Travel is as much abut the places you go as the people you travel with and that was never more true than on my press trip to Caneel Bay on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The weather was beautiful and warm which was a great reprieve from winter in New York and the other influencers on the trip could not have been nicer. They include Gerald from Leading Hotel of the World, designer Ceci Johnson, wedding and event planner Xochitle Gonzalez, yoga master Caitlin Turner, photographer Justin Dingwall, preppy blogger Carly Heitlinger, and our wonderful hosts.

The weather really could not have been more perfect and it was so polite, it only rained as night so as not to ruin our days. The turquoise water was gorgeous and each beach had a beautiful view.  There was so much to do including sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking tennis, massages, and just lounging. The food was great too and the resort is lucky to have the restaurant Zozo’s located in the old sugar mill on the property. The donkeys on the island harken back to the ones that used to work in the sugar mill.

The 170-acre peninsula property opened in 1956 and was the former estate of Laurence Rockefeller. It is part of the Virgin Islands National Park which makes it one of the least developed islands I’ve seen. It can only be accessed by boat or ferry which also makes it the most relaxing islands in the Caribbean, especially since the rooms don’t have televisions or phones. But don’t worry there is wifi so you can Instagram your trip and make everyone jealous, especially when it’s snowing at home.

Speaking of Instagram, as you can see from the many comments on my photos and those with the hashtag #charmedbycaneel,Caneel Bay holds a special place in the heart of many people.  It’s a popular honeymoon destination but guests at the resort often return with their families year after year. It now holds a special place in my heart and I definitely can’t wait to return.

I had a beach front room on Caneel Bay and the two photos above are the view right outside.  My room was number 25 on the left. This is my room that was air conditioned and had a fan.  I heard they may be renovated soon. I left my bathing suit and cover up on the floor before I left for dinner one night.  I actually did it as a little experiment and I can tell you that houskeeping hung up my suit on the clothing line in the shower and my cover up on the hook when they came by for turn down service.   One of the massage cabanas where you can hear the waves crash on the beach as they work to relax you on your trip.  We had a delicious dinner one of the nights at the Turtle Bay Estate House.  The view from the Turtle Bay Estate House was my absolute favorite.

The Turtle Bay beach was also my favorite.  It was so quiet and relaxing.

Zozo’s at the Sugar Mill at Caneel Bay.

We took a gorgeous sunset cruise one night too.  It was fun to see the resort from the water lit up at night when we returned. 

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic