The Buccaneer Resort St Croix: A Complete Hotel Review

The Buccaneer Resort is a beautiful beach hotel and golf club in St. Croix, one of four Caribbean islands that make up the US Virgin Islands. It's the longest running family-owned and operated resort in the Caribbean. No passport is required for US citizens for your escape to The Buccaneer Resort, making it easy to escape to this island paradise.

The Buccaneer has received many accolades over the years, including one of the Best Family Resorts by Forbes, one of the Best Caribbean Resorts by USA Today, one of the Top 50 Hotels by Conde Nast, and one of the Top 500 Hotels in the World by Travel & Leisure.

Justin and I had the opportunity to spend three nights at The Buccaneer Resort for a long weekend getaway, and we're excited to share our full review with you. Beyond the stunning beaches, The Buccaneer Resort is home to an 18-hole golf course with impressive views of the Caribbean Sea.

There are eight tennis courts on-site at The Buccaneer Tennis Club, named one of the "Top 20 Tennis Resorts" by Tennis Resorts Online. Enjoy intimate dining experiences at one of three restaurants, whether it's up at The Terrace with amazing panoramic scenery or beachside at Beauregard's on the Beach.

Saint Croix is the largest of the four islands that make up the USVI. It's easily accessible by direct flight from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Atlanta and Charlotte.

A Brief History of The Buccaneer Resort St. Croix

Owned by the Armstrong family, The Buccaneer Resort opened its doors in 1947. It was the first hotel built and operated by an island family. Nowadays, the hotel is owned by Elizabeth A. Armstrong, the third-generation owner of this St. Croix property. However, the history of the property goes back far beyond 1947.

In 1733, Denmark purchased the island of St. Croix and Governor von Prock built his home on the existing estate. He transformed part of the French Greathouse into a sugar factory and constructed a sugar mill.

The Sugar Mill still stands today and any visitors and guests at the property can wander inside this little tower anytime. It's also the location of the owner's weekly cocktail party and the setting for private candlelit dinners and intimate weddings.

The Buccaneer Resort was originally established as a temporary place to stay for those looking to settle and build their homes in St. Croix. In turn, they became pioneers of the tourist boom throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Presently, The Buccaneer is one of the most historic and iconic properties on St. Croix, welcoming visitors for well over 75 years.

Fun fact: Saint Croix and the Buccaneer Resort were featured on a season of The Bachelor! The bachelor and the female contestants stayed at The Buccaneer. Some places from the property featured on The Bachelor include the resort's Whistle Beach and a private dinner at the Sugar Mill.

The Buccaneer Resort St Croix: Luxury Beachside Doubloons

There are several different room choices at The Buccaneer Resort in St. Croix, including a six bedroom beach house. Aside from the beach house, there are rooms and suites inside the Great House, family cottage suites, and oceanfront rooms and suites. Justin and I stayed in one of the Luxury Beachside Doubloons, smaller buildings located right on Mermaid Beach.

The Luxury Beachside Doubloons are named after old gold Spanish coins that washed up on the beach from sunken ships. These suites are within smaller buildings on the beach with two suites on the first floor and two on the second floor. We stayed up on the second floor, so our balcony faced Mermaid Beach.

These are spacious, villa-like accommodations with a large bedroom and king-sized bed. There's a little table, a coffee station with a mini fridge and TV, plus a window seat. There's a walk-in closet with ample room for your clothing. As for the bathroom, there is a separate sink area (love the makeup mirror!), a shower, a jetted tub, and a separate room for the toilet.

Aside from the fact that the suite itself was modern and roomy, the balcony is a highlight of the Luxury Beachside Doubloons. The view is pretty spectacular, overlooking Mermaid Beach with Christiansted Harbor and lush green hills off in the distance. This is also the perfect place to watch the sunset.

Beaches at The Buccaneer Resort

There are three beaches at The Buccaneer Resort. Mermaid Beach is the main beach at The Buccaneer. This is where you'll find complimentary lounge chairs and umbrellas, as well as beach cabanas for a fee. There are many palm trees that also provide some shade, depending on the time of the day. The Mermaid Restaurant is on the edge of this beach, which is a great spot for lunch.

There are some games on the outer edge of this beach like cornhole, ping pong, and a basketball half court. Towels are always available from a beach attendant. There's a second station a little farther away where you can rent snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards, free of charge for hotel guests and those visiting for the day.

The turquoise waters at this beach are crystal clear and calm. For prime snorkeling spots, venture to the farthest right side of the beach where you'll see fish practically from the shore. If you continue swimming to the right and around the rocks, you'll eventually end up at the most secluded beach, Whistle Beach. This is also accessible by land via a small path. There's another snorkeling spot farther out in the water towards a sand bar, though it's only recommended for strong swimmers.

Aside from Mermaid Beach and Whistle Beach, the Grotto Beach is another secluded place to relax. The swimming here isn't as good as Mermaid Beach, but I recommend checking it out if you're looking for a quiet spot to read a book. It's also right by the Grotto Pool and Beauregard's on the Beach.

Outdoor Recreation at The Buccaneer Hotel in St Croix

One of the main amenities at The Buccaneer Resort is the 18-hole golf course. This golf course was designed by Bob Joyce in 1973. It's a par 70 course where golfers can enjoy views of the Caribbean Sea from 13 of its holes. It's playable in less than four hours and perfect for golfers of all skill levels. Kenrich "Kenny" Peets, a PGA golfer, is the official Golf Professional at The Buccaneer since 2015.

If you're a fan of tennis, you'll adore The Buccaneer Hotel. There are six Plexipave courts and two Tedelgrass courts here. This tennis club is renowned as the best tennis resort in the US Virgin Islands. Be sure to make a reservation to play here. Please note that the tennis courts are closed on Sunday.

The Buccaneer Beach Resort is also very family-friendly. It's never crowded and the waters are very calm, perfect for small children learning how to swim. There's a swimming pool that the kids will love, plus fun games and sports like soccer, basketball, ping pong, cornhole, chess and Connect Four. Of course, the sand is excellent for building epic sandcastles, too.

Beyond the outdoor activities at the resort, guests may choose to book a sailing and snorkeling trip to Buck Island National Park. Kayaks and paddleboards are always available to borrow from the hotel, too. I suggest taking an island tour as well, more details on that later in this blog post. Chat to the Concierge to see which tours are available around St. Croix island.

The Buccaneer Hotel Spa

Ah, the spa! The Buccaneer Wellness Spa offers massage and wellness services by Peace of St Croix / Massage Academy VI on-site at the hotel. It's open every day except Sunday. Before Justin and I departed to fly back home, we opted to treat ourselves to deep tissue massages before the stresses of flying.

My massage was fantastic and I felt so rejuvenated afterwards. There are quite a few different massages, including scalp massages and facial massages. When you're on vacation, why not opt for the ultimate in self-care by booking yourself in for a massage? It's easy to book your appointment in advance through their website.

The Buccaneer Resort: Restaurants and Dining

The Buccaneer has three restaurants with cuisine for every taste and preference. As someone who follows a vegan diet, I found it really easy to find plant-based meals at every restaurant. They generally always listed vegan options or vegetarian ones that could be easily modified. I'll outline everything that I ate at The Buccaneer Resort.

Compared to other resorts that I've visited in the past, The Buccaneer Resort's food is top notch. While this isn't an all-inclusive resort and you will need to pay for your restaurant meals, they're really tasty and high quality, much better than you'd find at most all-inclusives.

Beauregard's on the Beach

Beauregard's on the Beach is a casual establishment right on the beach with a thatched roof and mahogany tables. Dine here for lunch daily or on Friday nights along with a performance by fire dancers. The menu is Japanese-inspired with delicious options like sushi, miso soup and edamame.

And then there are Asian-Mexican fusion dishes like tacos. There is a vegan tofu taco, though I didn't have the chance to try it. Not listed on the menu is a veggie sushi roll that I decided to try instead and loved. Pair your dinner with a frozen blended cocktail or a local beer.

The Mermaid Restaurant

The Mermaid Restaurant is a beachfront restaurant that opens daily for lunch and beach service. There are burgers and fries, wood-fired pizzas from a stone oven, and a whole collection of other meals that aim to please every palate. Dine from one of the beachside tables on the patio, sit indoors, or have your pizza delivered to you on your beach lounger.

One day, I tried the Beyond burger and sweet potato fries, which is always a safe bet. On another day, I ordered a vegan pizza without any cheese but adding lots of vegetables. The thin crust was so tasty and it was perfectly prepared. We also ordered beer, cocktails, and I also asked for an iced coffee one day that was so refreshing.

The Terrace & The Lounge

The Terrace and The Lounge are located in the main building by the front lobby, with sweeping panoramic views of the resort from up on the hill. Interestingly enough, The Terrace and The Lounge have separate menus. If you sit on one side of the restaurant, you'll have access to The Terrace menu. However, if you sit on The Lounge side, you can order from both The Terrace menu and The Lounge menu.

We discovered this interesting tidbit on our second evening at dinnertime. I think you should dine one night at The Terrace and one night at The Lounge. But, if you'd always like access to both menus, just dine at The Lounge (the right side of the restaurant upon entering).

In The Terrace, I ordered a bruschetta appetizer and a tofu chili teriyaki noodle stir fry. They used tofu for this dish in place of the chicken and it was crispy and full of flavor. In the Lounge, I ordered a hummus appetizer and a veggie burger entree. Both tasted great, though I think that the stir fry on the first night was the clear winning dish for me.

Breakfast at The Terrace

Breakfast is also at The Terrace restaurant every morning. It's complimentary for everyone spending the night at the hotel. This is an average breakfast buffet that has pretty standard items. I had bread with peanut butter/jam, potatoes, and fresh fruit. There's also an endless supply of coffee (you can ask for soy milk) and fresh fruit juice (loved the guava juice).

Half Day Tour of St. Croix, USVI

On Tuesdays and Fridays, book a scenic island tour through The Buccaneer. A local tour guide will take you on a drive around the island, stopping at various attractions and highlights on the way. Our driver and tour guide, Ray, told us many interesting things about the history of St. Croix and other details about living on the island his whole life.

We stopped at a couple of beautiful beaches, the botanical gardens, and the two main towns, Frederiksted and Christiansted. I know there's only so much you can see in four hours, but this provided us with a great overview of St. Croix. We have plenty of ideas for our next trip to the island for where to dine, relax, and partake in local festivities.

To take a scenic island tour, sign up at the concierge desk. The tour allows for a maximum of eight guests and takes place from 10am to 2pm. It costs $250 for 2 people, $75 for any additional guests, and $50 for children 12 and under.

Getting There

It's easy to reach St. Croix and for US citizens, no passport is required! Fly to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in Saint Croix. There are direct flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Atlanta and Charlotte. Airlines that fly to St. Croix include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Seaborne Airlines (San Juan, Puerto Rico).

From the other US Virgin Islands, it's possible to take a seaplane flight from St. Thomas to St. Croix. There is also a regular ferry service between St. Croix and St. Thomas / St. John.

We flew from Toronto to St. Croix with a layover in Miami with American Airlines. Here's where you can search for the best prices on flights. To get to and from the property, you can arrange for a taxi through The Buccaneer ahead of time (with V.I. Taxicab Commission).

It might also be a good idea to rent a car. With your own car rental, it's easy to see the island at your own pace. The next time we travel to St. Croix, we're definitely going to get a rental car so we can explore on our own. There's plenty of parking available at The Buccaneer, too. Compare car rental prices here.

In summary, Justin and I really enjoyed our long weekend getaway to St. Croix and The Buccaneer Resort. I recommend staying for longer if you can, simply to have more days of relaxation plus the opportunity to see more of the island itself. Here's where you can book your stay at The Buccaneer, and here's where you can read more reviews of the hotel.