# Anyone been to Royal Islander Great Bay?



## KarenL (May 25, 2007)

I was playing around with my points today and this resort came up for New Years' week, but I don't see any reviews. When I clicked on the resort website, the name changed to Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort. It certainly looks nice in the web site photos. Has anyone been who would share how they liked it?
Thanks
Karen


----------



## Aldo (May 25, 2007)

Hmmm...this is, I guess, the new name for the Great Bay Beach Resort.

Never stayed there, walked past it dozens of times.  

GREAT location for shopping, food, etc.  It's pretty much right on the edge of town, walk to just about everything.

The beach out back is very safe and protected, if perhaps a bit on the busy side.

I THINK it's an all-inclusive, I could be wrong on this.  

JMO, an all-inclusive on St. Maarten is a waste, what with so many good places to eat and drink well and very inexpensively, one would be missing out doing the AI thing on St. Maarten.


Lastly, (and I don't want to dissuade you, just warn you) if you take this week, you definitely want to make sure you are back inside by sundown.  The neighborhood this resort is in is fine and safe enough during the daylight hours, but after dark the crackhaids come out.   The center, downtown, of Philipsburg is fine after dark, but there are a few square blocks on the west end (where this place is) that are not safe places to be at night.  If you are downtown late at night, take a cab anyway, even though it's only a few blocks from the center of town.

Personally, I think that week has a lot going for it.  You'll be able to walk to quite a few things, and it's probably only half a mile or so from the Jamaican Jerk Grill and the Lido Grill up on Bush Road.  

I can't imagine what driving around St. Maarten must be like during New Years Week, but with this resort, you'd be fine without a car, which is a definite plus.   Many restaurants, shops, bars, casinos within easy walking distance.


----------



## Kal (May 26, 2007)

I was there a couple of weeks ago and it looked fine.  However, it's in a difficult neighborhood where you really don't want to walk at night.  There's a guarded parking lot across the street so you won't have any problem going to and from the car.  The beach is beautiful, but I would not step foot in that water.  There is significant sanitary sewage discharge into that area of the shoreline.

Definitely GET A CAR.  You will be very unhappy without one at St. Maarten.


----------

