Marketplace Suites

The self-serve locker and provided code made check-in and check-out simple. The room was clean, modern and a decent size, with the kind of features you'd expect from an average mid-tier hotel on the mainland. Even the small details were good: the toilet paper was somewhere between Scott 1000 and Charmin, and the paper towels were Bounty. Just a couple of minor things, the shower head could use a cleaning, and the shower design leaves some water on the bathroom floor.

The walk into Cruz Bay takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and the ferry terminal is right in the middle of town. Tamarind Court is an easy five-minute walk, with lovely outdoor seating. There are a couple of laundromats on the way, though some stretches have no sidewalk and include gravel. The building itself is handy too, with a grocery store, drug store, deli, and bookstore that sells paperbacks and serves coffee. Suite 7 was spacious and comfortable for our five nights. Its windows look over the parking lot, with some water visible, and the noise didn’t bother me. My main gripe was getting just one room key because of security, which made separate outings inconvenient.

We were surprised by how roomy the suite was, easily enough space for two, and the bathroom had double sinks and a waterfall shower. The big fridge, stove, microwave, and Keurig were useful too. We stayed three nights and really liked how close everything was: the Marketplace is downstairs, the ferry dock is nearby, and restaurants are around an 8-10 minute walk away. We could leave the car at the hotel, which helped since parking near the restaurants can be tough. Loved our stay and would come back.

Getting a decent night's sleep has been hard here. The lower windows are jalousie style and don't seal shut, so birds and chickens start up around 6 a.m. By about 7, locals and the cleaning crew are talking and laughing loudly; doors and rolling carts carry through too. You may need to be asleep by 10 to get enough rest, and I haven't been able to sleep in. I'm going to try earplugs. The ironing board is broken, so a clothes steamer would be a welcome replacement. The suite is clean, spacious, and nicely designed, with good Wi-Fi, big-screen TVs, and a lovely bathroom. The shower gets hot and has great pressure. The location works well, about 10 minutes on foot to the ferry and 15 to Mongoose Junction, along gentle hills. There's a large selection at the first-floor market, and an ATM downstairs.