Cyril E. King Airport (STT): Approximate traveling time is 45 minutes.

Traveling directions from Cyril E. King Airport: The hotel arranges transportation from this airport on St. Thomas. After picking up bags, guests check in at the hotel lounge in the airport and travel to the dock where the hotel boat carries them to the Westin’s dock on St. John. Fees are $68 per adult round trip and $32 for children 5–12 years old. Fares cover unlimited boat rides from St. John to St. Thomas during guests’ stay.

Getting around: Guests can ride the hotel boat to St. Thomas, then use the hotel bus from St. Thomas Crown Bay Marina into Charlotte Amalie for shopping and dining, but must take a taxi ($5–$15 fare) back to the marina for the return boat trip. On St. John, bicycles are not available for rent but mopeds (scooters) are, for more than $36 a day. However, taxis are the easiest way to go. Fares are less than $5 to the town of Cruz Bay where ferries leave for both Red Hook ($3 one-way fare) and Charlotte Amalie ($7 one-way fare) on St. Thomas. Ferries also cross between Cruz Bay and the British Virgin Islands: to Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke (more than $36 return); and to Tortola ($26–$35 return.)

Beach Café & Bar - Casual, multi-colored, open-air restaurant with sea views serving buffet and à la carte breakfasts and à la carte dinners. Saturday night Caribbean buffet with island entertainment. Dinner menu including pastas, steaks, conch fritter, paprika chicken, grilled lobster. Inside seating on marble floor under high ceiling. Outside seating on wood deck.

Snorkels Bar and Grill - Open-air beachside spot specializing in grilled items, burgers, sandwiches, tropical drinks.

Mango Deli - Sandwiches, salads, pizza, desserts, Starbucks coffee drinks to go. (Limited courtyard seating.) Liquor, snack foods, beverages.

Amenity highlights: A .25-mile beach of light-colored sand borders Great Cruz Bay. Lounge chairs and umbrellas provide sunbathing comfort and shade. Offshore lie reefs for snorkeling and a pyramid-shape "iceberg" slide (climb up one side, slide down the other), a trampoline raft, and a swimming raft. A pool complex adjacent to the beach includes a .25-acre freeform pool with toddlers' section, volleyball net, waterfall, and little garden islands containing palm trees. Two secluded spas each provide soaking space for 16. Cushioned teak lounge chairs and umbrellas surround the pool. A live reggae band performs every afternoon. Poolside hair braiders work feverishly to keep up with demand.

Insider tip: The resort accepts pets weighing 2 pounds or less and offers them the comfort of a Heavenly Dog Bed modeled after Westin's signature Heavenly Bed.

For fees, The Westin Kids Club offers supervised half- and full-day sessions for children ages 3–12 in a colorful air-conditioned clubhouse. Evening sessions are also available.