Grande Bay Resort

If you happen to be traveling to St. John by ferry from St. Thomas, Grande Bay Resort is likely the first thing you’ll lay eyes on. A large property perched on a hill above Cruz Bay, Grande Bay’s imposing, Mediterranean-style buildings are hard to miss. Surprisingly, the lobby isn’t nearly as grand as the resort’s entrance. Instead it’s a small, bright room with a single reception desk. It’s simple, but elegant, with inlaid marble floors and beige granite counters. Because of its condo-style accommodations and proximity to the ferry, Grande Bay attracts families with young children, multi-generational vacation groups, and tons of wedding parties. There aren’t many communal spaces throughout the property, so the hotel remains fairly peaceful during the day. Sometimes the area can get loud at night thanks to residual noise from downtown bars and restaurants.    

If you really wanted to, you could probably jump off the ferry and swim to Grande Bay Resort -- it’s that close. We’re kidding about the jump and swim, but you get the idea. Most taxi drivers will probably laugh and deny your request if you ask for a ride, considering the hotel is about a four-minute walk from the ferry terminal, but if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage or have little ones in tow, a small monetary incentive should do the trick. Grande Bay is within easy walking distance of all the shops, restaurants, and bars downtown, and across the street from the tiny Cruz Bay Beach. Though this beach is not ideal for swimming, many locals and visitors like to hang out here in the late afternoon and early evening. The closest national park beach is Honeymoon Beach (part of the Caneel Bay Resort), which is about a 30-minute hike (via the Lind Point Trail) or six-minute cab ride from Grande Bay.  

All rooms at Grande Bay are large and incredibly spacious. The smallest room type, a Studio Suite, is about 365 square feet and is equipped with a queen-size bed, a living area with a sleeper sofa, and a kitchenette with a mini-fridge, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker, and place settings for four. After the Studio Suite, rooms increase in size to include multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, full kitchens, and separate living and dining spaces. All rooms have huge oceanfront balconies with beautiful views of Cruz Bay. 

Rooms have tasteful, airy decor that includes subtle nautical accents, cream colored walls, light tile floors, thick white curtains, and white plantation shutters. Artwork throughout consists of brightly colored canvas photographs of the island. Bedrooms feature simple dark furniture and fluffy white duvets. Nightstands are equipped with iHomes, and closets come stocked with shelf organizers, hangers, large umbrellas, an iron and ironing board, electronic safes, and a beach bag that guests can borrow. Bathrooms have marble walk-in showers, granite vanities with double sinks, and L’Occitane bath products. At least one bathroom in each apartment is also equipped with yellow and white striped beach towels and a rolling cooler. None of the bathrooms have bathtubs, which can be an annoying missing feature for families traveling with young children. 

Kitchens have dark cabinets with dark granite counters and stainless steel appliances. Cabinets are fully stocked with cookware, appropriate place settings, cups, mugs, and stemware, cutting boards and knives, dish towels, storage containers, and small appliances like toasters, blenders, microwaves, coffeemakers, and tea kettles. There’s even a dishwasher! Living and dining rooms are usually combined in one large space. Sea-foam green sofas with beige sea grass patterns add a subtle pop of color to the room, while dark wood tables and chairs with white cushions carry out the crisp, clean feeling from the bedrooms. Some living and dining areas have gorgeous, distressed wood cathedral ceilings. The living room has a 42-inch flat screen TV while each bedroom has its own 26-inch version. Each apartment is also equipped with full-size washing machines, dryers, and detergent. Though balconies range in size and features, all are oceanfront with gorgeous views of Cruz Bay. Naturally, smaller rooms have smaller balconies, but all have outdoor dining tables. Larger balconies have multiple lounge chairs as well. 

Guests wanting more in-room amenities (for a higher price) can upgrade to a Club Suite; these have larger flat-screen TVs, travertine floors, nicer bathroom fixtures, Keurig coffeemakers, and monogrammed bathrobes. 

Located on a second-floor, ocean-facing deck, the pool at Grande Bay is a gorgeous spot that’s usually pretty empty during the day. Though it’s not overly large, the hotel’s saltwater pool has a free-form shape with mosaic tile detailing. There’s also a saltwater hot tub just a few steps up from the pool level. The pool is surrounded by lounge chairs and outdoor table sets, but there are no umbrellas for shade -- and the sun can be mighty strong in the afternoons. 

Grande Bay has a modern fitness center with awesome ocean views. The gym is equipped with a few treadmills, ellipticals, a bike, and a weight machine. There’s a water cooler in the corner and a few flat-screen TVs mounted on the walls. Across from the gym is a lovely office where time-share presentations are held. The hotel offers free garage parking, where spots are assigned according to guests’ room location. The free Wi-Fi has a strong signal and works well throughout the hotel. Although there’s no on-site restaurant, the hotel is within an easy walking distance to the dozens of eateries in Cruz Bay.   

It should be noted that Grande Bay is located on a steep hill and rooms and amenities are located across several separate buildings. Although the property is accessible, with ramps for wheelchairs and strollers, it can get annoying to constantly have to walk up and down stairs or take different elevators in order to reach different rooms or other parts of the hotel.