TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Karakter's closed

Just heard Karakter's was closed this AM by the health dept. What the hell......

How did you "hear" this? No idea the circumstances but according to THEIR facebook page they will be open on Friday.

"Due to circumstances Karakter will be closed untill ( tomorrow) friday 12.00 AM"

My friend told me. We were going there tonight.

We were on the beach at Mary's Boon today, saw quite a few people over at Karakter's. But we wondered why everyone kept coming over to Mary's Boon to get drinks - thought that maybe it was because Mary's Boon had 2 for 1 all day today.

With 2 for 1 drinks why even go back to Karakter's! That's a good deal. They have had health Dept and septic issues in the past plus they make a mess of the parking on that road as they don't have enough. They did get another lot down the road which is a good start but no one wants to walk so the road gets over ran with to many cars. I am sure they will fix the health dept problems. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Probably a couple of hundred bucks will fix the health problems.

SXM??? Wendell

My thoughts exactly.

Seems the health dept has been going around to many restaurants in this area. I guess we should feel grateful for that.

We will probably do the Simpson Beach walk today and I'll take a peek

I was more surprised that there is a health dept and that
they do inspections-that is all good to know

I agree. Kind of like when the "health department" closed down all the lolos in Grand Case several years ago??

I see periodic things in the DH about various controls that they have done on restaurants, so I know they do some inspections from time to time. Although anyone who remembers the Lido situation where they closed them down, has to wonder how strict the regulations are.. (...as in, not at all strict..)

We nixed the SB beach walk but, from SBR, I can see zero activity there now (1pm)

yup still closed today must be something pretty serious

Also heard that Immigration controls were there as well. Looks like someone has it out from them. Maybe a competitor???

What you "heard" may well be true but unless you have facts, rumors and hearsay are just that. I have no idea the case but below is from Karakter facebook page today.

"Much to our regret Karakter has to stay closed during the weekend. Due to that, we have to cancel all planned events for this weekend. We do everything we can to reopen on Monday. Management and staff sincerely apologize for all inconvenience this will cause."

Stopped by about 10 AM this morning. The girl at the gate said they were closed but that we could use the beach and chairs. We asked if we could park there for the day, but were told that they would be leaving sometime during the day and would be locking the gate - so we chose to not take any chances and left. As cars were turning around and leaving, the boys at Mary's Boon were trying to get people to stay there for the day, free chairs and umbrellas if you had lunch or were drinking, and still 2 for 1.

Huge waves at Maho, Mullet, Cupecoy today.

We walked by late afternoon. The gate was closed and there were no customers to be seen. John

My facts, rumors and hearsay come from reliable sources. Karakter's had no right to post they'd be open on Friday (the day after they were closed by the Health Dept) since they had no idea when they'd get signed off by several authorities. My facts, rumors and hearsay now say they were closed for "rat droppings" in the bitterballen.

I would never report these negative things unless I heard them from a reliable source. I frequent Karakters also and am very disappointed in this but they need to keep a sanitary restaurant for everyone's sake.

They are definitely closed today and no one on their beach as well. No umbrellas or chairs on the beach as well.
Mary's Boon must be thrilled by this as they have a good crowd even though it is quite windy today and the sea is very choppy.

This seems odd to me that there was no reason given for them being closed. In my opinion, this really raises questions.

One has to wonder where all the sewage is going from Karakter, Mary's Boon and others along SB.

I know Mary's Boon is on quasi septic system, and has their tanks pumped weekly.

For now, Mary's Boon Hotel leases out the bar and restaurant to a third party operator since about 2013. I know from being a hotel guests there many times the Hotel Mgnt tries to limit the day visitors to the beach so its not crowded for the hotel guests.... so I don't think they really welcome the extra business as they are already pretty much as full as the want it on most days. From what I have heard the Hotel at some point will take back over the Bar and Restaurant and further limit days guests. I am sure these long standing properties along SB comply with the health and septic requirements. No sure about the one that operates out of a bus.

I have been reading mixed feelings about Karakers being closed. I think it is great that they are being checked along with all restaurants everywhere.
Food poisoning is something no one needs to experience. I have had it a few times, but nothing like the case I had from a restaurant last July. My stomach has not been the same since..... you can also have just one bad clam, mussel, etc, which is something the restaurant may not be aware of. So be happy your plans were changed temporally!

I'm surprised at your comment about the current owners trying to limit outside usage of the beach in front of Mary's Boon. Back in the day, around '96 I'm thinking, when they were rebuilding their restaurant after the storm that destroyed it, the Clevelands themselves encouraged people to come and be 'Boonies for a day'. We used to do extra days there shortly before and after that event and it was never a problem. I have noticed over the past few years they do try to keep a good sized separate beach area reserved for their guests only but it would seem if they really wanted to restrict access to the beach, it wouldn't be that difficult given the limited parking and all, unless of course, the restaurant has the legal right to do this in their lease or ownership terms? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I think you're probably right there, Pat, that the restaurant would be allowed to bring people in according to their lease, but I suspect that there really wouldn't be that much of a crowding situation on the beach, other than during this situation with Karakter..

The restaurant and hotel were both owned by Rauol. Rauol lost the place to the owners he bought from (they had a 2nd mtg) They lease out the bar and restaurant to Rauol and have the hotel (even tho Elena, his GF runs it)
I'm sure they are extremely happy to have the extra business. I haven't seen it this crowded for 4 consecutive days in a long time. But I do hope that Karakters gets their act together and opens soon.

Mary's Boon has never in the past 3 years since Raoul leased the bar and beach chair concession from Carla limited the outside people from using the beach and bar area. We frequent the place often and have never been refused.
As a matter of fact they often have a DJ or a 1-2 piece singer and DJ to attract people to the beach.

Mary's Boon and Karachter are each interesting properties, and we've enjoyed both over the years, staying as a hotel guest and a frequent dinner guest under the current returned owners, as well as having been Boonies under both sets of owners, and we have also done dinner under the current restaurant management but only once since their lunch and dinner menus were basically the same.

At the same time, when Jorritt first opened Karakter and it became THE GO TO spot on Simpson Bay Beach, it was one of our favorite island beach days. Over the past couple of years it's lost some of its appeal to us. It's still a fun place but not knowing about its current problems, the number of chair set-ups seems to have increased and gotten closer, and the music seems louder so we started going back to the Boon - very good lunches with a more extensive menu and fewer people to share the beach with. Perhaps not for everyone but of the two, we've come to prefer our days there, though back in December we spent several says at El Zafiro and even with the very limited menu at the time, we really liked it, too.

With regard to the current problems at Karakter, I hope their issues are quickly resolved and they're able to reopen as the new and improved version so we can all enjoy the places we most enjoy, whatever they are. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

well said, Pat!

Not exactly something new <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Guess I won't be ordering the bitterballen anytime soon. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

I am closing this thread as I posted a link to an article from the Daily Herald that explains some of the problems. Sounds like health and labor issue according to the article.

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