In what is easily one of the most anticipated relaunches in the Caribbean in several years, the Ritz-Carlton St Thomas has officially reopened its doors. 

The Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas, long the leading hotel in the United States Virgin Islands, began welcoming guests again on Saturday, Nov. 23. 

The Great Bay beach resort had been shuttered since suffering damage during Hurricane Irma in 2017. 

In what the property is calling a “new era of island-inspired elegance,” the resort has been redesigned and updated, with renovation Marriott pegged at $100 million. 

The new Ritz-Carlton St Thomas has a transformed infinity pool; a kids’ pool; a reimagined club lounge and four dining concepts, from a Sicilian eatery called Alloro to the US Virgin Islands-inspired Coconut Cove, all with a focus on farm-to-table dining and locally-sourced ingredients. 

That’s along with amenities like the brand’s signature Ritz Kids programming; tennis courts and a newly-added 55-foot catamaran for private excursions. 

There’s also a heavy menu of daily activities, from fitness classes like yoga and cardio and resort garden tours to a daily rum tasting and complimentary use of snorkel gear, among other touches. 

The Ritz-Carlton St Thomas is also adding a second family pool which is slated to open in January 2020, according to the property. 

The return of the 180-room-and-suite hotel is a significant boost for the USVI and its ongoing tourism recovery, particularly for the USVI’s luxury market. 

The reopening comes as the vast majority of the USVI’s major hotels have reopened, from the beloved Bolongo Bay Beach Resort to the Westin St John Resort.

Next year, Ritz-Carlton’s parent company Marriott will be reopening its Frenchman’s Reef resort, also in St Thomas, along with opening a new resort in St Thomas called Noni Beach. 

The latter resort will be opening under Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand; the two properties’ openings will mean a combined investment of $200 million. 

Ritz-Carlton’s Caribbean portfolio includes resorts in Puerto Rico, Cancun, Aruba and Grand Cayman. 

For more, visit the Ritz-Carlton, St Thomas. 

— CJ