The Hotel on the Cay — Hotel in United States Virgin Islands

let me start out by saying we did not end up even staying here. I booked my reservation for their "Residence Room" in beginning of June 2021 for a stay in mid August 2021 after they assured me their pool should be fixed in the upcoming weeks. I emailed again August 1st to ensure it was fixed and it was not and they did not anticipate it to be fixed any time soon. They tout that they have the only swimmable beach in Christiansted (not true), and charge something like $15 for umbrellas and $20 for cabanas but they are not reserved for guests--anyone that comes to the beach for the day can rent them. I figured I could get by without the pool if I was guaranteed some shade on the beach, and requested that they include a cabana since the pool was closed. I got a snarky email in response from the manager as follows:

"Good morning. I am aware of your requests and unfortunately cabanas or umbrellas are not included in any reservations. We also do not reserve any beach equipment. I am also aware of your displeasure with our pool not being open. Due to covid and being very short staffed there is no guarantee we will have the pool open by the time you arrive. We are however surrounded by some of the most beautiful water in the world. Please be assured that if you choose to cancel a full refund will be provided. The Buccaneer Resort is a five star hotel on St. Croix. Perhaps they would be better equipped to provide you with the amenities you’re looking for. We are a small, older facility and we are aware that this venue doesn’t suit everyone’s needs. Whatever decision you make I hope you enjoy our beautiful island of St. Croix.

Thank you, Cathy Decker Operations Manager"

The fact that they basically encouraged me to stay somewhere else was astounding to me and really spoke to their level of courtesy and professionalism regarding hospitality. So, 2 weeks prior to my trip that I had planned months ago I was scrambling to find a new place to stay, canceled my reservation with them and got my refund. If you are interested in this place I would say save your money, stay somewhere "that is better equipped to provide you with amenities" in town at christiansted/pelican cove/sugar beach and if you really want to visit protestant cay its 10$ for the ferry and 20$ for a cabana =30$ out of pocket vs hundreds to stay at "small, older venue" with no amenities...

I have been going to Hotel on the Cay for over 20years. Its always a pleasure to see the friendly and familiar faces year after year. I always get a enthusiastic welcome from Sarah at the front desk. Located on a 5 acre island the beach and grounds are well maintained and beautiful. The rooms are dated and in need of remodeling. I'm told there are new owners with ambitious plans to do just that. My only complaint is that on my last visit there were insufficient lounge chairs on the beach which are provided by the hotel for their guests. On my next to last day I went to the beach with my wife at 10am. There were no lounge chairs available. I asked the attendant if I could use 2 sitting chairs since our only alternative was to sit in the sand. At age 68 I'm no longer built for that. I was directed to the hotel manager Cathy who was on the beach sitting in one of the lounge chairs along with her friends/family sitting in an additional 3 lounge chairs. Without even getting up to discuss this she declined my request citing safety concerns. Incredibly there were several other guests on the beach in possession of the very same chairs I requested. It wasn't worth getting into an argument so we simply left. Maybe it's just me. But if I were the manager I would have given my lounge chair up for a paying guest. And would purchase additional chairs to meet the demand. I'm sure there were many others arriving after 10am who did without. I will note that in past years they had an abundance of lounge chairs. Access was never a problem. But as I began this review, everyone else from housekeeping to the ferry captains were friendly and accommodating. They are a significant reason I have returned many times and plan to continue. Hopefully the new owners will address the beach accommodations as they remodel.

Update March 2024:

Just want to add an update as my wife and I just had a return visit February 2024. While most everything I wrote in my original review remain unchanged there was one pleasant improvement. The additional beach lounge chairs. MUCH appreciated! And the staff remains friendly and helpful. Some like family after all these years. We look forward to...

Hotel on the Cay is a unique location in the waters near Christiansted, St. Croix. A few things make this location stand out. It’s proximity to the Christiansted boardwalk is a plus and minus. The convenience of a short boat ferry too and from the property is both unique and adds an experience for those who have never been. The downside of its proximity is that with the various entertainment happening on the boardwalk, a peaceful night on the beach can be hard to achieve. With the activity of the boardwalk, comes other guests who stay at the Hotel on the Cay, who disregard basic courtesy as they return to the hotel from drinking to their hearts content at all hours of the evening. This makes for the possibility of being awoken at multiple times throughout the evening. The staff is exceptionally helpful and pleasant. From the ferry captain, to front desk associates, gift shop personnel and the beach staff. All points have a helpful nature, pleasant smile and welcoming vibe. Many guests return to the Cay, simply due to the staff and have built relationships with them. The property itself has a beautiful beach that is fairly well maintained. The sands and the calm waters present an idyllic peaceful atmosphere. The hotel itself is a contrast to the for mentioned points. With the damaging hurricanes of 2017, the hotel has struggled but made no progress in bringing itself back to life. With its recent purchase by another company, changes remain to be seen for the better. Rooms can be associated with that of a roadside Motel 6 or Days inn. Highly outdated is an understatement. With worn out furniture, lack of general maintenance and structural issues, the hotel is held together and functional through only the staff that you associate with during your stay. The previous company appears to have made no effort to improve on any issues suffered by the hotel. With hopes that the new owners will make visible and effective improvements soon I can surely recommend the location for the sole purpose of the staff one would deal with on a daily basis. Watch for falling concrete, cockroaches and loud guests, but definitely enjoy the...