Our week at Tropic Leisure Club began less than auspiciously, but in the end, it turned out to be one of the best weeks we have spent travelling.
We arrived on St. Thomas, in transit to St. Croix, for two days. Knowing we were to stay at this resort later in the week, we took the few hours between plane arrival and Fast Ferry to St. Croix and visited the resort to inspect our room. This property was a timeshare trade, and I was concerned about quality after reading some negative reviews online. Thankfully, our unit was clean and secure. We left for St. Croix, confident that we could comfortably return to St. Thomas and have a good stay.
Unfortunately, our assigned unit was rented on a short term (two-day) rental while we were on St. Croix. Housekeeping seems to be spotty at the resort, because the unit had not been cleaned, and despite waiting four hours beyond check-in time, our unit never did get cleaned. The front desk staff was kind enough to give us fresh sheets and towels. We changed our own linens, prepped our own unit, and went to bed annoyed. It would have been worse if the kitchen had been used, but fortunately, that was not the case.
The next day was beautiful. Our unit faced Magen's Bay, with a nice veranda. The sun streaming in the patio windows made the previous day's frustrations melt away. We walked around the property for a bit, when I was suddenly approached by a petite woman who identified herself as the owner's wife and apologised for the housekeeping mistake the day before. Big points -- I appreciated the honesty, and as we got to know her better over the next few days, I got a unique perspective on the trials of running an island property.
The property is in decent overall condition, clean but showing age. Not really upscale, but a good value for the price. The pool was clean and well-tended. The waterfall ran erratically, and the hot tub was inoperable, with seemingly no plans for repair. Pool chairs were intact (I hate broken chairs at resorts!), and the view to Magen's Bay was fantastic. Some landscaping was scraggly, and there is construction planned which may detract from the overall atmosphere. We did not see any construction activity during our stay, but the footprint of new construction was obvious. The poolside bar was very nice, with good, friendly staff and reasonable drink prices. The restaurant, run poolside and at bar tables, was EXCELLENT. Called Indigo, the restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team. I have written it up separately to provide more detail.
Our studio unit had a basic mini-kitchen setup (cooktop, no stove). Some supplies were missing, but nothing significant. We requested a couple of the missing items, and they were delivered the next day. The bed was comfortable, and the sofa unit was fine, but not inviting. The bathroom was small and clean, and the comfortable walk-in shower was perfect for after the beach. This is the closest large property to Magen's Bay beach. A shuttle service runs, but not too often (a single van makes multiple runs to various destinations).
Clientele during our visit tended toward Middle America-type families and middle-aged-to-older couples. The on-site hospitality coordinator (Barbara, but you can call her "Barbie".... really!) was very sweet and truly enjoyed her work. She led many group excursions that the other guests seemed to entirely enjoy (we did not attend, having been to the island before). Everyone we talked to thought she was a definite asset to the property. The other management staff were also friendly and efficient. It's a well-run property -- the only rough spots seem to be the housekeeping/maintenance staff and the property wear-and-tear.
Overall, we liked this property for its good value and excellent location, close to the parts of the island we enjoy most. We will stay here again.