Long the queen of St. Croix resorts, commanding 340 acres of a former sugar plantation two miles east of Christiansted, this property remains a much better choice than the more remote Carambola Beach Resort or the newer Divi Carina Bay. Even so, it has never reached the stature of Caneel Bay on St. John, or Little Dix on Tortola.
Nonetheless, this hotel, affiliation-free and family-run since 1948, has more facilities than any other on the island. These include an 18-hole golf course (not quite a good as the one at Carambola, though), eight tennis courts (best tennis complex in St. Croix), two pools (average), three beaches (spectacular), four restaurants (mediocre to magnificent), and a shopping arcade (go to Christiansted instead). The golf course wraps around the front of this rambling property, while the tennis complex on the beachside rivals that at Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands.
With a spectacular
setting, the original great house, a stately pink stucco structure, sits atop a hill at the end of the long palm-lined driveway. Arched doorways open to reception, and a stylish open-air lounge with views of the sea lies beyond. Guests walk onto checkered marble or terra-cotta floors.
The main restaurant uses the terrace for free breakfast and fine, though expensive, dinners; unfortunately, biting insects often feed at the same time that guests do. The air-conditioned room that adjoins, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing Christiansted, offers a different dinner menu from the visiting chefs who rotate through here every winter. Lunch can be taken at the beachside restaurant or at the poolside grill.
Special food-and-fun events, such as crab races, fill nights. In addition to the aforementioned recreational facilities, guests enjoy water sports, a jogging and nature trail, programmed tennis clinics, and a well-equipped 
gym. Special activities (chasing down gecko lizards, for example) and a beach camp keep children amused. Whistlers Beach, on the other side of the hill for privacy, is especially popular with courting couples and derives its name from the whistles newcomers get when snatching a kiss, or more. The dock allows for both public and charter sea excursions, and boats leave regularly for Buck Island. The Beach Meeting Room seats 100, but most other function venues are actually restaurants converted for the purpose. Transport around the grounds is free, but a daytime shuttle to town incurs a modest fee.
The dispersed accommodations are continually undergoing renovations. These rooms come in different shapes and sizes but are distinctly Caribbean in nature, with terra-cotta floors, ceiling fans and wicker furnishings. Views take in Christiansted, the golf and tennis courts, or the sea. Air conditioning, refrigerators, safes, phones, satellite TV, hair dryers, coffeemakers, ironing boards, and patios or balconies are standard throughout. The least expensive 
rooms are in the main building on the second floor facing the golf course, but when occupancy is low, guests are routinely upgraded. Those in the great house that face the ocean bring a steep 30% surcharge. Oceanview rooms on the ridge have sitting areas, marble floors and baths, and four-poster beds and whirlpool tubs are in some. Oceanfront rooms feature soaring 16-ft ceilings and picture windows facing the sea, while the most expensive Beachside Doubloons have whirlpool tubs, double showers, marble patios or balconies, and walk-in closets. Family Cottages on the hillside provide king beds and two sofa beds for high occupancy. Room service can be quite slow, given the dispersed resort layout.
Still, this peaceful retreat, blessed with warm and competent staffers, is the island's best bet. It is also worth considering as a less expensive alternative to the big chain resorts on St. Thomas or St. John.
