Affordable Hotel Alternatives for St. Thomas Carnival

Carnival in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, is just around the corner, brimming with anticipation and excitement. The Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals projects this multi-day festive event as the largest ever, promising a whirlwind of fun and entertainment.

While Carnival takes place all month, the real fun is from April 27 to May 3, 2025. People from all over the world are expected to flock to this vibrant celebration, eager to indulge in the festival’s food, music, array of colors, and authentic Caribbean vibes. If you plan to attend this exhilarating event, finding the best affordable hotels for the St. Thomas Carnival is crucial to ensuring your budget remains intact.

As Carnival draws near, finding an affordable hotel option is becoming increasingly difficult. To help you make the most of your trip to St. Thomas without breaking the bank, this article will provide you with the best affordable hotel alternatives. These options help you save money while you fully enjoy the Carnival festivities.

I have also partnered with popular travel booking services to offer you the best prices and deals. I have included these prices and offers in the article to help you book.

What is Carnival?

Before I share the best affordable hotel alternatives for St. Thomas Carnival recommendations, I want to briefly explain Carnival so you know what you’re about to get yourself into. For starters, understand that all three islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands have a Carnival celebration. However, the Carnival in St. Thomas tends to be the most popular.

The St. Thomas Carnival is an annual celebration featuring various food, music, culture, and activities, such as:

• A waterfront J’ouvert parade with bands on trucks
• Elaborate costumes in an array of colors
• A variety of pageants
• A food fair
• Carnival Village: where you can enjoy local food and music, such as calypso and reggae.
• Plenty of parties

History of St. Thomas Carnival

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, has celebrated Carnival since 1912, when the islands were part of the Danish West Indies. Carnival was started to showcase the unique local cultures on the island. Many celebrations and activities you would experience today were part of the original Carnival. However, after the second Carnival in 1914, the celebration stopped.

Over the years, a noticeable class divide has developed between the descendants of enslaved people and plantation owners on the island. Additionally, the influx of people from different cultures due to immigration and the growth of the tourism industry by affluent foreigners has further exacerbated this divide. As a result, there has been no incentive for celebratory social interaction between these different racial and socioeconomic groups.

However, everything changed in 1952 when Ron De Lugo worked to revive the carnival. A local radio personality, he spent time reminiscing about festival traditions, which led him to believe that a carnival would bring together people of different racial and class backgrounds.

Fearing that no one would show up, to his surprise, people did. Thus, the St. Thomas Carnival has been revived to become an annual event. In fact, since its revival in 1952, additional elements have been added to the carnival that would help it gain so much popularity over the years. Now being the most popular Virgin Island carnival, it attracts visitors like yourself from all over the world.

Sources: VI Now; Island Roots Boat Charters

Affordable Hotel Alternatives for St. Thomas Carnival

I have always been fascinated by the idea of attending the Carnival in St. Thomas. I hear about my friends’ incredible experiences there every year. One of them, originally from the Virgin Islands, attends every year.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the New York Travel & Adventure Show, where I talked with a representative from the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism about the Carnival and all the fun activities and festivities I could participate in if I chose to attend.

During our conversation, the representative emphasized that most of the Carnival’s events and celebrations are free of charge. This helps make the occasion more accessible for everyone to participate.

Additionally, she assured me that the streets of St. Thomas are safe despite the common misconception that they are not. Unfortunately, this misconception is rooted in racism, as most of the population in St. Thomas is of African descent.

If I decide to attend the Carnival, I would only need to pay for my flight, activities outside the Carnival, and hotel accommodation. The representative provided me with a flyer listing all the hotels in St. Thomas. Each hotel offers a unique experience and different accommodations at different price points.

If you plan on attending the St. Thomas Carnival but are trying to book a hotel last minute while staying on a budget, here are some available budget-friendly hotel alternatives. They offer comfortable and affordable accommodations that won’t break the bank.

Bellavista Bed & Breakfast

Bellavista Bed & Breakfast is a cozy, intimate vacation rental property in the beautiful Charlotte Amalie Harbor in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a great hotel alternative for Carnival goers seeking a unique and authentic island-style experience.

The property offers self-contained water and power, meaning you can enjoy your stay without worrying about interruptions in your essential utilities. The vacation rentals at Bellavista are affordable and provide a fantastic view of the harbor, making it an ideal spot for tourists who want to enjoy the island’s beauty while remaining on a budget.

The rooms at Bellavista are designed to provide a comfortable and luxurious experience. You can choose from a Poolside Suite with a king-size bed and a breathtaking harbor view or a Bellavista Cottage with a queen-size bed, a private courtyard, and a private patio. The cottage is the more affordable option.

If you are looking for a luxury island rental that is out of the way of all of the crowds from the carnival, Bellavista Bed & Breakfast is for you. It is an off-the-beaten-path escape that discerning Carnival goers who seek a unique and intimate vacation experience will appreciate. Bellavista is the perfect place to stay if you want to enjoy the island’s beauty while feeling at home.

Book Your Stay at the Bellavista Bed & Breakfast

If you plan to attend this year’s St. Thomas carnival and would like to book your stay at the Bellavista Bed & Breakfast, you have options. You can book your stay directly on their website.

Pavilions and Pools Villa Hotel

Pavilions and Pools Villa Hotel is a popular choice for one or two people looking for an intimate and affordable place to stay during the Carnival. This hotel-style villa has spacious living, dining, and sleeping areas. The fence and foliage screening between the hotel villa suites offer privacy and tranquility.

• The International Pool Villa
• The Caribbean Pool Villa

International Pool Villa

The International Pool Villa has a larger swimming area, sun deck, and living space floor plan than the Caribbean Pool Villa. These villas feature:

• A wide-step entry into the pool
• Custom tile in the kitchen and bathroom
• CD/DVD player
• 32″ TV
• Blender
• Microwave oven
• Patio gas BBQ grill
• Plus more!

The living space is 1,400 square feet, and the private swimming pool measures 20′ x 14′. The bedroom has a king-size bed, and the bathroom has a garden shower and a hairdryer. Maid service is provided every second day and upon request. Finally, the kitchen has a full-size stove, refrigerator, sink, and cooking utensils.

Caribbean Pool Villa

• A wide-step entry into the pool
• Custom tile in the kitchen and bathroom
• CD/DVD player
• 32″ TV
• Blender
• Microwave oven
• Patio gas BBQ grill
• Among other amenities

The living space is 1,200 square feet, and the private swimming pool measures 16′ x 18′. There is a living and dining area, a large bedroom with a king-size bed, a bathroom with a garden shower, and a hairdryer. Maid service is provided every second day and upon request. The semi-enclosed kitchen has a full-size stove, refrigerator, sink, and cooking utensils.

Book Your Stay at the Pavilions and Pools Hotel

If you plan to attend this year’s St. Thomas carnival and would like to book a room at the Pavilions and Pools Hotel, you can book directly on the hotel’s website.

Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island

If you’re looking for something fun to do in the Virgin Islands unrelated to Carnival festivities, I recommend checking out the Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island. This is also an excellent and affordable alternative to staying at a hotel. You can enjoy two activities for one price!

The Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island is an eco-sensitive resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands that offers a unique vacation experience. The resort is eco-friendly because of its commitment to low-impact living. For example, they use captured rainwater, solar energy, and gray water collected from sinks and showers for the toilets.

This hotel alternative has two self-contained wooden and canvas cottages that provide guests with the comfort of a hotel room and the closeness to nature for camping. These eco-friendly cottages are nestled among lush foliage that provides privacy and a refreshing atmosphere.

The two cottages are the Coral House, also known as The Suite, and the Seaview Cottage. The Coral House features a private in-suite bathroom and a kitchenette. The Seaview Cottage offers a queen bed and an additional futon sitting area.

Caveats to its Affordability

To my surprise, staying at the Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island is more affordable than most resort and hotel options. However, there are two caveats to this affordability.

First, guests share a bathhouse with modern and clean facilities for washing and showering. Second, the resort offers a communal open-aired ocean-view kitchen pavilion. Here, guests can prepare their meals while enjoying a spectacular ocean view. However, it is not exclusive to you or your stay.

This is something to consider if you plan to cook your own food during your stay. However, the resort does a good job facilitating the use of the kitchen pavilion, so you can still feel like you have it all to yourself.

Still Worth Considering

Although you must share a bathhouse and a kitchen, I still believe the Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island is a viable alternative to hotels and resorts that are becoming increasingly unavailable. It is still worth considering for your trip to St. Thomas Carnival. It is also one of the most affordable options you will find at this point. Like I said in the beginning, the end of Carnival, the real fun, is fast approaching.

Please remember that you will be camping with a touch of luxury. Instead of sleeping in a tent, you will stay in a luxurious cottage that feels like a hotel room. Additionally, you will be surrounded by nature instead of other buildings. Finally, you will share the resort with a few other guests instead of hundreds of people. This is a perfect getaway to peace, quiet, and tranquility from all the crowds and noisy fun from Carnival.

One thing about me is I am all for personalizing my trips. I do not want to feel like I’m having the same experience as everyone else who, in the end, wants to say they went to Carnival because it was popular. Being able to say I went camping while at Carnival is a story worth telling because it is unique to me.

Book Your Stay at the Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island

If you plan to attend this year’s St. Thomas carnival and would like to book your stay at the Virgin Islands Campground and Water Island, you have options. You can book your stay directly on their website or through the featured travel platforms below.

Additional Alternatives

Check out the featured travel platforms below for more affordable alternative resort hotel options during Carnival, which runs from April 27 to May 3, 2025.

Disclaimer: This section contains affiliate links from various travel services. This means I will earn a small commission if you choose to book your stay through them at no additional cost to you. Please read my full Disclaimers for more information about my partnerships.

Conclusion

In conclusion, attending the St. Thomas Carnival is an experience of a lifetime, with its vibrant colors, festive spirit, and cultural significance. However, if you’re like me (sometimes) and wait until the last minute to finalize the logistics of your trip, finding a hotel or resort at an affordable price becomes more difficult as the date of your trip gets closer.

This article provides affordable hotel alternatives so you can enjoy the festivities while staying within your budget. This way, you can make the most of your trip to St. Thomas and create unforgettable memories.

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