TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Christmas week advice please

Greetings,
I have been a long time lurker on TTOL. Thank you all for many years of advice and vicarious vacationing.

SXM was the first Caribbean island that I visited, back in 1986. I have cheated on her multiple times, but for some reason she always calls me back. I’m not sure if the allure is due to being my first love or my true love..maybe both. In the past 30 years I have stayed in Maho, Dawn Beach (glad I didn’t buy the timeshare), Port de Plaisance, and Orient. All have been great in their own ways. And yes, the island sure has changed.

My most recent trip was a few years ago in early Nov on a cruise ship. I rented a car and attempted to take my family on a circumnavigation tour only to find myself sitting in traffic in Simpson Bay and finding no place to park in Marigot. Overall it was a messy and frustrating day, but maybe my fault for attempting too much.

In any event that’s my story, and I will finally get to my question. I have previously traveled there during slow times (i.e. May, late Jan, early Nov), but I am thinking of booking Christmas week this year to introduce my new wife to SXM. I have read where the island is very crowded and you often need reservations, but beyond that and the $$$ will I regret going during this time? Typically, we will be spending most of the time on a different beach every day with the requisite trips to Phillipsburg, Marigot, etc., and of course night time driving for dining. Are we talking nasty traffic jams and Disney crowded? Any advice or thought from those who have been during XMAS would be much appreciated?

TIA,

Bryan

We have spent most Christmas and New Year's (or "Old Year" as Islanders used to refer to it) on SXM for the past 30 years. It's the peak of High Season but the increase of visitors is managed better than the early years. I too, am glad we did not buy timeshare at Dawn Beach. Yes, the island has more traffic than in the past but just like anywhere it just requires a bit more planning and patience. Except for Christmas and New Year's eve. I doubt you will need reservations.
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I know that at most places the prices increase between Christmas and New Year's, it is a desirable place to be apparently during that time. I can tell you we had a friend who FINALLY made it to St. Maarten after hearing about it from us for years. She thought we were filling her with nirvana and pipe dreams. She finally went and it was an OMG (oh my god) moment for her. She can't wait to bring the rest of her family next year. I say definitely you will need reservations during that time frame, especially night time dining. December is beyond the hurricane season, so if you can embrace the higher prices for that time of year, you will both have a great time. Hope your new wife enjoys it as much as you have, I think she will.

We were in SXM between Christmas and New Years in 2014. If you want to dine at any of the better restaurants in Grand Case, you will need reservations, yes. And if you have a particular place that you HAVE to go, suggest reservations before you leave home. We wanted to go to Temptation, which is one of the hardest reservations, probably, and we gave Dino almost a 10 day window around that timeframe and he was able to shoehorn us in at 6 PM one night, only because we were just two people.

The other issue with travelling around the holidays is how much 'fun' air travel is. I really enjoyed going then, but probably wouldn't be in a big hurry to go back again at that time period.

I suppose I should edit my comment about the need to make reservations during Christmas/New Year in SXM. I was thinking about us and we have not made reservations in years without any problems. We generally dine earlier than the "Cosmopolitan" folks and don't frequent the more popular fine cuisine establishments as often as we used to.
Have not noticed price bump in dining but of course pay the higher rental car rate and endure the cattle herding associated with air travel.