places to stay at SXM

[Longreach747]

ok guys i am looking at going to SXM for a 10 or 12 day vacation in march

can you give me some names of cheap places to stay and some tips on things to do other than plane spotting.

also is it a cheap destination or not?

thanks

[AH727]

Hi!

I went to SXM för 14 days in july this year.

It was really nice there and I was on my honeymoon and I managed to trick my wife to go there.
She realized that a couple of weeks before our wedding.

Anyway, Saint Martin/ Sankt Maarten is generally a expensive destination.

We experienced that the French side was cheaper than the Dutch side.

The Dutch side was very Americanized so to speak, Taco-Bell US road signs Casinos etc.

As the gentleman from Washington D.C who shared the taxi with us to airport said:

Well if would have gone to the dutch side I could just go to Miami instead.

( No offense, but the Dutch side was not so caribbean more like a tourist trap)

We lived at Orient Bay on the north side and that was very nice, we had ATR´s, Cessna 206´s and an occasional Learjet departing over our heads when we were at the beach. (Grand Case regional is in the vicinity)

Beware of Orient Beach though there is a naturist beach in the vicinity.
You could see some of that too.

Regrading the Spotting there was a lot to see, plenty of local TWOTTERS from WINAIR, DCA DC-9, AF 340, Corsair B747-300, AA/US B757.

If you like the 757 this is the place to be.

Oh I forgot KLM B747-300 also.

Car Rental was cheap 200 bucks for a week in a Corolla Class KIA.

There is a nice little bar on the left side of the threshold of RWY 09 at Juliana. Cheap sodas and beer , nice hamburgers too.

The locals there said that the prices in the low season is half of the high seasons prices.

I guess that the High Season is starting around November December.

I hope this helps.

Best Regards AH727

[CO66]

Hi!

There is a nice little bar on the left side of the threshold of RWY 09 at Juliana. Cheap sodas and beer , nice hamburgers too.

Is this the sunset bar you are talking about?

[AH727]

CO66,

it is actually not the sunset beach bar, the sunset beach bar is situated on Right Hand side of threshold 09.

So if you go there you have two options:

1. Sit down at the Sunset Beach Bar on the RH side.(Dont know the prices there though)

2. Hang at the bar on the Left Hand side, actually its not a bar its a small wood boat that is on top of a trailor( Or wagon I am not sure for the proper word in english)

Basically they have converted the wood boat into a bar with all kinds of liquor and beer available, they also serve hotdogs and hamburgers there.

The best thing about it was that you could just come there in your bathing shorts, so if you wanted to take a swim between the landing aircraft the beach was just there.

The sunset beach bar seemd like it was a respectable place where you couldnt come in storming half naked.

If someone has been there please correct me if I am wrong.

Best regards AH727

[Chris Kilroy]

SXM is not a cheap destination, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it's quite expensive to get there, and quite expensive to stay there, unless you can find some deals.

If you're going to SXM and you're interested in planes (which I'll assume you are), the only place to stay on the island is Maho Beach Resort & Casino (http://www.mahobeach.com/). Prices seem to vary widely over different times of the year, but during my last trip to SXM, we stayed in room 989 (island view, 9th floor, overlooking the airport) for US$89 a night. That is CHEAP for St. Maarten.

Below is the view from the balcony of our room (that's the 09 threshold).



Additionally, as a guest of the hotel, you'll have access to the roof, which offers this view of landing aircraft:

[photoid=134816]

The resort is great, with a beautiful pool, a pool bar, a nice beach area, several on-resort restaurants. It's also directly adjacent to a number of cool restaurants, shops, etc.

Regarding beach bars, I definitely prefer the Sunset Beach Bar. Prices are good ($2 for any bottled beer, year round), and their ribs and burgers are some of the best I've ever had, for reasonable $$$. It's correct that there is a 'new' bar over on the other (left) side of the runway, but it just doesn't have what the 'real' Beach Bar has, in terms of accomodations, food, or patrons.

As for other things to do on the island -- honestly, there isn't much. The typical Caribbean activities are offered (boat rental/trips, parasailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, etc.), and there's a lot of shopping on the island. Night life on SXM is really nonexistant (we could hardly even find an open restaurant at 10pm on a Saturday night).

That being said, there are a lot of great restaurants there (you must try Cheri's Cafe .. across the street from Maho .. you'll see why when you get there ), and a decent amount to keep you occupied during the day. It's one of my favorite places in the world, and a place I'd recommend everyone visit at least once.

[Chris Kilroy]

Forgot to add.. if you're going to be there in March, that's considered 'peak season' (until April 15), so you will probably find things to be more expensive than I've mentioned.

Also FYI, here's a list of aircraft we saw at SXM over a week-long period:

Air France A340-300 (Daily x Tuesday)
Corsair B747-200/300 (Thursday, Sunday, Tuesday)
KLM 747-200SUD (Thursday)
Air Holland B767-300 (Friday)
American Airlines B757-200 (3x Daily, from JFK, MIA, SJU, 2x weekly evening flight from MIA)
US Airways B757-200 (Daily from CLT, Sat/Sun/Weds from PHL)
Continental B737-800 (Daily x Friday)
Delta B757-200 (Saturday)
Amerijet B727-200F (3x weekly, not sure the days)
Westjet B737-700 (Saturday)
Skyservice/Conquest Vacations A320-200 (Saturday)
Surinam Airways MD-83 (Saturday)
Dutch Caribbean DC-9/MD-80 (Daily)
BWIA B737-800 (3x weekly, two flights on those days)

.. plus many interisland flights:

LIAT Dash 8
Caribbean Sun/Star Dash 8
Winair DHC-6 Twin Otter
Air Caraibes Dornier 228/Caravan/ERJ-145
BonaireExcel ERJ-145
St. Barths Commuter Islander
Sundance Air Beech 1900D
American Eagle ATR-42/72
Trans Anguilla Airways Islander
FedEx Feeder Caravan
.. and a number of private/bizjets.