Rental Car or No Rental Car

Our visit is nearing and trying to decide on a rental car. We are staying in Grand Case and plan six days of relaxation. This means, sit on the beach, glasses of Rose/Beer, wash up, and then dinner. We definitely want and plan to visit other areas (Orient Beach/Anse Marcel, etc...); however, the issue is when we visit these areas we plan to have a few drinks so a taxi is a definite must. Additionally, at dinner I'm sure there will be a bottle of wine. I understand taxis will be expensive, but am I missing out on renting car? Also, does anyone know of any weekly "taxi" or car service with predefined pricing?

Rental Car is a must for us. For me half the fun is driving around the island exploring.

If you want to pre-arrange a taxi, you could contact TTOL sponsor Wilfred Brooks (check for his info on the sponsors list). As far as evenings in Grand Case, I believe the guy is still around that has a golf cart type situation that you can get rides for something like $10 roundtrip to the restaurants within Grand Case itself. Talk to your hotel front desk about that.

As far as rental car in general, especially this time of year, it's going to be cheaper to rent a car, versus paying for trips to Anse Marcel and Orient Beach, plus your transfers to and from the airport, which will probably run you about $35 each way, including bags to go to and from the airport. As far as missing out on things, it definitely takes a lot of spontaneity out of the trip, if any time you want to go somewhere, you have to track down a taxi. Can't imagine doing that myself on SXM, but everyone is different.

We always rent a car for our entire stay.. As far as driving up and down from Anse Marcel you might want to get a Taxi for that if your drinking.

We spent two weeks at Royal Islander Club La Plage recently and everyone suggested not to bother with a rental car because everything was right there at our finger tips and we wouldn’t need one. Well, they were right to a degree but we rented one anyway and personally speaking, I can’t imagine being anywhere on the island and NOT having a car at my disposal. And we used it a couple of times a day most days.

Everyone is different and has their own idea of what makes a trip perfect but a big part of the allure of SXM is the fact it’s one island you can freely travel without too many concerns. If you were content to stay in Grand Case, then maybe no car but if you have those other locations on your horizon a car is really the order of the day.

HI, if your first trip, I would pre book Wilfred for an airport pick up and drive to where you are staying - bonus you get a little tour, Wilfred will stop at a store plus tell you a bit about the island. For me just easier and if we are getting a car I get it delivered the where we are staying the next morning -we use AAA but everyone has their fave - just make sure and get all in pricing in your quote.

Don't want to start a drink and drive thread, but driving to Orient got old quickly once we realized how low the Fr limit is - so we started staying in Orient Village and walking to the beach.

Grand Case to Orient is not that far and Wilfred lives nearby Orient, my taxi rate sheet [2014?] says $15 each way for 2

But a car means you can explore, pick up supplies and generally keep your own schedule.

But beach and drinking, I would take a cab

J&B

We stayed in Grand Case and didn’t rent a car. Lasted two days and had one delivered. When we stayed in the Village we never needed one.

RENT THE CAR........yes..i was screaming that. So much to see...so much to do...ALL OVER THE ISLAND. Rentals are very reasonably priced.

My first trip to the island I took a taxi everywhere and had the drive give me a tour of the island. This way my second trip I could rent a car. (and printed off google map)

now-a-days you can download the map of the island to your phone in advance and GPS it around with your phone without an issue -- so I say rent. can always print as a back up.

20+ years since my last SXM visit with ex...now returning in Feb. Planning on car rental but will take taxis to dinners . perhaps.

20 years ago the car rental guy said "don't lock the car....it saves the windows being smashed"

Does that rule still apply?

Depends on your rental company. Our guy, Lesley Bruce of Kenny’s Car Rentals, usually suggest we leave the car unlocked at the beach with NOTHING in it, not even in the trunk but elsewhere, lock it but still leave nothing in it.

No, but most car rental companies will strongly remind renters not to let any items in the car. I suspect insurance companies and credit card companies had a serious problem with the "don't lock the car" program that was once popular.

How would the car rental company, insurance company or anybody really know if the car was locked or not with a break in or vandalism? Seems like a moot point.

Thanks to all responded. Landed on renting a car for a couple of days to explore and taxi for beach/dinners when we plan to drink. Thanks for the perspective.

The insurance company needs pictures showing an entrance point for a locked car.....broken windows, pried trunk or other point of entry. If the car is not locked the insurance is void now! Most rental companies advise you to lock the car and leave nothing in it when it is parked with nobody in it. Some people have had their seats split open when the criminals found the cars unlocked with nothing in it to be stolen. They can still split the seats when the car is locked and broken into but then the damage is covered!

I'm not so sure if the companies in St Maarten are that sophisticated in requiring entry point pictures. I would guess just the vandalism or theft report would be good enough.

I am sure as they have requested this in the past. They are more sophisticated than you think. Furthermore not all the insurance companies are in St. MAARTEN.

I agree with islandgem. Hardly a "moot point" if your credit card company (not SXM based) denies compensation coverage because the car was unlocked.

How would they know if it was left unlocked or not? Many ways to get into a car without visible signs.

They might just ask you if the car was locked as part of their investigation of your claim. So you're suggesting that you lie? Kind of sounds like a slippery slope to me.
I'll take the higher road and simply lock the car. That's common sense, in my opinion.

Yep I always lock my car. Whether home or a rental somewhere.

Talking about car rentals..which if you are going to an Island, why not explore it and fully enjoy the whole area or parts of it by having a car in your own time, this does give you the freedom to do so, anyway, as soon as you receive the car, check all the tires. I had two flats this trip which caused a huge increase in mileage and didn't know why until the car was virtually un-driveable and then noticed. Go over the car with the guy and note all scratches and dents and I now go one further, I take pics of the car rental so there are no arguments when returning. What I found amusing is that he actually made a note on his copy(not mine) that I had taken pics!!
Interesting.