What's New

This rapidly changing archipelago, controlled by the United States and Great Britain, explodes with new developments year after year. There's always a new resort opening up or an old one shutting down, and the roster of what's hot in dining shifts frequently.

Here are the highlights of the latest developments in all the Virgin Islands.

St. Thomas

Accommodations -- Once the most famous hotel in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bluebeard's Castle on Bluebeard's Hill is still here, occupying its same familiar perch overlooking the harbor of Charlotte Amalie. Its on-site restaurants are still going, and still open to the general public, but the hotel itself has become a timeshare.

Otherwise the hotel scene remained relatively quiet on St. Thomas for 2006, except for the Island Beachcomber, Lindberg Beach Road (tel. 340/774-5250), which underwent many renovations and improvements.

The Renaissance Grand Beach Resort in the East End opened briefly as an all-inclusive, but currently remains in search of a new management company or owner.

Dining -- After the Ritz-Carlton, 6900 Great Bay (tel. 340/775-3333), underwent major renovations, it altered its dining scene considerably. The Great Bay Grill was closed, emerging as the Great Bay Lounge, serving lighter fare, tapas-like dishes, and sushi. It has quickly become a major rendezvous point for the smart set. The Palm Garden Grill closed, reopening as Bleuwater, serving one of the best cuisines in the East End, although it's rather pricey.

A husband-and-wife team from Antigua and Germany, respectively, hired chefs from the Dominican Republic to bring a savory Spanish cuisine to Amalia Café, 24 Palm Passage (tel. 340/714-7373), in the heart of Charlotte Amalie. Their tapas are among the best in town, and they serve many classic dishes of Old Spain.

Another good lunch choice while shopping in Charlotte Amalie is Café Amici, Riise's Alley (tel. 340/776-5670), serving Italian and Caribbean cuisine in an open-air setting.

Outdoor Sports -- One of the best bets for sports fishermen is Peanut Gallery Fishing Charters, 8168 Crown Bay Marina (tel. 340/642-7423), its vessels providing inshore fishing for those seeking everything from barracuda to kingfish.

Coki Beach Dive Club, Coki Beach (tel. 340/775-4220), is a fully certified PADI center, offering both scuba diving courses and guided dive tours.

The night snorkeling offered by Homer's Scuba and Snorkel Tours (tel. 340/774-7606) is getting a lot of media attention. With a submersible flashlight and other equipment, you can set out to meet the denizens of the deep.

Air Center Helicopters, Waterfront in Charlotte Amalie (tel. 340/775-7335), is offering visitors the most dramatic rides over the Virgin Islands, both the U.S. and British chain.

St. John

Accommodations -- At the Rosewood Resort, Caneel Bay, Virgin Islands National Park (tel. 340/776-6111), a Self Centre has been installed. The staff here guides guests through yoga and stress-management techniques in an eco-friendly aerie.

Dining -- The buzz of the island is The Quiet Mon, Cruz Bay (tel. 340/779-4799), a pub for drinking and informal meals. Local resident Kenny Chesney may no longer claim Renée Zellweger as his wife, but this country-western singer does drop in occasionally. This quaint joint lies upstairs, adjacent to Woody's Seafood Saloon.

At the Westin Resort, Chloe & Bernard's, Great Cruz Bay (tel. 340/693-8000), has changed its menu -- but it's still here. Today, instead of international specialties, it looks more to the States for its culinary inspiration. Lobster specials are the most popular item, but there are also fish specialties such as yellowfin tuna and mahimahi. The restaurant is found on the upper level of the open-air lobby of this plush resort.

St. Croix

Accommodations -- One of the best-known hotels in Christiansted, King's Alley, 57 King St. (tel. 342/773-0103), underwent extensive renovations in 2007, reducing its room count to 33. Accommodations have a similar Mediterranean-style decor with four-poster mahogany beds, but the units are no longer attached to small porches. Regrettably, there is no longer a swimming pool but a restaurant will be installed on-site.

The most famous gay hotel in the Caribbean, Cormorant Beach Club, has now become The Palms at Pelican Cove, 4126 La Grande Princesse (tel. 340/778-8920). It remains gay-friendly, but now draws a more mixed crowd. The rooms, bar, and restaurant service have maintained the same high standards as before.

Villa Margarita, Salt River (off Rte. 80; tel. 340/713-1930), has opened at Salt River Bay Park next to the Salt River Marina. There are only three units, but they are well-equipped with kitchenettes and private balconies opening onto some of the best views in the area. The location is remote, and you'll need a car to get around. Guests use the restaurant and marina facilities next door.

One of the island's best B&Bs, Villa Greenleaf, has opened at Island Center Road, Montpelier (tel. 340/719-1958). It's small but choice, lying to the west of Christiansted. Once a private home, it's been successfully converted to receive guests, housing them in elegantly furnished rooms with four-poster beds.

Wholesale renovations were completed in the winter of 2007 to Tamarind Reef Hotel, 5001 Tamarind Reef (tel. 340/773-4455), and it's looking better than ever. Rooms have a fresh, bright Caribbean look, and both the private bathrooms and food service have been improved.

Dining -- One of the most popular restaurants in Christiansted, Tutto Bene, has moved to the second floor of the Boardwalk Building on Hospital Street (tel. 340/773-5229). The Italian menu remains basically the same but the decor has more of a warehouse feeling and the space has been doubled. A new addition is a front porch on the second floor. A special feature is a chef's table inside the kitchen where diners can watch their meal being prepared. On the first Saturday night of every month, the restaurant hosts a disco party.

The long-established Mahogany Room has closed at the Carambola Beach Resort, Estate Davis Bay (tel. 340/778-3800), and renovations were going on at press time. A formal restaurant may reopen by 2008 in its place. Currently, the Saman Dining Room is the main restaurant of the resort, and it's much less formal than the Mahogany Room, serving American specialties such as rib-eye steak and the fresh catch of the day.

In Christiansted, the popular Morning Glory Café has closed and has re-emerged as Anna's Café, Gallows Bay Marketplace (tel. 340/773-6620), focusing on pastries -- the new owner is the island's best pastry chef. The cafe still serves informal meals but with more variety than before.

Tortolla

The three major resorts of Tortola are being extensively renovated and altered as we go to press. Frenchman's Cay Resort Hotel & Villas, West End (tel. 284/495-4844), is slated for a reopening in the winter of 2007-08. With the villas being rebuilt, the resort is hoping to give Biras Creek on Virgin Gorda a run for its money. In another development, Prospect Reef Resort, Drake's Highway, Road Town (tel. 284/494-3311), reopened in January of 2007 after a long closure. It was only a partial opening, as work continued in 2007 with a game plan of enlarging the resort to around 100 rooms. The exact date when this major expansion will be finished has not been determined. There's more. Treasure Isle Hotel, Pasea Estate, Road Town (tel. 284/494-2501), is gradually being rebuilt, the work scheduled to be completed during the life of this edition. Even though still under construction, the hotel will continue to receive guests throughout 2007. The on-site Verandah Restaurant has been massively expanded to seat 250 diners.

The little resort of Myett's, Cane Garden Bay (tel. 284/494-9649), has gone from three to six units, but its restaurant attracts far more visitors. The place is so popular that it's become a hot spot after dark in the Cane Garden Bay district.

A posh place to stay is the new Heritage Inn, standing on Windy Hill (tel. 284/494-5842), where all nine units are elegantly furnished suites. The location is spectacular, even though it's a 10-minute drive to the beaches.

On Little Beef Island, site of the airport, Beef Island Guest House has opened at East End (tel. 284/495-2303), offering four bedrooms in a cottage where guests share a communal living room. Staying here is like being at a house party.

The new restaurant for haute cuisine in Road Town is the Dove, 67 Main St. (tel. 284/494-0313), its recipes based on a fusion of French and Asian cuisine. Seafood is flown in fresh daily. Boasting Tortola's longest wine list and a small menu that changes weekly, the restaurant also has jazz in its luxurious bar.