Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE
best
SMALL HOTELS
& BED & BREAKFASTS
W
Villa Blanca
(St. Thomas;
&
800/231-0034
or 340/776-0749; www.villablanca
hotel.com): Small, intimate, and charming, this inn stands on 3 acres on a hill
overlooking Charlotte Amalie. A homelike atmosphere prevails, and there's a fresh-
water pool. The one con: You'll have to drive to the beach. See p. 64.
W
Villa Santana
(St. Thomas;
&
340/776-1311;
www.villasantana.com): At this
country villa, originally built for a Mexican general, all rooms are suites. In honor
of its previous occupant, the decor is Mexican. There's a pool, a sun deck, and a
garden. See p. 57.
W
Garden by the Sea Bed & Breakfast
(St. John;
&
340/779-4731;
www.garden
bythesea.com): Overlooking the ocean, this is a small but choice B&B on the least
populated of the major U.S. Virgins. With easy access to beaches, it offers beauti-
fully furnished bedrooms with elephant bamboo canopy beds and Japanese foun-
tains. You get style and affordable prices—not bad. See p. 119.
W
Villa Greenleaf
(St. Croix;
&
888/282-1001
or 340/719-1958; www.villa
greenleaf.com) is the best B&B on land, a snug family retreat in the style of New
England inn-keeping. Personal service and an elegant ambience combine in this
1950s building, where life proceeds as in a private home. See p. 158.
W
Carringtons Inn
(St. Croix;
&
877/658-0508
or 340/713-0508; www.carringtons
inn.com): This was once the grand home of a wealthy island family. It has since
been converted into one of the most appealing B&Bs in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Personalized attention and comfortable surroundings are hallmarks. Some of the
individually decorated bedrooms boast king-size canopy beds. See p. 157.
THE
best
PLACES TO GET
AWAY FROM IT ALL
Although there are tranquil retreats on St. Croix, and even on St. Thomas, you'll find
most of the remote oases on St. John and in the British Virgin Islands.
W
St. John:
This is one of the most secluded islands in the Caribbean. More than
two-thirds of the land has been preserved as a national park. That means that
unlike St. Thomas and St. Croix, St. John's landscape looks much like it did in the
1950s: white-sand beaches and verdant tropical forests. Day-trippers from St.
Thomas come over in the morning and usually depart before 5pm. After that, St.
John becomes a crowd-free paradise.
Caribbean Villas & Resorts
(p. 116;
&
800/338-0987;
www.caribbeanvilla.com) offers some of the best values for
those who'd like to rent their own private villa. See chapter 4.
W
Sandcastle Hotel
(Jost Van Dyke;
&
284/495-9888;
www.soggydollar.com/
sandcastlehotel): This little island, reached by ferry from Tortola, is the ultimate
escapist's dream. The island offers good hiking trails, uncrowded sandy beaches,
and the ruins of an old military fort. People come to the Sandcastle in search of
isolation and relaxation, and that's exactly what they get. See p. 236.
W
Anegada Reef Hotel
(Anegada;
&
284/495-8002;
www.anegadareef.com): This
hotel is located some 32km (20 miles) north of Virgin Gorda's North Sound, on a
flat mass of coral and limestone. It's one of the most remote spots in the entire
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