We 1st stayed on the Dutch side some 20+ years ago because that's where the travel agents booked Americans. We ended up at the French side for the beaches during the day, back to out hotel to clean up, then back to the French side for dinner. After 2 years of this routine, we "got brave" and stayed at Mont Vernon, which was a very nice, very French, hotel back then.We've been staying on the French side ever since.