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Recommendations for a villa on St. Martin

CigarStone

For once, knowledge is making me poor!
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
11,526
Theresa and I are hoping to take a short getaway vacation to St. Martin in December or January. We have a couple places we can stay but are interested in finding something "different or special". The best part is we are open to staying anywhere on the island as long as it's clean, private, and offers something fun & memorable.

Anybody have any recommendations?
 
How "quick" of a vacation are you looking at and, without trying to pry, how much of an issue is cost?

Those things asked, depending on your answer to the first part of that query, if time allows (not to mention your sea-leg disposition), I would opt for not staying on the island, but chartering a catamaran. Know some people down there who will set one up nicely in, to start, about a 57', with every luxury imagineable. Then you can simply go from cay to cay/isle to isle, or anyway the wind blows...it's amazing to stay on a boat and see the area from that. Pick up anchor and go to off-the-beaten-venues and then, if you like a place, drop anchor and stick around for awhile. If you don't like it, no worries, go somewhere else. If you want to stay on land for a while, no worries either - spend the day there, the night, the next morning, wake up and your vessel is ready to go when you are.

Not a good idea to bare-boat it down there unless you're very well-acquainted with navigating the waters - quite tricky in spots, many protected areas as well. You can get a nice sized cat with a chef and captain, say a week's worth of food - which you pick ahead of time, so you're not at their mercy - and a first hand account of the whole area, for a very reasonable amount.

Put it this way, whenever I go down to any portion of the Virgin Islands and points south-east, I no longer stay on land - always either chart, or if I'm feeling like busting my ass - captain my own boat down - far nicer to let someone else do the work though.
 
MC, He's from Ohio. There ain't that much dramamine.

Doc.
 
MC, He's from Ohio. There ain't that much dramamine.

Doc.

I convinced myself, the first time I got on a big boat, that three dry martinis performs the exact same medical function as Dramamine. :D
 
Rob needs to post the sea sick pictures from Mystic.

Funny thing about that, the boat never even left the dock! :sign:
 
I have used VRBO.com a couple times with great success. Rather than dealing with an agency, you deal directly with the homeowners (save $$$). I actually had such good experiences, I recommended it to my parents who used it to find a place in the Finger Lakes for a long weekend. Via the website, you can find options around the globe.

I would have to say that MC makes a very interesting point. I actually looked into this option, but have never done it. It is very intriguing for all the reasons he listed, as well as the privacy you would have. I would definitely look into that as well.
 
I've used this service with some good results. Never been to St. Martin so I can't recommend a place.

Rentals

Bon chance!
 
I have stayed on St Maartin and St Barts, and if you can swing it I would recommend going to St Barts. I stayed at the Guanahani (spelling phonetically) and it was nice. Had small four room huts with teakwood floors looking out on a lagoon or beach. Friends from Europe and Canada told me it is very popular wtih Americans, and for me they were right. Nice location right on the beach, with bar service to your lounge chair.

If you go to St. Maartin, I would look on the French side of the island as opposed to the Dutch side.

I have actually always benefited from using a travel agent going to FWI or the DWI. I have found that either the price was the same as I could do on my own, or actually cheaper, especially since you are going in the high season.

Drink some Carib beer while you are there, and ISOM plentiful, but shop as price varied when I was there last. Rum is good there. I prefer bourbon and am not really a rum drinker, but made do since it was the local beverage.

CParker
 
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