. Thomas offers several activities for visitors to consider. For panoramic views of the island from 700 feet above the main harbor, take a 5-minute drive from the capital to board the 10-minute Skyride aerial tram to Paradise Point. Famous beaches include a white-sand retreat called Magens Bay on the island’s north side, which is 15 minutes away. It is the less crowded resident Hull Bay hangout. When hunger struck, I satiated my cravings at the low-key Gladys’ Cafe, which serves West Indian favorites like callaloo and conch fritters. At Cutlass & Cane, an oceanfront restaurant in Charlotte Amalie’s yacht-dotted harbor, I enjoyed dishes of tender octopus atop a bed of arugula and braised oxtails that quickly fell off the bone.
St. Thomas was the starting point for my land-to-sea adventure, and many companies offer day trips to nearby islands. With RED Hospitality & Leisure and Cruz Bay Watersports, guests start at the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas to board a luxury catamaran for the 6-mile, 45-minute ride to St. John for a day of snorkeling in a secluded bay by a hamlet and walking through St. John’s main town, Cruz Bay, to shop and enjoy several restaurants and bars. Day tours include the Caribbean’s only floating taco bar, Lime Out, where hungry visitors can enjoy options like rum rib tacos and tamarind mezcal margaritas.
The Ritz Carlton Destination Club – St. Thomas is a 30-minute car ride from the airport through winding roads above a bustling port, and the city center leads to the idyllic Great Bay. I checked into the 180-room oceanfront property on its little corner, spread over 30 cascading acres. Amenities include a cabana-lined infinity pool, four restaurants serving everything from the Caribbean to impressive Sicilian cuisine at Alloro, a kids club, beach activities that include kayaking, and a catamaran sunset cruise aboard its in-house luxury catamaran, Lady Lynsey II. Guests can also enjoy a daily spiced rum tasting with locally grown spirits. My room’s spacious balcony view of the sapphire-colored ocean was the much-needed welcome I needed after a long day of travel.
A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful Ritz Carlton associates who went above and beyond to ensure our stay was truly enjoyable: Jo-Anne (Management), Kahea (Concierge); Kenisha, Aliska, Rita, Julia, Lisa, and Justin (Bleuwater Restaurant); Mia and Esther (Aloro Restaurant); Shalin and Dekisha (Southwind Coffee Shop); and Charles, the Master Mixologist (Coconut Grove Beachside Bar).
Their exceptional service made all the difference!
During my short visit to the island, I discovered the pure joy of existence. The brilliant blue water, salt in my hair, and the delightful hunger for a meal after the beach; the luxury of drifting off in a swaying hammock by my cottage, my skin warmed, and my senses bathed in the peaceful stillness of the resort; and most of all, the fleeting yet cherished conversations—all ensured that I will return.
