Where to Stay in St. Thomas for Barefoot Luxury

Written by Kelly Magyarics

Photos Courtesy of Buoy House

One of the quiet pleasures of a great hotel is leaving it―not to check out, but to explore, knowing something special awaits your return. That’s certainly the case at Buoy House Beach Resort, a boutique property situated directly on Morningstar Beach in St. Thomas.

The best way to get your bearings after check-in is to head to the private dock and hop aboard the Flying Frenchman, the hotel’s luxury 65-foot catamaran. During a two-hour barefoot sunset sail, you can spot the sailboats that dot Frenchman’s Bay as you’re departing as well as the charming capital of Charlotte Amalie and Crown Mountain, the island’s highest point. Sprawl out, sip Champagne and savor artfully-arranged hors d’oeuvres as the mainsail billows in the breeze, the sky morphs from peach-gold dusk to indigo twilight and you cruise past St. John and a smattering of private islands, with the British Virgin Islands on the horizon. It’s a magical way to start your stay.

For another luxe on-the-water experience, the resort can arrange for a half- or full-day boat charter, during which you’ll snorkel with sea turtles and explore a sunken shipwreck at Buck Island. In between stops, lounge and lunch on a private white sand beach with glasses of French rosé and dishes created by the hotel’s executive chef.

Once back on terra firma, you’ll have more time to sink into your posh surroundings. Buoy House offers 94 sumptuous accommodations, located in two- and three-level bungalow-style buildings. The most sought-after rooms by guests are the beachfront rooms, which feature king beds, patios with swinging hammock chairs, and a living area. Just steps from the sand, these rooms offer direct access to private chaise lounges on the beach as well as butler service. One-bedroom suites are a bit roomier, with separate bedrooms and living areas, two private balconies and a spacious bath. All include a complimentary in-room bottle of Champagne on the first day of your stay, reserved beach chairs and a fully stocked bar.

Mornings here start at Sugarfin, a restaurant so close to the water that you’ll feel like you’re taking your breakfast at a table on a cruise ship. Listen to the soothing sounds of the azure waves lapping the shore over an order of Coquito French toast, the dreamy star of the A.M. menu inspired by the Puerto Rican coconut and rum-based holiday cocktail; as if that wasn’t decadent enough, it’s topped off with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and candied citrus peel.

Across from the lobby, Sandbar is the perfect spot to take a little lunch while you’re deciding your afternoon plans, with a menu of tapas and small plates, island-style. Caribbean lobster is tucked into lettuce cups and garnished with avocado and shallots, chorizo sliders arrive with manchego and saffron aioli, and thin-crust pizzas can be topped with anything from tiger prawns to Iberico ham. The Gin & Tonic would make any Spanish bartender proud, served in a large goblet with splashes of vermouth and a lemon-rosemary shrub and garnished with botanicals, and the Pink Pomelo is a caramelized, spicy riff on the Paloma, with pink peppercorns and brûléed grapefruit.

If you do want to venture out, walkable Charlotte Amalie, with its shops and boutiques, is just a ten-minute taxi ride away. Pop into Taphus, a beer bar opened during the pandemic in a building dating back to 1666; sip your pint of local cream ale and marvel at the exposed ballast brick and coral stone walls, which leach salt deposits from the sea air. Nearby, The Creative Native features works by photographer Ama Dennis that are intertwined with the island’s vibrant history and culture.

But if you prefer to stay a bit closer, take a plunge in the oceanfront infinity pool, decked out with umbrellas, loungers and cocoon-like cabanas and a row of in-water loungers. If you (inexplicably) tire of the view, walk up the path or take the complimentary shuttle to the Westin St. Thomas perched on the cliffside above; guests of Buoy House have reciprocity to enjoy the amenities, including the pools and restaurants; the Westin also houses the brand’s signature Heavenly Spa.

At least one night during your stay, have dinner at Isla Blue, an elevated journey of global inspiration and local ingredients. The kitchen philosophy is imagined in dishes like hamachi sashimi served with sizzling roasted garlic-infused oil, pan-seared scallops in chipotle-agave butter and filet mignon with lemongrass and green peppercorns. Epicureans will want to opt for the seven-course tasting menu, which is offered with two optional beverage pairings: Tequila and cocktails or wine. Couples craving a romantic soirée à deux can indulge outside the dining room in a private candlelit cabana on the beach (or the pool deck) at sunset.

Buoy House will soon debut St. Thomas’ first beach club experience, a much-anticipated spot with locally-inspired cuisine, a beachfront bar and a rotating roster of programming and entertainment. Even without it, the resort remains one of the Caribbean’s coolest (and easiest) escapes for U.S. travelers, with zero passport requirements and that rare luxury of feeling a world away without actually being that far at all.