TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Another Belair bummer

Tough times for Belair Beach Hotel. They just announced another $450 fee per week to the timeshare owners. (one time fee?) Some hoped the proposed sale that fell through would have saved the day but that was not to be. This totals approximately $2,000/week. Too many other options available in SXM,IMO. Great location, beautiful beach, wonderful, caring local staff, cannot compensate for owner's mismangement. Sad.

Sounds like they are trying to get everyone to just unload their t/s so that they can sell and bulldoze the place and build condos.

I am sure just like everywhere prices to maintain and other expenses have gone up substantially on SXM. And why hotels ,restaurants have had to raise prices. I have Never really liked the location or the beach at Bellaire but they do seem to be trying after spending a ton of money on their AC problems. ITs a uphill battle for sure.

It's all reflective of the budget management. Many TSs including ours didn't impose a special assessment this year because of world economy. Looks like Belair is destined for failure. Hate to see that as that is where we stayed on our first stay in St Maarten. Fond memories.

Freelancing is the way to go. Never understood owning a bed that 51 other couples sleep in every year. It is fun to move around.

? As opposed to renting a bed that 51 other couples sleep in every year?

👏👏👏

TJ--you don't really OWN anything when you own a timeshare..

Belair will use any extra money they can get to do upgrades so they can get it sold for more.
Just like Sunterra to Diamond and then Diamond to Hilton with the Flamingo and Royal Palm.

And those worked out really nicely for us owners without special assessments at Flamingo.

At Flamingo with the AMF's which are roughly 50% higher than La Vista, Royal Islander and other well run places why would you need a special assessment?

Due to knowing we were going to have limited travel for a couple years due to business interest we were fortunate to have been able to sell off most of our SXM timeshares, but I have no regrets about any that we owned and in the end we came out ahead. We did our due diligence going in, and that more than paid off. We still own a Royal Islander LP unit that has no issue paying for itself if we are not there, up for sale.

I wish those at Belair the best, good luck. It once was a standard of happy owners and reasonable fees.

"At Flamingo with the AMF's which are roughly 50% higher than La Vista, Royal Islander and other well run places why would you need a special assessment"
Our MFs have stayed pretty much the same after Irma with no special assessments. Shows how well run it is. Other TS Resorts are slowly catching up to our higher MFs. I did just sell my 2 bed July week about a month ago. Still own 3 with no regrets.

That is what the Atrium did to us.
Wanted a huge assessment plus the regular maintenance fees for at least 3 years.
We turned in our 3 weeks in a 2 bedroom oceanfront view on the 8th floor that we had owned for over 30 years.
We never missed a single year even during COVID. A lot of years going more than once.
This will be the first time in 30 of not going back.
Very disappointing.

I disagree. You own the exclusive right to use it during the week or weeks that you've purchased. No, you don't own any physical property, but that exclusive right to use is pretty valuable, at least to us.

I'll agree to disagree with you on that one.

I totally agree. Nice to know you have that same unit ooon the same week every year. Easy to make travel plans without the worry of where to stay.

As a person that could NEVER travel at the same time every year, that is worthless to me.

I am with GA and Scuba on this one. My three weeks of timeshare has been the BEST decision we ever made. It's the gift that keeps giving us such enjoyment for over thirty years. We may not physically own the stuff, I have the peace of mind of knowing what we will get when we get there. I know the property will be in great shape. I know the staff there is the BEST, and will take great care of us. I have never ever ever regretted one time of our purchase.

Probably not but for a lot a people it does work.

I "own" two weeks each at two different TS's...Jocjkey Club in Las Vegas which I keep for trading because of the low maintainence fees (around $600 each) and a upper B building 5th floor unit with a view to die for at SBR in SXM which we have never traded and go every January.

This has worked out for us VERY well and I could give a rats azz about the definition of ownership. We have "owned" both for over 20 years each and definitely enjoy the benefits of both.

Just because something doesn't work for some people doesn't make it unfavorale for everyone

If I recall you usually travel within the same time frame to SXM give or take a week or two.

Well, yes, we normally go for our anniversary in June, BUT within a week or two... No way a fixed week would work. This year, we are totally missing our anniversary on island, due to how the calendar falls, versus business obligations. Obviously, it works for some people, but would not work for us at all.

Presently writing from Auckland NZ here with a cup of coffee on a sunny morning. We have been to SXM every month with the exception of July and August. We have enjoyed going different times of the year but what we really have enjoyed is being there the same weeks year after year and the relationships that we have built with others that are there the same weeks. Incredible friendships created that go past island time. We will not be making this years annual pilgrimage to the island in November, but hope to be back on that wagon train in 2026 with the November Gang.

I don't know what you own with a timeshare, could be on some just a liability. With floating weeks you own a slice of time that you fit to what will work for you, with fixed you have that place you can count on (minus Irma year) to be there for you and the familiar faces that expect and are happy to see you again and again. Again I state, do your own due diligence, if you decide to take on a TS and then make it work for you. We have zero regrets on any one of them and our fixed weeks on SXM were our favorite. Walked away from three and sold four, still have one for sale or rent. Buy aftermarket as well!
T

Well said Todd.👌

SXM is the best rut to get into.

We broke our annual or better lemming pilgrimages in 2021 and hit the globe.

Our 4 year gap will end in July, not expecting much to have changed but maybe we will be surprised.

Lodging on SXM still surprisingly cheap and Carib reportedly a buck/bottle. Good thing if I have to pay that $15 fee.