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St. Maarten hotel comparison



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 15th, 2007, 07:08 PM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
imascot
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Posts: 3
Default 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  
Old August 15th, 2007, 08:45 PM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
Nick and Judy
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Posts: 38
Default 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  
Old August 16th, 2007, 08:36 AM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
Roger Clough
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Posts: 4
Default 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  
Old August 16th, 2007, 09:30 PM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
[email protected]
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Posts: 18
Default 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? ;-)

  #5  
Old August 18th, 2007, 08:13 PM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
Brian K[_1_]
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Posts: 712
Default St. Maarten hotel comparison

On 8/16/2007 4:30 PM exclaimed:
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)

It is my understanding that the original "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is
served at Dennis Pharmacy in Key West, Florida.
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? ;-)




--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page:
http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
  #6  
Old August 18th, 2007, 09:47 PM posted to rec.travel.caribbean
Don Wiss
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Posts: 176
Default 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).
 




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