Soon Come: Club Med St. Croix

           Soon Come: 

       Club Med St. Croix

M.A. Dworkin

     St. Croix - Club Med, the pioneer of the all-inclusive resort is coming back to U.S. shores with a magical redevelopment of the historic Carambola Beach Resort. Nestled between a crescent-shaped beach and a lush tropical rain forest in a protected stretch of coastline, on the island’s northwest coast, Club Med St. Croix will bring new life to the iconic Carambola Beach Resort. Reimagined as part of Club Med’s Exclusive Collection, the $75 million redo promises to blend the island’s heritage with a more contemporary, experience-led approach designed for today’s traveler. 

     Developed in partnership with VICI Properties, an S&P 500 Real Estate Trust, which has bought the Carambola Beach Resort, with Club Med St. Croix planned construction to begin in the summer of 2026, with an expected opening in the fourth quarter of 2027. 

     The all-inclusive St. Croix resort will rank as Club Med’s highest tier of all-inclusive resorts. Unlike Club Med’s more traditional family-focused resorts, the Carambola property is being positioned for couples, friends, multigenerational travelers and families with children 12 and older. 

     According to Club Med, the resort will emphasize wellness, nature, adventure and Caribbean culture. Once open, the resort is expected to generate approximately 200 direct jobs, with additional economic activity expected to be created through indirect employment, and extensive partnerships with local excursion operators, local farmers and artisans. 

     The $75 million redevelopment plan aims to preserve the historic Rock House - which was originally built by the Laurance Rockefeller family - as a luxury wellness spa, along with adding to the grounds an open-air reception center, pool club and adult-only “zen oasis.”     

     St. Croix becomes Club Med’s singular return to the U.S. market after its exit from Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie, Florida, in 2022, due to the property, it was situated on, being sold to the Wyndham brand for a sports-focused destination.

     “Carambola, which will become Club Med St. Croix, and part of our Exclusive Collection, is literally going to put Club Med back on the map in the United States,” said Eileen Kett, Club Med’s Senior Vice-President of Development. “We plan to showcase the St. Croix property on in-room television screens at Club Med resorts around the world.” 

     For more than 70 years, Club Med has operated nearly 60 resorts in some of the most beautiful corners of the world. It remains the recognized leader in the premium all-inclusive category it pioneered.

     “The U.S. Virgin Islands represents an exciting new chapter for Club Med,” said Carolyne Doyon, President and CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean. “St. Croix’s natural beauty, community spirit and cultural roots are a central part of the project’s vision.”  

     Carambola was originally built in 1986 by Laurance Rockefeller, the philanthropist and conservation pioneer. The property was designed with eco-friendly concepts, featuring low-rise buildings that integrated naturally with the surrounding rainforest and crescent-shaped beach. Mr. Rockefeller opened the Robert Trent Jones designed Carambola Golf Course in 1966. His vision has shaped some of the Caribbean’s most iconic properties, including the Caneel Bay Resort on St. John, USVI; and the purchase of 5,000 acres of St. John land that Mr. Rockefeller donated to the National Park Service, which laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Virgin Islands National Park. 

     Club Med St. Croix is expected to continue Club Med’s signature active lifestyle focus, including outdoor sports, oceanfront wellness, and evening social experiences. The resort’s new design is heavily focused on sustainability and operating in harmony with the local environment.