Mini Trip Report

Just returned from another wonderful 10 days in St. Maarten! A few highlights from our trip….

Accommodations:
Our first 3 days were at Mary’s Boon. This is the first time that we stayed in a beachfront room and it was very much worth the few extra dollars! The staff was very attentive and really enjoyed our stay there!
The next 7 days were at Simpson Bay Resort. We were in the B building but had a gorgeous view! We had friends with us for this portion of our trip and they had a unit that joined ours by an indoor staircase. Worked out great! The construction on the F building did not hamper our beach time at all. There is lots that we love about SBR but don’t like the beach bar food since the resort took over. And the internet was nonexistent on the beach and weak in our unit.

Food:
Our favorite dinner was at The Stone! Best steak that I have ever had!! It has moved out of SBR and is now on the bay in the rear of the Laguna View Complex on Welfare Road. Same location as Cafe on the Bay was a few years ago.
We also enjoyed SkipJacks, Pineapple Petes, Jimbo’s, Boathouse, Bon Apetit and Buccaneer Beach Bar. Ahhhh that pizza at BBB is soooo good!

Beach Days:
We fell in love with El Zafiro! The owners and staff are very attentive. The food was delicious! And the view is to die for! We spent other days on the beach at Mary’s Boon or at Simpson Bay Resort. We spent a short time at Maho Beach at Sunset Beach Bar. The additions are very nice but sadly it has lost the charm it had before.

I feel so blessed to be able travel to this beautiful island!

Thanks for the information on The Stone; I hadn't heard that they moved. I loved Cafe on the Bay and thought it was a nice location. I hope The Stone does well there.

Thanks for the report!

Yes, I had not heard that either about the Stone. Other than 'captive' people at SBR, I never thought that was a good location for them. The couple of times we ate there, it was mostly Pelican people eating there. Hard to survive with just people from the resort.

Did it take over the space of the thai restaurant?

Thanks for taking time to post your report. Good info. Maybe see you in February.

Yes, I think it is the same space as the Thai restaurant.

I would never eat at The Stone even when I stayed at SBR. That location didn't excite me at all. This was so much nicer!

With 342 one BR/Studios and 83 two BR units I would think it would be a perfect place for a restaurant to survive....

Have to agree with you about the old location. The SBR Marina was usually overrun with people leaving for the various booze cruises and returning at five with the sunset booze cruise that usually returned around seven. Not my idea of an evening dinning out.

I'm with you. I hope they make it at their new location. We would eat there once or twice during our three weeks but I don't think we will go looking for it.

Where is El Zafiro?

It's on White Sands Road and is the last driveway on the right before the Beachside Villas gate. Turn to the left when you reach the Dunes/Alegria parking area and stay on this road always hugging the runway. Do not take the awkward right hand turn but be very careful through this intersection and keep going until you see the BSV gate. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />