The Buccaneer

We were Island hopping and decided to visit St. Croix for a couple of days. Since we weren't sure where to stay I did a simple Google search and The Buccaneer came up as an option. I felt safe in booking this property because their website states that they are the in the Top 10% of Properties Worldwide on TripAdvisor. I thought that sounded pretty impressive and I felt safe in making a reservation. Also in reading the reviews, it also stated that they were number one of the six hotels in St. Croix. While all of this sounds great, our stay did not reflect this. On a positive note, both the room and the bathroom were definitely large which made for a comfortable stay. Every employee that we encountered was very friendly and welcoming. Where the negative comes in is that the room and the hallway corridors were dirty and in disrepair. What also bothered me is the free breakfast. There was definitely a nice selection of food, but the majority of the hot foods had become cold on the buffet. I believe the quality was pretty good, but you couldn't really tell because of the temperature of the food. The other thing that didn't sit right with me is that at the end of the meal the server, and I use the term very loosely, would bring a check in a bill presenter to your table. Although the bill stated zero was due, there was clearly an expectation that you should leave a tip. I don't mind tipping well for good service, but the server did nothing but bring my husband one cup of coffee. If you wanted a glass of water or juice you had to get it yourself from the buffet along with your food. There was no table side service at all, so why should we leave a tip? Of course we didn't want to be perceived as being cheap so we left a $10 bill every morning for zero service.

There is much to like about the Buccaneer. The views, the food, the landscaping, and the staff were all wonderful. Everyday included a free breakfast buffet at the Terrace Restaurant, with many items offered. The property is a bit hilly in parts, which is fine if you like a bit of a workout before breakfast; otherwise, the shuttle service was prompt. The concierge was very helpful with excursions, reservations, and general information. We stayed in one of the Ocean Front rooms, which was quite nice, with a rounded balcony overlooking the water. The property has three restaurants, and the food at all of them was excellent, if a little pricy. We ordered beverages for our little refrigerator from room service, which was handy. There were quite a few people playing golf on the golf course. There is a gift shot and a boutique on the property, and also a spa (which we didn’t use during this trip). I can’t say enough about the staff—they were all so friendly and helpful. There are two beaches (they might say they have three, but one is a little ways away and has no amenities). Mermaid beach is the nicest, with the most lounge chairs, tables and some umbrellas, too. The beach by Beauregards has some chairs and is less crowded; there is a reef just off-shore, so you get into the water between the two green buoys. The bar/restaurant is close to the beach. Some things that weren’t so good: We had one dinner at the Terrace Restaurant and the service was absolutely awful. We had a reservation, but it didn’t seem to matter; we were practically ignored. I had to get my own water from the bar. We waited for almost a half hour before we got menus. The food was good when we finally got it. The other two restaurants had good food, as well, but the service was a bit slow depending on time of day. They have three restaurants, but unfortunately, not all of them are open at once. The Terrace is open daily for breakfast but only Wednesday through Sunday for dinner; apparently, they don’t service any lunch there. The Mermaid Restaurant is open daily for lunch; they also have a beach menu, which is available daily for lunch. No breakfast, and they serve dinner only on Mondays and Tuesdays. Beauregard’s on the Beach is open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday, although the bar is open daily. No breakfast, and they serve dinner only on Fridays; however, their lunch ends at 6 PM, so if you like to dine early, you can go there for a late lunch and call it dinner. It would be nice to have more options for dinner, because if you don’t get a reservation, you could be out of luck, unless you have a car and can drive off the property (or you could take a taxi). Our TV in our room didn’t work very well at all—not a big deal, but it could be frustrating for some folks. We reported it, but no one came to check on it. I think it would be a cool idea to allow guests to rent a golf cart to get around the property, if they choose, but we were told they don’t do this. Just be prepared to walk uphill to breakfast and to the lobby (or take their shuttle). The balconies on the Ocean Front Rooms are nice, and furnished with two lounge chairs and a small table. We were wishing they also provided a small café table and two upright chairs, because we like to sit outside and have our coffee sitting up, not lying down. We felt there was room for this. We had a lovely time, and the only reason I include some of the above comments is because I look for things that could be improved (in my opinion).

Oh my goodness, The Buccaneer is fantastic! This was our first official retirement trip, and what a way to start. Of all the islands/resorts we have visited in the past, this is the only one my husband said that he would love to do a return visit (at least annually I hope). We enjoyed the location of our ocean view room in the Great House. We enjoyed dinners at The Mermaid and The Terrace, the delightful daily included breakfast, the helpful and kind employees, the beach...and on and on. Even after reading all the great reviews, The Buccaneer exceeded our high expectations.

We had another wonderful experience at the Buccaneer. Your location provides a beautiful panoramic view of the reefs and beyond. As mentioned during our visit, the Buccaneer is the jewel accommodation of St. Croix. We are so glad to be amongst the fantastic cadre of staff that you have assembled that makes us feel like we’re part of the family.

My husband and I loved our experience at this resort! The staff so friendly and accommodating. The beach beautiful, the food fantastic! The resort is in a hill overlooking the ocean. It is a tennis and golfing resort but we did t do any of that and still had a great time. The only thing negative I will say is that walking up the hill from the beach could be hard for people that are older as it is a steep hill. There is a van service you can call if you need assistance getting up the hill. But I highly recommend this island and this resort