Making connections at The Buccaneer in St. Croix

Travel Weekly

4 days ago

I've slept in jungle treehouses in Colombia, ecolodges in the Andes, safari tents in South Africa and palatial suites in Thailand. Some have come with infinity pools and Champagne breakfasts, others with threadbare linens and questionable plumbing. But no matter how glamorous or gritty, the hotels I remember most aren't the ones with the highest thread count or the flashiest Instagram appeal. The ones I remember are the ones where I connected not just to the place, but to the people.
That's why The Buccaneer in St. Croix will stick in my memory.
Set on 340 oceanfront acres just east of Christiansted, The Buccaneer is by most metrics a grand dame of this U.S. Virgin Island. It's one of the longest-running family-owned resorts in the Caribbean, helmed today by Elizabeth Armstrong, granddaughter of the original owners who opened the doors in 1947. And yes, the resort has all the things that make for a memorable stay: three beaches, two swimming pools, a golf course, a watersports center, eight tennis courts, a spa, a compact gym and three restaurants that serve everything from fine dining to sushi and tacos.
Mermaid Beach is the activity area at The Buccaneer, where guests can find all the nonmotorized watersports equipment. Photo Credit: Meagan Drillinger
But what made The Buccaneer stick out in my mind was the staff. In my first 24 hours at the resort, I had no fewer than four in-depth conversations with staff members, each one of them with magnetic personalities, very warm and funny. There was the driver who met me at the airport and regaled me with stories about island history and politics. We talked about elections and Caribbean resilience, what it's like living in paradise when you're still at the mercy of U.S. government and the decisions it makes.
During my stay I met a man from Dominica who told me about his journey through the Caribbean and how he came to call St. Croix home. Later that afternoon, I sat at the bar and struck up a conversation with the bartender who happens to also be a local photographer. We talked about art and storytelling, about preserving culture and sharing it with visitors in an unscripted way. (She makes a mean rum and coconut water martini, as well.)
Seaside sanctuary
Of course, the natural setting helps set the tone here. The Buccaneer overlooks the turquoise waters of the Caribbean and Christiansted harbor, with photogenic views in every direction. I stayed in one of the Luxury Beachside Doubloon rooms, a spacious 800-square-foot space steps from Mermaid Beach. My ground-floor room had easy beach access, but I'd recommend the upper floors for better views and more natural light. Still, waking up and rolling straight into the sea has its appeal.
My personal favorite room on property was the Frigate Suite, perched right above Grotto Beach and just a flip-flop's stroll from Beauregard's, the casual beachfront lunch spot serving sushi and tacos. Between bites, I recommend taking a dip, drying off and grabbing a cold drink before the next round of spicy tuna rolls.
The Luxury Beachside Doubloon rooms overlook Mermaid Beach. Photo Credit: Meagan Drillinger
For a more active experience, the resort has tennis courts plus a small but functional gym as well as an 18-hole golf course. If spectator sports are more your clients' thing, they might catch a friendly tournament or an impromptu game of beach volleyball on Mermaid Beach. And speaking of beaches, each has its own personality. Mermaid Beach is the most social, home to The Mermaid restaurant and plenty of loungers. Whisper Beach is quieter without restaurants or facilities. It's only a five-minute walk from the main areas, but it feels like your own private shoreline.
Practical travelers will appreciate thoughtful touches like the guest laundry room. For families, couples or solo adventurers like me, The Buccaneer somehow manages to feel both sprawling and intimate. Complimentary shuttle vans will take guests wherever they need to go, or they can get their steps in and hike it up the hill from the beach to the main house. The views across the bay to the lights of Christiansted are the payoff for all that climbing.
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There are parts of the resort that are in need of a refresh, though I am told that renovations happen all the time. Still, the traditional Caribbean aesthetic prevails, with heavy curtains, dark wooden furniture, and an antique style. It's not modern, though The Mermaid and Beauregard's have been designed with clean lines and lighter colors. Overall, the resort puts a strong emphasis on traditional and classic, which is often what its repeat guests come here for.
So yes, I've stayed in fancier places. I've soaked in the plunge pools and done the private dinners. But the resorts that stick are the ones where people matter most. Come for the sunshine but stay for the stories and the special connection. You'll find it in spades all over the island, and at The Buccaneer in particular.