Sonesta Maho Beach: This resort is every thing l want when on vacation

The grounds are kept beautiful the Sonesto Maho Resort is very clean the rooms are a nice size the beds were comfortable The entertainment was great we were four people we enjoyed the casino Royale it was right across from the resort

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Great place to be!!

We were a group of 6 ladies that travelled the week of Sept 25-Oct 2 and had a great time!! All of the staff were super friendly and the food and drinks were amazing. We stayed on the 8th floor and had no complaints about our 3 rooms what so ever :) THe grounds were clean and the beach the place to be everyday- the planes landing made it very interesting. The pool needs some work and I think a new liner is required but it wa still clean and refreshing.

Sonesta Maho Beach: Great area hotel needs updating

We had a wonderful vacation. Food is great but only one ala carte and the menu did not change. Check in was crazy wuth3 buses. It could have run smoother if agents started the procedure at the airport. Great people. Upgrade was not made correctly. This is not a 4 star by any means but they do take care if you and it really is enough. Overall we had a great vacation. I am definitely going back. You can take bus outside for 2 or walk to mullet bay beach. Very safe. Casino and stores and bars accro [... read more]ss street. Can rent car and drive around island.

Sonesta Maho Beach: all good

Coming back November Ascot Pub Paul Maxima Jen the best fun laugh dance awsome RAMON at the beach Carol at buffet can not get any better Food always fresh and yummy Beach Fair Rooms Nice People always nice if you are also YOU CAN NOT GO WRONG IF YOU WANT A GOOD TIME

Sonesta Maho Beach: Book only if you get a good deal

We've been to this resort twice...the first time in August 2012 and the second time in August 2014. The quality has deteriorated and it seems as though the management does not know how to manage or is unaware that it's staff does not know what customer service means. Major advantage of this hotel is location. It is a 5 minute drive from the airport and the beach is on next to the landing strip so if you love to watch planes land and take off, this is the resort for you. Traveller Beware as the [... read more] fumes from the jet fuel tend to be strong. The quality and selection of the food is decent. There are not too many choices of restaurants. A buffet, which runs for breakfast, lunch and supper...a grill, which runs for lunch...and which turns into an Italian restaurant for supper...and a pub...which is right outside the resort...& not really advertised by the resort unless you ask I seem to recall there being at least one or two more restaurants in 2012...but it looks like they may have shut them down. I have been to 4 star hotels in Cuba with more restaurant options. The following needs improvement: Hotel: does not look like they maintain the place too much. They appeared to have been going through renovations in 2012 and it looked like they are still going through renovations in 2014...but it looks like they are renovating rooms only. The rooms seem to be ok but the keyless card entry system appears to have problems as it did 2 years ago. You can find yourself struggling just to try to get into your room as the cards tend not to work. The maids will come around and tell you that you are not doing it right...they will jiggle the door handle, insert and remove the card very rapidly, or experiment with different speeds if not successful until the door unlocks... For the most part the problem is a weak battery in the door mechanism, but trying to get maintenance to change the battery is work in itself. We had same problem two years ago. Speaking of maids, the day you check out, they are knocking at the doors asking when you will leave so that they can clean the room. They did this twice to us...we were there for two weeks ...once at the end of the first week and once at the end of our stay ...Checkout is at 11 am folks...don't be intimidated by the maids or let them force you out of your rooms early especially considering that they often don't give you sufficient towels to shower. 4 people in a room means we need 4 towels...often we had three ... Sometimes two...had to call to get more. Speaking of management they tend not to be well prepared...nor do they appear to be to bright. First stay two years ago, we had to get our room changed a few times due to not getting a proper functioning room safe, broken door etc...but this time, although we had a functioning door, we were given a room with one king bed for two adults and two kids to share and were told that this is large enough for four people. Not sure if this is a hotel management issue or a sun wing issue. When we finally got our new room, which was a few days later, considering that the hotel was booked and considering that they had to wait for a free room, they kicked us out of our room so they could offer prepare our rooms for other guest and said we could not check in to our new room until 3 pm... So we had no room for 5 hours during one day of our trip ... They had other rooms available but did not offer to us since it was a higher caliber room. They just cannot get their act together. Other guests had similar issues both in 2012 & 2014. The hotel offers WIFI FOR FREE...in the lobby only...if you want it in your room then you need to pay...so what you find is many guests with their iPhones or tablets sitting or standing in the lobby surfing the net or reading email... Standing because often there is no place to sit...& often being told by security that you can't sit there because the chair is not meant for guests or because the area is not meant for sitting... The major issue with this hotel, if you have kids, is that there is absolutely no night time entertainment for kids...other than a Ping pong table with 3 paddles and pool table that slants in one direction and movies that they show on a projection screen a few times a week, there is nothing to do. There is entertainment outside the hotel but nothing really for kids. 2 years ago they had a show at the casino across the street ... Which was major entertainment for kids...but due to casino expansion ...kids are no longer welcome. The hotel itself does not appear to have an area with an auditorium or stage... Regarding the staff, most have appeared to be decent and friendly, with a few who are absolutely rude. It appeared that the younger females and some of the older ones were polite and friendly. However the younger males appears red to be somewhat rude to guests. I would assume that management needs to train them on customer service. The beach is decent but not as nice as I have seen in other locations. The water quality is good and there are plenty of fish to feed around you...which is fun for the kids. Some guests spotted a barracuda and a stingray....but as long as you don't bother them, they won't bother you. One point to note re the beach is that some of the locals, who don't work for the hotel, plant themselves at the sole entrance from the hotel to the beach so that they can sell you clothes, hats, or braid your hair. This is not a problem to some but could be for others as they do not like being harassed repeatedly to get their hair braided. I am singling out one lady, who goes by the name of Joyce, as the problem as she tends to yell and scream at the other ladies in her quest to steal business from them other and sometimes gets into fights and arguments with the tourists who are trying to relax and enjoy their beach vacation. It is actually quite amusing to see and I regret missing the opportunity to video this as it happened about 6 times during my two week stay. Although amusing, I feel for the guests who were fighting with her, getting massaged by her while she was fighting with others or were otherwise annoyed by her. We had a minor issue with our flight as well...departing from Montreal. at the time we booked, we were told that there were no connections...however when we got on the plane, they announced that we had to stop in Toronto to pick up more passengers, which added about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of travel time. 6 1/2 hrs to get there...and 8 hrs to get back to Montreal. Not a problem if you fly from Toronto. Would have been nice if they could mention that there was a stop in Toronto. Conclusion: if you love watching planes and are willing to put up with the many faults of this hotel, then you don't have a choice but to stay at this resort. However, if watching planes is not a concern, then you would be better off staying at another resort or at a 4 or 5 star in Cuba as we have received better service and accommodation in Cuba...been there at least 10 times. Regardless, I would only return to this hotel if I got a great deal...I had seen prices from Montreal run from about $1,000 to $1,600 during the July and August season with prices changing on a daily basis. My view is that if you can get it for less than $1,000 go for it...it's a good deal, about $1,000 is acceptable...anything higher is not worth it.

Esmeralda Resort: Esmeralda Resort...favourite Carribean resort

Been going for 8 years!...what does that tell you and what more can I say!!! Beach is great, close to great restaurants, staff friendly, grounds well manicured and maintained, rooms may be a little dated but are well maintained!!!!

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Very clean!!!

This hotel was very clean. The food was amazing and the wait staff were great. Beach was nice, but the water was a bit rough. Gorgeous weather too!! All the staff were very friendly. The wood oven was the best!!! pizza was outstanding!!! should have had it going 24/7!!!

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Hotel is very good. No complaints.

Hotel was situated in a good location, where you can walk to downtown Phillipsburg. Not an overly large hotel, the rooms are a good size. If you like pools, (I don't care for pools) it is small. The view from the grounds and around the pool of the beach and ocean is great.

Sonesta Maho Beach: Sonesta Maho beach

Beautiful hotel-room,great food, great fun at the pool,not impressed with the beach or the entertainment. great pool and bar .Went to the wedding on the Saturday.not much entertainment for folks that do not do the casino, great shopping.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Great people,great food and great booze

The service was amazing, The food was amazing and can beer...coors lite, miller light ....never got sick of the food...you have to try the steak dinner upstairs. Short walk on the beach to town for some great shopping. Went sea-dooing and scuba diving was amazing. Rented a car across the street 45 bucks for 24 hours great. All the staff was amazing even the security gards...only thing they could improve on is the night entertainment very boring...except for one band on sat night...great place to [... read more] visit....I would go back again for sure.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Definite return spot!

This resort is simply amazing. The pool area of this resort has a very tasteful and modern design, overlooking the ocean and the cruise ship dock in downtown St. Philipsberg. The staff was simply amazing as well, they really make you feel like family. The food is delicious, I was never disappointed and the selection is very generous.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: this resort puts the first in class

excellent food, every day something different,not the recycled food you get at some other resorts where your supper is what they served at lunch, the variety of breakfast choice was varied every day and bacon, sausage, ect was available every morning not just once a week as it is in the Dominican Republic staff very attentive to your every need.got a knock at the door for room service and it was the lady who checked the beer and booze in your room with another bottle of Bacardi lemon, it like th [... read more]e other 4 bottles of booze in the room was complimentary the beer and soft drinks in the fridge were checked and refreshed every day, excellent view of the whole bay from the third floor,the view was all the way to the cruise ship docks,this was a deluxe sea view room, if you book a garden view it is on the opposite side of the building with a view of the main road and hills,not my preference but still very nice, entertainment good short walk to phillipsburg

Le Beach Hotel: Great Place to Stay! Love it!

This was a great place to stay! The view is amazing on the ocean side. The deck that is overlooking the ocean is incredible! Would recommend spending the extra to stay there. Food is wonderful. Breakfast amazing! Staff very friendly and accommodating! This resort is centrally located in Marigot and easy to get to the marina-great meals there and the market.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Awesome resort

Beautiful beach, lovely views, excellent food and service. Friendly staff. Great location. Walk to Phillipsburg. A la carte restaurants were excellent. Lots to do if you want or just relax and be waited on.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Fantastic Trip

I travelled with my 20 and 23 year old daughters. We had a terrific time in St. Maarten. The hotel was in an excellent location on the island and we strolled along the beach to the nice downtown everyday. The food was delicious and the hotel was clean. Only annoying problem was our hotel room smelt musty and like mildew. The lampshade had mold dots on it. We were going to change rooms but it also smelt musty. We faced the island side. Another couple at the resort didnt have this issue in their r [... read more]oom but they were on the ocean side. I would go back to this hotel (ocean side) many times in the future as I got great value for our money. Great Bay was scenic with cruise ships and nice landscaping. We really enjoyed the view of the bay, the walks to town, the food at the hotel and the warm ocean in this Sonesta Hotel.

Sonesta Maho Beach: Amazing Resort!!!!

It was a pleasure to stay at this resort and would definitely go back! The staff are friendly, the rooms are clean, the food is good, what else can you ask for? The island is beautiful to explore as well.

Sonesta Maho Beach: Very good vacation!

I will be short and to the points. Pros 1. Close to the air port: a. short trip to and from the hotel; b. Can take some real good photos of landing air plane (if that is what you like) 2. Check in is fast 3. Room is clean and well kept. Ours is on the 8th floor looking over Mullet bay. Complaints about the smell from the water treatment plant on the ground is NOT justified. It is noisy though, if you are standing on the balcony. 4. Foods are good at The Point, The Palms Grill as well as the The [... read more] Ocean Terrace (buffet). Wines and drinks are good. 5. Free wifi is decent at the lobby. 6. Staff members are good, in general. I mention Thaimi here as an example of a good, warm, and attentive hotess. 7. Sint Maarten is small enough for easy getting around by bus and/or taxi to see other places. For our short vacation we did visit Philipsburg (twice), Dawn beach, Marigot (short stop over), Mullet Bay beach (10 minutes walk from the hotel) and Cupecoy beach, and of course Maho beach. We found Mullet bay beach is our best. The scenery at Cupecoy beach is spectacular; yet the waves are rough. The public beach at Cupecoy is short. (The long stretch was kept private by the time share apartment and resorts there). 8. Being able to stop at Sonesta Great Bay for foods and drinks and a swim (while visiting 9. Philipsburg) is another plus. The Italian buffet and the sea food restaurant are good here. 10. The locals are good people. We happened to be right in the 45th annual Carnival in Philipsburg. Cons: 1. In room wifi should be more reasonable. 2. Cleaning staff sometimes forgot to supply new towels. It happened once during our stay. 3. Some waitress are grumpy; it could very well be not her/their day. 4. Sint Maarten should develop bus lines going to St. Martin (the French side) for tourist who prefer not to drive or going by taxi. Room Tip: Sixth floor and up. They have 10 floors at the tower.

Sonesta Great Bay Beach & Casino: Relaxing stay

Everyone at this resort was so friendly and went out of their way to make you feel at home. Rooms were clean, very comfortable beds and the food was great, especially in the a la carte restaurants. Lots of variety. A special thank you to Vicky on the front desk for her compassion and assistance when I needed it. Also, our server, Vernike, in the Bay View restaurant was extremely efficient and friendly. The ocean view is worth the extra $.

Alamanda Resort: Excellent location steps away from the best beach

The hotel was steps away from Famous Orient Beach. The beach is great and the swimming excellent. Beach chairs provided by the hotel through the Kakao Bar and Grill for free. The rooms were good. The shower tub might be difficult for elderly. The bed was very firm. The water view from the balcony was obstructed by the growth of the palm trees. Breakfast was very good. Basic continental but you can upgrade. We rented a car for a week of our stay. It provided us flexibility. Traffic can be very he [... read more]avy in some spots particularly Phillipsburg and Marigot. There are restaurant choices within steps of the hotel. Le Piment was amazing. There was no store close by for groceries. A car ride away we found excellent options. We would definitely stay again.

Sonesta Maho Beach: REALLY AMAZING PLACE TO VACATION.

A great place to vacation. Been there twice in six months. What does that tell you. Beaches are nice. People are nice. An island that only take three hours to tour. We rented a car and found so many beaches. Prices are great. Oh and btw I got engaged there. The price of diamonds/jewelry are fabulous