TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Alegria charging for parking again

Alegria has started charging for parking again. They are charging $4 for all day parking for vehicles that seat less than 10 people. If you eat at a restrauant, they do validate parking so you dont have to pay.

They have to make $$ somehow.

it's also $4.00 if you only stay for an hour

When you own the parking lot for one of the most popular places on the island, you can get by with that. Not saying I agree with it but it does not surprise me.

21 minutes then we have to pay the four dollars .

We recently parked in there a couple times and honestly no one was collecting money in or out of the lot. The gates were up. But I did notice this trip that no one seemed to be parking along the fence which is where we usually park. There was only one car there and police were circling around and stopped at the car. Not sure what happened after that. (We were there on the 22nd when a lady and some girls ran their car up over the center divider. An officer and some other guys helped to push the car back on the road. After that the cops kept circling around. ) In all honesty though $4 isn't that much if you are going over to Marty's, Sunset or one of the other local bars.

Usually at night, I have noticed the gates up and no one collecting money. I think this is geared towards the cruise day trippers.

Big deal. $4.00 is cheap. I'll pay t and be happy to do so as long as my car is safe.

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If one does not have a problem with $4 beer and $8-$9 drinks, what is $4 in the grand scheme of things? It beats parking somewhere and getting towed.

and if one has just one of those beers, and gets the parking validated....then parking becomes free!!! sure seems like a win-win situation for all!!!!!!

Is validation at Sunset Bar included possible?

Sorry?

$4.00 for a full day is incredibly cheap parking. Parking in the developed world is easily $4.00 to $7.00 per hour if not more.

....except that, for anyplace other than Maho and downtown P'burg, there is no charge for parking anywhere on island..

come to NYC - some places are 25 an hour!!!

I don't get why this is an issue, wasn't it posted that all the restaurants/bars and casino will validate your parking ticket? so unless you just going there to loiter you won't pay the 4.00 bucks?

I thought might refer to SSB&G...just a question

Yes, I assume that Sunset validates parking.

I don't think anyone said it was an issue; just reporting it for informational purposes.

How long does it take to spend $4.00 at a casino.

Sunset, Taco Macho, and the Dunes Casino all validate parking. Marty said there is litigation in the works from the businesses. Also, when they first started using the gate, traffic was backing up and the Beacon Hill residents were not too happy.

I heard also that you may not be getting all of your $4 back but instead may only get part.

It is also my understanding that Alegria owns about half of Sunset Bar, a no choice lease extension for ownership deal. Rules me out of going to Sunset any longer.

We will continue to go to Taco Macho, and we will still go to The Dream Pool Bar which still is one of the best places to watch a sunset on island.

Mahalo,

While I don't know who owns what or who leases or rents from whom but wouldn't patronizing any business on the Alegria property provide income (indirectly) to Alegria or the owner of the property?

If the owner charges rent then that is a constant. They would not benefit by activity in the establishments.

If they participate in running the businesses and share in the profits then they would benefit...

We share your feelings and are now bothered to see adds for "Allegria Taco Macho". That sounds like more than lease or rent payments.