Thank you for your encouragement! To answer Dave's questions, this post will be all about lodging, specifically Divi. <br><br>As they say, everything happens for a reason. I had really wanted Princess Heights, to the point of begging the reservationist to no avail. Though nothing is really all that far from anything else, after driving the island, I was glad that PH was booked. I liked staying at Little Bay because it was in the middle of the Dutch side, close to many major roads. Staying at Dawn Beach would have made it inconvenient to traipse across the island. We were never more than 15-20 minutes away from our home base. Further, although you may not spend much time in your room, it is nice to sit on your balcony after awakening, admiring the view while you drink your coffee. And can you imagine how peaceful it is to sit on that same balcony before bed, listening to the waves lapping against the shore? Keep that in mind when looking for a hotel. Rooms with a view (whatever your ideal view is) are priceless.<br><br>So we flew to SXM w/o a hotel reservation. Leaving the airport, we knew we didn't want to stay in that area--too busy, too urban, too flashy, too loud, too much action. So we drove east along the southern coast. Saw a few places along the way, including Belair, which we had been considering, but it didnt look that nice and several people we met who were staying there did not care for it, and Great Bay Beach Resort, which didnt look like much from the outside--just a building, no grounds or anything. Nothing very picturesque until we saw Divi. On a peninsula, jetting out into the water between two beautiful expanses of water (Little and Great Bays), we were hooked. <br><br>I hesitate to call it a resort because though it may technically be one, it is not ostentatious like some to which I have been. It's a very tropical setting. There are two sections: the timeshare section and the hotel section. The timeshare section is very lush, with multi-story, stucco (?) buildings situated at the end of the peninsula at the top of a hill with views of both bays. The view of Great Bay just before the sun rises is magical. The hotel section is a plain two-story building at the opposite end of the complex with views of Little Bay. Both face the beach, some timeshare buildings face Great Bay, not the beach. But generally, you are closer to the beach if you stay at the hotel. In some of the timeshares, you must walk down the hill to get to the beach. The timeshares though are reportedly nicer. They are junior suites and larger. The hotel rooms are large enough, (we stayed in the second building, second floor, room 2025), but basic one-rooms with a microwave, small frig, king bed, coffeemaker, safe, and ice machines in the hall. The hotel is closer to the restaurant and the beach bar. As I said, the hotel was $85 per night on Expedia and the hotel honored that rate w/o a reservation. Suites began at about $150. <br><br>There are 3 pools (one being the small infinity pool at the top of the hill near the timeshares, overlooking the ocean, two being the biggest and busiest, in the middle of the complex with a pool bar and 3 being the medium sized one with a pool bar near the restaurant, hotel, beach bar and empty most of the time.<br><br>The beach near the timeshares is more crowded than the beach near the hotel. Thats where the watersports are and there is a diving spot right off the coastline where dive outfits take beginner divers and snorkelers. <br><br>There is a resident parrot, Gizmo, at the beach bar who sits amongst the tourists, but nearly bit my thumb off. Housekeeping at the hotel is ok--sheets and towels changed daily, but I dont think the tile floor was swept the whole time we were there. However, I have no doubt that had I asked, it would have been done. The staff at Divi is amazing. They are by far the friendliest people I have ever met. Get to know Alberto, waiter and bartender, and he'll take care of you for the rest of your trip. Visit his restaurant (more on that later) and you will have a friend for life. <br><br>The resort has a guard post at the entrance and security guard patrols around the clock. I felt very safe there, even when I went out walking the grounds (which are beautiful) at 4 a.m. Beach chairs and umbrellas are free for all. Towels are provided for guests. There are a few shops, but pricey. Likewise at the bars--pricey unless its happy hour. Beers were $3 a bottle, coladas $5.<br><br>We ate breakfast there a few times--full buffet $12--and dinner twice. Beach BBQ on Thursday was superb at $20 pp. The regular menu was always delicious and in par with other restaurant prices.<br><br>One inconvenience is if you are coming to Divi from the west (the airport, etc.) you need to pass the entrance and turn around and come back because the left turn into Divi is practically a U-turn. You will learn the roads fast enough, however, and see how approaching from the east is easier and faster. <br><br>Other hotels: the one on Front Street, former governors home, Passagrahn-something. Nice place, but right on Front Street. Can't imagine the noise level there. Royal Palm is on a very busy street. Oyster Pond Beach Resort is right on Dawn Beach. People we met liked it, but again, the location is very much away from everything else. They said their teenagers were bored. Columbus is near Captain Olivers, but not on a beach or the marina and looked much nicer in the pictures than in real life. Captain Olivers looked quaint, but it is not that close to the beach and there is not a whole lot to do at the marina. Princess Heights is not right on the beach either (but close to it.) Obviously I am partial to beachfront. Wyndham Sapphire looked very nice, (nice building, but didnt seem to have much as far as grounds to walk) but I was hesitant considering all the posts about crime along that stretch of the road. <br><br>That's all I can think of right now as far as lodging. Can't say anything about lodging on the French side. I didn't pay much attention to it because I knew I wanted to be on the Dutch side.<br><br>Upcoming Part 3: more beaches, restaurants and other odds and ends