Trip report 12/30/18 to 01/19/19
Air Travel: American Airlines direct flight PHL to SXM on 12/30/18. Good flight, almost on time. Problem with AA WIFI so entertainment was limited. Less than 30 minutes from bus loading at aircraft to terminal/immigration/customs at airport. Departure on 1/19/19 already discussed in another thread. Prepare to test your patience.

Lodging: Belair Beach Hotel. A lot of work has enabled considerable restoration and improvement of this resort. Some management changes have resulted in positive results as well. Free WIFI, although with some reliability issues that were expected, was a welcome change. Most rooms on 1st floor have been completely reconditioned from storm damage. Food (Lobster night, Swordfish night) and entertainment (Monday night) have been upgraded. 15% Service charge now implemented for all meals and bar tabs. Towel cards now used to better track beach towels for guests. Packed house first week we were there (12/30/18-1/6/19). Fewer folks after that.

Restaurants: Some of our past favorites (Chesterfield’s, Antoines, Greenhouse) still remain available but new favorites such as Pineapple Pete’s for lobster and Bavaria for excellent authentic German dishes, as well as Avantika for that unique Thai zest were popular for us this year with all getting multiple visits. Mark’s Place, while admittedly lacking some atmosphere, still remains the “go to” for the widest menu, good food and service, with the most reasonable prices. Our son and daughter returned to Bistro Caribe in Grand Case and rate the lobster thermadore there as the island’s best. We have changed our previous opinion that Chesterfield’s plain (neither thermadore nor garlic lobster) was #1. We have chosen to award that honor to Pineapple Pete’s as we have read others proclaim on this site. One good reason is that they always have lobster and they respect those that cannot have garlic and garlic butter as part of the meal.

Random Observations:
• Rental car from Michael, previously with Unity Car Rental, was a fair price and beat others by over $240 for the 3 week rental. 1st car had problems, had replacement to the Belair within an hour.
He is now Dbest Rent A Car.
• Son and daughter went to Tijon for personal seminar on creation of cologne and perfume. Located in Grand Case, a unique experience.
• Carrfour is huge and carries many gourmet items that Grand Marche did not.
• Some roads on French side are still washed out and horrendous to maneuver.
• No American newspapers on the island, discontinued after Irma. Tough for news nuts and crossword people. Hope they are back next year.
• Much being discussed about new laws regarding motorcycle and motorbikes. This is sorely needed.

Happy to hear you had a great time and that there have been improvements at Belair---not that much was needed. It has always been a great place. We were there last March and saw some of the work being done.

Those great meals at Bavaria, Advantica and Pete's must have made up for the meal at Pure.

Thanks for the report! Glad to hear that Pineapple Pete continues to do a good job. We've always been happy there. It surely would be nice to have more enforcement even of current laws regarding motorbikes. Soon come..

Very useful report before my trip to Belair! I will redo a lot of things, and I will put myself into service! thank

Thanks for the update on Michael and his new company name. We rented from him last month and were very pleased. My wife will agree with the lobster thermidor at Bistro Caraibes - I only had a small taste, but my duck breast was also incredible. We're from the Philly area, but have never flown AA direct. We find that the price difference on United from EWR is worth the extra drive. Thanks for the nice report.

This is the first time we flew direct from Philly and stayed over the night before at the Marriott attached to the airport. Very convenient but I agree that the additional cost may not have been worth it. Since we returned Saturday night and made the long drive to our home near Hershey through that nasty storm, we were not Mother Nature's friends.
Tom

If we fly from Boston we always book a stay & park hotel just in case weather is bad and we couldn't make the drive to airport to catch early flight. Coming home I never think about it. Your post has reminded me. Maybe I'll book the return night just in case so if it's bad weather we won't have to drive home when we arrive back.