Is this a good day trip? We've never been to this beach. Will please fill me in on the details? I heard it's a bit tricky to get to. Chair rentals? Restaurant? Shops?
Thanks in advance!

It is a wonderful day trip, and an expensive beach day. The cost for the two chairs and umbrella is 20 euro. The beach is very calm. There is chair service and a wonderful French lunch at the outdoor restaurant.
There is a shop there that offers a little of everything---bathing suits, jewelry, and gift items.
The bathrooms are very clean.
I will wait for someone else to give directions, but it is a uphill, curvy ride with nice scenery. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Don't know where you're staying but to get to Anse Marcel Beach head for the Pinel Ferry crossing and once you get in the general area you will see signs for RIU Resort. The hill actually leading into RIU is incredibly steep and winding and you'll be thinking this can't possibly be for real, but just keep going. Eventually you start heading down again but don't get too absorbed in the views at that point even though they're quite lovely.

When you get to the guardhouse for RIU make a hard left and keep going. And going. And going until you reach the paved parking lot for the Restaurant on Anse Marcel Beach. Park and walk onto the beach and one of the staff will meet you and direct you to available chairs and parasols.

It's definitely NOT an inexpensive day but it sure is a great one. You can call ahead for both beachchair and luncheon table reservations and if you're going on a weekend or holiday I probably wouldn't go without making them. The food has been delicious each time we've been there and there is something positively decadent (to me, anyway....) about drinking wine from stemware on such a gorgeous beach. And anytime we've been there the chairs are not packed in like sardines in a can so you don't feel like you're with the strangers next to you. It's a nice level beach with very gentle lapping waves. If you're looking for a body surfing location, this definitely is NIT the beach for you. It's a great Beach if you're at all unsteady on your feet......

Someone suggested we charge the day's expenses on our CC in EUs to get the best exchange rate and that was a great suggestion. Just make sure your cc doesn't charge any international currency conversion fees, but I think most have probably done away with them by now.

Enjoy your day <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

It would take a lot to get me off Club O for a day but Pat's description of her days here almost have me convinced. Think she had me at stemware on the beach. I think I remember that the restaurant and beach are separate from the resort. If so, Pat what is the name of the spot you describe. Wasn't there a 360 degree tour somewhere or am I confused?

I do recall having seen that 360 and I think it was here quite a while ago. As far as I know, the place I'm talking about is called Anse Marcel Beach Club. When you go up and then come down that steep windy hill and you finally reach the guardhouse, that is the official entrance to RIU, formerly the Radisson and before that, I've forgotten what it was called. At that point turn hard left and keep driving, regardless of how tempted you are to park early. And when the road ends you have reached your destination. I feel like this must read like my Garmin sounds......

I don't know if they still have it, but the little boutique there used to have a lovely young woman that walks the beach for much of the day modeling their beautiful beach wares. It's just a nice day in every way.

But again, the road in is not for the faint-hearted, nor is your tab at the end of the day. But for a very special beach day it's more than worth it, IMHO.
If you enjoy Dreams, which we do, it's Dreams but with a nicer beach and gentler water.

My fear is the tab and drive OUT! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> über please

We went in January after reading one of Pat's previous posts. We were not disappointed. It is not a cheap day but worth it in all respects. Regarding the directions, as you descend the hill toward the beach there is an unattended gate . You simply stop and push a button and it opens. As Pat said, when you come to the attended guard building for the Riu,( which is on your right), keep left and you will drive into a parking lot for either some apartments or a resort. Turn right and go as far as you can, turn left and then turn right again at your first opportunity. Go straight until you get to the beach. The beach you want is to your left as you face the water. Natural/ light brown wood buildings. You can easily find the bar and restaurant and they will direct you, or just go onto the beach and the staff will set you up with chairs, etc and a time for lunch. Service is available on the beach also. It is a beautiful beach and the food is excellent

This was a day when I didn't make reservations so ended out with second-row seats. As you can see, they are spaced so that you still have a direct view of the water. Anse Marcel is my favorite beach on the island, and I highly recommend a day there. A close second is Petite Plage in front of Grand Case Beach Club. The food isn't quite as high end as it is at Anse Marcel Beach Club, but it's still very good. And the beach is another one that's quite gentle; another lovely beach day.

We went to this beach last year for the first time in our 18 years going to SXM and I have to say I can't believe what we were missing all these years. All the information that others have given is just what I would say. We stayed at the Anse Marcel Beach Club and it was just a wonderful day. Little tricky to get too and perhaps that was why we never did it but it is now on our must do list, which just keeps growing! Give it a try you will not be disappointed!

Well that sure does look like a lovely sit! We are huge Mullet fans (when the waves don't swallow you up). We stay on Simpson Bay beach so the close proximity is perfect. We also love Pinel however. My husband loves to bring his own cooler. My question is this: are there any beaches where that is not acceptable?? In all our SXM years we are yet to find a spot that frowns upon that...I always order something on property however, just to keep it cool!

Linda--you can make reservations at AMBC for beach chairs?? Or do you mean if you make reservations for lunch, they hold you a front row chair? Do you normally need a reservation there when you go in June?

Not Linda, but yes, you can reserve chairs. We did that via their Facebook page year before last, and our front row chairs were ready and waiting for us when we arrived. I'm sure you could call too, but of course you'd have to do that during the hours they're open.

We have a timeshare at the Cottages de Lonvellier there just before you get to the final guard post to enter into the marina area. There is a wonderful restaurant, Calypso, that serves great cuisine and drinks...very relaxing. On most Wednesday evenings you can enjoy hearing Laurence sing. She sounds much like Celine Dion and resembles her a bit as well. It's a lovely evening there in which you can enjoy dinner or just drinks at the bar. The marina area boasts a few shops, restaurants, and dive shop. Anse Marcel is a small, quaint unspoiled diamond on SXM. Enjoy!

We discovered this beach years ago when we stayed at L'Habitation (now RIU) and altho' we stay elsewhere now we go at least once every trip.

Do you remember the name of RIU before Radisson and L'Habitation? I've been wracking my brain and can't come up with it. TIA......if you do!

Huh, ok, since we're not on Facebook, guess we would need to call. I didn't realize they took reservations at all for the beach.

Would highly recommend NOT bringing a cooler to AMB.

We stayed at a place called l'Habitation in the early 90's. Not having been to that area since, I'm wondering if this was what is now RIU. I seem to also recall that they had a separate nightclub, with a shuttle between the two locations. They had a beautiful flower garden and it was a nice beach. Is my memory a little fuzzy? Also, I think the road to the location is directly across from Villa Pizza (which we love).

Was it Le Meridian Hotel you were thinking of? We stayed there our first trip to SXM in 2004. The initial drive to the resort was quite a "first adventure" for us. I remember a large truck was stuck on one of the curves and had to inch back and forth for quite some time before being able to drive clear. The hotel stay was fine, a little isolated from the rest of the island - so we rented a car and the rest is, as they say, history...

Thank you, yes. It was LeMeridian. I seem to have a mental block with reference to that name. Among many other things these days as well..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Thank you, Biturbo, and yes, today it is Riu and in between it was the Radisson. I never quite got the break down of what part of that property was called what, but Le Habitation was one of the names we knew it by. We had lunch there by the pool at top of the hill and nearby there was a gourmet restaurant, an exercise room and I think also a disco. We also noted they had a helicopter pad there and offered airport transport or sight-seeing for a princely fee.

For some reason, I thought the property at the top was called L'H and the property at the bottom was LeMeridian and I don't know why I thought this. There was a beautiful reception area on the lower level. But in the end, for what it's worth, today it is definitely the Riu.

Note, please, the little guard house I've referred to is at the entrance to Riu and this is where you turn left and drive to the Anse Marcel Beach Club (or Resort?) that so many of us have fallen in love with. Jazzgirl first spoke of it here and I think it was she who caused us to revisit it the first time and allowed us to rediscover this lovely beach area.

It is definitely NOT a place to bring a cooler although I've been told there is a stretch of beach between the two places where you can do this. I'm not personally familiar with it but a member here who lives on the island mentioned it once and I think she said chairs could be rented there, too. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

It's a pretty beach and I've been there several times but not sure that I'd pass up other beaches to go there. Quite expensive and the drive is a little precarious. But, aren't almost all beaches on SXM pretty?

Hey Pat,
Meridien. L'Habitacion and Cottage de Lonvilliers

I just did a search. l'Habitation opened in '86 and was part of Le Meridian. The other, smaller part - Le Domaine - opened in '92. So, we were there prior to '92. And, I'm not having a "senior moment" - we're both correct. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />

Totally agree. They have a chalkboard sign at the entrance listing the names of the beach boys. That sign also indicates that coolers are prohibited.

I do not make reservations in June (and didn't in November either). I think the only time I couldn't get front row is when I went on Father's Day; I had completely spaced out it was a holiday. Weekends might be a little more difficult also but I generally don't go on weekends.

OK, thanks.

Our first trip was 2004 also. We stayed at the Marquis. Same experience with a big truck. I think it was an oil tanker <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Our first trip was in 2005, and we stayed at Le Meridien. We didn't have the big truck experience that year, but we did have it this past December, on the road in front of Le Poulet restaurant, right in that sharp curve going up the steep hill.

We stayed there in 1994 and that hill was scary back then!
But the breakfast buffet at Le Meridien was great.
Cheers
irina

It was still great ten years later!

We love Anse Marcel, but not the approach to it. Our most memorable experience with “the hill” was years ago. We were leaving sxm and on the plane when our flight was delayed, then cancelled. Eventually the airline gave all passengers vouchers for one night hotel and dinner. The lucky ones were put up in the Simpson Bay area. However, there were so many people, that an entire tour bus full of us were sent to Anse Marcel, L’Habitation, I believe. The bus made it almost to the top of the hill, but it was too big to go down the switch backs especially at night. So it backed up into a space that ended in a very very steep drop at the back. All the passengers were still inside the bus. They called for vans to take us the rest of the way down to the hotel,which arrive, on island time. No one accounted for all of the luggage, so, there was luggage piled everywhere in each of the vans: in the aisles, piled higher than our heads, in everyone’s laps. Really scary and dangerous. We finally reached the hotel, which was lovely, but at 12:30 am the kitchen was closed and nowhere to eat. We had to be downstairs ready to leave at 7:30 am. Needless to say, there were many unhappy people.

Wow! Sounds like something that happened to us in the late 80s but we were among the lucky ones who got to stay at Maho Beach Hotel. The people well after us we're scattered all over the island and there were a lot of empty seats on the morning flight out...... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />