TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Secrets Resort

Hello, Everyone. Is anyone currently on the island who can tell if the Secrets Resort will be opening this weekend as announced? AMResorts states that the resort is opening as planned but I am skeptical. Any insight?

Not on island but time will tell.

It is my understanding that at this time travelers from the US are not welcome in French side hotels.

Yesterday's press release from the French Prefect specifically called out the Dutch-side 120-hour PCR test timeline as an issue. The French-side is sticking to the EU 72-hours. With no border control between the two sides, I wonder if they are expecting the hotels to check test dates, or just not accepting US guests at all?

As Elaine said, I believe it's supposed to be that French side hotels (but not villas, which I guess they can't control somehow???) are not supposed to accept US guests. The newspaper article said that Secrets was in 'trouble', whatever than means, but didn't specifically say they couldn't open to US guests. If I had a reservation there for this weekend, I think I would be trying to make alternative arrangements for lodging, just in case. Do you have reservations there, letsparksfly?

We have reservations beginning on Saturday. We have called 2 different phone numbers for the company and are assured that all is okay...but we are concerned. We have taken our PCR tests and are awaiting results. We have routinely checked all government websites but have not seen anything regarding the rejection of US guests. Everything "looks" like it will be okay but we are 3 days out and I'm nervous.

I expect more accurate and timely information from a person than from a website, which is what you sought and found. Regardless, it would concern me that the website for AMResorts lists Secrets as having a December 11 reopening date. Their reservation system won’t accept a reservation for the period 11/14 - 11/21. It gives the following two statements:

“ THE PROPERTY IS CLOSED FROM TUESDAY 09 JUN 2020 TO THURSDAY 10 DEC 2020”

and

“Secrets St. Martin is temporarily closed during the dates you requested due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our resort will reopen on December 11st. Please revise your dates and search again. We hope to see you soon!“

https://info.amresorts.com/coronavi...0282523.1605066172-1472782262.1605066172

If you’re on FaceBook, look at the Prefet de Saint-Barthelemy et du Saint-Martin page for their recent post which didn’t approve of 120-hour tests.

If it were me, I would think about a backup plan at a Dutch-side resort.

Received email from Steve Wright that Grand Case Beach Club IS accepting guests from USA.

letsparksfly--Best wishes, but as Bahston said, I would be looking for back-up accomodations.

Resort is not opening on time. Vacation cancelled.

So sorry to hear that. Did you try to book another hotel or a villa?

That's too bad. I don't see them opening until the French side relaxes the ban on US tourist staying in resorts or hotels.

That is what I feared. I'm sorry for your cancelled vacation, but glad that you found out about the cancellation in time to minimize your financial losses.