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 We return again and again! Visited: November 2006 |
| Posted by pkmfromminnesota |
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We have been returning to Mary's Boon for ten years. St. Maarten is a wonderful island, with beautiful beaches beyond your stateside imagination.
Yet, there are days that the traffic and local personalities try our patience. Mary's Boon is our respite away from the tourist stressors.
We look forward to seeing the same friendly staff each year, although their reserved, quiet approach may not be interpreted as warm hospitality by some who have written here.
Mary's Boon is a small hotel, with conveniences abounding - if you only ask. We love the location. Simpson Beach is a quiet gem; we spend at least half of our two-week stay right here rather than fighting traffic to get to some of the other busy beaches frequented by cruise passengers looking for action.
We enjoy the airport location, a unique opportunity to view the "big birds" from such a close location. In addition, we have never been disturbed by noise after midnight. Then when it is time to leave, our trip to the airport is a very predictable five-minute drive.
Mary's Boon is not the Ritz, but it is has an island quality that puts it way above the franchise hotels copied over and over around the world. You'll want to come back! |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| What a delight! Visited: July 2005 |
| Posted by joedowning |
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Mary's Boon was the "icing on the cake" of our vacation to St. Maarten!
Owner-operated, it was small enough that the staff quickly came to address us by name, but large enough to provide all the amenities of a first-rate hotel.
We had two rooms-- one beach-front with two queen beds, kitchenette, and unbelievably beautiful ocean views; and the other a large garden suite with a full kitchen, separate bedroom with a four-poster, king-sized bed, extra-large bath, and living area.
They were both charmingly decorated with beautiful antiques and island artwork. They were clean, roomy, colorful, and well-stocked with plenty of kitchenware and linens. Each also had its own in-wall safe to store our valuables.
In addition to having wonderful sleeping accommodations, we also enjoyed the Mary's Boon renowned restaurant that prepared exquiste meals and routinely offered "seconds" at dinner---a big deal at the end of a full day of activities when you're hungry and tired.
And yes, while it backed up to the airport, the airplanes were not disruptive. They were actually fun to watch taking off and landing from the rooftop observation deck.
We could never have had a true vacation of a lifetime without Mary's Boon. We will never forget the beauty of St. Maarten nor the hospitality of this lovely hotel and its gracious staff.
Thank you Karla and Mark for everything!
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| 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| We are already looking forward to next year. Visited: March 2005 |
| Posted by parrirl |
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My wife and I already miss opening our front door to Simpson Bay Beach. As always, we enjoyed our two weeks at Mary's Boon, and we are already looking forward to our visit next year.
I've taken some of the pictures to work, and everyone is envious of where we stayed. What they can’t see in the pictures is the hospitality of the staff at Mary’s Boon. We appreciate the fact that there were a lot of familiar faces, and, as always, everyone was willing to assist us during our stay. What we really enjoyed was the fact that they did this without disturbing the tranquility of our vacation.
We already really miss breakfast (and a smile) overlooking the beach and bay. The relaxed blue Caribbean sea with a natural cooling wind is something that we don’t get to experience in the Midwest. This was typically followed by a long walk on an almost deserted beach while gathering a hand full of shells. Tough job, but someone had to do it.
The staff at Mary's Boon made this another wonderful stay. We really do appreciate their hospitality, and our next visit seems too far away.
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| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 We had a terrible experience here. Visited: February 2005 |
| Posted by jay_jensen |
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We stayed at Mary's Boon in 2005, and only now after several months of cooling down, can we send in a report. It was that bad.
The location, the beach, the gardens, and the hotel structure itself - were all fine. It wasn't great, but okay. Also, the restaurant was adequate.
The staff was personable, though their behavior at check-in was stranglely shy, which we took to be a charming feature of the local Caribbean culture. Only later did we realize what the furtive looks were about: seemingly deeply-felt guilt and shame to be taking our money.
The problem was the airport, my friends. When we tell you that the runway was 50 meters from the front door, we don't mean the tarmac starts there and the planes taxi around in the distance. We mean that the blasting engines of trans-Atlantic jets loaded with drunken Frenchmen are 50 meters from your bed, at full throttle, bound for Paris.
In our case, a couple of late flights from Europe landed long after midnight. We fully expected the wings to slice through our ceiling. The noise was deafening. It was not just loud and annoying - it was deafening.
All of this for a sky-high, five-star price. And of course they do their best to get all your money up front, weeks before arrival.
Please beware. When the reviews listed on a site like this read either "best vacation of my life" or "avoid at all costs," some lightbulbs ought to start going off. Do I smell some home-cooked reviews here? Don't fall for any of it, especially the comments about the airport being a "minor inconvenience."
This place would be fabulous for budget travelers who didn't care about amenities or early-onset deafness. Truthfully, at $25.00 per night, it would be a decent deal if you’re traveling on the cheap.
As it is, this place sells itself as first-class accommodation on a secluded and beautiful beach, and charges luxury room rates. No doubt that decades ago when the original "Mary" opened the place as a guesthouse, it was a very nice place. Today however, it's only perfect for a romantic vacation if you like your beaches with roaring turbines and the smell of jet fuel.
We were here for one night only. Luckily, that's all we'd reserved. That one night was enough make us swear to let the world know what a complete rip-off this place truly is.
And by the way, our hearty congratulations to the real Mary for selling this place long ago. |
| 9 users found this review helpful. 6 found this review unhelpful. |
| This is the nicest small hotel on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. Visited: January 2005 |
| Posted by foreversxm |
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This was our sixth trip to St. Maarten in four years. Each time we have stayed at different hotels and found none of the them to be half as nice as Mary's Boon. We have traveled the Caribbean for 19 years and had many hotel experiences to compare this past one to...and it was the best.
Yes, the airport was close by, but the other 101 wonderful things about Mary's Boon by far made up for a small amount of noise which was mainly between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
As we read in many another reviews, the staff and management were very friendly and were always on hand to help. The owners were on property daily and made us feel like family. We made many friends from the repeat guests who have been returning to Mary's Boon for over 20 years.
The offered nice rooms, great food, and the best white sand beach on the Dutch side. And despite the fact the all the rooms were fully booked, the beach was large and uncrowed. Also, we felt as safe in our room as we would at our home.
Owning my own business, I know you can't please all of the people all of the time, but any well traveled person will know Mary's Boon is a great little hotel. If you want a true Caribbean hotel with nice rooms, great beach, friendly staff and lots of charm, try Mary's Boon. The other folks really need to vacation at a Vegas highrise! We will be back again and again. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 It was not at all what I expected. Visited: December 2004 |
| Posted by clk4 |
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The first surprise I had when I came to Mary's Boon was that it backed up on the airport runway. Don't think "quaint little airport with a few small planes a day". It was one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean, and I was deafened by the noise of planes taking off from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm.
It is reputed for having a wonderful, welcoming staff. For the most part, this is probably true. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by having the screen removed from the window of our room and our cash disappearing.
We were told that everyone should know to keep the windows closed and use the air conditioning. The staff was unresponsive, and the owners were nowhere to be found.
I'm sad to have to write this negative review, but I feel others should know. |
| 4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
 It was charming, comfortable and clean. Visited: October 2004 |
| Posted by bcdillin |
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If romance, rest and relaxation is what you are looking for, Mary's Boon is the place. The setting is beautiful and clean. The staff is exceptional.
Our first morning with the planes was intense, but after that, it was actually fun. Enjoy it, and you'll enjoy Mary's Boon. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| It was beyond paradise! Visited: February 2004 |
| Posted by chrisnewhope |
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After much research, I picked Mary's Boon Beach Plantation, and what great choice! It was a small, upscale hotel on a long and private nice white sand beach.
Our room was large with a kitchenette and had a king-sized four poster bed and tiled bathroom. The food was excellent and they even had an honor bar were you mix your own drinks on the honor system.
They had wonderful staff who really made us feel at home. Thanks Mary's Boon for a great time! |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| fix the web site please Visited: May 2003 |
| Posted by wwildbird |
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we are interested in this establishment but the web site is not working properly. Could you please help. |
| 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 Very pretty, but not luxury Visited: December 2002 |
| Posted by maggiema |
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We had the opportunity to spend 2 extra nights last year in SXM and chose to spend them at Mary's Boon. The rooms are nicely decorated, but the bathrooms do have a bit of an insect problem which totally turned me off. Also, the restaurant is expensive and overrated. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Just what the doctor ordered! Visited: September 2001 |
| Posted by adkins |
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This was our second stay in St. Maarten and a return visit to Mary's Boon was a pleasant surprise. The new building is complete and the Waterfront Dining Room and Bar are sumptuous.
As always, our room was luxurious, clean and roomy. Service was outstanding. If this hotel is a sleeper, it's because we want to keep it that way. Located on the nicest beach area of Simpson Bay, this private, peaceful spot is just the place for a romantic, quiet stay. With all the necessities; telephone, satellite TV, phones, roomy bathroom, newly decorated and attentive service, we couldn't ask for more. What a treat. We'll return again and again.
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| 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
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| If quaintness and charm is what you're after, you won't go wrong with Mary's Boon. Located on Simpson Bay and founded 30 years ago by Mary Pomeroy, a fascinating woman pilot whose plane disappeared in the 1990s, this inn has a history, noticeable in press clippings and old photographs displayed... |
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