As a travel writer, some locations land on my radar again and again. Usually, that’s thanks to word of mouth.
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After all, every traveler knows the feeling of experiencing a perfect, or near-perfect, trip. It opens up your eyes to something new and exciting, and you want to yap about it to those you love the most. Or maybe whoever is in earshot.
Enter one of the most storied and celebrated resorts in the US Virgin Islands: The Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort. Although I haven’t graced this all-inclusive hotel that has close to 75 years of experience under its belt, I hear it lauded often. With great gusto.
It’s the type of place that travelers return to again and again—despite its not-nothing prices.
So, what makes the Buccaneer such an enduring favorite for visitors? There’s more than what meets the eye here. Let’s dig in to see what returning guests have to say about the stay, along with reasons I’ve heard it mentioned again and again. Consider this your insights into one of the Caribbean’s true hidden gems.
6 reasons the Buccaneer Beach & Golf Resort has stood the test of time
It’s great for USVI beginners
If you’ve never been to the US Virgin Islands, booking an all-inclusive stay on St. Croix is a pretty unbeatable way to get to know one of the islands. St. Croix is the least busy of the three main US Virgin Islands, and one of the most pristine. The Buccaneer spans 340 acres of greenery and beach, giving you the keys to a tropical escape.
Whether or not you’re an avid traveler with any experience in the Caribbean, you’ll feel at home at The Buccaneer. The hotel offers a long list of activities and bookable tours, letting you venture off the grounds at your own pace. For many Americans, that’s a pretty sweet setup.
Experience = seamlessness
Whether you’re new to travel or not, you can expect one thing from The Buccaneer: tons of experience. The grounds were first opened as an inn back in 1947. Since then, operations have slowly expanded—but The Buccaneer’s focus on luxury-leaning beach vacations hasn’t. Over the decades, they’ve nearly perfected their approach to hospitality.
Guests rave about how the grounds are laid out, the amenities, and the helpful nature of staff (more on that below). If you’ve been to a large-scale all-inclusive resort with a poor setup, you know how frustrating it can be—you lose precious vacation time when wandering around lost. At The Buccaneer, guests rave about feeling right at home straight from the jump.
Staff that actually care
Here’s the other thing I hear about when someone brings up The Buccaneer: friendly staff that actually want guests to have a good vacation. You can expect a warm welcome and a helpful demeanor, along with plenty of smiles for the kiddos. The latter is especially important for families with young kids.
It’s extremely family-friendly
That brings me to my next point: If you’re traveling with family, The Buccaneer has a list of activities for any age. Along with activities like golf, tennis, and beach sports, there’s a daily kids’ day camp that runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the cost is included in your room rate. There are also Family Cottage Suites that are more colorful and fun than other rooms.
The Buccaneer has found the balance between offering family-friendly programs while also maintaining the resort’s upscale focus on relaxation. In other words, the hotel grounds are organized in such a way that you can find peaceful silence—or join a kid-friendly treasure hunt on the beach, where screams of joy abound.
They absolutely nail the holidays
I originally heard about The Buccaneer years ago because a friend of a friend spent Christmas at the resort. They were thrilled with their experience, since The Buccaneer goes all-out for the holidays. The grounds were decked out in festive Christmas and New Year’s décor, while the evening entertainment was perfectly on theme. Even the breakfast buffet was transformed with a Christmas menu.
Aside from US holidays, expect Caribbean fare, as well. The Buccaneer brings on seasonal performances that shed a light on St. Croix and Virgin Islands culture.
You (really) don’t need to leave the grounds
This factor ties in nicely with my first note—The Buccaneer Resort is massive, meaning you don’t actually need to leave the grounds. You can golf, play tennis, lounge on the beach, lounge in the pool, and more from the moment you wake up. It’s set on such a large plot that you won’t feel crowded or bored easily.
In other words, The Buccaneer Resort is a true all-inclusive, which many guests appreciate, considering many visitors need to take more than one plane ride to reach St. Croix. If you’re someone who likes to really lounge, there’s no better place on the island.
And the catch?
It wouldn’t be fair to only list the benefits here. If you’re considering booking a room at The Buccaneer, what types of drawbacks should you know about?
According to returning guests, there isn’t a walkable destination near the resort. You need to rent a car if you want to venture off the resort and explore the rest of St. Croix—which many like to do, at least for a night in Christiansted. The Buccaneer provides shuttles, but they’re fairly limited.
Second, all beaches on St. Croix are open to the public, meaning The Buccaneer doesn’t have a private beach. Some guests were surprised to learn that, given The Buccaneer is considered the end-all of all-inclusive resorts in the USVI. Anyone can walk up and pay for a chair on the beach.
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