Hello! We are a family of 6 and we LOVE SXM and have been many times over the last 25 years. The last two years we have stayed at Oyster Pond but seemed to spend several of our days at Orient Beach and would dine in the evening around Oyster Pond, Orient Bay, and Grand Case. For this upcoming trip (March 2020) we’re not sure where to stay. Oyster Pond (and many parts of the island) have been severely damaged by Irma and it sounds like rebuilding efforts on the Dutch side have gone significantly better than on the French side. This year we had been considering staying in or near Orient Village but have read about riots, blockades, etc. that are concerning. We usually rent a car and love to explore but not sure if our usual way of exploring the island is still safe ( last visit we, sadly, didn’t feel safe in Marigot and we’ve always loved it there). Our family consists of my husband, our three kids all over the age of 18, and my Mother-in-law. We probably need to choose a spot that is close to some action as our kids will enjoy that but we want to make sure it’s safe for them to be out and about, especially at night. We especially love French culture and have been more drawn to the French side but we realize our beloved island has suffered and has experienced some major changes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

If you really want to stay on the French side and/or visit the French side, my personal suggestion is to stay somewhere in Orient Village. OV seemed to have been relatively untouched by the riots. WITHIN the Village, there are plenty of places to eat there in the Village. With the new Super U in Hope Estate, as well as the other grocery selections in the area, it is really a great place to stay. As far as rebuilding, Orient Village is WAY head and shoulders above Grand Case or Oyster Pond, both of which still have a lot of visible damage.

Thank you so much for the quick and helpful response! Even though we have spent more time on and have loved the French side we are willing to consider the Dutch side, as well. Do you still recommend Orient Village over other parts of the island? Thank you, again:)

I own a condo at the Cupecoy Beach Club. While I don’t rent I know many that do and there are some 3 bedroom or 2 bedroom lofts on HomeAway and VRBO. I also have a friend that rents hers as well. Great location for the “kids” to walk to restaurants. During the day we walk do Danys in Cupecoy or out to the Maho area. Walk to Mullet Bay and Jordan Village - Jules, Spaghetti house, Fat Tony’s, BarCode, LeBodega and others. Plus grocery stores. We walk to Jordan village at night as well when the college is in session. Many many people. And security everywhere.

You may want to check out the places on a website known as islandescapesxm.com which is the website of a wonderful girl named Magali. We have been renting from her for just about 20 years now and love the places we have stayed. She is constantly adding more places as they become available after Irma. She lives in Orient Village and is always available if you have a problem while on vacation. We will stay in the Village for 3 weeks in May in a villa we rented from her. Close to everything and in an area that you have to enter through a guard station. Probably why it was fairly safe from the recent turmoil on the French side.

We too have rented a villa last June in Orient Village from Magali. She is very professional and lives right around the corner. We had a minor problem with a ceiling fan on the deck and she came over within an hour and we corrected the problem. (I needed to reset a circuit breaker but since I don't speak and/or read French I needed her to tell me which breaker I needed to cycle) I would agree with Biglar 110% to contact her if you need to find a place, I know we will next time we visit the French side.

SDecehert--SXM is all about choices, and it would not be nearly so attractive if there weren't the Dutch and French sides. Both are different and wonderful, in their own way. As to which one is better and which I would recommend, it really depends on what YOU want. In 2019, we spent one wonderful week in a villa above Grand Case and later on, 10 days at Beachside Villas on the Dutch side. Both were fabulous. Your mileage may vary.

Have to agree with Kim in that Cupecoy Beach Club is in a very nice area for exploring and offers lots of walkable options for both beaching and dining but if you want a little more action and/or upscale dining venues it’s a short drive to both Porto Cupecoy in one direction r Maho and all its many offerings going the other way. The units are individually owned and are quite lovely and if you happen to rent a cliff side unit, the views are lovey and the sunsets incredible.

We like to stay in the Orient Beach area on the french side for a number of reasons, but primarily having our favorite beach right there and the number of restaurants that are now open or opening in this area is on the rise. Palm Court has re-opened (about one block away from Bikini Beach) and it sounds better than ever. I'll have a full report on here after we get back from staying there in March, but that won't help you too much now. Their prices are fairly reasonable (but not great) for March, so you might want to check out AirBnB's in the same area to see how they stack-up value-wise. Palm Court will of course provide daily maid service and a breakfast. I don't really know if they would have a room for all six of you; you may need two rooms (the three older kids and the mother-in-law in one room and you guys in the other!). At the present time the blockades appear to have gone away, but I'm monitoring this carefully to see if civil unrest arises in February. Palm Court does not require an advance deposit, so you can cancel if necessary and find something on the dutch side of things erupt before you leave. You can check Palm Court out at the St. Martin Reservation Center at (800) 480-8555. That number is there reservation center number in Arizona. Hope this helps.

It sounds like Orient Village is exactly the area that you would enjoy the most if you prefer the French side. We were there for 10 days last month and it was great, basically no signs of Irma in the Orient area except for demolished Club O. So the unknown factor is the unrest. Right now all is well. If it returns, and who knows if it ever will, there are ways around it, even by boat! One (probably expensive) way to hedge your bets would be to take a flight into Grand Case airport from Puerto Rico. I have not researched this but have seen someone mention an airline that flies that route.

There are still a lot of beach bars, etc. missing from Orient Beach if you go back to pre-Irma. Bikini came back quickly as have a couple of others but if one knows what Orient was like before, it is still pretty different. Who knows when the Club Orient mess will be dealt with.

Rural- you are absolutely right, I ignored the beach in my comment, i.e. the missing beach bars! I was mainly thinking of the residences and Orient Village itself as far as being recovered from Irma.