# St Maarten which resort do you prefer?



## Whitesandybeaches1 (Dec 20, 2007)

Considering heading to St. Marteen, never been, which of the following resorts are the nicest all around and why. Nicest as in Marriott like quality, The following resorts are via II using an exchange week. Thanks for your advice/suggestions.

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort
Flamingo
Great Bay Beach Hotel & Casino
Mary's Boon Beach Plantation
Oyster Bay
The Pelican Marina Residences
Pelican Resort Club
Royal Islander Club La Plage
Royal Plam
St. Maarten Sea Palace


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## Kal (Dec 20, 2007)

I would remove Sea Palace from your list.


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## Aldo (Dec 20, 2007)

IMO, Divi Little Bay tops that list by a LONG shot.


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## johnmfaeth (Dec 20, 2007)

I agree, Divi tops.

Oyster Bay #2


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## liwarren (Dec 21, 2007)

While each of us have different experiences here are my choices:

Flamingo
Royal Palm
Royal Islander
Divi

The Royal Islander is within walking to distance to many restaurants, the casino, not to mention watching the airplanes. Has a nice pool.

Flamingo has a great pool.

Royal Palm-MOST units are 2 bedroom oceanview.

Divi-very nice.  Convenient to Phillipsburg

You can't go wrong especially if you omit Sea Palace.


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## johnmfaeth (Dec 21, 2007)

Warren is 100% correct, each has different experiences, and each also has different mental expectations as to what a vacation should be.

The Divi and Oyster Bay are away from the action and require a cab or car ride to off-resort restaurants, casinos, etc. They are more like traditional caribbean resorts with more natural beauty.

The Pelican, Sunterra's, Royal Islander, etc. are located in tne neighborhood of Simpson Bay, therefore, one has tremendous nearby choices for dining, etc. but less natural beauty. I would compare that area more to Cancun or the high-rise section of Aruba (although each has its own personality of course).

Regardless of choice, I do highly recommend renting a car and touring the island. Beaches such as Mullet Bay and Orient Bay demand a visit. No visit would be complete without a world class dinner at a waterside french restaurant at Grand Case. An afternoon of watching jets landing 500 feet from you over a burger and a beer at the Sunset Beach bar is a once in a lifetime experience. Walk a few hundred feet down the beach and they pass 100 feet directly over your head (do not stand at the end of the runway during takeoffs, for fools only).

And watch out at night for the dozen or so casinos, best reached by rental car. Only the Pelican has one onsite at the resort.

But either way, you will have a blast...enjoy !!!


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## Kal (Dec 21, 2007)

Without a shadow of doubt the Pelican Marina Residences has to be the very best of any property listed.  Unfortunately, it is a brand new property which is scheduled to open in December 2007.  If you can get one of the unsold developer units as an exchange you will be very lucky.  Otherwise it will be very difficult to get.


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## Whitesandybeaches1 (Dec 21, 2007)

Korney as it may be we very much want to go to the island to check out the planes. We had no idea that existed until my husband randomly came across it on You Tube. Since then we've really wanted to go to check 'em out. That said we'll for sure want to rent a car to tour the island on our own. Although using tour guides and so forth are nice, we don't like getting stuck in one place for to long and tour the island on our own gives us that leway. Would we need to have a car for an entire week if we stayed at the Islander or could be get by with having one for only a few days?


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## Kal (Dec 21, 2007)

You will definitely need a car for the entire stay. You'll kick yourself forever if you don't. The island has way too much to offer, especially all the tremendous restaurants. Besides that, there are 36 beaches to check out.

Go *Here* and check out photos of the island.


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## Lou (Dec 22, 2007)

Check out the Traveltalkonline St.Martin forum.  Lots of information there.


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## caribbean (Dec 22, 2007)

In order below:

1- Royal Islander Club La Plage
2- Royal Palm
3- Flamingo
4- Divi Little Bay Beach Resort


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## liwarren (Dec 23, 2007)

My opinion is to definitely book for the entire week.  There are too many beautiful beaches to visit!  It also gives you the freedom to come and go as you wish.  The Royal Islander charges $30.00(at least that is what they charged last year) to park your car in the parking garage.  Definitely worth it.


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## Larry (Dec 24, 2007)

Kal said:


> Without a shadow of doubt the Pelican Marina Residences has to be the very best of any property listed.  Unfortunately, it is a brand new property which is scheduled to open in December 2007.  If you can get one of the unsold developer units as an exchange you will be very lucky.  Otherwise it will be very difficult to get.



Kal is 100% correct. I just got back from St. Maarten and the new Pelican Marina phase 1 has opened and the units are comparable to any Marriott units that I have seen. Brand new two BR units with new appliances, flat screen TV's huge balcony and every unit overlooks Simpson bay with views of water and Marina. Pool area is completed with nice swim up bar and new chaise lounges all around pool with nice landscaping. Only drawback is their is no beach but you share the man made beach about 100 yards away at the pelican resort. Not the best beach but OK and it should get very crowded as the new buildings get completed and must share beach space with existing Pelican and Flamingo owners and exchangers. All of the units are lock offs so it may be possible to exchange for the small studio size units which have their own balcony with water views.


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## Whitesandybeaches1 (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks all for your information. Sounds like Royal Islander and Pelican Marina are the two best choices.


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## irish (Dec 27, 2007)

i have been following this thread with great interest as i too am interested in st marteen as an exchange. we will be a large group(10 adults 2 kids)and most of us are BEACH people. we also like a supermarket near by to purchase food for breakfast and lunch, munchies and of course beer and wine.we probable WILL NOT b renting a car. so, i have gotten  the list down to these 4 resort and would like comments as to which of these would best suit our needs.
DIVI 
OYSTER BAY
ROYAL ISLANDER 
PELICAN MARINER(no private beach area so already a drawback)

now, if i am correct in digesting what i have read, DIVI is kinda isolated. how/ is the kiddi program? the restaurants? the beach?
ROYAL ISLANDER has air traffic? how bad? beach area? restaurants?
OYSTER BAY not  much written so please expand.
thanks


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## johnmfaeth (Dec 27, 2007)

Hi White,

Here is a link to the Sunset Beach Bar's website:

www.sunsetbeachbar.com

Hi Irish,

You will miss out on so much just staying at your resort. Stay in Simpson Bay at the Pelican, Sunterra, etc. and you will at least be able to walk to restaurants. No resort on St. Maarten has onsite food interesting enough for a week IMHO.

John


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## JoeMid (Dec 27, 2007)

Whitesandybeaches said:


> Thanks all for your information. Sounds like Royal Islander and Pelican Marina are the two best choices.





johnmfaeth said:


> You will miss out on so much just staying at your resort. Stay in Simpson Bay at the Pelican, Sunterra, etc. John



Don't look for Sunterra when you exchange, it's now Diamond in II and other places that are up to speed.  You shouldn't rule out their resorts.  By staying at Flamingo (for the guy with the big group) you also have the option of finding exchanges or rentals at Pelican, Pelican Marina, La Vista, etc.  and really have everyone in the same spot.  Even Diamond Royal Palm Beach isn't too far a walk.

Flamingo resort has all oceanfront buildings.
Oceanfront Studios
Saba View Studios (pool view with ocean beyond)
Garden View Studios (you really don't want these)
Oceanfront 1BRs

Studios have a FULL kitchen.


Flamingo Beach Villas has three buildings, only one is oceanfront, the other two are up the hill.  All are 2BR lockoffs; two complete 1BRs.  Of course the oceanfront building is preferred, but you probably won't get it on an exchange.


Royal Palm Beach Resort, all units are oceanfront.  Almost all units are 2BR with just a few 1BRs and 3BRs.


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## Kal (Dec 27, 2007)

irish said:


> ...PELICAN MARINER(no private beach area so already a drawback)...


 
First off, the resort has its own beach; the Mariner building is on the water, but the beach section is a short walk away.  In any case, St. Maarten has 36 beaches and without doubt you will be really missing out if you spend any time at any of the time share beaches.  Besides if your group are Beach People, just go straight to Orient Beach, one of the top 3 in the entire Caribbean.  There's no need to go anywhere else.


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