TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Beachside Villas???

Just walked by and was surprised to see the the entire complex appears almost empty. Very unusual for high season..looked like someone in unit #1 and a towel on a chair in another unit. No people visible. No one at the pool.

I doubt it is empty, probably just no one out and about. The pool often seems empty.

Any TTOL'ers who may be there care to chime in???

We have friends that wanted resort style hotel and staying Maho SONESTA
this week and said it was pretty empty too. Lots of places still struggling and I wonder why more and more restaurants opening.

I walked by BSV on Tuesday and thought the same thing - unusually quiet. One fellow sitting by the entrance to the pool. No evidence on any of the patios (towels, etc), none of the beach loungers out of the stack, etc.

We have been in st. Maarten now for almost five weeks now. I’ve walked by the BSV too and nobody around. We have tried booking there for 6-8 weeks for next January and they never got back to us. We met a couple staying next door to there and they had their car stolen, they were very upset.

Tool another walk by at 8:30 this morning. No one around. Still only a person in unit 1. Not sure but I think that was the managers unit but I could be wrong.

Canadians--not sure where you are talking about, someone staying "next door" to BSV. There is nothing next door to BSV, unless you are talking about El Zafiro, which of course is closed. On the other side, there is open land. As far as cars being stolen at BSV, that would be pretty difficult, since there is a gate.

As far as the place being empty, guess maybe there was just a hole in between bookings. Number 1 is NOT the managers unit. The managers unit is connected to the office in the front.

There is a beachfront villa in between Beachside and El Zifaro. It is owned by a Dr. and for sale.
One of the Beachside units is privately owned, not sure which unit. Three of the Beachside units are currently on the market.

BillS,

We stay at BSV usually twice a year, two weeks + each visit and we often have to book a year ahead and still shift our dates to make it work for us. Right now, this is the low side of high season and many choose not to travel until February when school breaks and holiday weeks set in. If it’s any comparison, we often frequent other beaches during the day and ‘come home’ to BSV in the later part of the afternoon. That’s when you’re most apt to see the pool well occupied. Ten weeks out for us and I’m eagerly looking forward to our stay.

I don’t know the name of the place they were staying but it’s on the other side a few buildings down up a small road.

SXMBND--I wasn't aware the doctor rented out that villa, but perhaps he does. I think #11 or #12 is the privately owned one. You can tell from the ocean side which one it is. And I am aware that some of them are for sale.

I don't know if the Dr. rents his villa or not but it was for sale recently. I was just pointing out that there is a place next to BSV that is not El Zifaros.

.

"Three of the Beachside units are currently on the market." That deal is no longer on the table.
As far as BSV being quiet, It's that odd time of year. As Pat said many of us enjoy the pool at the end of the day for a recap of the day and a "cap" of the day!!!

It's often a bit quieter for the first couple of weeks of January. I'm staying at the La Siesta condos at the east end of Simpson Bay Beach and can see BSV from my third floor balcony with my binoculars. It was definitely quiet this morning while I was having breakfast.

I know of folks who tried to get a unit there for January and there was no vacancy. You cannot tell if they are vacant by walking by. Often people leave for other places during the day. A better indication would be if lights were on in the units at night.

Things look a little more normal now. At least 3 or 4 units have guests this morning. Must have just been a lull in occupancy for a few days.

Again, the morning is not a good indication of occupancy. When I am there I usually leave early in the morning and am gone for the day as are other people too. You will only see a few who are staying there for the day or leaving later.

Liz, I'm one of those people that parks it out in front of my unit #1 for the day!! There are days when I'm one of a couple of people on the beach at BSV! Many walkers throughout the day! Most trying to get a long inside, as I did many YEARS ago!! LOL!!!

We own a unit on the island and rent it out. I have spoken to many others who do the same and the demand is way down. I/we attribute it to the economy combined with stupid high air fares.Air BNB and Vrbo shows lots of looks but few reservations.

Jet fuel is up 42% over 2021.

I will add a comment about car rentals on SXM.....NO ISSUE with pricing..Recently booked a car in LV and Zurich and both were really stupid priced

Throw in the FACT that the stock market was in the crapper for 2022 and it had a major impact on most everyone's IRA and/or 401K, you will have many reconsidering their travel plans. Losing saved/invested money and inflation is NEVER a good situation.

To "boucharda", I paid more than I have ever paid for a car rental on SXM in 2022 and it is even higher in 2023. I checked multiple agencies, some sponsors and some not, and it is off the charts compared to previous years.

I think between the hurricane destruction and Covid, it took alot out of SXM.
i

"To "boucharda", I paid more than I have ever paid for a car rental on SXM in 2022 and it is even higher in 2023. I checked multiple agencies, some sponsors and some not, and it is off the charts compared to previous years."

I booked Hertz for right around the same price as 2021 for my present two January weeks....$260/week for a midsize . I have found that SXM (and Aruba) have decent prices..your experience may vary

Edit: actually $286/week for a Toyota Corolla

You got a very good deal.

I was quoted just under $600 for a Corolla for 12 days in March 2023 from Hertz.

Last year for 9 days I paid $332 for a Versa in March, not from Hertz as they were off the charts last year as well.

I understand that the prices are higher BUT as I mentioned it does NOT compare with $1100 for 10 days in Zurich (economy car) or $600 for a week in Las Vegas and $1100 for 10 days in Costa Rica... SXM right now has decent prices compared with many other places

Edit: a tad off topic but for European rentals definitely use AutoEurope EU site rather than the US one....$300 + cheaper AND includes the mandatory theft and CDW that the much higher US site does not. Doesn't pertain to SXM but just an FYI

FWIW, I'm using Empress for a small car (HYUNDAI I-10) for nine days on SXM in February. $331.

Kenny's had no cars available. Hertz? Same. Empress was the best deal available.