Posted By: ScottW
Trip report 1/29-2/13 - 03/08/2022 03:35 PM
1/29 – 2/13/22 trip report. Finally able to put together some notes and comments from our trip. Nothing exciting to report, but we had a great time. We’ve travelled to SXM every year since 2007.
Our usual villa was not available and we had decided to pass for this year. 2 weeks before our trip, I found a place at the Villas at Simpson Bay on Redweek. Airfare out of Philly was only $308/RT, so we scrambled and put it all together at the last minute.
Our group consisted of my wife and I, my son, daughter-in-law and 2 grand kids (4 and 6). Another daughter and her boyfriend came for a week in the middle of the 2 weeks.
EHAS- We went last year and were already familiar with the process. All of us are vaccinated, so the only test needed was for the 6 year old. He is not eligible for a booster yet, so he had to have a test. Zero issues getting approved.
American Airlines- We live outside of Baltimore, but prefer to fly non-stop from Philly. We were supposed to leave on 1/29, but the flight was cancelled due to snow. I rebooked for 1/30 out of Baltimore and resubmitted the EHAS forms online. They responded quickly with updated approvals. The line was extremely long when we arrived. I will say they kept it moving and it was no big deal. I took the Binax test kits with us for our return tests. No issues, did them all from our room without any problems.
Now the fun starts. We boarded our return flight and were waiting out turn to take off. Our turn arrived and we slowly started down the runway. We never picked up speed and the pilot turned back toward the gate area. After a 15 minute wait, we were told the pilots had exceeded their allowed flight hours and we would not be flying. We unloaded and went back though immigration, collected our bags and went to the counter. Vouchers were provided for taxis and the hotel (Sonesta Maho). There was 1 person checking in our whole group at the hotel. People were not happy, but we took it in stride. It was late by the time we finally got our rooms and we went to the buffet to get a quick bite to eat before they closed. I’m not a fan of all inclusive resorts. If the buffet is any indication of the overall food at this resort, there is no way I would stay there again. Our morning flight departed at 10:00 the next morning and we arrived to light snow in Philly. I submitted a complaint to AA and they provided each of us with a $200 voucher for out troubles. I have no real complaints. We’ve had minimal issues with AA out of Philly over the years.
Simpson Bay Resort- We stayed here many times when we first started going to SXM. The company I worked for had 2 weeks in the Marina building. At that time, it was very dated and the service was not great, but we always enjoyed it. The resort has since been updated and I will say the service is vastly improved. We stayed in a penthouse unit in the Villas, which has the added bonus of the rooftop terrace. My son and I enjoyed grilling out on the terrace with a cocktail in hand. The kids sat at the outdoor bar and watched TV while the adults enjoyed dinners in peace.
We made the decision to not rent a car this trip. We all enjoy walking and it worked out fine. Market Garden is right down the street and we stocked up on groceries from there. My wife and I took several long walks back through the Pelican Key neighborhood to get some exercise.
We ate a lot of meals at our unit, but did mange to get out some.
The Buccaneer Beach Bar is perfect for our group. Fine dining is not our style and the kids can play on the beach. We went there 3 times and thought the food and service were great.
Isola was our go to spot for carry out. The pizzas and other dishes we ordered were all good.
Breakfasts were at Zbest and the yacht club. Those 2 have been favorites of ours for years.
My wife and I celebrated our 40th anniversary with dinner at Astra. We couldn’t have been more pleased. Food, service and setting were fabulous.
The adult children went to dinner at La Patrona and then spent the evening at the Red Piano. Music was good and the place was packed.
Our days were spent on the beach at the resort. It is a bit crowded for my taste, but we had no issues getting chairs and the kids loved it. Frozen drinks at the bar were a hit.
At night, after the kids go to bed, we like to sit out on the balcony, sip on some bourbon and watch the world go by. I love seeing the variety of boats in the bay. The loud music was an issue on many nights. The music from Roxxi is not my style and was annoying. My kids didn’t like it either, so it is not just me getting old. To those that like that kind of music, it is probably a plus. Once we were inside, the music was not an issue.
Last year we went for 3 weeks, this year 2. Flying is just not much fun anymore, so I refuse to go for less than 2 weeks now. For us, it is too much effort for just 1 week.
I hope we can return again next year.
Scott
Our usual villa was not available and we had decided to pass for this year. 2 weeks before our trip, I found a place at the Villas at Simpson Bay on Redweek. Airfare out of Philly was only $308/RT, so we scrambled and put it all together at the last minute.
Our group consisted of my wife and I, my son, daughter-in-law and 2 grand kids (4 and 6). Another daughter and her boyfriend came for a week in the middle of the 2 weeks.
EHAS- We went last year and were already familiar with the process. All of us are vaccinated, so the only test needed was for the 6 year old. He is not eligible for a booster yet, so he had to have a test. Zero issues getting approved.
American Airlines- We live outside of Baltimore, but prefer to fly non-stop from Philly. We were supposed to leave on 1/29, but the flight was cancelled due to snow. I rebooked for 1/30 out of Baltimore and resubmitted the EHAS forms online. They responded quickly with updated approvals. The line was extremely long when we arrived. I will say they kept it moving and it was no big deal. I took the Binax test kits with us for our return tests. No issues, did them all from our room without any problems.
Now the fun starts. We boarded our return flight and were waiting out turn to take off. Our turn arrived and we slowly started down the runway. We never picked up speed and the pilot turned back toward the gate area. After a 15 minute wait, we were told the pilots had exceeded their allowed flight hours and we would not be flying. We unloaded and went back though immigration, collected our bags and went to the counter. Vouchers were provided for taxis and the hotel (Sonesta Maho). There was 1 person checking in our whole group at the hotel. People were not happy, but we took it in stride. It was late by the time we finally got our rooms and we went to the buffet to get a quick bite to eat before they closed. I’m not a fan of all inclusive resorts. If the buffet is any indication of the overall food at this resort, there is no way I would stay there again. Our morning flight departed at 10:00 the next morning and we arrived to light snow in Philly. I submitted a complaint to AA and they provided each of us with a $200 voucher for out troubles. I have no real complaints. We’ve had minimal issues with AA out of Philly over the years.
Simpson Bay Resort- We stayed here many times when we first started going to SXM. The company I worked for had 2 weeks in the Marina building. At that time, it was very dated and the service was not great, but we always enjoyed it. The resort has since been updated and I will say the service is vastly improved. We stayed in a penthouse unit in the Villas, which has the added bonus of the rooftop terrace. My son and I enjoyed grilling out on the terrace with a cocktail in hand. The kids sat at the outdoor bar and watched TV while the adults enjoyed dinners in peace.
We made the decision to not rent a car this trip. We all enjoy walking and it worked out fine. Market Garden is right down the street and we stocked up on groceries from there. My wife and I took several long walks back through the Pelican Key neighborhood to get some exercise.
We ate a lot of meals at our unit, but did mange to get out some.
The Buccaneer Beach Bar is perfect for our group. Fine dining is not our style and the kids can play on the beach. We went there 3 times and thought the food and service were great.
Isola was our go to spot for carry out. The pizzas and other dishes we ordered were all good.
Breakfasts were at Zbest and the yacht club. Those 2 have been favorites of ours for years.
My wife and I celebrated our 40th anniversary with dinner at Astra. We couldn’t have been more pleased. Food, service and setting were fabulous.
The adult children went to dinner at La Patrona and then spent the evening at the Red Piano. Music was good and the place was packed.
Our days were spent on the beach at the resort. It is a bit crowded for my taste, but we had no issues getting chairs and the kids loved it. Frozen drinks at the bar were a hit.
At night, after the kids go to bed, we like to sit out on the balcony, sip on some bourbon and watch the world go by. I love seeing the variety of boats in the bay. The loud music was an issue on many nights. The music from Roxxi is not my style and was annoying. My kids didn’t like it either, so it is not just me getting old. To those that like that kind of music, it is probably a plus. Once we were inside, the music was not an issue.
Last year we went for 3 weeks, this year 2. Flying is just not much fun anymore, so I refuse to go for less than 2 weeks now. For us, it is too much effort for just 1 week.
I hope we can return again next year.
Scott
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