Gallows Point Resort

Gallows Point has the best of both worlds: It’s within walking distance of downtown, but feels more secluded and tranquil than any other hotel in Cruz Bay. Set on five oceanfront acres, Gallows offers incredible seaside vistas. Its western facing location might just offer some of the most beautiful sunsets on all of St. John. At night, guests can see the lights on St. Thomas slowly illuminate across the bay. During the day, the property remains quiet, as the majority of guests are adults. Children are welcome, but not catered to, and because units only have one bedroom, accommodations aren’t particularly family-friendly. The lobby isn’t exciting or overly welcoming. It’s essentially a breezeway with a reception desk, a few chairs, and computers for guests to use. Above the lobby is the unaffiliated restaurant, which is open for dinner each evening and is the perfect place to catch a sunset.  

From the ferry terminal, Gallows is about a six-minute walk or two-minute cab ride. Most of downtown’s shops, bars, and restaurants are easily reachable in 10 minutes on foot. Although the hotel has its own beach, it's rocky and isn’t ideal for swimming. Guests can hike to the nearest national park beach, Honeymoon, in about 30 minutes, or drive there in about five minutes. Parking at the hotel is free and easy.   

Though they have different layouts, all 60 rooms at Gallows have one bedroom, a full kitchen, living room, dining room, and a furnished balcony or patio. When booking rooms at Gallows, it’s important to be familiar with the hotel’s layout. There are 15 buildings on the property, and each building houses four units, two upper, and two lower. Buildings one through nine, and building 15, are called Ocean View Rooms, and have west-facing balconies with views of St. Thomas. Buildings 10 through 14 face Cruz Bay; these are known as Harbor View Rooms. Some guests complain that Harbor View Rooms are subject to noise from downtown bars until late at night. The upper units of each building are duplexes with a loft-style bedroom and one-and-a-half bathrooms. Lower units are one-story, with only one bathroom. 

Decor varies greatly throughout the property. Some units look like modern Manhattan lofts with sleek subway tiles, spa-like bathrooms, and modern furniture, while others have wicker sofas, white appliances, and patchwork quilts; these uncannily resemble the shore house your parents used to rent in 1980. The problem is, there’s really no way of knowing which units are which when booking.     

Gallows Point offers some nice amenities that other Cruz Bay hotels in this price range do not. For a fee, the hotel can pre-stock kitchens with requested food and beverages before guests arrive. There's a seasonal restaurant for dinner and Sunday brunch, though it's not affiliated with the hotel. Upon arrival and departure the hotel offers free transportation to and from the ferry terminal. Wi-Fi is free and works well throughout the property. There’s a communal grilling area, though it doesn’t seem to get much use. The outdoor pool at Gallows is small, but has gorgeous sea views. There’s a small hot tub, and plenty of lounge chairs across the property’s multiple sun decks. The beach is rocky and isn’t the best for swimming, but there is some great snorkeling just beyond the shoreline. A plank walkway extends from the beach into the ocean so guests don’t have to battle the rocky shore in order to take a dip. 

Because of its fantastic views, Gallows is a popular wedding venue, and can accommodate small ceremonies on three different parts of the property. The hotel offers wedding and honeymoon packages that include souvenir bathrobes for the wedding couple, dinner for two at the restaurant, and a free bottle of Champagne upon arrival.