# Timeshares in St. Martin, Dutch side??



## Corky (Nov 27, 2010)

Looking for tips on the best timeshares to book for a vacation on the Dutch side of St. Martin.

Can anyone help?

Thank you.


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## shar (Nov 27, 2010)

It has been awhile since I was there, but Divi and Belair Beach Club were nice.

Shar


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## stmartinfan (Nov 27, 2010)

Frequent St. Maarten visitors have their own preferences for areas to stay, depending on what's important to them.

We own at Divi and have stayed at Belair as well.  Divi is set on a penninsula of land between Great Bay and Little Bay, so the units all have nice views.  Beach is decent and the units have all been recently remodeled. It's a larger resort, spread in multiple buildings among the grounds and feels more private than some resorts.  Belair is just down the beach in Little Bay.  Smaller resort, which some people like.  I thought it was OK, but really preferred the amenities and layout at Divi.  

Both these resorts are on the edge of Philipsburg, so convenient for shopping and restaurants but away from the bustle and traffic.  

Most visitors to SXM rent a car and take advantage of the great beaches and restaurants all across the island. Distances are short, so it's easy to explore  We usually spend only a day or 2 of the week at our resort, then visit other favorite beaches like Orient or Mullet.

Some of the other areas that you'll find Dutch side timeshares include:

Dawn Beach - beautiful beach area (unfortunately partially ruined by the ugly Westin Hotel built there).  Some nice restaurants in the area, but a little out of the way for some things.

Simpson Bay area - very built up area with lots of restaurants; Pelican resort is there, which is in the midst of a big legal battle right now, and several others.  Many like this area because you can easily walk to restaurants.  We prefer the quiet of staying at Divi and just driving the 15 minutes over to go to a restaurant.

Maho - lots of restaurants, casino and shopping - almost feels like a one block long Las Vegas compared to other areas of the island.  Great restaurants here, but the beaches aren't as nice to me.

Philipsburg - the largest city on the Dutch side; a couple of timeshares in the city itself, which is where all the shopping and cruise ship passenger go, but these aren't the nicest ones on the island.  Nice to visit during the day for shopping, but I don't think I'd like to stay there and I think other beaches are nicer than Great Bay Beach.


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## Bucky (Nov 27, 2010)

We spent two weeks in March of this year at the Royal Club La Plage in Maho.  We fell in love with this resort and it's location.  Right next to the airport so you get to lay in your beach chair and watch the jumbo jets come in.  Noise is really minor because you are usually busy during the day and I think they quit coming in/going out about 8pm or so.

They have an on site restaurant for guest that also has superb views.  The resort also has a wonderful pool with a depth of 7 feet which is unusual in most resorts we've been to.

What makes this resort for us is location, location, location.  You don't need to even rent a car if you don't want.  We've been to the island five times now so the thrill of driving around has left us. The grocery store is right across the street and some of the finest dining on the island is within a block of the resort.  If you're into gambling there is a casino right across the street.

We loved it so much we plan on going back for two weeks again this coming year.  But then again, it's St Maarten! What's not to love.  There are many wonderful places to stay. Enjoy.


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## stmartinfan (Nov 28, 2010)

That's one of the nice things about St. Maarten - different options depending upon what you like.  We've been to the island almost a dozen times, and while I enjoy visiting the Maho area a couple of times each visit for dinner, I wouldn't want to stay in the area!  But we don't gamble, we love driving around the island, exploring different beaches and activities - there's always something new to find - and we like staying in an area that seems more "Caribbean" in feel.  But the previous poster has found a location that appeals to what they like, and many others prefer the Simpson Bay area for similar reasons.  There are timeshares in all the different areas, so visitors have the option of choosing.


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## Corky (Nov 28, 2010)

Lots of great ideas.

Thank you so much!!


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## krmlaw (Nov 30, 2010)

we have stayed in the oyster bay area, the divi area, the simpson bay area, and the maho area. 

we MUCH prefer the simpson bay and maho areas. the commutes to most of the restaurants we go to is short, and there are many good beaches in the area.


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