TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Marina Royal Businesses fed up

Used to be one of our favorite places to go for dinner. Sad the government has allowed this to become such a dangerous area.

That's a worry...will be going several times for Dinner to Tropicana!!!

I might re evaluate going to Marina Royal and parking in that lot. Sounds like they are getting more aggressive.

Just sent an email to someone i know who lives there to first clarify if this is indeed correct, as somehow this looks an old picture taken. Can you describe exactly where this car park is that these undesirables hang out(say in relation to Tropicana)

It’s a shame this area has been allowed to devolve into the mess described in this article. There have always been issues but they used to be minimal, at best. Or worse?

It’s been years since we've dined here so I didn’t realize it had gotten to the state described. The French government should be ashamed if this is the true state of things and I can see no reason for those who have a vested interest to fabricate facts and scare even more potential patrons away. Marigot was once such a vibrant small city..........

It's on the far N E corner of the Marina where Tropicana is on the S E corner if that helps. Lot has been there for a long time with degenerates asking for a donation to watch your car or direct you to park. It's a free public lot but they act like it is theirs for a fee.

Yes, know exactly now where it is, opposite Tropicana, on the other side, actually parked there once and was approached by someone and gave him $5.00 as I thought he was an attendant! Many thx.

Years ago I was suckered in before too. Not anymore but now I'm not going back there to be pressured by these people anymore especially with reports of some using knives and such.

When we go, we just park in the lot on the side by Tropicana. No issues there. But that walkway is not very nice, a tripping hazard.

It was always a problem parking in that lot. but now it is really deemed unsafe. No business here has food that good, that I would be willing to put up with this! It is really sad for all those hoping to revive Marigot after the hurricane. It is just not going to happen if this is allowed to continue!

Agree

Even more reason not to go there after night. We haven't gone to the Marina at night for a LONG time. It definitely will be a long time yet before we do. The Collectivite' is more worthless than the Dutch side government.

That is not an old picture. I was there earlier in the week for lunch at Enjoy.

That is not an old picture. I was there earlier in the week for lunch at Enjoy. I have not parked in that lot for more than 10 years. Right now at lunchtime, there is ample parking at the lot near the old tourist office, but as Elaine said, it's a longer walk on the unstable boardwalk. As I've said in earlier posts, I would not feel safe there after dark until the boardwalk is improved and there is better lighting; but that' me.
I'm a fan of most all of the restauants that now are open at the Marina, and hope the government steps up very quickly to improve conditions there.

The crime issue was always a problem, even before Irma.

We use to spend a few nights there, every trip, and even drove through the Lowlands to get there.
We loved the shops and the festivities. It was always fun.
Things seemed to gradually change, then it became too dangerous to go there at night.

The last couple of years, we have stayed away.

The last time we went there, which has been at least three or four years ago, we encountered the unsettling folks in the parking lot. When I mentioned that here, I was severely chastised for being less than adventurous. Oddly enough, that person has disappeared from the forum since Irma.....

Been going to the area for many years. Like anywhere else in a world, you do exercise the caution but we were never felt threatened at this parking lot. Yes, there are a couple of bums trying to get a dollar or two from you by “assisting” with the parking but both of them are friendly. I always give him a few bucks. If you are choosing to ignore the restaurants in the marina because of that - it’s your loss.... there are a few really good ones!

Oh, and needless to say that because the general traffic in this area is down and there are not as many restaurants are opened - the lot is never full. We were there in February and never parked more than a few meters away from th end of the lot that is close to aTropicana.

Wasn't that bad before Irma but those so called parking lot people have escalated their aggression.

The one guy that used to be on the lot by the Tourism Office (who was never aggressive) is no longer there. No problems using that lot.

While we were there in November there was a notice that the buildings from la crossinteer ( misspelled ) to that parking lot were to be toned down and there would be temp buildings in the lot , did or has anything happened

We used to go there every year once or twice for dinner or even just desert, really liked the setting in the evenings. We have not been there in years because we did not feel as comfortable going there. I can not think of another place on island that we avoid day or night that we once went to but no longer go except to the Marina Royal. I hope they do something about it, sure enjoyed our time there when we went.

That picture lis exactly how Marina looked when we were there last week. We were lucky to find parking on street across from pharmacy and walked through alcove aside La Main et Pate. We had to walk across that carpeted area to get to Be Cool restaurant and to Sarafina's. If you walked on the board area some boards lifted up.

Just ate lunch at La Petite Auberge in Marina Royale on Thursday. Fantastic meal. Took taxis so no issues with parking. No longer drive in SXM as parking and road congestion is more than I care to deal with on vacation

Update:
http://www.soualigapost.com/fr/actualite/28655/economie/marina-royale-des-solutions-concr%C3%A8tes-annonc%C3%A9es-aux-commer%C3%A7ants%C2%A0?fbclid=IwAR0bX_GaUOeZ6s-zaoyLDms5nMuI3ZODBRlzYRwD91ygoXZDyzq6XGuMx2M

Hit translate when it opens up.

Rough Translation...

A DELEGATION OF ROYAL MARINA MERCHANTS WAS RECEIVED WEDNESDAY BY COM AND STATE SERVICES.

The situation of the merchants of the royal marina should improve. They denounced March 12 last the deplorable state of the site and the rise of the insecurity in an open letter addressed to the COM and the prefecture.

Yesterday, Wednesday, April 3, a delegation composed of six traders and restaurateurs Yann Lecam, president of the AEC (economic and citizen action), was received as planned in the prefecture at 17 hours. In front of them, the prefect Sylvie Feucher and the president of the COM Daniel Gibbs, accompanied by their respective chiefs of staff, as well as Maggy Gumbs, the city manager, Romain Perreau, the DGA of the Sustainable Development pole at the COM, Jean-Sébastien Roca, of the French Agency for Development (AFD) on mission to the COM, as well as the commander of the gendarmerie, the head of the territorial police and representatives of the ARS and the human development pole of the COM have presented to the delegation the measures to come.

"By May 15, the community will break the wall of the car park to open up, which we had asked for a long time, but also put back into operation the surveillance camera, and lighting," says Yann Lecam. The fishing port project that will cover all the car park should mean the day before the end of the year. If the temporary repair of the wharves began on Tuesday, a larger project including their rehabilitation as well as the improvement of the lighting so that the marina can really refurbish itself and accommodate boats again, should start at the end of 2019 - early 2020.

The insecurity denounced is particularly related to the presence of "cracked" on the parking adjoining the marina. The territorial police announced that it was going to increase its rounds, and the LRA, the prefecture and the gendarmerie prepared a tripartite to mix summons and accompaniment of these people.

"We will be satisfied in the facts but we felt that this meeting was well prepared, that all the services had worked together and that they took things to heart" commented Yann Lecam. An official report of this meeting will be sent to traders in the coming hours containing a precise schedule of commitments announced.

bran--thanks. I guess I get the gist. I couldn't find any 'translate' button on the link that Scubaman posted.

The translate option would be the one your computer server gives you to click on. Or you can highlight it then right click to have a translate option. Again depending on you computer.

TRY THIS

You will still have to translate but it is a clickable link now.

Scubaman--Oh, I thought you meant there was a button on that website. Some websites do have that, versions of the website in different languages.

Yep. That is the same site and article. A notice pops up in the corner to ask if I want it translated too.

No. Just a pop up that asked if you want it translated. On mine I can also highlight the link I put up and right click and select open site. That brings you to that same sight with the translate pop up. I can usually highlight a link with a copy and paste which is easily clickable but this one didn't cooperate.

Very good news! Thanks for posting!

Was in SXM for 2 months (Jan/Feb). My husband & I went to Marina Royale numerous times both during the day & in the evening for dinner. We were there 6 times for dinner & one time for lunch....just ourselves & on several occasions with friends. Dined at Tropicana, Be Cool, La Main a la Pate & a small place for lunch. Having dinner at those places was a real treat... not to be missed. At no time did we ever feel threatened or feel that this area was dangerous. Granted the walkway around the Marina needs repair. That may be perceived as dangerous.

Excellent news!