Nice, relaxing location but terribly bitten by bed bugs …

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The organization from the ferry to the island went very well. Our ocean view room was spacious, with a great harbor and hillside view. Adequately appointed, but far from luxurious. Our first let down was with the concierge, who we later labeled the "I'm sorry" team. We tried ordering fresh flowers for our room prior to our arrival (for my wife's birthday), and were told that there is "no florist on the island". Knowing there are weddings and events daily on he island, we simply ordered our own flowers from a florist in St. Thomas, who had them in our room within hours of our arrival. We soon came to realize that if it doesn't benefit the resort, the concierge does not go out of their way for their guests.

The staff beyond the concierge was efficient enough, but never gave us the feeling that they were happy we were there. I would think that Westin could gather motivated employees from other resorts, and give them the opportunity in St. John to improve customer service.

The grounds are beautiful, and the gym and deli were a big hit with us. Catch the deli in the morning to avoid the breakfast bufffet, which is good but costly. Remember that a quick cab into Cruz Bay is always available, but at a cost of $10 per couple, each way, plus tip. Sudddenly, the cost of going to town for a quick bite just got a bit more expensive. The car rentals from the resort are also a few more bucks than renting from town, but the convenience is worth it. Remember that parking in the downtown area is at a premium, and can seldom be found for less than $10.

We were lucky enough to befriend a local. Ally from Rhumb Lines (amazing food and drink) took us, and several other people we knew on the island, under her wing. We already knew that the Beach Bar had casual bar food and drinks at great prices, as well as a great view of Cruz Bay. But she also recommended some boating charters and other restaurants such as Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. We tried several boating charters during our stay, but Ally turned us on to her friend Erik, who runs a 25 foot Stamas out of Cruz Bay. Great local knowledge, customer service, reliability, and price.

I would agree with other posters when they recommend getting off the Westin property to get a full experience of the islands. Another couple rented a gorgeous condo with a Cruz Bay view, walking distance to town, at a much better value, from a private owner. It just seemed that the Westin had their hands out at every turn, without providing the service associated with the fees. Our billing was also in error at check-out, as the resort had added a restaurant fee to our bill during a time that we were not even on the property. They also failed to honor a voucher provided by our travel agent.

St. John is gorgeous. See Cinnamon Bay. Eat at Rhumb Lines. Go visit Foxy on Jost Van Dyke. Have lunch at Little Dix Bay if you make it to Virgin Gorda. But I would not return to the Westin simply for their price-to-value ratio.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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