TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Ramblings and combining a few threads

Started to reply to CaribLee but it was disjointed so started a new thread of observations and replies.

But CaribLee, you are also correct as it was Le Galleon before and for many years and I don’t know how they did it but they literally modernized the place in view of Irma in speed warp time. They come they go but the good ones remain. However, Be Kool is very good indeed but got annoyed after the second time I paid cash and told the owner that it’s not right he charges 1.18 to the Euro. Tropicana is 1.10. So on our third visit when he gave the impression that he really couldn’t care less, I paid CC and saved $5.00. It’s not the price with me but the ethics. But OMG, the eggs cocotte with Fois Gras is something very special...like having breakfast and lunch combined and if you like eggs like I do plus the FG, it’s a combination made in heaven with dunking the toast into the dish and letting it go all gooey like a 5 year old but with refined taste. And their Dover sole was huge and for $26.00 a relative bargain so perhaps I should just shut up, cough up and be Be Kool. I know this should be on various other threads but with what’s been happening and I was going to write about this on a new thread, in fact I will start one now..........I was going to do a detailed daily report, still might after I get back but what’s happened on the French side has thrown us sideways a bit as do spend far more time on the French side than the Dutch and have done for years. However what I wanted to say was it’s a great shame as I noticed new stores opening in Marigot, a new very smart or redone Hotel right in the center plus new pastry shops, one in particular that had a fantastic selection and the store owners are trying so hard and felt they were on the way to better things. Give it another full year without hurricanes or problems such as we are experiencing now and could start to get back to where they were many years ago.

Bran, I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on the currency exchange issue. Any place which charges in Euros (most especially the few who do 1:1) is doing you a favor if they accept USD at all. If they aren't paying for their supplies in cash USD then you're tying up their working capital, their bank will charge them a conversion fee, and who knows what the exchange rate will be when they do the conversion. It's not their job to keep track of the current exchange rates, and if the rate which they use is fairer to them than it is to you, then so be it. If you want the current exchange rate then go to a bank (they won't talk to you if you don't have an account there), or go to a Currency Exchange (they'll charge you a premium too). I carry Euros, USD, and Plastic. I use whichever one is most advantageous to me.

If you find a place, either in the US or SXM, which will sell you Euros at the current published rate, with no additional fees, then please let me know where it is. I'll be at their door in a heartbeat.

I agree its ethics and cost of doing business. Charge the current rate and not try and gouge.

I don't see gouging.

If you don't like the rate, then pay in Euros or with Plastic.

Whats the difference? Plastic or cash. The business is getting same amount if the business charges same current exchange rate for cash.

Cash Euros, then no problem. Cash USD then that’s where we disagree. The difference is that a restaurant is not in the currency exchange business. If you pay in Euros or with a credit card then you’ll be paying at whatever rate you exchanged for Euros, or whatever rate your credit card charges you. If you want to pay in USD then don’t expect to pay the current rate. Again, restaurant, not in the currency exchange business.

Think you are missing the point Bahston. The restaurant opposite charges 1.10!! When I mentioned it to the owner, he told me that that’s for CC’s. So I told him that I always pay cash and pointed out that opposite charges 1.10 for CC or cash. However he still charged me 1.18 on another occasion.
It is gouging as at the time it’s way over the rate and i mentioned your reply to the owner of Tropicana and her comment was that was too high and tourists would notice this fact and perhaps not return. She never mentioned a problem with this or her acting as a currency exchange!
It’s rather a silly discussion anyway as if you like the meal pay up as it’s their rules. I’m simply pointing out the disparity.

Bahston is very correct.