# ST Maarten Advice



## THOS (Apr 1, 2010)

I am going to SXM in June for a week to see what properties we would eventually like to find a few weeks to buy on the resale market. I would appreciate any advice on which properties would be worth checking out. And any properties to stay away from.We are looking at spending 4 to 5 weeks during the winter after I retire in a year. 

I am really impressed with all the great advice I have received from TUG members so far and really appreciate all the help being a newbie.

THOS


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## JMSH (Apr 1, 2010)

Keep in mind that all timeshare properties are on the Dutch side..I assume that has something to do with the law in Franch and hence french side. We have stayed at Oyster Bay in the past which is on Dawn Beach. I like the area because it is on the border of the french/dutch sides. It is also the closest timeshare to Orient Beach as well as all the great french restauraunts in Grand Case. Staying here however pretty well ensures you will need a car. Just my thoughts


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## tidefan (Apr 1, 2010)

We own at Royal Palm Beach Club and love it.  It is newly renovated a couple of years ago (right before the Diamond takeover) and is right in the middle of a nice patch of restaurants and nightlife in Simpson Bay.  However, we do not love our new management company, Diamond Resorts, which took over a couple of years ago and has almost doubled our maintenence fees...


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## Krteczech (Apr 1, 2010)

I understand Royal Islander club La Terrasse offers long term rental. Maybe you want to check it out. Maho area - walk to restaurants, beach and grocery store, - also has reliable public transportation during the day to other parts of the island. New Caravanserai resort in the same area is just being completed and offeres low key tours (15 min). We own at Towers at Mullet Bay, nice resort, but not in the middle of action...


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## dchilds (Apr 2, 2010)

We own three weeks at Pelican Resort.  Over the years we have owned up to five weeks, 2 in the water front Marina building which we sold, and the 3 we currently own in the beach front Flamboyant building.  We have visited St Maarten at various times of the year, and chose to purchase two consecutive weeks to use in June, because the crowds are much smaller.  Our third week is a Christmas week that we rent every year.

We have visited other timeshares on the island, but only stayed at Pelican.  Pelican is near Flamingo, The Atrium and the Royal Islander (I think).  We've visited a few others, but nothing has made us wish we chose a different resort.  (For various reasons.)  It isn't a Marriott resort, but it's nice enough, and it is near many island activities.  The Pelican Marina Residences are probably the nicest units on the island, but they are priced accordingly.

Pelican has 352 units, and it is very likely that you can purchase affordable consecutive weeks.  I would suggest you buy less than what you initially want, and keep your eyes open for new inventory as people decide to get out.  Pelican's website has a list of weeks that are available, but those weeks are priced way above fire-sale prices on tug, eBay and RedWeek.  We purchased 2 of our weeks directly from Pelican's foreclosed inventory, and the other 3 directly from owners.  Our average price was about $5000-6000, but you can find many less desirable weeks or units for $1.  Winter will probably be more expensive than June, but we have 2 bedroom penthouse beach front units.


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## KathyA (Apr 2, 2010)

*Pelican Marina Residences*

I doubt you can buy it resale, but Pelican Marina Residences is fantastic.   I'm a 20-year owner at Pelican, butnow own at the Pelican Marina Residences.  All units are two bedroom lockouts with both the main unit and the lockout ocean front.  They are being marketed as fractionals (originally insisting that you buy at least four weeks), so there's a chance you could get your five weeks in a unit where you don't have to change each week.  Changing units wastes a lot of time.  The older Pelican units are a much better buy, but you won't get all your weeks in the same unit.  I love Pelican, and in spite of all the troubles they've had, I never have regreted owning there.  I used to own at Flamingo as well, but have gotten rid of those weeks because for a STUDIO, the maintenance fees have risen to WELL over $1000 per week.  I now own eight winter weeks at Pelican Marina Residences, and don't have to move.  It's paradise.


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## THOS (Apr 2, 2010)

*Thanks*

Thanks all for the great information. I am happy to see that several of you are happy with Pelican. I just picked up a week 11 on the 5th floor of B building at a price that was hard to pass up. I hope that was a good decision for a start into the timeshare world. Now that I have a few other names properties to look at when we go to SXM in June we can see what we like and take our time looking for the right deals.
I am wondering what kind of prices are they asking for Pelican Marina Residences units? I would assume with being so new it will be some time before units start hitting the resale market.
Any additional recommendations and ideas are appreciated.


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## JudyS (Apr 2, 2010)

I stayed at Divi Little Bay a few years back. Nice resort, and I liked that the studio units were right on the beach. It was quite close to the main town (Phillipsburg?) but an inconvenient drive from Orient Beach. However, I seem to recall that the owners weren't happy with the resort -- they were being pressured to convert to some sort of points system, I think. So, Divi Little Bay might be better as an exchange than as a resort to own. 

My main impression of St Maarten was that the traffic was really bad! It took a long time to get anywhere. So, if you plan to spend 4 - 5 weeks there, you might actually want to own at several different resorts, in different parts of the island, rather than owning at just one location and having to "commute" to see the whole island. (Of course, if you can find a resort that lets you keep the same unit for multiple weeks, then you wouldn't have to pack up and move each week. So, that is worth considering as well.)


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## deemac (Apr 3, 2010)

*price for Pelican Marina Res unit*



THOS said:


> Thanks all for the great information. I am happy to see that several of you are happy with Pelican. I just picked up a week 11 on the 5th floor of B building at a price that was hard to pass up. I hope that was a good decision for a start into the timeshare world. Now that I have a few other names properties to look at when we go to SXM in June we can see what we like and take our time looking for the right deals.
> *I am wondering what kind of prices are they asking for Pelican Marina Residences units? *I would assume with being so new it will be some time before units start hitting the resale market.
> Any additional recommendations and ideas are appreciated.



I was shown a 2b on the second floor, and was quoted $25K --- this was Oct 2009.   Was told this was a special price for owners -- yeah, right!!!!


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## deemac (Apr 3, 2010)

*Cottages de Lonvilliers*



JMSH said:


> *Keep in mind that all timeshare properties are on the Dutch side..*I assume that has something to do with the law in Franch and hence french side. We have stayed at Oyster Bay in the past which is on Dawn Beach. I like the area because it is on the border of the french/dutch sides. It is also the closest timeshare to Orient Beach as well as all the great french restauraunts in Grand Case. Staying here however pretty well ensures you will need a car. Just my thoughts




I believe Cottages de Lonvilliers is on the Frenchside.  (see RCI book)


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## DVB42 (Apr 3, 2010)

I would not select my condo location based on proximity to Orient Beach. Although Orient is beautiful, I find it crowded and overrun with vendors hawking just about everything imaginable. There are too many tourist there including day visitors from the cruise ships. A lot of people are there checking out the nude section on the far south end of the beach. I find most other beaches on both Dutch and French sides preferable to Orient. They are much more laid back and peaceful.


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## scooter (Jun 17, 2010)

KathyA said:


> I doubt you can buy it resale, but Pelican Marina Residences is fantastic.   I'm a 20-year owner at Pelican, butnow own at the Pelican Marina Residences.  All units are two bedroom lockouts with both the main unit and the lockout ocean front.  They are being marketed as fractionals (originally insisting that you buy at least four weeks), so there's a chance you could get your five weeks in a unit where you don't have to change each week.  Changing units wastes a lot of time.  The older Pelican units are a much better buy, but you won't get all your weeks in the same unit.  I love Pelican, and in spite of all the troubles they've had, I never have regreted owning there.  I used to own at Flamingo as well, but have gotten rid of those weeks because for a STUDIO, the maintenance fees have risen to WELL over $1000 per week.  I now own eight winter weeks at Pelican Marina Residences, and don't have to move.  It's paradise.



I see pelican units on ebay on a regular basis. We've bought 3 units on ebay for about 15% of what the resort was charging. for St. M, Royal Palm Beach Club is very nice. Not to be confused with Royal Islander, which is right on the runway at the airport.


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