st thomas inn or B&B prior to departure

We are departing on SD, April 2, from STT. We will be arriving in STT on April 1, late afternoon, and thought it would be convenient to stay in Charlotte Amalie so we would be near shopping and restaurants. My husband is more the Ritz Carlton type, but I thought it would be fun and easier to stay in a small inn or B&B near town. Has anyone stayed at Bellavista, Crystal Palace, Hotel 1829, Villa Santana, Green Iguana, Inn at Blackbeards Castle or other small property in that area? My husband is pretty adamant about having air conditioning and I am showing some of the properties only have a ceiling fan. Do you think the fans will keep it cool enough? Any suggestion or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

We stayed in the Crystal Palace las tNovember, and it was delightful! Ronnie willcertainly take care of you. You won't notice the lack of AC for one night. It's no Ritz Carlton, but then, the price is much better.

Hotel 1829 looked nice as well, and probably has more of the amenities you are used to...but it doesn't have the charm of the Crystal Palace. Trust me, when you see the view as you eat breakfast on the balcony, you will know you made the right choice. :)

We had a great 3 night stay at the Hotel 1829 two years ago, in a front room with a huge balcony overlooking the bay and the city. Watching the big ships sail in each morning is amazing.

However, to enjoy the 1829 you have to appreciate its FUNKY charm. It is rough around the edges, but you are in the Islands after all. The room was air conditioned I think, but we used the ceiling fan instead, perhaps swatting the occassional bug. You are right in the heart of the town, so you have to accept the noise associated with the hustle and bustle. If you want to spend time in the shops and museums, and walk to several wonderful restaurants, it is perfect...

If, however, you like the comforts of the Ritz and the feeling of an American hotel with impeccable furnishings and a great bathroom, definately its NOT a good choice.

We don't really enjoy either Charlotte Amalie or St Thomas, from the moment we land at the airport until the moment we step aboard the Sea Dream of course. We are not interested in shopping and a wonderful week of Sea Dream dining awaits.

We prefer to spend a couple of days just decompressing on the beach, so oceanfront at the Marriott Morningstar is ideal for us.. We order room service on the balcony and listen to the sound of the surf in the evening, The room is just steps from the sand.

We usually don't even leave the hotel until it is time to go to the dock.