My Arrival at the Buccaneer | St. Croix, USVI

After my quick flight from St. Thomas I was headed to off to stay at the world renowned resort, The Buccaneer in St. Croix.  I grabbed my bags and headed out of the Henry E. Rhoisen Airport in St. Croix with my driver, Ames Joseph also known as Joseph. The airport in St. Croix is significantly bigger than in St. Thomas, but this is easily explained by the fact that it is the largest of the US Virgin Islands. The 1,455 acre airport services St. Croix with flights from the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico, and the Eastern Caribbean and has one asphalt paved runway.

St. Croix is much flatter than either St. Thomas or St. John and the roads are much easier to navigate with less incline, twists, and turns. Each of the islands has its own flavor and St. Croix is certainly no different. With two towns on the island, Christiansted with a population of 2,433 and Frederiksted with a population of 859, the overall population of St. Croix is a mere 50,601 according to the 2010 US Census.

Chosen for my stay in St. Croix was The Buccaneer, an amazing resort and the only one on St. Croix with a golf course. From the Buccaneer web site:

Gracious. Elegant. Legendary.
Founded in the 17th century and family-run for generations, St. Croix’s Buccaneer is the Caribbean’s and Virgin Islands’ longest running resort. Both historic and modern, the resort blends old world charm with warm hospitality and the amenities expected by today’s traveler. More than a hotel, The Buccaneer is a premier destination resort for golf, tennis, water sports, weddings, honeymoons and family vacations.

Breathtaking views don’t even begin to explain the grounds of this resort. Just before my arrival they completed the renovation to the entrance of the resort by changing out the paved entrance with cobblestone. This picture is the view from walking out of the main entrance toward the fountain and is one of the most relaxing and peaceful views ever. There are a few benches in this area and the landscaping, complete with pineapples growing right in front of you, and views should not be missed. On many important travel lists, The Buccaneer in St. Croix is on the Historic Hotels of America among others including:

• “One of Top 25 Hotels In The Caribbean” and “One of Top 500 Hotels In The World”- Travel & Leisure Magazine
• “One of the World’s Top Fifty Tropical Resorts” and “Top 25, Reader’s Choice Top 100 Award” – Conde Nast Traveler
• “One of the world’s top ‘legendary’ resorts” – Islands Magazine
• “Top 20 Caribbean Resorts Platinum List ” – Celebrated Living
• National Geographic Traveler’s “Stay List

With three beaches, two pools, eight tennis courts (all recently redone), a spa, shopping arcade, fitness center, jogging trail, 18-hole golf course, four restaurants, The Buccaneer is a sprawling resort on 340 acres in Gallows Bay. It doesn’t seem humanly possible to capture all the shades of blues and greens doesn’t seem humanly possible, but I certainly tried with my camera. You can wake up in the morning and after breakfast go for a morning walk, paddlesurf, or participate in cardio tennis, art lessons, or an island tour. Since the resort is considerably large, you can ring the front desk for the courtesy van to take you from one part of the resort to another. Personally, I liked the hike up the hill because it then justified everything I was eating and drinking!

I couldn’t stop staring at the beach and I was fortunate enough to have an incredible view from my room. This view was from where I had lunch at The Mermaid, which I will cover in my next post. However, how could I pass up sharing blue water and palm trees? In 1947, the Armstrong family, who had owned and operated the cattle estate since 1922, opened The Buccaneer for business with eleven guest rooms. It was the first hotel in St. Croix to be built and operated by an island family. Elizabeth Armstrong, granddaughter of the original owner, now runs The Buccaneer in St. Croix and this is what she says on The Buccaneer web site:

Our mission is for every guest to return to The Buccaneer and become part of The Buccaneer family. We pledge to provide world-class service and to share our heritage, warmth and friendliness, ensuring that every visitor becomes an ambassador for St. Croix.

I can see how once you arrive at The Buccaneer in St. Croix, you might already start planning your next trip back. Next time we’ll not only visit the Mermaid restaurant, but also my room, which was amazing!