Marina Royale in sad shape

Wow...

Sad for what once to be a really nice area to visit.

We always loved the area and restaurants but after reading the article we may avoid the area. As we get older it becomes more scary. Always tipped the parking lot guys to make sure our rental was safe but now the homeless may become aggressive to survive. Hope they work on the problem.

I cannot believe they are doing nothing about this horrible situation. It is very sad for the businesses and residents of Marigot.

That is so sad....we used to stay in the area & wander day & night.....the whole of the Caribbean needs to set up some type of social programs between the drugs, robberies, guns,murders....and now the seaweed....State of emergency has been declared in the US Virgin Islands due to a surge in shootings....as we all age do we really need all that crap......
kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Several of our favorite restaurants are on the Marina. Hopefully, this article will spur some positive action. We do not want to avoid the area completely - if everybody does it will only get worse.

We really enjoy the marina area for shopping and dining. But safety comes first. In previous years we saw plenty of security/police. Last year we saw none. And they would not provide security to walk us back to the parking lot. Seems they don't have their priorities straight...

Wow is right!
In July, we saw none of this. I just sent a note to a friend who is a waiter at Tropicana, to get his take on it.

Actually the last time we were at Tropicana for lunch, over a year ago, it was pretty obvious just looking around that the area was deteriorating. A look at the apartments on the upper floors of the Marina building showed a pretty obvious lack of maintenance and the atmosphere of the marina are in general seemed "rundown". Years back we enjoyed this area for dinners but it has been a few years since it has felt safe enough that I would venture there at night.

Yes, not sure what ProfLangue was referring to, as the Marina area has been just really going downhill for quite a while.

So true. It was a great place where we often went.

"the Marina area has been just really going downhill for quite a while"

I agree. We used to have dinner there once or twice per trip. I think it's as far back as 10 years when we first started noticing the decline. We stopped going 7 or 8 years ago and haven't been back since.

We always went there a few times each trip. If has been a slow but steady down hill slide since we first came to the island. We had some favorites but with La Petit Auberge changing hands and the closing of the Murano glass place there has been no reason to come back.

We will continue to avoid this area after sunset ..

On my first few trips to SXM I stayed in Marigot and this corner of the lagoon was just a swamp, littered with empty water bottles from the boats downwind. Nasty brown bubbles of whatever were fermenting along the shore so the marina was a huge improvement, oh well!

upwind, been too long since I was a boat captain

I agree, Carol. For years now, we've only gone for lunch ... what I was referring to was the steep decline, i.e. beds out in the public area where the homeless have taken up residence. I didn't even see the guys asking for money to "watch" your car.

Marigot is a joke......a friend living there has been vandalized numerous times....stole his motor from his dingy, stole the top from his Jeep , etc etc.....we have not stopped there in years .....22nd trip is Thursday with no plan to even drive thru the [email]sorry........s@#t[/email] Hole....Orient seems to be the place they put their money.....lets hope Marigot is second on the list....oh and they stole his motor bike that was only in his possession for a couple of days

How sad. We always loved to eat around the Marina.. breakfast, lunch and dinner. We no longer go to Marigot except to drive to Mario's in Sandy Ground. Since they are moving, we won't be anywhere near Marigot. How sad. Such a beautiful area, great view. Sad, Sad, Sad.

I agree Carol because I was there in July & in August & unfortunately the situation is not a good one at all. I don't get hassled much because I have resident plates. The guys in the parking areas know my car & that we always give them something on the way out. The homeless sleeping all over is absolutely correct & the small parking area on the one side is full of garbage & the homeless people's belongings.

I guess if you parked in the large lot to go to a restaurant you might not see what is happening on the other side parking lot but I was shocked at how deteriorated the whole marina was. We walked around deciding on a restaurant so I really took a good look & it was sad & depressing.

I will say that when we got back to the dock one evening around 11pm from a day trip to Anguilla that there was security walking all around but I do not know what time they start.

we made several visits in January for dinner & it was a busy bustling spot. So far not had a problem. We always give a $1 to the "parking attendant" for keeping our vehicle safe. We also have island plates on our rental car. I still love going there. The restaurant people are so friendly. Hopefully it will be the same in November.

I hate to say it but Grand Case is not far behind. If you really look at it today and not what you remember / wish it was you will see a lot of junk and abandoned buildings and then there is the mess with the canal near the LoLo's. I can't prove it but I think the French tourists abandoned St. Martin 20 years ago and there isn't enough business to go around with those of us that are left. Even Orient has seen some deterioration but less so.

Agree with you. Sadly.

At least Grand Case restaurant owners have taken the initiative to hire gendarmes to improve the safety of the area.

I cannot believe that the French Local Govt.is not going to head the merchants outcry to clean-up the Marina area. true it's been in decline over the yrs.,but to write it off by not reacting. is an outrage.

That is terrible news. We love to go to Tropicana and Chanteclair for lunch. Hopefully they will resolve this soon.

No real update in situation.

So very sad to read this article and remember what the entire Marigot experience once was.

Years ago, there were some absolutely incredible dining spots in Marigot and once the lagoon was cleaned up and the marina area came into being, it became even better.

The one guy in the parking lot never bothered us too much as we knew who he was and what he was all about and we were never intimidated by him; but quite a few years ago, perhaps just shortly after the changes to the harbor side of Marigot, it all started to go down hill in our opinion and with the escalating Euro and so many of the places we loved going out of business or relocating, our 'need' to go there just became less and less. So much so, in fact, I hadn't realized just how bad it had become.

It's probably been a good ten or more years since we've gone there at night and probably almost that long since we've been there by day. When the sorbet lady left we more or less left, too, but for the occasional drive through to get pastries or visit the market by daylight.

I just can't believe there hasn't been a more concentrated effort made to clean up what was once the most vibrant area of St. Martin. So very sad.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat....the sorbet lady was hit by a car....her daughter tried to keep it for a couple of years....lots of memories in that area.....kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

OMG, Kate. I didn't know that. I asked every so often about her but never got much in the line of responses.

My daughter Kim actually introduced us to the sorbet lady many years ago and it was always a treat to pay her a visit. She was so sweet and what a nice lady. It was always fun to try out our very limited French with her, and believe me, her English was far better than our pathetic High school French!

The first time we stopped we were having a hard time understanding her, and she us as well, so when I gave her the cash and started to walk away, she started yelling at us to come back in such a way that I was afraid I had accidently cheated her. She was so nice and actually told me I had grossly over paid her for the ice creams and she just couldn't accept a five dollar tip. All I could think of was the work it took for her to create those delicious goodies while standing in that hot sun on that corner and my thought was it was a small tip for her efforts.

Thank you so very much for clarifying her absence and her story. So many nice memories and she was certainly one of them. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Absolutely.
We used to shop or eat in the Marina during our vacation but we now stay away from it. We haven't been to Claude Mini-Club for 2 years now either. Next February will be the 3rd since what I just read is even more alarming that I thought.

Pat....my late Pal was fluent in French & loved to chat her up....he wanted to speak French & she wanted to practice her English....funny to watch, she was also the one that got me interested in making my own ice cream....could never get that coconut right.....I miss those times in Marigot.....kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

If I were advising the government on the French side I would tell them to protect the area between Grand Case and Orient (inclusive) at all costs. That area contains most of what is still great about the French side. Yes, yes I know there are many other small gems but when they lose that area it is lights out.

Frankly, I have long believed that Club O is the linch pin...

according to the Herald article the homeless amount to a handful of people, most of whom are known by name. provisions should be made to care for them. designate an area off the beat and path with a food pantry supplied by food stuff donated by departing timeshare owners.local restaurants could donate left overs at the end of the day.They do it in N.J.. Use a confiscated boat for a dorm in the evening.once the Marina area is vacated make it mandatory that the merchants hose their areas down in the morning and evening. this might restore life to the area.HMO

Very sad...and I was planning our first visit to Tropicana for lunch next month.

The problem is much bigger than a "handful of homeless people". So if that is all the government is wanting to address then I don't see much change for the better.

SXM??? Wendell

If it would work anything like here, the more "free stuff" you have the bigger the problem becomes.

I think it's still worth lunch at Tropicana...Sure, the ambiance isn't as good as it was but the food is worth the visit. Also, I hope people continue to support the existing businesses even if it is only for lunch.

Never pass up a lunch at Tropicana.......kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Two of our favorites! We spent hours talking with the owners. They both seemed to feel it was time to leave.

We still try to get down there and heard there was festivities during high season, but it is very uncomfortable now. We do the market place and the bakery.
Just so sad especially for the residents. Miss it...

So sad about the ice-cream lady---best coconut!!