Traveltalkonline.com Forums


SXM Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors SXM Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics38,428
Posts310,024
Members26,538
Most Online2,218
Jan 21st, 2020
Top Posters(30 Days)
RonDon 114
pat 43
jazzgal 41
Todd 40
Member Spotlight
BVIslander
BVIslander
Road Town
Posts: 39
Joined: October 2004
Show All Member Profiles 
Today's Birthdays
ecco, OceanDrop, vincent
Who's Online Now
5 registered members (SANFILIP, sxmpete, MNsnowbird, 2 invisible), 807 guests, and 65 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
First timer trip report #160775
05/14/2018 01:10 PM
05/14/2018 01:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
ski2play Offline OP
Traveler
ski2play  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
Sitting at the airport getting ready to head back to Western New York. Thought I would take this time to report our experience. The main purpose of this trip was to meet with the craftsmen at SMPM. They are making our windows and doors for our Post Irma rebuild for our house on Jost Van Dyke, BVI.

We arrived midday on Thursday to sunshine and so many smiling faces! We had rented a car from Thifty so we headed there on their shuttle to pick up our vehicle. Easy Peasy! Drove to Simpson Bay Resort, where checkin was a breeze. We were assigned a room in the upper B building room B168. A deluxe studio with plenty of room for two. Our room overlooked the pool and had a huge front patio with tables and chairs. We set out to explore a little on foot having a late lunch at Replay Sports with the SBR complex. The food was typical bar food, but good. Tired from our travels we napped getting back up in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset. We then headed to get breakfast items at a small grocery store nearby. Dinner was at the Greenhouse and was excellent. Harry was our server and was on point.

Friday was window and door day so we made our way through the French side to up near the small airport. We found the workshop and were quite impressed with its size and functionality. Business done, we headed back around the other side of the island stopping at Oyster Bay resort for lunch. They are working everywhere on this complex but the restaraunt was open. We were the only patrons and had a lovely chat with the manager. He even showed us the windows that SMPM had recently completed for them. Bonus! Back to SBR for a swim and nap (I sound so old don’t I?). Woke up in time for a sunset and cocktails at Buccaneers were we enjoyed fireballs after dark and cocktails. Dinner was again at the Greenhouse with Harry as it was Lobster mania night.

Saturday we got up and headed to Mayo to see the planes landing. It is a very touristy thing to do but we did it anyway! I took a tumble when getting to our chairs at the sunset beach bar, hmmmmpf and Ouch! Once settled in with my wounded pride painkillers were in order to ease the road rash. Not to be kept down for long after having a light lunch at Mayo we headed back to SBR for swimming on the beach and then relaxing at the swim up pool bar. And yes, we took a nap before getting out for the sunset and an amazing dinner at Isora. Husband had the lasagne and I the spinach ravioli. Their cheesecake, made in house, was amazing with the wild berry topping.

Sunday we relaxed at the resort for the better part of the day, switching between the beach and pool bars. Sunday evening we headed to Seaside Nature park for a 2 hour champagne and sunset horseback ride! To much fun! As if the sunset and champagne was grand enough, the highlight was the end of the ride when we rode the beach home and went swimming on the horses backs! This was a blast! After, the ride, we enjoyed a few beers with the locals at the La Houstina (sp), a small beach bar, literally made out of a shipping container. Dinner was at Pinapple Pete’s which was still hopping when we got there after 9 pm.

Monday we packed up and returned our pool towels. Walk around some and checked out. Headed to the Yacht Club for a delicious breakfast and some boat nerding on the way to the airport. Which brings us up to me sitting at the airport writing this......

Random thought about our trip......

The people are so nice and friendly.
The roads are easy to navigate although congested at times.
The Dutch side is progressing in recovery much quicker than the French side.
The food is amazing.
The sunsets beautiful!

Thanks so much for all of the advice that helped to make our trip more enjoyable. We will be back!

Happy Tripping!

SXM Sponsors
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160779
05/14/2018 01:39 PM
05/14/2018 01:39 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,093
CaribLee Offline
Traveler
CaribLee  Offline
Traveler
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,093
Great report and thanks for posting. Safe travels!

Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160781
05/14/2018 01:45 PM
05/14/2018 01:45 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,635
Brookfield, CT.
pat Offline
Traveler
pat  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,635
Brookfield, CT.
S2p,

Thank you for using your airport time sharing your trip with all of us. And I have to say, as a really long-timer of SXM, I am totally impressed by how much you managed to squeeze into a short stay.

With regard to which side is recovering when, it’s sad to me that it seems like the French dictates are making it so much harder on the people to bounce back so I’m sincerely hoping their delay is because they’re exploring really good building ideas that might sustain the people if, God forbid, another storm of the magnitude of Irma should ever occur again. I know, bite my tongue, right?

In any event, thanks again and glad you liked our ‘friendly island’.....and the food really is incredible from the lowliest beach fare to the loftiest of Island restaurants and everything in between.


Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160785
05/14/2018 01:57 PM
05/14/2018 01:57 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
Glad you enjoyed your trip! Hopefully you were able to get all your business done for repairs on your house!


Carol Hill
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160787
05/14/2018 02:41 PM
05/14/2018 02:41 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 187
Washington State
Todd_Melinda_K Offline
Traveler
Todd_Melinda_K  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 187
Washington State
Thank you for your report. FYI, I think naps are an essential part of vacation 😎😴

Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160788
05/14/2018 02:56 PM
05/14/2018 02:56 PM
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 18
Canada
MissSunfish Offline
Traveler
MissSunfish  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 18
Canada
Thank you for the wonderful TR. I'm booked for Xmas time in B209 and was wondering what it was like (though I'm not sure this is the unit I'll be given). I've been a bit nervous with all the construction talk though I'll take Sxm over Eastern Ontario in the winter

Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160798
05/14/2018 05:49 PM
05/14/2018 05:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
jazzgal Offline
Traveler
jazzgal  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
Thanks for the newbie trip report. Always nice to hear about the island via a newcomer's eyes!


[Linked Image]
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160801
05/14/2018 07:08 PM
05/14/2018 07:08 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
BeachKitten Offline
Traveler
BeachKitten  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
Wow, four nights! That really IS a quick trip! so very glad that you enjoyed the island.

Tell me more about this company that is doing your work....


"It is good to do nothing all day, and then to rest" wink
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #160812
05/15/2018 08:37 AM
05/15/2018 08:37 AM
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132
St Louis, MO
SXMNorm Offline
Traveler
SXMNorm  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,132
St Louis, MO
Thanks for taking time to post. Glad you had a good time.


Next SXM visit -November 2023. Also January 2024.
Re: First timer trip report [Re: ski2play] #161012
05/17/2018 01:14 PM
05/17/2018 01:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
ski2play Offline OP
Traveler
ski2play  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
Oh my head, my spelling and grammar were lacking on my initial post!

Mayo s/b Maho, but I am sure you figured that out!

Thanks again for the feedback before and after our trip. We will be back....

Re: First timer trip report [Re: BeachKitten] #161013
05/17/2018 01:20 PM
05/17/2018 01:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
ski2play Offline OP
Traveler
ski2play  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 503
[quote=BeachKitten]Wow, four nights! That really IS a quick trip! so very glad that you enjoyed the island.

Tell me more about this company that is doing your work....[/quote]

The company is on the French side of St Maarten up near the small airport. Their name is SMPM-woodwork.

This is our first time to use them. They have been great to work with and their worksite, was clean, modern, and fully staffed.

We are getting 7 windows (mostly double, all wooden louvered), and 6 double doors (all wood, some louvered, some not).

Delivery time on our order is out 5 months, but that is what happens when so many many people need their windows and doors completed.


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.1