all booked and ready to go!

now just have to wait until april comes around. plane tix are crazy expensive the week of the 8th! had to fly down a day early. no none stops left on the 8th unless we wanted to pay 1,000 per tic. Insane. Oh well, going to stay at marys boon. always was curious about that place. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

Congrats on getting booked! So long as you are not in one of the below grade rooms, you should enjoy Mary's Boon..

Walk down to see us at Beachside Villas.
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What do you mean when you say below grade rooms? Are they the ones you need to go downstairs to get to? We have always been curious about Mary's Boon. We go for happy hour and very much enjoy the beach view.

They are technically underground. There are maybe two rooms or so. It's been a long time since I was in one, but I think the stairs are to the right, between the reception desk and the front entrance. (Provided the reception desk is still where it was, years ago. I haven't been inside MB for probably 5 years.)

The below grade rooms are referred to by MB as Lower Garden and Lower Lobby, so there is no reason to be surprised if you pay attention to what you book. There are probably about 10 rooms in all.

Also, the Junior Garden Studios aren't the best in the world, location-wise, but since you only pay around $70-80 in the off season, you really can't complain.

I really like the place and describe it as funky in the good sort of way.

OK thanks for the additional info. They must have put in more of those rooms, as I don't remember there being nearly that many.

I agree, MB has a kind of island feel that I love. Places like Royal Palm are 'nice', but you walk into that room and you could be anywhere in the world, and the outside of the building is the same. MB has an 'old Caribbean' kind of feel.

The lower garden & lower lobby are the only rooms we didn't care for as they had a musty smell when we did a tour there. All the other rooms are very nice.

Def got a beach side above ground room. For one night we ccould have dealt with below grade but price was similar. Website says restaurant is open and serving lunch and dinner again.

Enjoy!

I will let you know in a little over 3 months how it is!

We've stayed at Mary's Boon. I'm certain you will like it, there, Dan. It's St. Maarten the way she used to be...... Quaint, comfy and caring.

John and I frequently choose to spend many of our Island days being 'Boonies for a day' because of the way they treat you, not to mention we also thoroughly enjoy their salad plate lunches, too. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Thats my thinking too. Bit old school

Love the Boon. Stayed in one of the upstairs room with ocean view. 204 or something. Very cool atmosphere.

We stayed there over 6-7 times. Lovely place, seemed like it was getting dated. I walk past it every morning when were down Oct/Nov. at BSV. It is showing it's age. We Loved it. Back then it had an honor bar! Yes, I mark the drinks down!!! LOL!!! Restaurant was always nice, and food fresh. The one hour lobster salad is an other story!! LOL!!!

wow, a one hour lobster salad. they probably had to swim out and find one. at least it was fresh

Happened to us once, too. We ordered two lobster salad plates and they only had one lobster. They actually sent someone out to buy a lobster, cooked and quick chilled it and then served us our lunch. It was a bit of wait and by the time we got to eat I really didn't care if it was lobster or tuna fish straight from the can but I do remember the waitress being so sorry it took so long. OMGoodness - I didn't complain at all about the wait and they didn't charge for the wine I consumed while waiting. All's well that ends well, for sure!!

If you know enough ahead next time try booking air asap. We'll be there in March & April and will fly non-stop from Boston for about $620 pp. Not suggesting you should go to Boston to fly but Jet Blue flies from Hartford area.

We do generally book our air as soon as our dates become available as that's when the rates are best, in my experience, unless I forget like I did this year. But even that worked out well in the end. We fly JB or AA out of JFK depending on what's available and of course the pricing factors in. I wouldn't fly either one from Bradley since they don't offer any non stop flights from there to SXM and it's only about fifteen minutes further for us to drive to JFK. I can't figure out why JB charges so much more for Boston flights over those from JFK. As the plane flys, I doubt there's a huge distance difference and Boston has a huge draw from all of southern New England for SXM travelers. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Agreed. We booked as soon as the dates opened up. Used miles to get to the island. Booked the United non-stop on the way back to Chicago for $285/pp.

I ussually dont book until mid jan for april flight. Never a problem. Schools went to a unified calendar so this year all changes. Very large portion of the northeast.has spring break the week of april 8.