TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin ideas on how to spend time before late flight?

We have an 11 am check out on a Saturday and don't need to be at the airport until 3:30. Any ideas of pools with amenities. Any other ideas would be great. We also need to store our luggage or take it with us. Don't want to leave in the car.

1. ask your hotel for a late check -out or find out if they have a changing room with shower so you can stay at the beach . Divi has this plus a room to hold luggage. May if nothing else your place could hold your luggage while you go for lunch.

2. Karakter's had a shower last time we were there.

Flamingo has that option also. You just need to book and hour in their room for showering and changing. No additional cost either. They store your luggage too.

Agree with RonDon's suggestions. Also, if you can check your bags early, you could go most anywhere, like Sunset, and pay to use their pool ($10 a person I think) and spend the day. Also, depending on how early you arrive at the airport, you can do the Souliga Lounge at the airport--$20 per person, which includes wine (but not hard alcohol or beer) and snacks, like wings, mini quiche, etc., internet, TV, more comfortable place to sit, etc.

I know the Towers does this also and in fact, I just took it for granted all the timeshare properties did. Hotels could easily be another issue as some will allow you to linger and others will charge for the privilege. Did you check with the property you're staying in? Possibly, if they don't have need for your rooms after you vacate, they might allow you a later checkout?

A word of caution if you do have to vacate your accommodations - please, whatever you do, do not leave your bags in your locked trunk or car. They might not be there later.

Personally speaking, once I'm packed I'm ready to go so we generally drag our feet from leaving our accommodations and then head for the airport and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the Soualiga Lounge as was previously discussed. It's worth the $20.00 pp fee for the quiet alone and if you're in the position of carrying the 'right' credit card, you might be able to enter visit free. But all that said, we never have that late a departure time. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Could always go to the Sunset Beach Bar and watch the planes. But if you can get a late check out, that would be the best option.

Ask for late check out if you are doing carry on. We have stayed at places that either allowed late checkout or held our bags for us in the office.
If you are checking luggage check your luggage at the airport, if possible, and have lunch at Sunset or St Maarten Yacht Club.

Thanks for the suggestions. We are staying at a private condo so we don't have option of late check out but maybe a long lunch might work out.

We solved that problem for the past several years by departing on Friday instead of Saturday. Having a timeshare with a Saturday checkout allowed us to stay as long as we wanted on Friday. With a three week trip, that makes sense, but this year we're only staying for two weeks, so that's not an option for me. We're kind of like Pat, in that once it's time to go, it's time to go. We'll leave our luggage in the luggage room at La Vista, have a late breakfast at the Yacht Club, and then just head for the airport lounge.

As probably someone else has said, just don't leave your luggage in the car while you eat!!

Most of us travelling back to US, have flights later in the afternoon. That was no problem for us when Belair had 12 noon check out time but that has gone to 10AM. Late check out can be requested but if your room is scheduled to be occupied that day they will say "no".
Good news is that the airport has become a better place to kill time with the exception of the "downstairs nightmare" also known as B Gates. We enjoy getting a drink, nosh and people watch to pass the time upstairs until close to boarding time.

Depending on whether you have someone coming in after you, ask whoever your renting from if you can stay. We have done it several times.

I noticed El Zafiro had a shower in their public bathroom, which was very clean. She offered to hold our luggage in one of her empty rooms when we arrived. The ribs are amazing there!! Also, dreams held our luggage for us in a locked room once. Enjoy <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I would say Mary's Boon Hotel for sure. Its just 5 min away from the airport on Simpson Bay with a great beach bar and restaurant. They even have a deck you can go on top to watch the planes if you like or just hang on the beach until flight time. Very nice folks.

We are staying down the road from La Vista and have walked by it a few times. How do you like it? Do they have options for a room with a kitchen or efficiency?

I just like to head to the airport early and then spend the time relaxing in the the lounge. It was great yesterday until the power went off in the entire airport with the exception of the control tower thank goodness.

Ridiculous.. How long was it off at the airport?

About an hour.

The state of the art airport doesn't have a backup generator???

I would think in this day and age with the unreliable island power they would.