St Thomas reception confusion!

Thanks for the info..I cant seem to find the photos for the Frenchmans Reef other than the same ones on the website. Is there a reason why you didn't choose your wedding ceremony and reception at that hotel and went with Bolongo? I am considering taking a quick trip down there this weekend to do a site visit. How is the hotel/pool/beach there? I am just a little concerned since it is really hard to tell online and want there to be enough activities for all of my guests both at the hotel and offsite.

Ahhh...another AI I didnt know...awesome!!

Love the pics there, Ill definately go there when I visit next week.

I have no choice bc I am so damn picky that I need to see everything before I book...I am an event planner in NY so you know that I am going to be totally crazy about everything!!!

I am hearing mixed reviews about the Marriott. The Ritz is obviously too expensive....this is a never ending saga trying to find a place!!! Aruba? haha jk...

I'm getting married on the beach at the Marriot next month. We are doing a sunset catamaran cruise with dinner on the beach at Bolongo Bay the night before the wedding and then having a cocktail hour and dinner at Havana Blue. I have to say, it is very expensive. I hope the Marriot is still as nice (if not better) as I remember it from 20 years ago.

You can find more pictures of the Marriot if you go to google images and then search for the Marriot Frenchman's Reef. You get all sort of pictures that way, many more than just the website. I did that for Coco Joes, Havana Blue, etc.

I don't understand why it's so important to have an all-inclusive resort on St. Thomas. There's a reason so few places offer that alternative. There are just too many good restaurants to go to on St. Thomas. Going the AI route just provides you and your guests with mediocre food and denies you the opportunty to try all the other great places.

AI is a reasonable option on islands that aren't as open to tourists making their own way around, such as Jamaica or the Dominican Republic. They are also wonderful if they are super resorts, such as a Sandals. None of the AI resorts on St. Thomas provides an experience like that.

St. Thomas has so much to offer in the way of activities and dining, in addition to being a 15 minute ferry ride away from St. John, another beautiful island. I would never ever want to go all-inclusive on St. Thomas. I'd miss too much.

Just a thought.

I've never liked the idea of an all inclusive because then I think I'd feel like I was tied to the place I was staying. If i'm going to travel I want to sight see, too -- I don't want to have to worry about being back at the resort/hotel every time I want a meal.

Of course, if you're staying in a destination where it's not so safe to leave the resort, then that's a different story. But, then again, I don't think I'd be inclined to go to a destination like that anyway.