Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa

The view and beach are stunning, the rooms are spacious, and the staff are friendly. Lydia was the standout server, attentive, pleasant, and professional. She was the redeeming part of our stay. The place doesn’t meet Marriott standards. Pool tiles were broken and loose, a real ankle hazard, and the bathroom water, including the toilet water, was brown and not drinkable. Our sheets were never changed, just “stretched” twice during the week. There were little ants and sand in the room. Breakfast was a joke for $35 per person: boxed eggs and unwashed fruit. There weren’t enough staff to run the place well. People were pleasant, but their usual opening was “I’m sorry,” and nobody seemed to be managing things.

The views are spectacular, and the beach is right there. The rooms are laid out like small apartments or townhomes rather than a high-rise hotel, giving the place a quieter, more private condo-community feel. Some staff were pleasant and clearly trying hard to help. The property is worn, though. There’s wood rot and uneven paths that can trip you up, and the pool is in rough shape, with water leaking through loose patio bricks. The hot tub has been filled in and turned into a garden. Food choices were limited and very expensive, especially the breakfast buffet, and there weren’t other places to eat nearby. Towels were often unavailable in both rooms and at the pool because they were being washed, which was baffling. A few staff members were unfriendly, too. Understaffing meant long waits and little housekeeping. The natural surroundings are the best thing about the resort, but it needs better upkeep, more staff, and more dining options to live up to its setting.

The balcony has lovely views, but that’s about the only bright spot. Staff were slow, restaurants were pricey with mediocre food, and there were never enough beach chairs. Towels were hard to come by. For the first three days nobody cleaned our room, and when they finally came, they made the bed and took the shower towels without leaving replacements. Beach towels were never available, so I started keeping mine from the beach to have one for the next day. The bathroom sink water was brown. I was very frustrated.

The rooms are passable, but badly need repairs to the walls and doors, and the building exteriors look neglected. Taxi drivers told us the hotel is meant to be demolished and rebuilt in about three months, which would be a good thing. Most of the staff could use a hospitality refresher. They weren’t especially helpful, and some didn’t even try to be friendly. Marriott should be ashamed of the resort in its current state. If it’s been sold, I hope the new owners look after it better and train the staff well.