The Pink Palm Hotel

Downtown Charlotte Amalie, not the beach, is the whole point here. The Pink Palm is an adults-only boutique hotel that reads like a love letter to the Caribbean guest houses of the 1940s and 50s, mid-century rooms done with enough knowing style to avoid feeling like a theme park. The poolside bar catches sea views that do a lot of the heavy lifting. For anyone worn out by the island's sprawling beach resorts, the smaller scale is the appeal.

One honor, in evidence: