Estate Smith Bay, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (U.S.) | (888) 616-5829
1,200 feet of one of the best beaches in the Virgin Islands
Beach has beautiful views of St. John and other satellite
islands
Good value for a condo property on the beach
Close to Red Hook, with restaurants and duty-free shopping
Condos have fully equipped kitchens and spacious living rooms
Gated property
Large pool
Tennis courts
Older property with '70s-style buildings
Rooms and decor are dated
Beach can get crowded
**This property was impacted by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in September 2017. We will update our review as soon as we have more information. **Crystal Cove Beach Resort on Sapphire Beach has distinctive pros and cons. Situated on gorgeous Sapphire Beach, this stretch of sand is one of the best in the Virgin Islands -- clear, turquoise, and calm, with great snorkeling and lots of sea life. The property also has a large pool and tennis courts and offers condo-style living at an affordable price. However, this is an older property and many of the units are dated with cheesy wicker tropical furnishings, floral bedspreads, and old kitchens.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Private, home-style living
Crystal Cove is an older property and the buildings look it.
Squat, two-story structures with yellow/tan paint and light blue trim look very '70s. The buildings circle a large lagoon in the middle of the property. The lagoon is scenic, with palm trees and other greenery landscaped around it, although mosquitos can be a problem at night. The property is gated
and secure, and located down a long drive from the main road.The resort feels more like a private condo property than a
resort (and in some ways, it is). There is no gym, spa, business center, room
service, or pool/ beachside drink service. Since the condos have full kitchens
and large living areas, most guests spend their time in their unit at night. There
are some long-term residents here as well.For those looking for more amenities, nearby Point Pleasant Resort offers large units with full kitchens as well as an on-site restaurant and bar, and a spa.
Location
Five-minute drive to Red Hook
The Crystal Cove Beach Resort is located on the East End of the
island, known for its beaches and snorkeling. The resort is a five-minute drive
to Red Hook, a small, quaint town with great restaurants, good shopping, and
ferries to St. John. The hotel is a 25- to 30-minute drive from the airport and
Charlotte-Amalie, depending on traffic.Like most hotels in St. Thomas, there is not much within
walking distance, and the narrow, winding
mountain roads are not pedestrian friendly. Taxis charge per person and can get
expensive. A car rental is recommended.- Five-minute drive to Red Hook
Rooms
Individually owned and rented; the room quality varies
The 112 units at the resort are individually owned and
managed through different companies, so the decor and room quality
varies. Some units have dated furniture, with wicker couches and chairs
with tropical cushions, older-looking kitchens with white cabinetry, plain wood
dining furniture, and floral bedspreads. Other condos are more updated with
modern colorful backsplashes in the kitchen, light, beachy decor, and marble
countertops. There are maintenance issues in some of the condos such as appliances and TVs that don’t work, safes malfunctioning, and closet
doors off their track. Some guests complain about thin mattresses
on the beds as well.There are full kitchens in each unit with pots, pans,
dishes, glasses, and cooking and eating utensils. Some units have a washer and
dryer as well as a dishwasher.
Features
Guests come for the beach, snorkeling, and views.
Crystal Cove has 1,200 feet of some of the nicest beachfront
in the Virgin Islands. The water is clear and turquoise blue, and is famous for
snorkeling. The beach also provides stunning views of St. John and other
smaller islands and has plenty of shade from trees. However, the resort shares
this stretch of beach with Sapphire Beach Resort, its neighbor. It is also
popular with cruise ship passengers and the public. While there are plenty of
loungers, you may be sitting close to another guest. There is an on-site water sports
provider next door at Sapphire Beach Resort.The pool is located on the north side of the property. Although the pool is not particularly scenic (there is a lot of
concrete and not a lot of landscaping), the pool is large and spacious with tables,
chairs, and loungers set up around the perimeter. There is also a covered area
that provides shade. The pool is very quiet, as most guests seem to prefer the
beach. The pool at Sapphire Beach Resort next door is more scenic but also more
populated.The resort has tennis courts on-site but no fitness center. There is a bar and grill restaurant near the property and
nearby Sapphire Beach Resort has a food and drink stand that is open during the
day. Other than that, there aren’t many food and drink options, although the
full kitchens in all units lend themselves to home-made meals and longer stays. Nearby Dreams Sugar Bay has multiple on-site restaurants but does not have rooms with full kitchens.
