St. Maarten Oyster Bay Beach resort vs. Simpson Bay Resort

[travelplanner70]

This would be my first time to St. Maarten. What are the pluses/minuses of each? Is a car necessary for entire week or just for day trips? Thank you in advance.

 

[PrairieGirl]

I have owned at OBBR for over 25 years and visit the island most years. I also spent 1 week at SBR on exchange just last December. They are both fabulous resorts, with very nice rooms but with VERY different attractions. Hopefully I can provide some helpful information to assist with your decisions.

But - two totally different geographic locations.

SBR is much closer to the airport, has a decent little beach of its own, is a VERY short drive to the actual Simpson Bay Beach which is long and beautiful and Karakter is a great spot to hang out for the day. Short drive to Mullet Bay Beach or Puerto Cupucoy. MANY good restaurants within a short drive or even walking distance. A very BUSY, happening area. This resort is larger and the blocks of units are spread out over a fairly steep hill. There are several pools, lots of chairs but not fancy. Your basic (large) rectangle and fairly quiet. Large enough resort that there is not a mix and mingle type party. If you are only on SXM for 1 week and don't want to drive, you COULD get by without a car here - although you really should get one and get out to see the whole island. Each of the (numerous!) beaches are different, both in physical characteristics and vibe. From one end of the spectrum to the other.

OBBR is right on the Dutch/French Border, so very close if you want to spend time on the French side. The resort has some dining options and Big Fish (wonderful!) is within walking distance. A short drive to Oyster Pond (Fr) which has several small but very good (and very French) restaurants. A bit longer drive (but no where near as long as from SBR) to Grand Case and you are in heart of great gourmet food options. Even closer is Orient Bay and the famous Orient Beach for daytime adventures and Orient Village for dining options. If you stay here, a car is a MUST for the entire trip. It is much more remote and also more of a "chill" atmosphere. But still plenty to keep you busy. It is a smaller resort than SBR, has a very happening central bar, a fun Manager's party and lots of activities around the pool. And the pool is drop dead gorgeous with an infinity edge looking out over the sea to St. Barts.

So it really depends on what you are looking for in your holiday and how long you will be on island. The best option would be 2 weeks, one at each. It would almost feel like 2 different holidays!

 

[pedro47]

There is a timeshare resort that is near the cruise port.

What is it name ? Thanks.

 

[gln60]

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort....2.5 miles from the cruise port...usually some availability thru II

 

[PrairieGirl]

Sint Maarten Sea Palace is right at the end of the boardwalk

 

[pedro47]

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort....2.5 miles from the cruise port...usually some availability thru II

Thanks for that information

 

[stmartinfan]

I've visited the island more than 20 times, own at Divi Little Bay, have rented VRBO in Grand Case on the French Side and have visited almost all the beaches on the island. Prairie Girl's description of the two resorts and their locales are right on. Both would be good choices (as would Divi), just depending on what's important to you. No matter where you stay, be sure you check out some of the other fabulous areas of the island.

 

[pedro47]

I've visited the island more than 20 times, own at Divi Little Bay, have rented VRBO in Grand Case on the French Side and have visited almost all the beaches on the island. Prairie Girl's description of the two resorts and their locales are right on. Both would be good choices (as would Divi), just depending on what's important to you. No matter where you stay, be sure you check out some of the other fabulous areas of the island.

Which one for total relaxing, near local dining, and just laying on the beach enjoying the sun ?

 

[lorenmd]

we just stayed two weeks at divi little bay and loved it. we did have a car and enjoyed going to grand case about 3x/week for fabulous french food. we went to a lot of other beaches but divi little bay was still our favorite. we will go back again next year. and FWIW, i did get ill during my stay and went to the ED at the dutch side hospital. i am a doc so i was pretty well received in helping direct my care. they took very good car of me and i was well enough to leave that night after 3 hours of treatment. i paid with a cc $1200 and i saw two docs, antibiotics and IV Tylenol ultrasound blood cultures and specialist. wish it was that easy in the states.

 

[stmartinfan]

Which one for total relaxing, near local dining, and just laying on the beach enjoying the sun ?

You could have that experience at any of the three resorts, and the island is small enough to easily drive for restaurants, etc. I personally think the beaches and grounds are nicer at Divi and Oyster Bay. Simpson Bay is closest to lots of good Dutch side restaurants if you don't want to venture more than 5 minutes for dinner. Divi is about 10-15 minutes from those same restaurants and closer to some in Philipsburg we like. Lots of people love being in the midst of everything at Simpson Bay, but I prefer being close, like at Divi, but not right in the midst of it all. Oyster Bay has several good restaurants close by and a reasonable drive to amazing choices on the French side in Orient Village and Grand Case.

Maybe after your first trip, you'll fall in love with the island like many of us do and then can return to try the other resorts!

 

[Armada]

There is another resort you might consider. That is the Sea Palace in downtown Phillipsburg. It is directly on the boardwalk and is very walkable to lots of shopping and restaurants. A car would not be necessary except to explore the island. I have not stayed there, but would be interested for a future stay.

One other thing you might want to visit Grand Case, you have to go through from Marigot from most of the resorts mentioned. I generally avoid Marigot unless I am going there. Driving through there can be a PITA.

 

[stmartinfan]

If you're looking for a relaxing vacation focused on beach time, I wouldn't pick Sea Palace. While there's a beach outside, the area gets very busy with cruisers when there's a boat in port and the water isn't the best, based on the heavier traffic and run off in Great Bay. There are restaurants and shopping close during the daytime, but that area of Philipsburg really shuts down at night and starts to feel a little sketchy so you'd need a car or taxi for dinners out. (Not sure what the parking situation is, but you wouldn't want to rely on street parking.) Would I stay there if that was the only place I could get? Yes, but I'd plan to leave most days to enjoy the other wonderful beaches and restaurants.

We personally don't mind the drive through Marigot to get to Grand Case, but I can understand the comment that it can be slow. Luckily it's a pretty short distance, so even at the worst, it doesn't add significant time.

 

[gln60]

we visited St Maarten 5 years ago and stayed at the Villas at Simpson Bay right next door to the SBR…Lots of very good restaurants and bars nearby..we did rent a car....the sunsets were incredible and watching the planes departing from the airport across Simpson Bay was pretty cool..…we did a day trip by catamaran to beautiful Anguilla..and visited stunning Shoal Bay Beach..one of the top beaches in the world…My daughter and BF will be staying at the Villas at Simpson Bay in October and will be renting a car and already has her daily itinerary set....lol…We loved our time in beautiful St Maarten and have a week booked at the Villas at Simpson Bay in January 2023…

 

[pedro47]

We have been to St. Maarten many times cruising with Celebrity Cruises Lines, but I want to stay on the island for at least rwo (2) weeks in April 2023. This is why I'm asking so many questions.

 

[gln60]

We have been to St. Maarten many times cruising with Celebrity Cruises Lines, but I want to stay on the island for at least rwo (2) weeks in April 2023. This is why I'm asking so many questions.

Hi Pedro…no need for apologies…I have been helped more times than I can count by Tug members..who have been very gracious in their knowledge about places that I’m interested in..it has helped me in making right decisions on where and when I vacation…I enjoy returning the favor to help other members with questions when I can.

 

[stmartinfan]

And the fans of St Maarten on TUG are always eager to talk about the island!

 

[Hornet441]

I am visiting in Sep, staying at Simpson Bay Resort. Eagerly following this thread. Thanks all.

 

[Maple Leaf]

This thread is so timely for me. We are planning to visit St. Maarten for the first time in the Spring 2023 through II. Those 3 resorts came up as the top 3 for us. Simpson's Bay, Oyster Bay and Divi. We like the hustle and bustle but I'm not sure if we want that 100% as it seems for Simpson Bay. Qyster Bay seems nice but may be too far from everything. Divi seems like a happy compromise. I have a few questions for now:

1) What are the beaches/pools like at Divi
2) Any nice restaurants close to Divi?
3) How is driving there if we rent a car?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[stmartinfan]

Beach is very nice, large area and good for swimming. There's snorkekling not far off the beach. There are attendants on the beach who will set you up with chairs and umbrellas and there are usually plenty available. (Tip is appreciated.). It's on Little Bay, so somewhat protected and doesn't usually get large waves.

There are 3 pool areas. One's a small infinity pool tucked away by one of the tImeshare buildings. It's higher up and overlooks the water. Usually not very busy and a great place to watch the sunset. The second pool is adjacent to the beach and the luncheon restaurant and has 3 levels, one shallow for kids. The 3rd pool area was recently renovated and is quite lovely…a large area for swimming, a shallow area with loungers to sit in the water, a waterfall and a swim up bar.

Divi has several restaurants, a couple with casual meals like pizza, burgers, Mexican, which are all fine. Their more unscale restaurant was usually pretty unexciting but I understand they have a new chef and food has improved. Belair, the resort next door, has a casual place called the Gingerbread Cafe, which is pretty good. There are several good places in Philipsburg and lots more in Simpson Bay and Mayo areas, as well as a host of great places on the French side. For anywhere except Divi and Belair, you'd need a car or taxi.

Driving on the island is reasonable. It's all two lane roads, and pretty slow. Worst part are the crazy motorcycles that cut between cars and drive like they are suicidal. Taxis are readily available and you could arrange with one to take you to restaurants and back.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Thanks stmartinfan. I'm thinking that we may use a taxi most of the time but rent a car for a few days to tour around the island. Still a little concerned about the driving though. I was perfectly fine driving in Aruba since they drive on the right side and it's basically one long road across the island but didn't rent a car in St. Thomas since there are a lot of hills and twists and turns and they drive on the left side. We love to explore by foot. Where on the island are the tourist areas for shopping/eating. We'd like to check that out. I see that there are some local dining spots even within walking distance from Divi Little Bay. Is the island relatively safe? Thanks again.

 

[CPNY]

Thanks stmartinfan. I'm thinking that we may use a taxi most of the time but rent a car for a few days to tour around the island. Still a little concerned about the driving though. I was perfectly fine driving in Aruba since they drive on the right side and it's basically one long road across the island but didn't rent a car in St. Thomas since there are a lot of hills and twists and turns and they drive on the left side. We love to explore by foot. Where on the island are the tourist areas for shopping/eating. We'd like to check that out. I see that there are some local dining spots even within walking distance from Divi Little Bay. Is the island relatively safe? Thanks again.

I’ve been to St Martin once. I loved it, is it safe? If you go anywhere you have to be careful. I can tell you the day we got there a 21 year old tourist out for a morning run was brutally stabbed to death.

Three days later 2 woman were robbed when they got into a cab, or what they thought was a cab. When I was there it was tricky to tell who was a cab and who wasn’t.

we needed a cab when staying at Simpson bay so we called the front desk. They told us to walk to the piano bar and there will be cabs there. Needless to say some guy who said he was a cab clearly wasn’t and I decided I wasn’t taking a chance, so I walked to the front desk and demanded they call me an actual cab.

I generally try not to walk anywhere at night when I can take a cab or have a rental car. I did walk down the street from Simpson bay and there were some really nice restaurants. During the day it was fine to walk and close to stores and other restaurants on a Main Street. It’s also very close to the airport and Maho Bay.

it’s a great island and all of these resorts are pretty similar. I think Divi was damaged very badly from the hurricane which means it is probably the most renovated now.

 

[gln60]

Always be alert and aware of your surroundings and the people around you..no matter where you are…

 

[Maple Leaf]

Thanks and I agree. We are off the resort more than on, visiting various beaches and sights and always try to be alert and aware of our surroundings. However, the reason I ask the question is there is a big difference between let's say Aruba/Hawaii and St. Thomas and I wanted to get a feel for where St. Maarten is in terms of crime. Aruba/most Hawaii beaches are very safe, however in St. Thomas you start clearing out by 4-5 pm when most of the other tourists/cruisers leave. Off the resort on Coki Beach in St. Thomas, we got a weird vibe once all the tourists left. Also, just off the main tourist part of Charlotte Amalie, it gets sketchy and we were accosted by someone mentally challenged who thought we were taking a picture of him but in fact we were taking a picture of the historic post office next to him. Of course we always feel safe on the resorts we go to and these incidents didn't bother us however it's better to ask and be informed than be sorry.

 

[gln60]

We loved Marriots Frenchman’s Cove but were not impressed with Coki Beach vibe in St Thomas....the Beach and the water was beautiful....I got the feeling it was a locals hangout..lots of pot smoking going on,we arrived around noon,and my two kids felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave after 45 minutes..which we did…and went over to beautiful Magens Bay…which everyone enjoyed.

 

[stmartinfan]

Thanks stmartinfan. I'm thinking that we may use a taxi most of the time but rent a car for a few days to tour around the island. Still a little concerned about the driving though. I was perfectly fine driving in Aruba since they drive on the right side and it's basically one long road across the island but didn't rent a car in St. Thomas since there are a lot of hills and twists and turns and they drive on the left side. We love to explore by foot. Where on the island are the tourist areas for shopping/eating. We'd like to check that out. I see that there are some local dining spots even within walking distance from Divi Little Bay. Is the island relatively safe? Thanks again.

We've not been to St. Thomas, so I can't offer a comparison, but I would say St. Maarten is more "rustic" and unpolished than Aruba, which felt a bit too much like Miami Beach for us, or Grand Cayman. It's much calmer and safer feeling than Jamaica, which we didn't like. In our nearly 20 years visiting, we haven't ever had a situation where we felt threatened or in jeopardy although we aren't out late at night and generally visit busy areas.

My husband is fine with driving on the island, but is very familiar with all the roads after so many visits. Like Aruba, driving is on the right side of the road, and you can essentially make a circle of the island. We feel safe driving, although there is an neighborhood called "Sandy Ground," near Marigot, that is rougher and we usually avoid going through there, especially at night. It's not on the way to anywhere we go, so it's not a problem. There is a rental car service at Divi, so you could taxi from the airport and see how you feel about driving. The stretch from the airport to Divi is mostly heavily developed, but there are many sections in the center of the island that are still open pastures. One of the best parts of the island is exploring the many beaches, like Orient, Friars or Mullet, so a car would be helpful for that. There are usually official taxis waiting at Divi, or the front desk could contact one for you.

The main shopping area is in Philipsburg, which you could walk to from Divi, although it's a hike. The worst is it's uphill coming back to the resort! I would not walk there at night, because the main street area almost completely shuts down at a night when cruisers are gone, so it's very desolate. During the day, there are lots of casual restaurants looking out on the boardwalk and water at Great Bay in Philipsburg (most close at night). Many have turned over during Covid because they were so dependent on the passengers from the adjacent cruise dock, so I can't tell you the best ones now. Two favorite restaurants in Philipsburg for us are The Greenhouse, for casual meals, and Chesterfields, an old-time island restaurant that gets both tourists and locals. (If you go at lunchtime, you'll see lots of business people from town.) They are both located at the opposite end of town, 15 minutes or so from Divi by car or taxi, and you would not walk at night. Except for the Gingerbread restaurant at the adjacent resort, Belair, there are no restaurants you could walk to at night.

There is a local "market" by the waterfront in Marigot, the largest town on the French side, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings that can be fun for shopping for souvenirs and other nicer items. If you're there early, you can also buy fresh fish from nearby stands.

Some of our favorite Dutch-side restaurants, like The Palms and Vesna Taverna, are in the Simpson Bar area, which you'll travel through from the airport to Divi. Maho is another area past the airport with several restaurants we like, like Le Moulin Fou and Three Amigos Mexican. There's a casino there and some adjacent timeshares, so it's usually busy at night and easy to walk around the block-long area. There's former outdoor restaurant being redeveloped there with several food venders and food trucks, so we plan to check that out.

The best dining is in Grand Case, on the French side, which has many amazing French restaurants. Our favorite is Bistroit Caraibes, but we also enjoy Oceans 82, La Villa, The Cottage, and a few others. There's also an area called the "lolos," a large grouping of local food stands with seating and a shared roof that feature grilled seafood and chicken with generous sides. There are several nice shops along the same main street, so you could spend a few hours there. Most of the upscale restaurants are open only for dinner, and the drive from Divi to Grand Case a night isn't one I'd do unless you'd checked it out during the daylight, since it's across the island. We've done it several times, but actually spent a week in a rental in Grand Case so we could enjoy the great cuisine and nearby beaches without the nighttime drive!

One of the best sources for info on the island is the St. Maarten/Martin section of traveltalkonline.com it's participants are mostly avid fans of the island and share trip reports with summaries of restaurants, beaches, activities, etc., You'll see lots of reports with include photos, including amazing restaurant meals, and other scenes. Several of the regular posters rely on taxis to get around so you'll also find recommendations on the drivers they use regularly. I've seen several reports with some new restaurants that I need to add to my list to check out!

We're booked for 2 weeks in January, so need to start creating my list of places to try!