If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
St. Maarten hotel comparison
We are tentatively planning a one-week trip to SXM in the offseason, summer 2008, with our two
teenagers. We've narrowed down the area we wish to stay in to Little Bay and Great Bay, at either the Belair Beach Hotel in Little Bay, or the Villas on Great Bay. (We like to have a kitchen and two bedrooms, directly on the beach. We'll have a car, but it's nice to walk to restaurants.) Can anyone offer comparisons of them? How far is it to walk to town from the Belair, realistically? Any other information would be appreciated as well. J. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
St. Maarten hotel comparison
We haven't been to SXM in several years but we have been several times in
the past. Haven't stayed at either of those hotels, though. Did you look up the reviews on Tripadvisor? We always rent a car and it is very easy to get around. Basically one main road that goes around the island. We've stayed on Orient Beach twice, at L'Hoste and Hotel Mont Vernon(which is now something else), both included breakfast, but had no kitchen, just a fridge. Twice we stayed at all inclusives, Flamboyant Bounty and LeGrand , which was a mistake since the food was not good, and Flamboyant wasn't even on a "real" beach, on a lagoon, and the service was terrible. We stayed at some other small hotels with kitchenettes that were not on the beach. Overall we have always loved SXM, found it very easy to get around, eat, shop, etc. It is fun to try out all the different beautiful beaches. We always would stop at the big supermarket in Philipsburg on the way in from the airport, and pick up a case of Amstel, bottle of rum and Coke, and other snacks to have. Amstel and Heinekin are pretty cheap there. There is a big liquor store near the supermarket that has great prices on liquor, better than waiting till you go to the airport. I can't remember any restaurant names, but we always ate well, and not necessarily spending a lot of money, as can happen in Grand Case. I have heard recent stories of crime, as in theft of cameras etc left in trunks of cars. Just use common senseand I'm sure you will have no problems. "imascot" wrote in message news We are tentatively planning a one-week trip to SXM in the offseason, summer 2008, with our two teenagers. We've narrowed down the area we wish to stay in to Little Bay and Great Bay, at either the Belair Beach Hotel in Little Bay, or the Villas on Great Bay. (We like to have a kitchen and two bedrooms, directly on the beach. We'll have a car, but it's nice to walk to restaurants.) Can anyone offer comparisons of them? How far is it to walk to town from the Belair, realistically? Any other information would be appreciated as well. J. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
St. Maarten hotel comparison
On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:08:35 GMT, imascot wrote:
We are tentatively planning a one-week trip to SXM in the offseason, summer 2008, with our two teenagers. We've narrowed down the area we wish to stay in to Little Bay and Great Bay, at either the Belair Beach Hotel in Little Bay, or the Villas on Great Bay. (We like to have a kitchen and two bedrooms, directly on the beach. We'll have a car, but it's nice to walk to restaurants.) Can anyone offer comparisons of them? How far is it to walk to town from the Belair, realistically? Any other information would be appreciated as well. J. I am not familiar with the Villas on Great Bay. But I can tell you that the Belair Beach Hotel is not within walking distance of anything. By the way, have you considered Simpson Bay. jThat is withink walking distance of many restaurants and a modern movie theatre complex. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
St. Maarten hotel comparison
On Aug 15, 2:08 pm, imascot wrote:
We are tentatively planning a one-week trip to SXM in the offseason, summer 2008, with our two teenagers. We've narrowed down the area we wish to stay in to Little Bay and Great Bay, at either the Belair Beach Hotel in Little Bay, or the Villas on Great Bay. (We like to have a kitchen and two bedrooms, directly on the beach. We'll have a car, but it's nice to walk to restaurants.) Can anyone offer comparisons of them? How far is it to walk to town from the Belair, realistically? Any other information would be appreciated as well. J. I wouldn't recommend Great Bay. I stayed at the Pansangrahann once. Nice to be right in P'burg, but the water there is way too cloudy from ship oil leakage, etc., to be enjoyable as much as other beaches, for instance Baie Rouge. I would recommend Simpson Bay (not the lagoon). There are a number of very nice hotels/condos/apartments on the beach there such as Mary's Boon, the Horny Toad, and what used to be La Chatelaine but has been sold and is now the Turquoise Shell (?), but several of the suites there have full kitchens. Anyway, no beach vendors to hassle you unlike Cupecoy, lots of good restaurants within walking distance or just a short drive away (Turtle Pier, Cheri's, La Trattoria, etc.), very quiet, safe enough to walk after dark in a residential neighborhood, and it's nice to view the mega-yachts riding at anchor while awaiting the drawbridge to open, the sunsets, and the daily takeoff and arrival of Air France, etc. Not a lot of jet noise after dark, so not to worry if you're a light sleeper. Consider a day sail to St. Barth's or Saba. You can catch the catamaran over at the Pelican Resort on Kimsha Beach (just the other side of the drawbridge on Simpson). Great fun. Wander around Gustavia, have lunch at Le Select (Cheeseburger in Paradise) or take a taxi over to Baie St. Jean and visit the Eden Roc. Good shopping and food over at the Royal Palm Mall, at the airport, the beach bar over at Maho at the end (beginning?) of the SXM runway, and you can be in P'burg after a short ride over Cole Bay Hill. It's maybe a 15-minute drive over to Marigot and a bit further to Grand Case. The zoo and butterfly habitat might be a bit of diversion if it's raining (in summer it will rain on and off). And don't miss Mr. Busby's at Oyster Pond for lunch! Have a great trip! Oh, and can you fit me in your suitcase? ;-) |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
St. Maarten hotel comparison
On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:08:35 GMT, imascot wrote:
How far is it to walk to town from the Belair, realistically? Any other information would be appreciated as well. St. Martin has mini-buses that go around the island. The resort you pick may be near a route. A couple places rent bicycles. The resort you pick may have some. Don www.donwiss.com/pictures/carib (e-mail link at page bottoms). |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Anguilla/St. Maarten Hotel Recommendations | Bob Smith | Caribbean | 4 | February 4th, 2006 10:55 PM |
resort comparison | Graham Cutmore | Caribbean | 2 | August 15th, 2005 05:55 PM |
More on New Dawn Beach Hotel, St Maarten | Robert J Carpenter | Caribbean | 0 | March 15th, 2005 10:54 PM |
Marriott Hotel to be Built at Dawn Beach, Sint Maarten | Robert J Carpenter | Caribbean | 2 | March 15th, 2005 12:39 PM |
Hotel Comparison Needed- Bloomsbury | Nyy7 | Europe | 3 | February 2nd, 2004 11:03 PM |