The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas

If you read the reviews you will be prepared for the visit. Our room was very clean, beds were comfortable, patio was wonderful. The breakfast at Bleuwater was excellent - Lisa Walter’s goes over and above to bring joy to the guests and Kenisha was excellent. The staff at Sails was great as well. They helped to accommodate our larger group and were kind and efficient. The service around the pools could use some work - towels, drink& snack service etc. There is a light hanging out underwater in the upper pool - needs to be dealt with before someone gets hurt. Staff is friendly and you can tell they are trying!

This is has got to be one of Ritz’s worst properties - definitely the worst I’ve ever stayed at. The people are all very nice, but it’s badly in need of a facelift and the food is pretty terrible. I think it’s surviving because it’s one of the better places on St Thomas, but it’s definitely not up to the Ritz standard.

How far the mighty have fallen. We visited this resort four years ago and had a truly wonderful experience. Unfortunately, this recent stay was a stark contrast. The facility and grounds have noticeably deteriorated. Many of the beach chairs are in disrepair—some broken, with torn and tattered cushions. Repeated attempts to reach the front desk or concierge by phone went unanswered, which was frustrating and disappointing. As for turndown service—it was virtually nonexistent. When staff did show up (as early as 4:30 or 5:00 PM), they often smelled strongly of marijuana. Housekeeping was inconsistent at best. Towels were not replaced, and some remained on the bathroom floor for several days. This is far from what one would expect at a resort that markets itself as five-star, especially at a price point nearing $1,000 per night. While Hobie Cats are available to guests, they are only released when winds are below 20 knots. However, the wind readings provided by staff did not align with multiple reliable sources, including aviation and marine weather apps. As a pilot using professional-grade software, I can confidently say the wind conditions were well within safe operating limits, despite staff insisting otherwise. In short, the service, maintenance, and overall experience have declined dramatically. This resort no longer lives up to its former standard—or its premium pricing.

We spent five nights in the Club Lounge Level on the hotel side of the resort. The view was lovely! The room was very clean and beautifully modern and updated. From the time we arrived until our departure, the staff were fantastic! From the young lady that showed us to our room to all of the wonderful ladies staffing the Club Lounge, we had a wonderful experience. Jemar, big shout out! He checked us in and then gave us our final ride to check out. He was particularly great. Very friendly, helpful and seemed to work all the time! The grounds were well kept, the beach was beautiful. Day trip to snorkel around St. John left right from the private beach. Very nice experience. We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.

Let me begin by saying that I stay at the Ritz everywhere I go. This was my first time at St Thomas. We booked an ocean front room with club access. The room was spacious and the view beautiful. When we arrived we ate lunch at Sails. A mediocre overcooked hamburger was $36. Not a good start. We had access to a sliver of private beach which was nice. However, we had to find our own towels and set up our own chairs. Spending $1k a day I was surprised that most of what we did was “ self serve”. We ordered a drink at the beach and almost an hour later found that the order was never put in. The club lounge had ample seating and good views. The food was mediocre at best. It was all self serve with no service. One day my stomach hurt all day after eating breakfast. A note about the resort fee. Certainly unfair for people who do not care to use what’s included. They should charge for separate access to these things instead of one huge fee. When we left they could not find someone to help with our luggage. After a wait someone finally came. I guess I expected what I usually experience at a Ritz. Here, I felt like I was at a basic mid level hotel. I must say that the staff at the main hotel was much more accommodating and friendly. This was a disappointing experience. I don’t think it lived up to what I’ve become used to at a Ritz hotel.