U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

At Home in the Tropics, St. Thomas
Price: Doubles, $200–$230
At Home in the Tropics is a sweet retreat in the hills above Charlotte Amalie's rollicking waterfront. This B&B occupies the 1803 barracks of the colonial governor's personal guard. Each of the four cheery white rooms faces either a planted walkway or a partial view of the ships on the harbor (the best vantage point for sweeping vistas of the surrounding islands is by the small pool). Down the hill, the attractions of town await, including a museum housed in a seventeenth-century fort, a high-end shopping center that caters to cruise ship passengers, and the nightclubs and karaoke bars along the water.
Book: Room No. 1 or No. 2, for a king-size bed and a view above the trees (340-777-9857; athomeinthetropics.com).
Best for: Couples with strong legs (for climbing the many stairs) and without young children.
Rental car: Not required.