Good afternoon, we will going on first trip to St Martin Oct 4-8th. We are staying at Hotel l'Esplanade. Can anyone give me some suggestions about activities in the area and any insight into the hotel? Thanks, I can't wait to get there!

Make sure that you rent a car....this is the best way to see and get around on the island.
Best beaches (I think) are in the Lowlands...Baie Rouge & Longe Baie, beautiful and quite. Don't miss Orient Baie
Best resturants are in Grande Case
Make sure you hit Phillsburg and Marigot for shopping
Day trip to Pinel Island (via speed boat, 3 minute ride!)
Day trip to Anguilla (via Ferry)
Sat AM Marigot open air Market

These are just a FEW of the things that we do everytime we visit.
You have picked a wonderful island to visit!!

Thank you very much for the information!

Heather,

I haven't personally stayed at L'Esplanade but I have never heard a bad word about it and in fact, most who stay there rave about how good it is so I'm thinking you won't be disappointed.

Rent that car and get out and around the island and see as much of it as you can squeeze in and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

pat
:-)

Allie..please tell us all about the "speed boat" to Pinel Island you mentioned above. From where does it launch...what's the $$...ETC?? We're used to sitting in a flat bottomed John boat that putts along at maybe 3 knots (a little better than a snail's pace and it gets you there in 5 minutes (or so)...fast enough for us. spike

Hey all...first post here, but I have been visiting St Maarten for 13 years now. Due to "life" circumstances, my yearly (and sometimes twice yearly) visits haven't occured since 2002. I noticed on that last trip that the big modern grocery store that was at the circle (near Burger King?) was closed.

Where is there to shop now? I read something about Grand Marche in another post, but am unsure as to where that is?

Also, what is the latest/best place to rent a car from? And what are the current going rates?

Any and all help is appreciated!

I'll be returning "home" the end of October (watch out Halloween! LOL), and stay at The Towers.

The grocery store that you referred to as closed is now Le Grand Marche and it is a very nice, modern store. We rent from Kenny's Car all the time...great guy, great cars and good rate. His email is bruce@sintmaarten.net.

Annie

Rock Goddess,

We also rent from Lesley Bruce/Kennys Car Rentals. He's a great guy to do business with but prices depend on model of car, time of trip, etc., and can vary depending on these factors. Best thing to do is e-mail him:

Bruce@sintmaarten.net

Give him your dates and tell him what you're looking for and he'll get back to you. There are many car rental agencies on the island with all kinds of cars and all kinds of numbers, and all levels of service. We've rented from Lesley for the past few years and can only say good things about him.

Respectfully,

pat
:-)

It isn't the size of Grand Marche but there's grocery store in Maho now that has just about everything you would probably need. It'll be on the right just as you enter the 'new' roundabout heading from the airport into Maho toward the Towers.

And, - they carry Etna ice cream !!

So...about the "speed boat" to Pinel...???

Hi - we are planning a trip to St. Maartin in June '07. It will be our first time there but in reading through some of the postings the talk of crime on the island has me a little apprehensive about the visit. Can anyone that has been there or lives there give me some information on this?

Thanks - Susan