Only been to Saint Martin once and stayed in a great condo right on beach in grand case. Loved being able just drag our chairs out on beach every day and create our own party- even if the beach in grand case is quite the lonely place. Planning to go to same place this year and stumbled across some rentals at the cliffs of cup coy. Just curious about how different the two areas are. I read that at times there is no sand at cup coy- is that true. Really like being right on water in grand case. Plus the food action there. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Going first week of November.

If you want to enjoy the beach right in front of your unit, return to Grand Case. The ocean views from The Cliff are wonderful, but no beach like you have experienced previously.

Disagree 100%. Staying at the Cliffs is so much more luxurious than staying anywhere in Gran Case. The walk to mullet bay or the beach at Cupecoy (nude) is 5 minutes and again the beach is so much more beautiful than Gran Case. Also you are closer to the Maho , Simpson Bay and areas (and airport) which has many places to eat, shop and enjoy entertainment. The advantage of Grand Case is you are much closer to Orient Beach..

I live in the complex next to The Cliff, and I noticed that the beach at The Cliff is currently wider than I've ever seen it. But who knows what the beach will be like in November.

I think an importnat question is would you rather be in walking distance to the restaurants in Grand Case or be closer to Maho and Simpson Bay. I prefer Grand Case

We were at Cupecoy Beach November/Dec of 2013 and it was huge but not very in the same time in 2014. The Cliffs is definitely classier but if being right on the beach is important to the OP, I'd go to GC. And the dining options are so great there you could never run out of dining choices. Cupecoy/Maho area has some excellent restaurants so that's up to the OPs personal preferences, but most of choices in the latter would require driving. It's all about personal choices, I guess. We love Mullet so no contest for us but I'd definitely stay in GC again. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Whoa, total apples and oranges there! The Cliffs is a lovely HIGH RISE high end complex on the ocean in Cupecoy. Fantastic views, but to ME, personally, somewhat removed from the ocean. The sand comes and goes there. And to ME, having to go down an elevator for 7 flights takes the magic out of a condo 'right on the beach', but that could just be me. But the ambiance in Grand Case--if you liked that old time fishing village vibe, mixed with high end restaurants and lolos, immediately on the sand--the Cliffs is totally different. Neither is bad but they are totally different...

Did you ever miss a good time to stay away from Boston. Enviable position you are in, Ravi.

Unless you have actually stayed at the Cliffs, I challenge you on the vibe thing. We have stayed in Grans Case also. Been going to SXM anually for 25+ years. My wife hates high rises and the big city feel and we stayed most times at the Cupecoy Beach club. One year I suggested we stay at the Cliffs after checking it out, and now SHE LOVES IT! The condos are beautiful, beautiful kitchens, lovely decorated large rooms, washing machine, great Internet, great TV, the sound of the ocean and the breezes are beautiful. GYM ,sauna, tennis, world class spa. Sit by the Cliffs pool and the views are to die for. Casino across the street. 2 or 3 great restaurants near by. 50+restauarants within 10 minutes. Mullet and Cupecoy are 2 of the most beautiful beaches and are in WALKING Distance. Also walking by the Golf Course is wonderful. Very few people go to GRAN CASE to go the beach. Would you go the beach in Gran Case everyday, NO. Would you go to Mullet or Cupecoy, YES. If your a foodie, which many are, Gran Case is hands down your place. Love the LOLos.

No, I have not stayed at the Cliffs, as I have no desire to. For ME, I've stayed in high rises at the beach before and I loathed it. I really don't care that much about marble and granite kitchens, I could care less about a gym or a sauna or tennis or a spa. I want to be able to walk out my door and hit the SAND, not an elevator. Everyone is different, but to me, if a person loves the vibe in Grand Case, on the street, I just don't think the Cliffs is at all the same. Neither is bad, just different.

Agree completely, Carol. We typically stay in a high rise which I love, but on occasion We stay on Anguilla, and a couple of actual SXM beachfront locations. IMO, it is a wonderful way to enjoy a beach vacation when you're directly on the beach and can carry your morning coffee onto the sand while you watch the sunrise. And like you, I'm more into the old 'Caribbean feel' as opposed to glitz and glamour and marble countertops when on vacation. Nothing wrong with either possibility but 'on the beach' is awesome and trumps marble and glitz any day in my book. But in the end, it's all about the OP and their preferences. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Agreed, people want different things. Which is good, because if everyone wanted the same thing, then one place would be totally over run and other places would be empty.

I could definitely get into the idea of beautiful kitchens, lovely decorated large rooms, washing machine, great Internet, great TV, along with ocean outside my front door.
Doesn't sound too hard to take to me actually.

Carol, meant that reply to Pat, actually.

I agree with you Carol, that everyone has there likes and dislikes and that is a good thing. It's nice to be right on the beach.

I am in the sand camp. Wake up, walk out to beach, spend the day, sun, drink, food, water, swim. Repeat for days. Fly home and plan next trip.

We love the beach just as much as anyone. Many of you like CLub O, is that the Caribbean beach vibe with 500 chairs on the beach 2 feet apart? Your on the beach in 1 minute with your coffee at the Cliffs with very few people. It's not glitzy. The condos are beautiful, it's convenient, quiet and has all the amnenities. I'm not sure how staying near the airport on the beach with planes landing and taking off gives you that Caribbean vibe. The sound is incredibly noisy it pierces your ears. I stayed at a house on Simpson Bay which is now gone and Karacters is there...on take off it felt like the plane was going to go through the building..That's not relaxing to me...

High rise or not, I don't really care because I don't spend my days at the Resort anyway but when I'm inside my unit I'd rather have more amenities than less.
This being said, marble and stuff has a price, and if these rates at The Cliffs are real, I'll go with no marble and spend the difference in restaurants, bars and outdoor activities. To each his own.

http://cliffsxm.com/rates/

That can be gotten in most places on SXM now. We have all that at Divi. Full kitchen convection stove/oven microwave etc. Dining room, Bedroom 2 baths. We've stayed at GCBC also and only thing missing at GCBC is in-room wash/dryers. But they have them on site. Well appointed full kitchen, both places.

The rates listed on the Cliff website are much higher than you can get directly from the owners on sites such as VRBO. I prefer renting directly from the owner so you know which unit you are getting.