Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort and Casino - St. Martin/St. Maarten

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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! 12 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Whether you like it depends on what you want or expect. Visited: April 2008 Posted by mortyd@nyc_rr_com If you want to go all-inclusive to an island with a decent standard of living for the locals and wonderful and reasonable restaurants in abundance, St. Maarten and the Sonesta Great Bay are not for you. However, if you are willing to venture, say to a wonderful French bakery down the street for an excellent breakfast, and walk down the boardwalk for all kinds of island lunch and dinners, the Sonesta Great Bay is a very decent place. They have excellent pools and beach. It may just have the best location on all of St. Maarten. 7 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? 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. 18 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was not bad, but not great. Visited: April 2008 Posted by yardbird 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! 13 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Am I ever glad we did not pay full price! Visited: December 2007 Posted by eds3 St. Maarten was a beautiful island with lots to do, and perfect weather, and I would go back in a heartbeat. However, I must say, I would never stay at the Great Bay again. The buffet was nothing to be desired. It was horrible, in fact - and a health inspector's dream. The omelet station seemed to be the only highlight for breakfast, until I got up there. There was raw egg all over where the guy was working (in 80 degree weather). Also, there was not a sink, soapy water, or even a cloth to wipe it in sight. The man would be there for hours, and never clean the egg up. Ewwwww! In addition, quite often, there was food without a sneeze guard over it...especially at lunch. Again...ewww! I wonder what the kitchen looked like? For dinner, if you're sick of the buffet there were two restaurants. The first one we tried was called Molasses. It was aptly named considering the speed of service we received. The stale two-week old roll was the first thing we "enjoyed" at this restaurant. My husband ordered a jerk chicken appetizer thinking in the Caribbean it's bound to be great. It was the worst jerk anything either of us tried. My "teriaki" chicken consisted of a breaded cutlet and plum sauce...plum sauce? That was just the highlight of that adventure. At the other restaurant, LaCucina, they served..you guessed it...the same two-week old rolls to start. I referred to it as "Lack-a-flavor". It proved to be just as undesirable as the rest of the food at the resort. The one plus was the Monday night BBQ at the buffet. Service was much like the food. It left a bad taste in my mouth. It really did seem like a chore for the staff to even do their job, let alone be pleasant. The activities staff seemed the nicest, though. And we did have Jessica at the front desk help us out a great deal...so props to a few of them. the rooms were musty. It was annoying for the most part. With a mold allergy, I felt like I was going to die. Again, shout outs to Jessica. I explained my situation (the allergy, and the fact that I am pregnant and can't take anything for it), and she had us a room that was on the top floor later that day. I found the room after that to be fine. The view, once we moved, was amazing! In a nut shell, if you get a great deal, sure, stay here. However, go knowing you are going to want to get out to eat a few (or more) times. And, go knowing the place looks nothing like the web-site. 28 users found this review helpful. 4 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was an awesome view and setting, but very average service. Visited: July 2007 Posted by mwalker We just returned from a week at this hotel, and overall were pleased. Like any resort, there were good and bad aspects of our stay. Positive: The view and location on the beach were second to none. There was a mountain backdrop, and the water was extremely blue and fairly clear. The sand was white, but wasn't very soft as it was basically ground up seashells. This wasn't really a problem, just an observation. There were plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas available as well. We did the all-inclusive, and the two restaurants were the way to go for dinner! We somehow had the same server, named Dawn, each night, and she was exceptional. At the Italian restaurant, there was a man paying a guitar for entertainment, and he was very good as well. We also had moments of good service at the lunch and breakfast buffet. Negative: Overall, the service here was extremely rude! I'm trying to chalk some of it up to cultural differences, but that can only account for so much. The bartender at the bar by the buffet was the worst part by far - his name was Jose. I wouldn't hesitate to fire him in a heartbeat if I ran this hotel. The overall feeling I got from many of the servers and hostesses was that our being there was a huge inconvenience to them. As for the food, like I mentioned above, the restaurants were quite good, but the buffet left much to be desired. The breakfast portion was pretty good, but lunch and dinner were sometimes almost unedible. My wife is a huge seafood fan, but even she couldn't stomach what they served in that arena at the buffet. Everything was covered in different sauces, and from day to day there just wasn't much variety. One evening they did have a barbeque, which was very good. However, other than that, I wouldn't recommend the buffet for dinner - and I'm quite sure you'll get tired of it for lunch. It would have been great to have some other options, especially on a more round the clock basis. Also, there was no room service, so if you feel like eating at a strange time, you're just out of luck. If doing the all-inclusive, also be prepared for some strange rules. For example, wine (like other drinks) is included...except at the Italian restaurant where you do have to pay for it. This seemed odd considering the night before I had wine at no additional cost in the other restaurant. All in all, we had a great trip, and would definitely go back to St. Maarten...just maybe not to the Great Bay. Like I said, there were some real high points, such as our server Dawn, and of course the view. Just don't go there expecting to be treated as a welcomed guest by most of the staff. 65 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We encountered rude staff. Visited: January 2007 Posted by susan When I read the other review noting the bartenders needed to be replaced, I had to write. We could not agree more. I sent an e-mail to the president of Sonesta about this (and other comments we had about Great Bay). We never heard back. I suggest you stay somewhere else. 36 users found this review helpful. 5 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was fanfastic! Visited: January 2007 Posted by spazzetes My sons and I spent a week here, and the service was absolutely first rate. We definitely plan to return! 29 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I finally understand all the conflicting reports about this resort. Visited: January 2007 Posted by karenbethune The food is excellent, but not always available if you are late for a meal. The upstairs lobby bar is great (Michael), but the other two are very, very poor and manned by surly staff who need to be replaced. The rooms are okay, but old. There is a very new section at the west end, and that is the place to stay. It is handy to walk into town, and Hertz is in the lobby for car rental. They have very friendly front desk and cleaning staff. The water is too rough for much swimming, but you get great views of the ships in port. I would probably return if a west end rental is available. 43 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a fantastic time! Visited: November 2006 Posted by janicecaten My husband and I came here for one week, and we had a fantastic time. We especially enjoyed the Italian restuarant! The buffets were pretty good, but changes should be made in the breakfast. Also, the pool bartender was not friendly, and they did not seem to like making speciality drinks. Finally, the scenery here was out of this world. We would definitely return to the Great Bay. 32 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Great Bay has a beautiful beach, but unfriendly staff. Visited: May 2006 Posted by moufid_j Let me start off by saying this...I rarely take vacations. This was my first in 14 years, so I had high expectations. I stayed at Great Bay. The resort was clean and beautiful, and had the second or third nicest beach on the island. If you are torn between Maho or Great Bay, this will answer your question. If you want to club, drink and be at a resort where the staff are friendly; and you want to simply remain on the property and not venture off into Philipsburg, then stay at the Maho. By the way, you won't be bothered by the airplanes. If you want to shop, be a tourist and see the history and culture of the island, stay here. However, the staff did not seem to be friendly, and the food was just alright. I stayed at Great Bay and ate dinner here three out of the six nights during my stay. If I go back, I will stay somewhere else. The French side has amazing food, beautiful beaches and everyone is so nice! 37 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We were disappointed. Visited: February 2006 Posted by jplanet We had called and confirmed our reservations on Wednesday. We arrived on Friday of the same week. Upon arrival, we were told we had no reservations - although we had someone from the hotel at the airport to pick us up. They "found" us a room on the second floor for the night, and told us to check in the morning for a different room on a higher floor. Saturday morning we were told there were no rooms available, and we were "lucky" to have the one we had. The room smelled very musty. It was an "oceanview", but being so low in the hotel, it was hard to see the ocean. Our clothes smelled terrible when we returned home. Some required several washings to get the smell out. The staff was nice, although it took three days to get a lightbulb replaced. The buffet was okay, but the other restaurants were better. We did not do all-inclusive as we like to venture out, and there were many great restaurants on St. Maarten. We would definitely go back to St. Maarten, but would not stay at this hotel. The pool area was nice and the location was nice, but the smelly room was not enjoyable! 24 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was an awesome resort. Visited: February 2006 Posted by lancasterpark We wondered about our choice after reading the reviews, but our stay was great! The staff, the hotel and the food all rated above average. We were very well treated, and the facilities and staff met or exceeded expectations. We traveled with an 11-year-old, and we all enjoyed what was offered. We returned home yesterday, and can't wait to go back! I would highly recommend this resort! 14 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It is in a very nice location, is well maintained, and employs wonderful staff. Visited: February 2006 Posted by aradzin We just returned from a short vacation here. We were more than satisfied. They had a very nice beach, two pools, and our room was very nice. Make sure you ask for the ocean view and as high up as possible for the view. The bottom two floors were below the lobby level. We were first put into a first floor room. It seemed humid, and was kind of dark. The breakfast buffet out on the veranda was very nice in the mornings. One meal at the Molasses Restaurant was nice. However, the dinner buffet was unimpressive. Since there were lots of choices in St. Maarten, I would not recommend that you go all-inclusive. This was a great place for rest and relaxation. We did a half-day snorkel with the Sand Dollar, and it was quite nice. If we had more time, perhaps we would take a day trip to one of the nearby islands and do some more snorkeling. To sum up, it was a very enjoyable vacation destination! 11 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Renovation dollars were wasted - don't stay here. Visited: July 2005 Posted by lilherman A ten-million dollar renovation? Where did they spend the money? The room we were in was so damp everything felt wet. Our bathing suits would not dry, and the mildew smell was overpowering. Also, mildew was growing around the air conditioning vent, on the chair cushions, and the closet clothes rod was thick with it. In addition, the bathtub faucet handle fell off in our hands, the entire sink faucet assembly was loose, and the tub had little to no caulking. Light poored in from the hallway around the sides and bottom of the door. The room had no clock, iron, or coffee pot - all amenities I expect from a 'resort' hotel. Also, the pool decking was already chipping away in large chunks, the elevator worked only some of the time, and the drainage system around the hotel was so poor - or nonexistent - that on Saturday the recreation area and the rooms on the first floor were completely flooded with a very nasty brown water. I hate to think what was in it. The pool was crowded with lots of local boys, and the guards did little to remove them. We finally requested to be moved to the Sonesta Maho hotel which is owned by the same company - although that's hard to believe as the Sonesta was beautifu. We wished we had not wasted our time with the Great Bay. I will definitely return to Saint Maarten, but I will never return to the Great Bay Hotel. 8 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a wonderful place to stay. Visited: April 2005 Posted by gordfmiller Having read other reviews, we were wary. However, our week-long stay was great. The rooms were clean and comfortable with towel changes twice a day. Meals in the dining room were good, and the daily buffet had a different flair for each day. Staff was very friendly and anxious to please. Work was all completed and the poor devils who visited in January were two months too early. Check in and departure was swift and efficient. And I especially liked the short walk to town along the road or beach. I can't think of anything I would like to change. They certainly deserved a four-star recommendation in my book. 5 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Hotel renovations were a vast improvement. Visited: March 2005 Posted by mtamo0719 We have been coming to the Great Bay for six years now. The staff is excellent, and the hotel is very nice. The food has vastly improved since we started coming here. We have always enjoyed our stay here. The only thing we did not like was the early check-out time. If that could be remedied, our stay would be perfect. We are coming back in March 2006. I would recommend this hotel. 7 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I suggest you stay home. Visited: March 2005 Posted by bbgurney This could be a nice resort when it is finished. But save your time and money this year - they are not ready for guests. 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This hotel is mediocre at best. Visited: March 2005 Posted by diane_m_duncan If you like a sewage lagoon running next to your hotel, poor service, weak drinks, your bed not made until 4:00 pm, horrible food, a lukewarm hot tub, rude staff that seemed to expect gratuities even though you are at an all-inclusive, then this is the place for you. In addition, there was a diesel pump running 24/7 feeding the sewage lagoon with sea water, a gym that was located in the basement with incense burning and weird music playing, and there was no coffee pot, iron or clock in the room. Don't come here. I think it was truly a crime for how they represented themselves on their web site. 5 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Great Bay Beach Hotel was fantastic. Visited: November 2004 Posted by pfeatherston I truly loved staying at the Great Bay Beach Hotel. The hotel was lovely and very clean. I realize that a major renovation is underway, and I am planning on returning the first week of May to see the results. The staff was wonderful and seemed to try very hard to assist the guests. I thought the bar staff was the best, they really made me feel welcome and did what ever they could to assist us. The food was good and the quality was the best I have experienced in the islands. The small casino was great for those who like to take a chance at gambling those dollars away. The activity staff could use some training in how to motivate the guests into getting involved with activities. The two pools were kept very clean and we were only a stone's throw from the beach. I personally prefer the pool to swimming in the ocean. If you're looking for a laid back holiday without the glitz of a Hilton, I strongly recommend trying this hotel. A note about shopping: the best shopping in the islands was here at St. Maartens (Dutch side). The prices were fantastic. You will "shop 'til you drop". Good Luck and have a great holiday. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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