Brunch at the Westin is fabulous!Visited: September 2008
Posted by jbryarly
I highly recommend the Sunday brunch at the Westin Dawn Beach.
They have everything -- sushi, carving station, pasta station, rotisserie chicken, crab legs, jumbo shrimp, breakfast spread, huge salad bar, and amazing desserts. They also have all the champagne you can drink!
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A St. Maarten travel review
This is the best thing on St. Maarten.
Posted by jbryarly
St. Maarteen is kind of the dumpy side of St. Martin Island. There's the French side, St. Martin, and there's the Dutch side, St. Maarten.
The Westin Dawn Beach is a very nice hotel, but it's quite a drive to any attractions and restaurants on the island. We had to take a taxi cab everywhere, which got pretty expensive. A rental car would have been cheaper, but the roads on this side of the island are terrible -- narrow, winding, lots of pot holes, crazy drivers, and not well marked. I wouldn't recommend driving on St. Maarten. The St. Martin side, the French side, is a totally different story.
If you don't mind staying at the resort most of your trip, the Westin Dawn Beach is a great place to stay. They have great food, a nice pool with a swim up bar, and a great beach.
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The Wharf, Simpson Bay (Dutch side) traveler review
I encountered a low quality food and deceitful staff.
Posted by lai
The staff was deceitful with the bill. They added a service charge, 15% gratuity, and then asked for another tip, saying that service charge was not 15% gratuity.
Also, it was overpriced and low quality food. The rack of lamb was overcooked and dry. The ribs were dry and hard, too.
0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Notice the dates on the good reviews!Visited: February 2008
Posted by manyyears
You will notice that the dates for the good reviews end in 2004. The following year is when Festiva purchaced the Atrium. Since then, the quality of the resort has fallen as the fees and charges to the lease-holders and other customers have risen. Any coincidence?
0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
A Simpson Bay (Dutch side) travel review
I loved it.
Posted by mybear
I stayed at Simpson Bay Villas a few years back, and loved every minute of it. I have been trying to find out about renting again, but am having no luck so far. Any one have any suggestions on where to look?
0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
This was a beautiful place with beautiful people!Visited: October 2007
Posted by mamared51
My husband and I first visited St. Maarten on a cruise, and had a great time. We own a timeshare in Orlando, Florida, and traded it to vacation here in October 2006.
The first year we stayed at Oyster Bay, we bought a vacation week. Last year when we stayed at OBBR, we upgraded.
Oyster Bay is a great place to relax, and the staff has been awesome! We have enjoyed getting to know Marion, Marlon, Russ, and our bartender, David. They are very friendly and helpful.
The food is good, the resort is clean and well-maintained, and the pool area is beautiful. We had so much fun with Captain Alan and Coleen on our boating excursions, and can hardly wait to go again. Next month, I am going for a week with some girlfriends, then my family will be joining me for another week.
The complainers must have never been to the Caribbean, or they would know there's poverty on all the islands to a degree. I also think there are probably "nasty" areas in every state in the US.
As far as the quality of merchandise, at lot of what is sold there comes from the US! You can get great bargains depending on what you want to buy or do. It costs as much or more to vacation in the Florida Keys or Orlando (check out Disney prices!)
We love Saint Maarten and its residents, and would stay longer if we could!
5 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
A Dawn Beach (Dutch side) travel review
It was awesome.
Posted by shavon
Sunrise Estates was the most beautiful place to stay. We had the most beautiful home and view from every part of the house.
The water was nice, and the food was good. Bugsbys was our favorite place to eat.
Will visit again, and will stay at Sunrise again. Norma and Milton were the best.
0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
A Simpson Bay (Dutch side) travel review
It was perfect.
Posted by captainroubicek
Our stay at the Flamingo was as perfect as anyone could ever ask for.
Upon arrival, we were checked in very quickly with such a wonderful greeting staff and team player William Pemberton (Front Desk Manager). I had spoken with him prior, telling of some personal needs for my husband. The complete staff was as friendly and courteous, and were able to fullfill our needs.
The resort was very clean, with plenty of space inside the room. Outside, it was breath taking. Everyone was working - cleaning and accommodating their quest with always a "Good Morning".
The beds were great - very comfortable and clean. You must understand the ten star hotels are exactly what they are in Buckhead, Georgia (or other cities). This was certainly top notch, and Oliver can welcome you with his kindness and youthful spirit.
We met some wonderful property owners, and exchanged future information.
I would certainly recommend this resort to any of my friends for comfort and ease from any danger.
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
My wife and I did our honeymoon in St. Maarten from May 11th to May 18th, 2008. We picked the The Cliff as home for the week, and let me tell you we were not disappointed a bit.
From the time we entered the gates, we were greeted with smiles from the security guard and the concierge.
The condo was immaculate and stunning, the grounds were well kept, and the lobby was clean and airy.
We got a two-bedroom on the eighth floor, and we were left breathless once we entered. The furnishings were beautiful, and the view was breathtaking. The nice people at The Cliff even surprised us with a bottle of champagne and a few bottles of wine.
The unit was very clean, and we had maid service every day, which wasn't necessary (but it sure did help).
The condo was very quiet, so we got privacy after a hard day of shopping and sightseeing. The sound of the ocean 24/7 was amazing, and there was an indoor and outdoor pool for you to relax in (as well as the first full Christian Dior spa that will pamper you if you wish).
There were some really nice restaurants right beside the condo, so we didn't need to drive out for dinner. We had dinner at Temptations (absolutely a must), and at a few places nearby (all in walking distance).
The condo was safe, clean and well kept. The area surrounding is being developed in a few years, and The Cliff won’t be the only gem in the area. However, I'm sure it will satisfy many people in the years to come.
Cheers!
10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
It was a decent resort with terrible service.Visited: April 2008
Posted by neoking
I took my wife here for our dream honeymoon, a few weeks back and it wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.
Everywhere we went in the hotel, we got a cold shoulder. I tried to order a drink at the bar only to be rudely yelled at because I asked if she was the bartender.
Then, I went to the casino. I had a slot machine break on me and not pay out. When I found someone who fixed the machines, he rudely pushed me off.
My pillow reeked of hair grease every night. I passed by a few rooms that were being cleaned, and found the hotel staff laying their heads on the pillows.
Our view was very beautiful, no complaints there. The walls, however, were pretty paper thin and you could hear people talking in the room next door.
I tried to go on the Jet Ski excursion which was advertised as $160. However, the Jet Ski operator gave us the run around that he would have to charge triple that. I said I only want the basic $160, but he would not allow that.
The neighboring town was very nice and is where I spent most of my time.
The food from the upper restaurants was excellent, and that’s were we went every night. However, the buffet was not so great, and I counted at least three cockroaches walking around.
We also went on a time share and had to spend a mandatory $80 per person per day. You would think with that type of money from everyone they could at least get rid of cockroaches.
7 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
We would rate St. Maarten/St. Martin a zero!Visited: September 2007
Posted by ecochallenge
I agree with "Noemail1" that St Martin/St Maarten was an overall digusting trip!
The island had great weather when we landed and throughout the stay. However, when we landed, we were inundated with the locals wanting our money now. They were very demanding. We were surrounded by this behavior until we left.
Our first tourist mistake was forgetting insect repellent. I recommend 14 spray bottles for one week - two per day. We had to spray all the rooms before bed and after. Do not leave doors open for the breeze.
The second tourist mistake was not trying locally owned small restaurants that served better food and were cheaper.
The third tourist mistake was buying cheap products - very cheap. Do not buy any electronic products, jewelry, cothes - nothing! They are of very poor quality.
Oyster Bay Beach was very beautiful. But outside of the resort, it was absolutely nasty. There was trash piled on the side of the roads, and more trash on the side of buildings, and restaurants. Also, the beaches had broken glass and all kinds of trash on them. It was a very nasty island - outside of Oyster Bay.
Renting a car for a week was expensive, and we didn't even use it. We drove around the whole island within an hour, and it was such a nasty trip that we decided to stay within Oyster Bay.
In addition, the locals will not let you use the bathrooms outside of the hotel unless you pay a dollar or more!
We will not do this trip again, and have not recommended this island! The brochures are beautiful, but the reality is that the island is trashy and nasty.
2 users found this review helpful. 20 found this review unhelpful.
The motto on license plates in St. Maarten is the "friendly island". That was not the case at the Great Bay - or the St. Maarten people, in general. No one was nasty, but there was little warmth from most everyone.
We stayed in a one-bedroom, time share "apartment" at the Great Bay. The room was very clean, and the pool for the time share users was wonderful. We pretty much had it to ourselves.
Generally, there was an older crowd at the resort. It would not be a place for singles. Other than swimming, there was not much for kids to do.
If you do go, rent a car and see the island. We found very nice beaches and reasonably priced places to eat off the beaten tourist track.
Also, if you go, get an ocean view room. The mountain side view was not appealing at all.
Finally, some advice to the resort staff....smile!
6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Moondance, Dawn Beach (Dutch side) traveler review
It was just okay.Visited: August 2007
Posted by jkjkjkjk
I thought it was okay. It was not great, but not horrible.
0 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful.
The Belair Beach Hotel is clean and tidy. It's 40 years old, but is well maintained.
The service is very good, and the resturant is adequate for what it is .. a beach restaurant! Also, the beach here is beautful, and the hotel staff keeps it clean and neat.
Jodi's Place, which is a little store on the property, is high priced. However, it's only game in town.
11 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
A St. Maarten travel review
The Cliff is a truly beautiful property.
Posted by robertico
The Cliff was an amazing property, and in a great location on the beach with fantastic ocaen views.
We enjoyed working out in the fitness center. Can you imagine ocean view from a treadmill? The steam rooms and saunas were great and relaxing, too. We even played a little tennis.
There were no restaurants on site, but the best of St. Maarten's dining was directly across the street along with a 24-hour casino- Atlantis.
I would recommend this property to anyone.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We had a wonderful experience - the private pool, private home is worth every penny! It was far enough away from the airport - where the only noise was the ocean. It was closer to the south end of the island than other rentals.
If you want quiet and lack of crowds, this is your place. Wake up, take a swim, have your own breakfast, visit the sites, then unwind in the pool, watch the sun set ~ call it a night or head out to the local nightlife ~ your choice.
The local grocery was very close. Also, the housekeeper service was outstanding.
Wireless or internet access would be helpful - but on you're on vacation, right? Internet was available at a couple of restaurants/bars where we were able to check on business.
We've never gone to the same place twice, and we've already reserved again for 2009. You can't say more than that!
6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
No, it is not the Ritz. However, the views and ambiance of this resort are hard to beat.
Away from the hassles of Philipsburg, Dawn Beach is stunningly beautiful, peaceful and ideally located. It is close to the French side (amazing restaurants and beaches), and 20 minutes to the shopping mecca of Philipsburg.
The rooms are spacious, clean and bright. This is a timeshare resort, not a hotel! We actually used the full kitchen, but really used the gracious balcony overlooking the ocean!
15 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We encountered major beach erosion during our stay in March 2008.Visited: March 2008
Posted by marlena
The beach was washed away in the March storms. I suggest you check the status before booking here if you want to spend any time at the beach.
Our stay was not very enjoyable. We stayed one night before/after our other accommodations were available.
Apparently, it is key to be in a remodeled room, which we were not. Our room, in the main building, fifth floor, was very dated and not comfortable at all.
I would not recommend this to anyone looking for beach time or a "resort" feel.
One positive aspect was that it was close to countless wonderful restaurants.
4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
My husband, our eight-year-old son and I spent our Spring Break at the Divi and loved the property.
The recently renovated rooms were spectacular. Our one-bedroom room consisted of: full kitchen, dining area, smooth top stove, stainless appliances, Washer/dryer, sleeper sofa, WC with a stellar shower, vanity, pocket doors leading to jetted tub, additional vanity area, master bedroom with private patio, 2 plasma HD TV's, etc.
The resort had tennis courts, pools, beachfront on Little Bay, and fabulous views across Great Bay of Phillipsburg.
Despite an oceanic storm, there was plenty of beach available for all, unlike many other resorts.
The resort also featured duty free shops, mini mart, cafe w/internet and wifi code for small fee.
The staff was all quite accommodating, and Angelique at the front desk and Paul at the poolside restaurant were notably so.
There are onsite "day trips" arrangements, jetski and kayak rentals, as well.
The Little Bay was wonderful for snorkeling, yet there was enough "wave action" for our energetic eight-year-old.
I would definitely recommend this resort for anyone traveling to St Maarten.
14 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Caribbean 
Brunch at the Westin is fabulous! 
This is the best thing on St. Maarten. 
I encountered a low quality food and deceitful staff. 
Notice the dates on the good reviews! 
It was a decent resort with terrible service. 
