Don't get me wrong..the Pelican ain't bad. I've spent 3 weeks there and enjoyed it. Very nice pools. It's just that I'm not crazy about the neighborhood. It's crowded and getting worse.
All things considered, I'd take Pelican over Flamingo, believe it or not. The rooms, if a bit dowdy, are larger and more comfortable. When I stayed at Flamingo, our 1 bedroom was so small we were tripping over each other. Our patio had a nice view of a concrete wall and some garbage cans.
My favorites on SXM are Divi and Belair, not because they are fancy, but because they are a bit isolated, beautiful, and yet within a LONG walking distance of the town of Philipsburg.
I also love Lonvilliers on the French side, but it is REAL dowdy, almost Motel 6 like, but very quiet, peaceful, and tranquil. You have to drive over the Rue Mon Dieu to get there, and so as the crow flies it's very close to Grand Case but you basically have to drive to get everywhere.
Oyster Bay? What can I say? I toured it. I can understand why some people like it, and can understand why some don't. It's about as far off the beaten path as you can still get in St. Maarten, which is good, but still a big place and the beach and the pool were crowded , which is bad. Different strokes.