La Vista, Simpson Bay (Dutch side) traveler review
La Vista - Nothing SpecialVisited: December 2008
Posted by eld0923
This a very small "resort" with very limited amenities. Decor is gross with tiny bedrooms and bathrooms. We stayed on 3rd floor and no elevators for luggage. Moldy stall shower with lovely mold growing in them. Staff is marginally helpful and office closes at 5 pm. Housekepping service is weekly, very weakly! The maid actually showed me where the mop was if I wanted to take care of the floor. Small pool and beach without bar service. Limited very slow wireless internet. NO work-out area, no beach or hotel activites available on premises.
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Moondance, Dawn Beach (Dutch side) traveler review
This was a great value.Visited: March 2008
Posted by tiler
This was a nice villa with a small pool and an incredible view. It was located centrally between Philipsburg and the Orient Beach area. It was also very close to Dawn Beach and the casino at the new Westin Resort.
The maid was a very friendly and helpful young lady. We plan to return soon.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
We stayed at La Perla on Dawn Beach in December of 2007. We brought 13 family members (including young children) to what was advertised as a rental for the "rich and famous". We were highly disappointed.
It was very dirty and unkempt. By the middle of our stay, our children (with a nine-month-old) had to leave because of this - and also the house lost water for two days. How do you stay in a home with no water and small children?
The back up system had been broken for quite a while - we were told by a neighbor. Also, there was a major leak that was to be fixed before we got there. It wasn't, and therefore two of the bedrooms were damp, moldy and uninhabitable. We had to move to a hotel by mid week.
The wonderful family vacation with our children and grandchildren turned into a disaster.
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Le Bec Fin, Simpson Bay (Dutch side) traveler review
It is gone but not forgotten.
Posted by therestaurantman
Le Bec Fin is no longer in business. The business has been sold and reopened as a new restaurant.
0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
This was a great place to stay! It was beautiful, and the beach and pool were out of sight.
Understand, you must have a car as you are in an isolated location. It was not all that bad, though.
The only negative was the food at their restaurant. It was not as good as it could have been. However, there were many places to eat within walking distance.
2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
Royal Palm Beach was amazing.Visited: December 2008
Posted by supahstar
I loved it here. It was my first time, but as soon as I walked in, the front desk staff was super helpful and friendly. Glenny was helpful; Jesse was nice; and Roseline had a pretty smile and was a real natural as a front desk agent. In addition, the security guard Jervis was cool; and Singh was very nice.
My stay here was perfect. The unit was spacious, and had an amazing view! I would definitely recommend it to others, too. Royal Palm Beach is a must, and the only hotel to stay at when visiting the friendly island. Both the French and Dutch sides were great!
In addition, the location of the hotel was perfect for the nightlife. I'm a party girl, so I loved the Sunset Beach Bar on Fridays and the Alley Hangout on Tuesdays!
You must experience it for yourself. I could go on and on about how great the hotel was. Everyone was so eager to help. I have found my home away from home!
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We rented the 5 bedrooms for a family vacation. Wonderful views! Very well maintained. Please note that the home is up a very steep hill. Also, there is a laundry, but it's only available when the maid is present. Do try La Fregate in Oyster Pond for dinner, as well as Le Ti Bouchon in French Cul de Sac. Hope you enjoy your stay as much as we did!
1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
It was very satisfactory, but not exceptional.Visited: December 2008
Posted by koo32
We stayed here the first week of December, before high season. The weather was great, and the beach was superb!
The two pools were very nice, and were never crowded. The swim up bar tended to be busy. We did not have the meal plan, which was a wise choice. We heard people complain about the buffets.
Phillipsburg was within walking distance, and was very convenient. We did not rent a car, so we had to rely on taxis. They were plentiful, but got to be expensive.
Most of the staff were friendly and pleasant, but we found the activities desk very unhelpful. The rooms were cleaned and neatened each day. However, two mornings we had to ask for coffee for the in-room coffee pot, and one morning we showered to find no towels. When we called the desk, we were told we would have to wait until 9:00 when housekeeping opened!
If there is a choice, ask for ocean view room. It was wonderful!
3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
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.
1 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?
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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!
12 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.
9 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.
3 users found this review helpful. 20 found this review unhelpful.
Caribbean 
La Vista - Nothing Special 
This was a great value. 
It was not so luxurious. 
This was our first stay. 
Notice the dates on the good reviews! 