I have been coming to St. Thomas for over twenty years now. I have stayed at almost every hotel on the island, even the ones that have gotten blown away in the hurricanes. The best value on the island of St. Thomas are the Best Western Resorts. They have two, the Emerald Beach Resort and the Carib Beach Resort. Both of these hotels have something for everyone. The rooms are great, the beach at Emerald is amazing, one of the best in the Caribbean. The value these hotels offer as compared to the other hotels is tremendous. For sometimes a third,or at least almost always half the price of the bigger hotels..you get a better room, a better beach, better service from the hotel staff, and a more money to spend on your vacation. Both Best Westerns have great restaurants that are on the ocean..a "must eat" for any visitor.
So many of the hotels on St. Thomas are far out and away from town, which makes taxi fares outrageous. The Best Westerns are close to town, yet are located on their own bay with not much water craft activity, so it is generally very quiet and relaxing. I have been ripped off for years all over the island staying at places that are larger and promise better service because they are a "major corporation". Best that I can tell, "major corporations" don't treat their employees well, so their service is horrific. These Best Westerns are smaller hotels that are owned by a leading island retailer, and trust me..they know quality and they know how important guests are and treat people accordingly. You will not be dissapointed with either the Emerald Beach Resort or the Carib Beach Resort.
