Kudos to el Zafiro!

https://www.caribjournal.com/2019/07/21/st-maarten-caribbean-beach-hotel/

It's a nice write up. ...Which it should be, since I suspect that publication basically looks to be all glorified ads..

Yes, Wally was the bartender who was cheerful and made some good BBC's. Will try lunch next time......

It’s a nice little write-up and happy to say we found El Zafiro before it opened as such. On our first visit they were still building and then painting their bar. We’ve breakfasted, lunched, beached and actually stayed there and it’s been all good.

Nicole and Ed have created a lovely little taste of the old SXM we came to love so long ago. But I have to add, they weren’t hosting/offering the Pilates and beach parties along with the cruise ship passengers on a regular basis then. Not sure how much I’d enjoy that addition but I definitely understand their need to do so.

It's on my radar for next May.

95% convinced that the sloping palm tree shown in their pic is the same as this one.....................

Yes! That is at el Zafiro!!! Cute picture!!

We were there in either May or November when cruise passengers came in. They were only there for a couple of hours, and didn't really disrupt our peace and quiet too much.

We learned during our April visit that they had begun taking on two "small" bus loads of boat visitors each day that the ship has takers. Many more chairs than before. The visitors stay for lunch and then move on. Not too disrupting and helps the staff stay busy and employed. Seems to be working.

This week a Mega Yacht, the Voyager Bikini (name was changed from Danah Voyager) is off the shore. My guess is that it is too big to make it into the harbor so it is parked in Simpson Bay. A 92 foot supply ship transformed into a 5 story yacht. Some billionaire, unknown, paid the tab. https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/90m-voyager-completes-three-year-conversion--29937b. Marshall Island flag is mentioned on another site.

We stayed there last November for 4 days after a 15 day vacation and totally enjoyed it the cruise ship people are there , but don’t get in the way ,rooms are very nice , patio open to the sea back side you have the planes what could be better , food and drinks very good . We are staying there this year for 3 days before our November vacation great find .

Veery nice and cool place to hang out at .

We stayed at EZB for a few nights before one of our stays at BSV and we’re very happy with our time there. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful or accommodating and we thoroughly enjoyed all the meals we had at their restaurant, mostly breakfasts and salad lunches. We did have dinner there one evening and my DH said he thought the scallop app he ordered was one of the best he’d ever had.

At that time there was a very pleasant young man, Tim I think, who was working the beach for them. The last afternoon-early evening we were there, we looked out and saw him setting up every beach lounge they had along the length of their beach. We thought at first Tim had lost it and was just bored to tears and filling up his time by possibly cleaning all the chairs? On our departure the next morning we stopped to wish him and the rest of the staff well and couldn’t resist asking what was with all the chair set-ups and were told they were expecting a hundred cruise ship guests for lunch.

Yikes! I don’t know if that was for real or perhaps a bit of wishful thinking on their part but I couldn’t help but breathe a big sigh of relief we were moving that day but only because we don’t enjoy being in such a crowded situation. I’m sure, given the very warm hospitality we’ve always been shown by all the EZB staff it makes for a good day for everyone but just not one we’d choose to be a part of.

I understand they are doing what they have to do to keep busy and make money.

But after having experienced two days in June AND last November of this cruise ship phenomenon, I pass it by if we go there and I see those buses or the four wheelers in the parking lot. One time they were all drunk by 11am! It was open bar, lunch, chairs for the cruisers....and they were certainly taking advantage of the unlimited rhum punches. There was also a singer with a guitar and speakers. Not what I was looking for in a relaxing lunch/breakfast.

That said, we spend at least 2 or 3 days there each trip. Lovely and relaxing on the beach. Uncrowded. Good food. But only when there are no cruisers.

Being fans of El Zafiro, we tend to go often. We have had breakfast and lunch there but not dinner. Ed and Nicole worked hard getting things up and running. They were hit hard by Irma, as was everyone. They could have packed it in, but didn’t. They rebuilt quickly and nicely.

I understand their jumping at a cruise ship opportunity. Staying at BSV this year we were able to see how they were setting up. If we saw they were getting ready for a ship excursion day we stayed at BSV until the crowds eased.

One thing we noticed is they don’t seem to have a deal with Royal Caribbean.

Any way, I wish them well, they are 2 hardworking and very nice people.

You hit the nail on the head! Ed and Nicole worked nonstop to reopen!!! They were destroyed from the hurricane and buckled down to rebuild and restart! Amazing beautiful people. Against all odds! Yes. We are huge el Zafiro supporters! LOVE being there!!

So outsiders can rent chairs and umbrellas for the day?

Certainly. Just check to make sure there are no ships in, on the date you want to go.

Chairs umbrellas free if you drink or eat there.

We have been there a few times great beach! Food is only ok even for beach food. Maybe the food has improved. My real complaint is that they wanted to charge an extra service charge for using a credit card. We wen three times in two weeks and used the card each time. The third time suddenly they wanted to charge extra and said it was always the policy. Eventually the person backed down, but we were left with a bad feeling and have not gone back.

Charging extra to use a credit card, as some establishments do, is a turn off to me too.

We love Simpson Bay never stayed at Zafrio but might give it a try. Heard the room was a bit small and no frills . Does it have a Resturant, Bar or pool? Do they take credit cards? I agree probably a paid for article but still nice write up.

Fsxm,

No pool but yes to a restaurant and bar. Food seems to get mixed reviews but for us it has always been good. DH still talks about the delicious sauteed scallop app he had there last year. The rooms are not high end fancy but they are still nice. We stayed upstairs in the Sapphire Suite and enjoyed the view from our balcony. My only complaint, being very short, was the height of the bed and when I mentioned it to the concierge she camectontgecfoom later in the day with a little footstool. Pretty nice service and totally unexpected, but considerably appreciated. Free chairs on the beach, goes without saying and when we were there we had no problems using our MC for both meal and room charges. The staff was beyond excellent and Nicole and Ed are very nice to do business with.

The staff will bend over backwards to make your stay or meal perfect!!! Nicole and Ed and their staff ROCK!!!