Lovango Resort + Beach Club is the St. John honeymoon for couples who want to sleep somewhere a little unusual. It occupies Lovango Cay, a small, hilly island just off the west end of St. John, reached by a 10-minute boat ride on the resort's ferry. Instead of a lobby and corridors you get treehouses, glamping tents and a handful of villas set into the hillside, most with an outdoor shower that looks out over the water.
Below, on the shore, there is a waterfront restaurant, a lunch spot called The Sandpit and a beach club that also welcomes day visitors. The resort is family-owned and belongs to Little Gem Resorts, which also runs the Winnetu on Martha's Vineyard. It has picked up serious recognition, including two Michelin Keys.
Lovango suits couples who like the idea of glamping but not the reality of a sleeping bag. You get real beds, private bathrooms and good food, plus the feeling of being on your own small island. It is not for couples who need full air conditioning in every room, a big pool or easy access to St. John's beaches at any hour. Everything depends on the ferry schedule, which is part of the charm.
Highlights at a glance
- Treehouses and glamping tents on a private cay
- Ocean-view outdoor showers in most units
- Waterfront dinners and a beach club
- A 10-minute ferry from St. John
- Two Michelin Keys
Why Couples Love Lovango
The magic of Lovango is scale. The cay is tiny and the resort feels like a small, friendly village built into the trees. You walk up hilly paths from the dock to your treehouse or tent, hear the wind in the leaves and look out across the channel to St. John and the British Virgin Islands.
Days have a lazy rhythm. Swim and snorkel from the shore, lie in a lounger at the beach club and eat lunch with your feet in the sand. In the evening, the day visitors head back on the ferry and the island quietens. Dinner is by the water, then a slow climb home under the stars. For couples who have done the big-resort honeymoon in their heads already, it feels refreshingly different.
Treehouses, Tents and Villas to Book
Lovango offers several one-bedroom options for couples, all with private bathrooms and ocean views.
- Ocean View Luxury Treehouses: air-conditioned and set among the treetops. The most distinctive choice for a honeymoon.
- Ocean View Deluxe Villas: one bedroom plus an air-conditioned sunroom with views and an outdoor shower. The most comfortable option.
- Ocean View Villas: air-conditioned, with a covered deck and an indoor shower with a view.
- Treetops and Congo Cay Glamping: king-bed tents with a cooling system over the bed and fans, rather than full air conditioning.
Book a treehouse for the story or a Deluxe Villa for comfort. If heat bothers either of you, skip the tents in late summer. The treehouses are not fully insulated, so they rely partly on breezes.
Food, Drink and the Beach Club
Food is a big part of why people visit Lovango. The Waterfront Restaurant serves dinner beside the sea, with fresh fish and Caribbean flavors. The Sandpit covers lunch. The Chef's Taste of the Caribbean is a tasting-style evening worth booking for a special night.
The beach club is the social center. Day guests come over from St. John and St. Thomas for food, drinks and loungers, so midday can be lively. Overnight guests get the quieter mornings and evenings. Boaters can moor offshore and come in for dinner too. The Shops on Lovango combine a small shopping stop with lunch and hiking, which is pleasant on a cloudy afternoon. Reserve dinners ahead in winter.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Most of the fun is in the water. Snorkel the reefs around the cay, paddle a kayak along the shore or join a coral restoration talk linked to the University of the Virgin Islands program the resort supports. Short hiking trails cross the island and lead to quiet viewpoints.
For more variety, take the ferry back to St. John for a day of beaches. Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay are all within a short taxi ride of Cruz Bay. Day sails to the British Virgin Islands also leave from St. John and St. Thomas, so bring your passports if you plan to go. Ask the resort about combining a couple of nights on Lovango with time on St. John or a sailing charter.
Getting There
Fly into Cyril E. King Airport (STT) on St. Thomas. The resort runs a scheduled private ferry that takes about 10 minutes from St. John or St. Thomas, or you can arrive by private boat. Check the ferry times before you book flights, especially if you land late in the afternoon. Missing the last boat means a night elsewhere.
On the island itself most guests walk. The paths are steep, so pack shoes with grip and keep luggage light. The resort can pick you up in a safari-style vehicle if you need it. Check-in is at 4 p.m. and check-out at 10 a.m., but facilities stay open before and after so you can enjoy a full day on the island.
Is It Worth It?
For couples who want something memorable, Lovango is worth it. Expect roughly $600 a night and up for a glamping tent in winter, with treehouses and villas costing more. Food and drinks add up quickly, since nearly every meal is on the island.
The trade-offs are real. Some units are not fully air-conditioned. The paths are steep. Your schedule depends on the ferry. You share the beach club with day visitors at midday. Those who want a quiet waterfront suite near town may prefer Gallows Point Resort in Cruz Bay. Those who want a big resort pool and a kids' club out of earshot should look at a larger hotel. For two or three nights, Lovango is a very romantic stop.
Insider tips
- Book a Deluxe Villa if you need full air conditioning; tents rely on fans and a bed cooling system.
- Check ferry times before booking flights so you do not miss the last boat.
- Pack shoes with grip for the steep island paths.
- Reserve the Chef's Taste of the Caribbean dinner early for your special night.
