This dining capital of the Caribbean offers visitors the unique experience of enjoying 2 distinct cultures on one stunning tropical island. Dutch St. Maarten is known for being lively and cosmopolitan, while French St. Martin is more tranquil and has the flair of San Tropez. This unique island also offers a wide range of accommodations, ranging from intimate boutique hotels that dot French St. Martin to larger, full-service resorts that showcase Dutch St. Maarten. Accommodations range from moderate to luxurious.
I thoroughly enjoyed the newly re-opened Secrets St. Martin. With only 258 rooms and tucked away on a half-moon cove, this resort offers a great spa and several room types. There are two buildings, and the rooms are the same in the categories but just a different view. The preferred club rooms face the marina usually on the upper floor, the lower floor has the swim up rooms.
The resort boasts one of the Caribbean’s largest freeform pools and offers a great spa. The Fitness Center is nice size and offers Matrix Equipment – they also have aqua bikes in the pool. The beach is rather short and it’s a cove beach but nice and snorkeling in one of the Caribbean’s calmest bays is great. There are several dining options to choose from and only Himitsu, the Asian restaurant requires reservations.
One note of caution, this is not a resort for anyone that has mobility issues – some areas don’t have elevator access though the resort does have elevators near rooms.