The best family hotels in St. Thomas
Written November 2026
St. Thomas has duty-free shopping in Charlotte Amalie, the calm water at Magens Bay on the north coast, sea lions and sharks at Coral World Ocean Park out at Coki Point, and St. John a 20-minute ferry ride away. Most of the family resorts sit on a bay, and at a few of them the snorkeling starts right off the sand.
The East End, near Red Hook
Red Hook is the village at the east end of the island, with laid-back bars and casual restaurants on the water, and the ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John leaves from its marina. Some of the island's best beaches are within a few miles, and Coral World is on this end too.
Secret Harbour Beach Resort
Nazareth Bay, East End
Secret Harbour's condos sit on Nazareth Bay, about a mile from Red Hook, where the water is clear and calm. The sand slopes in gently, and snorkelers see green sea turtles, rays and squid.
Every unit is a privately owned studio or suite with a full kitchen and a patio or balcony. Four three-story buildings stand right on the beach, and the hillside ones sit behind them around the pool. Sunset Grille and The Patio are on site, and Red Hook's restaurants are a short taxi ride away.
- Suites
- Yes
- Fridge
- Yes
- Kitchenette
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes
The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas
Great Bay, East End
Paved paths wind between the four-story buildings on the Ritz-Carlton's hillside above Great Bay, close to Red Hook and the St. John ferry, and golf carts come to pick you up if you'd rather ride. The family pool is zero-entry, with a waterslide and a splash pad next to it, and the big infinity pool facing St. John is for ages 13 and up.
A family of five fits in a two-queen room with an adjoining king. The beach is small and calm between two rocky points, with stingrays and tropical fish on the reef, and snorkel gear and a guided swim out to it are included. Ritz Kids is a few small rooms with games, puzzles, crafts and a little aquarium. Lady Lynsey II, the resort's catamaran, leaves right from the sand for snorkel trips and sunset sails.
- Suites
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes
- Waterslide
- Yes
- Kids' club
- Yes
The south shore, around Frenchman's Reef
The south shore is mostly big resorts, and Charlotte Amalie is less than 15 minutes away by car.
The Westin St. Thomas Beach Resort & Spa
Frenchman's Reef, south shore
Up on a cliff between the harbor and the open sea, the Westin is the old Frenchman's Reef, with Morningstar Beach at the bottom. A shuttle runs down to the beachfront hotel below every 10 to 15 minutes, and ocean-facing staircases go down the hill (from a harbor-facing suite the walk down takes a good quarter hour). Kayaks and the other non-motorized gear at Morningstar come with the stay.
Of the three pools, the main one has a splash area for little kids and the other two are adults only. The Westin Family program takes ages 4 to 12 by the hour or the half day.
- Pool
- Yes
- Kids' club
- Yes
Marriott's Frenchman's Cove
Pacquereau Bay, south shore
Marriott's villa resort sits on the slope above Pacquereau Bay, next door to the Westin, with elevators down to a secluded beach of its own. Villas have two or three bedrooms, and a two-bedroom has two bathrooms, a washer and dryer and a pull-out sofa in the living room.
There's a slide on the infinity pool. The beach has floating pads and shade, and the snorkeling straight off the sand is pretty good. A free shuttle runs over to the Westin's restaurants, and a shuttle boat goes into Charlotte Amalie.
- Suites
- Yes
- Kitchenette
- Yes
- Pool
- Yes
- Waterslide
- Yes
- Laundry
- Yes
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Bolongo Bay, south shore
The only all-inclusive on St. Thomas, Bolongo Bay is a family-owned resort of 65 rooms on the south coast, open since 1974 (you can book it room-only too). Ground-floor beachfront rooms open straight onto the sand, and a room with two queens sleeps four.
Kayaks, paddleboards, Hobie Cats and snorkel gear come with the stay. Iggies, the beach bar, has live music most nights, and Heavenly Days, the resort's catamaran, goes out at sunset.
- Pool
- Yes
Photo credits
Marriott's Frenchman's Cove: Crispas (CC BY-SA 3.0)