Hotels

St. Croix's deluxe resorts lie along the North Shore; its charming old waterfront inns are mostly in Christiansted. You may also choose to stay at a former plantation or in a condo complex, which offers privacy and the chance to save money by preparing your own meals. The choice is yours: a location in Christiansted or Frederiksted close to shops and nightlife, but away from the beach; or an isolated resort where, chances are, your accommodations will be either on the beach or a short walk from it. From such resorts, you'll have to drive into town for a shopping binge or for restaurants and clubs.

In general, rates are steep, but in summer, hotels slash prices by about 25% to 50%. All rooms are subject to an 8% hotel tax, not included in the rates given below.

Note: If you need a hair dryer, pack your own. Apparently, a lot of visitors have packed up hotel hair dryers upon departure, and some innkeepers are reluctant to provide them.

Christiansted -- Only one hotel in Christiansted is located on a good swimming beach: Hotel on the Cay. Luckily, this beach is easily reached by a 4-minute, $3 ferry ride from the main harbor in town.

A Condo of One's Own

Aside from staying at the hotels and big resorts, you can also easily rent a condo on St. Croix. While initially it may seem pricey, a condo is an excellent option for small vacationing groups and families on longer trips. One of our favorite properties is Villa Madeleine, which was once a posh hotel, but now has been turned into 43 well-furnished condos run by various property-management companies. The condos stand on 6 1/2 acres of landscaped property opening onto Teague Bay, 8 miles east of Christiansted. The units, in general, contain free-standing villas with one or two bedrooms. Most have marble bathrooms with garden showers, and many of the accommodations contain Caribbean four-poster beds. Each unit also contains a full kitchen with a living and dining area. Some of the villas have private pools and most are suitable for two couples or else a family with children.

Prices of these villas vary from company to company but in general winter rates range from $225 to $300 for a one-bedroom unit or $275 to $350 for a two-bedroom villa. Off-season reductions are $200 to $275 in a one-bedroom villa or $257 to $350 in a two-bedroom villa. Note that there is often a booking minimum. You have to contact each management company individually as there is no central clearinghouse or phone number. The major companies renting these villas include Island Hideaways (tel. 800/832-2302; www.islandhideaways.com), Caribbean Days (tel. 800/942-6725; www.caribbeandays.com), Villa Madeleine Vacation Villas (tel. 800/533-6863 or 340/277-3303), Caribbean Property Management (tel. 800/496-7379 or 340/778-8782; www.enjoystcroix.com), or Teague Bay Properties (tel. 800/237-1959 or 340/773-4850; www.teaguebayproperties.com).

Self-Sufficient Units Around the Island -- If you're interested in a villa or condo rental, contact the places reviewed below or Island Villas/Century 21, Property Management Rentals, 53B Company St., Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I. 00820 (tel. 800/626-4512 or 340/773-8821; fax 340/719-5553; www.stcroixislandvillas.com), which offers some of the best accommodations on the island. Some are private residences with pools; many are on the beach. They range from one-bedroom units to seven-bedroom villas, with prices from $1,050 to $10,000 per week year-round.