Stayed for a week in the 3 BR pool villas. Lovely accommodation but we missed the water view. We never used our pool for 2 reasons: the waterfall is very noisy so you couldn't have a conversation and the pool was too cold. They don't heat the villa pools. The 3BR would be great for a family.
We cook in most nights so having the grill right out our door was super. Service was outstanding. Whenever we called for something, it came right away, but the villa was missing quite a few things that were on the list and should have been there.
The beach is manmade and ok for kids but if you love the St. John beaches and snorkeling, you need a car to venture away from the resort.
Food at the beach restaurant was ok. Tuna and conch fritters were excellent. Bouillabaisse so-so and not really a bouillabaisse as we know it.
Spa treatment was excellent but the spa is small and old. Needs refurbishment and expansion.
The deli is great for just about anything you might want and the main pool is great.
Overall, a nice place to stay on St. John. The no see-ums and mosquitoes do bite after dusk so bring bug spray.

The hotel rooms are in need of repair, very pricey rates for the quality. Probably above average for the island. The front desk clerks were very friendly and helpful! Conceirge was very helpful, but very pushy about trying to sell a time share. We received calls almost daily asking us to consider going to the time share meeting.
Iguanas drop out of the trees, so be sure to sit under an umbrella.
The resort does have rafts, water bikes, etc for your use. There is a trampoline in the water for the kids and adults to play "Wipeout!"
The food is ok, Mango Deli is your best bet! There is a "gourmet" grocery just down the street within walking distance, great for picking up produce and snacks, just be sure to go on delivery day and check expiration dates!
Westin, St Johns is a perfect way to enjoy the island. Downtown St Johns is very rough.
If you go, rent a car on St Thomas and take the freight ferry over. Cabs are very expensive!
Once you fly into St Thomas you are on "Island Time!"

Just returned from my fourth trip to this resort. I go there for a medical meeting. 3 of the 4 times we have stayed there the room was average. Once it was below average but one should not expect much more from an island as remote as St. John. The island is 2/3rds National Park and there are very few people who actually live on the island. I would not eat a dinner there at the resort. There is much much better food in town. Lunch in the deli is actually fairly good.
To be fair to the resort, it appears that the island has gotten hit several times in the last few years by hurricanes. Good construction help is hard to find in the Carribean as well as supplies so I try to cut them a little slack.

So we read some mixed reviews on the Westin, but decided to book and judge for ourselves. If you have already booked this hotel, fear not. It is a nice, clean place with beautiful grounds and friendly staff. You will have a wonderful time. If you have not already booked this may still be a great option for you.

The Gounds: Absolutely beautiful. Well maintained with lovely landscaping of a variety of flowers and trees. Units are spaced out enough that you don't feel cramped. We enjoed watching sunset from out balcony.

The Beach: While the sand was well groomed, and the chairs/umbrellas were plentiful, we found the beach UNSWIMABLE. I say this b/c the beach is man-made and thus does not have a pristine sandy bottom which makes the water somewhat murky. Also seagrass that you cannot see makes for an unpleasant experience when stepped on. I am used to these conditions as I swim in the beaches of Cape Cod every summer, however when I'm on vacation in a tropical paradise, I want nice beaches. St. John has some of the clearest water, and most beautiful beaches I have every seen (including Hawaii) so I did not want to waste a moment in the water at the Westin. However, the water was calm and many free water sports are available, so if you are traveling with children the Westin is a nice option for the beach. But if you flew here from a cold, climate to enjoy the beauty of St. John you will be renting a car or a cab every day of your trip to find a different beach. Thus I deducted a star for the beach.

The pool: Is large and lovely, when plenty of chairs/umbrellas and cocktail service poolside. We didn't want to wait so we just walked up to the bar and ordered drinks which were served promptly and were delicious. I was in love with the Pain Killer. The dusting of nutmeg really makes it.

The rooms: Yes, they are dated. But our room was clean, and the bed was heavenly so I did not have a problem with the old worn-out mirror or tiles in the bathroom. Who cares. You're on vacation and I'm not spending entire days in my room. If you are going to spend time in your room I suspect you will need a villa equiped with a kitchen, and from my understanding the villas are all newly renovated so you won't have a problem. Housekeeping always left us a bountiful supply of coffee, creamer, shampoo, and lotion. We did not have a refridgerator or balcony chairs upon our arrival, but we called the front desk and both items arrived after a few hours. I do NOT need or EXPECT items to arrive within 10-minutes of my call on an island. If I was in New York, or Miami, then yes my expectation would probalby be different. But you're on island time, and if you've been to the carribean before you should know and expect that, if you haven't.. get used to it. It's NOT a big deal. The staff was very friendly and courteous. We received 3 phone calls from the front desk making sure we had our items, and we were satisfied.

The restaurants: We did not eat at Cruz Bay Prime, I hear good reviews, but just could not bring myself to spend $48 on a steak, when I can go to Ruth's Chris when I get home for less money and guaranteed goodness. We did have a light meal and breakfast in the main restaurant. Situated right no the beach it was lovely atmosphere. Our dinner salad was excellent, and the pizza was what I expected. However breafast was STONE COLD, and took 30-minutes to arrive. Too long to wait to send it back so I ate cold eggs bennie. At the pool bar we ordered nachos, and fruit. The nachos are a joke, cheeze whiz and olives. Not good. And the grapes on the fruit basket had freezer burn, not sure how that happens. Thus I knocked off one star for poor food. If you're planning on staying/eating a lot at the hotel you may want to re-think this place, or get a villa and prepare your own food.


Overall we had a nice stay with the Westin, and I would consider staying again in a villa and renting a car for the week to take me to beaches/town. If you really want to wake-up and have a pristine beach at your doorstep you may want to spend the extra money for Caneel Bay, which has lovely beaches (7 to be exact). But it will cost you, and their food was expensive but much better quality than the Westin.

Also the most important tip I can give you is to CHECK THE FERRY SCHEDULE. We unfortunatly missed the 3pm ferry that the Westin provides (at a cost of $120 per person), and the next ferry wasn't until 5:30. It was convenient that the Westin takes your luggage at the airport and delivers it to your room, but not sure that makes up for the high cost of the ferry, unless you want to visit St. Thomas for shopping. Unlimited trips to & from St. Thomas are included in your price. If you have a lot of luggage this is also a good option. If you are traveling with a small bag you may want to consider the public ferry to Cruz Bay. It's a quicker ride, and less money. A cab from Cruz Bay to the Westing will be $5 per person, not sure how much the cab from the airport to the ferry would be, but may be worth spending the money rather than waiting 2 1/2 hours for the next ferry to the Westin. After all time is money!!