We departed Saturday, 10/23 from JFK on Delta. Upgraded to comfort class when booked flights back in July. Business class was filled but Comfort Class had several open seats as did the main cabin. We experienced some turbulence throughout the flight where the captain had to announce beverage service was being discontinued and asked the flight attendance to take their seats. Our entry into SXM was a fairly quick process as we were the only arrival at 1:00 pm. Luggage in hand we enter Paradise for the 27th time.
ACCOMMODATIONS This is I believe our 10th stay at Beachside Villas in Beacon Hill. Once we drive up to the electric gate and punch in the key code, we take a sigh of relief knowing we are in for a special vacation. Opening the Villa door, we enter for a two week stay of breath-taking oceanfront views. Open the sliders to the deck to breath in the fresh air and look in the distance at the beautiful blue-green water, the mountain to our left and a faint sight of Saba and other islands in the distance. A warm welcome from the staff, and off we go to quickly change into summer wear and on to Carrefour in Cupecoy for groceries.
A Quick first night recap: We decided on a casual dinner with our friend Mike (Wingman) at Dinghy Dock. We split wings and each ordered BBQ ribs. For me the ribs had a spicer rub than I recall so not to my liking. The mac & cheese was slammin’ though. We have been following the band, What the Funk on social media since hearing them play at Buccaneers 2019 Halloween party so we knew they would be at the Sandbar. They play at the Red Piano on Monday’s and the Sandbar on both Thursday and Saturday nights. We went for a cocktail and to listen to a set before retiring for the evening.
BEACHES SIMPSON BAY - With one of the best beaches on the island and waves at a minimum we spent most of our days on Simpson Bay in front of our villa or down at the pool later in the day. Staff does an excellent job of racking and disposing of the sargassum if/when needed early in the morning in front of all the Villas.
ORIENT –Twice at Kontiki beachfront, separated by a week and what a difference the week made. Our first trip the beach was raked of all the sargassum but not so the second trip. It wasn’t terrible but definitely an eye sore with some smells not so pleasant. Kontiki has new owners since our trip in March of this year. They’ve added swings to the outside beach bar and have all new staff. Cost of 2 chairs and an umbrella in cash is $25 or 25 euros if you put on credit card. Freddie was the beach man on both occasions with a helper on the second stay. He was very pleasant and checked on us often.
The menu consists of daily specials written on a chalk board, no paper or QR menu and currently still not offering sushi. I enjoyed a crispy goat cheese salad with prosciutto and dried figs. David had the cod fritters. Two mimosas for breakfast, lunch, chairs/umbrella and a cocktail or two the cost was $150 for the day.
On our second trip we again had Mimosas on the beach but decided to lunch at Chez Leandra. Did I mention the beach is busy? Both beach and restaurants were doing a good business. The beach ladies and men were out in full force some selling trinkets and clothing but a large group of them were offering massage services. Lunch for me was a delicious platter of Grouper fillet, salad, rice and peas and several fried plantains, $16. David ate a lemon salmon sandwich. Chez Leandra also had lobster available but $40 for a ½ lobster but I decided against it as I was waiting for my big lobster splurge another day.
MULLET – The water was so calm and tranquil that we spent a good part of the day floating in the water. Chair rentals from Chester which are set up near Rosie’s. Two chairs and an umbrella were $15. No lunch for us that day just beaching-it and Rosie’s rum punches.
BREAKFASTS David likes cooking an American breakfast in our Beachside kitchen and eating it out on the deck early in the morning. He didn’t cook as much as on previous trips so we went out a few times or took home croissants.
My breakfast on a few days consisted of a plain croissant, jam and a slice of aged gouda. The first croissant trip was to Jules in Jordan Village. Both the plain and almond were ok so we decided to revisit Zee Best take away location on Airport Road. Both their almond and plain croissants were better in our opinion than Jules so that is where we bought them during the rest of our vacation.
Sint Maarten Yacht Club– we had breakfast twice at SMYC. It’s a given we order the Blood Mary’s with our breakfast. With 3 jumbo shrimp $12 in our opinion is a bargain. Tall drink with veggies, shrimp and a kick. We ate with friends on both occasions. They are currently working on QRC code to access a menu but in the meantime, they have chalk boards with food options.
Tortuga Café – lovely spot with views of Maho with direct view of incoming/outgoing planes. David enjoyed a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, ham, cheese and a hash brown for a very reasonable $10. I had French toast (delicious) but the bacon was overcooked. Some nice slices of fresh fruit completed my plate. With two mimosas the bill was $39 – gratuity not included.
LUNCHES Most days we didn’t eat lunch and if we did it was a baguette with turkey or ham at the villa. We picked up a baguette at a variety of places. Sandbarlocated in Beacon Hill has become a favorite of ours because it’s casual, fun and close by to Beachside. Picnic tables, high tops are on the sand with ample bar seating set back in the restaurant. It is located next to the Morgan Hotel with a small beach front separating the two properties. We dined with friends. Burgers, hot dog (12”), mahi mahi and tuna burger. Reveil MatinI’m late to the game with this restaurant as many have already discovered it. For those who haven’t let me say. It’s a cute coffee-themed restaurant. As a food blogger on Instagram (lohudlou) I couldn’t resist taking photos in the coffee cup and also wanted a crepe which they have several sweet and savory. A DING DANG DONG coffee for me and a savory crepe consisting of aged gouda, portobello mushrooms and Italian sausage. David ate breakfast at the villa so was not hungry. CASH ONLY.
Indigo Beach Restaurant – we had lunch here during our March trip and enjoyed the food, setting so much we knew we had to return. This trip also did not disappoint. A bo bun salad for me, Croque Monsieur for David and homemade on-site Tiramisu, finishing with a cappuccino. A glass of wine and one cocktail, $82. The views are lovely and seating is very comfortable with most long tables having cushioned seats. We met the owner Sylvia who was very nice.
SMYC – between the breakfasts, happy hour and lunch we tend to visit the Yacht Club often. It reminds me of the show “Cheers” only it’s in the Caribbean. Friendly staff, good solid food and cocktails reasonably priced. Grouper fingers and coconut shrimp are great apps and plenty for lunch.
HAPPY HOURS Except for several visits to SMYC either for Happy Hour or a tad before we went to Greenhouse once for their Happy Hour where they offer 2-for-1 cocktails with several reduced priced apps.
Another reason for our visit was to pre order our Prime Rib for dinner the next evening which is recommended.
DINNERS Spaghetti House – I made a dinner reservation same day with a phone call as well as private message to their Instagram account. Seven people at 7 pm. Lots of pasta dishes which the owner explained is made to order, nothing is cooked ahead of ordering. She also mentioned they also wait to cut up the lettuce for the salad.
David and I had the pasta special, penne with chicken, spinach and portobello mushrooms in a cream sauce. Delicious and a hearty portion. It was supposed to be penne but we were served Fettuccine. No biggie as we enjoyed the pasta. Some of our friends substituted their pasta for Fettucine so that is probably where the confusion came in. Big portion couldn’t finish it all after devouring a great Caesar salad.
Two entrees, bottled water, salad and 2 glasses of wine $64. Very reasonable dinner followed by complimentary shot of Sambuca. BTW, they only serve wine and beer. Had intended to return for their Monday night special, beef Lasagna but never made it back.
Mark’s Place – Four of us enjoyed a Monday night dinner. The restaurant was packed with one very large table perhaps 20 people. The wait staff was working hard and apologized for any delays but they did a great job in getting our order and serving us in a very reasonable timeframe. I finally had the mussels. They are served in a big black kettle and at $24.95 are a bargain. Delicious cream onion sauce. I’m not one for dipping bread into a sauce unless its tomato based so I did eat some of the fries that accompanied my Moules & frites. David had the grouper with salad and scalloped potatoes while one friend had the oxtails and another the ribs. We were all very happy with our meal.
Sandbar – Two dinners here, one was a specialty sushi roll, and the other evening was a tuna and a mahi mahi burger served with fries. Solid casual dining and if you’re staying at Beachside Villas, it’s in the neighborhood. Great atmosphere with different music most evenings. Sushi is only available for dinner.
Driftwood – A nice casual dining for the 7 of us this evening. Old Disco tunes playing while we dined which I enjoyed. Chicken satay and wings for us while friends ordered the pizza. Good pizza, good wings with left overs to take away.
Greenhouse- Prime Rib specials are offered twice a week. We pre ordered for Thursday night as well as made a reservation for 7 people. We got an outside table where most of us split the king cut at $35.99, I believe 16 oz. Two got a queen cut which was 12 oz for $25.99. I may be off on the ounces. No Johnny Cakes were served and I forgot to ask if they make them any longer?? Nice shrimp cocktail with 8 shrimp, chocolate cake, espresso plus steak comes with two sides was plenty for David and I to share. Can’t recall what we drank, our check totaled $88.
Buccaneers– we decided against dressing in costume for Halloweenthis year even though we brought costumes with us. Our friends weren’t dressing up and there was some confusion as to whether Bucs was having their party on Saturday night or Sunday. We had plans for Sunday night so went on Saturday and they were having a party. We weren’t there more than 20 minutes and the rain started to fall and hard. They have huge umbrellas over the picnic tables so most of us stayed dry while a couple got a little wet. The rain was enough to kill the mood as the vendors packed up and left as did the music duo.
Both our friends were disappointed with the Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, the cheese was gritty and ruined the chopped beef taste. One ate half while the other sent it back and ordered a hot dog. David was looking forward to the sausage and peppers but that is no longer on the menu. Several of us got the BBQ chicken and ribs with salad and enjoyed it. Chicken & rib combo was good. David exclaimed his bacon cheese burger was very good so the new BUCS gets mixed reviews. Kudos those to our waiter who was working hard to take and serve orders.
BBQ Dinner poolside at Beachside Villas– this is a tradition for our group. Steaks are brought down from CT and cooked poolside on the gas grills BSV provides. We make side dishes, cocktails and eat by the pool. Very nice evening with friends.
Sublime – located in Maho where Bamboo Bernie’s was. For me this was my finest meal. Loved the comfortable chairs and ambience of restaurant. We snagged an outdoor table and arrived with an hour left of Happy Hour. Selected drinks and appetizers (tent cards on table) are reduced by 50%. I had two “Porntini’s” which consisted of passion fruit, vanilla Stoli vodka, pineapple juice with a Prosecco chaser. The chicken nem (fried Vietnamese rolls) were outstanding. I ordered this whenever I see them on menus and these were some of the bests tasting I’ve ever had.
My main meal was seared scallops over risotto with fresh sautéed asparagus. It was out of this world and a satisfying portion. David had the duck breasts with sides of pureed squash and sauteed vegetables. They did not skimp on the portions. One of our friends had the 3-hour roasted short ribs which I tasted and it was heavenly. We ordered all items off the regular menu. There were some specials for the evening but the menu had a nice variety of options which appealed to all of us. One in our party ordered the Pad Thai and said it wasn’t sweet enough? Shrimp Caesar salad had huge shrimp; lamb chops were also a hit with our friend.
Two entrees, one app, 3 cocktails, 1 wine was a very reasonable $121 which included the gratuity. The happy hour is daily from 4-7 pm.
Moulin Fou– we were a party of 8 without a reservation so had to sit indoors. Understandable as we just walked in. They were busy with dining inside and out so service was slow. Wait staff didn’t stop all night but it took a while to get their attention when trying to order another drink or asking for bread, etc. I’m sorry to say this was not my favorite meal.
I ordered the ribeye medium. When it arrived, it looked like it was in 3 pieces but still connected. Perhaps the chef had sliced into it to check doneness? I couldn’t figure out why there where slits other than that? The meat was rather tough because it was cut open and didn’t rest. Do I know that for sure? NO but it was slightly tough and not great although the béarnaise sauce saved the dish. My friend got the same dish at same temp and enjoyed it. Our appetizer - stuffed mussels were overcooked. David had the spicy creole snapper which was a special of the night. While good, the portion was fish (2) were very small. I gave him my mashed potatoes to fill up his plate more.
The crepe suzette was the winner of my meal. 1 app, 2 entrees, 2 glasses of wine, dessert and a latte - $140 with gratuity. Coffee infused rum bottle was left on the table after the server poured a shot for each of us.
Lobster House– located at Port De Plaisance. Another fabulous meal at a new place for us on our last night on the island. With lobster prices different at several restaurants, I decided between good reviews and the price per lb. to give them a try. At $19.95 a lb. (lowest from three I checked) I ordered a grilled 3 pounder which came with two sides. The lobster was cooked perfectly and never stood a chance! I ate as much as I could of the lobster which was all. I could not touch the baked potato nor salad which looked quite good. Way too much food especially since I had ordered the Tuna tartar as an app.
David had the lobster fettucine which was served with lots of lobster pieces in a big bowl that could have easily feed two people. Our dining companion had a 2 lb. lobster and took ½ home. We were leaving the next day so did not take anything home. Dinner for all three including drinks without gratuity was $223. They have a nice outdoor dining patio and wait staff was very friendly. If you’re a lobster fan I would highly recommend although they had other options but it is called the LOBSTER HOUSE. Go for the lobster!
ACTIVITIES Rhino Safari was a blast. I was hesitant to try it, but David insisted and I’m so glad he did. It was truly thrilling riding solo on this jet ski-pontoon boat tooling out under the Causeway through Cupecoy, out to Marigot and then Grand Case and back. The excursion was about 3 hours round trip. Our guide, Andrew gave us some instructions and after a test run in the lagoon we were on our way.
David and I along with our three friends were able to request a private trip since it was a Saturday. Leo said if we went on a Saturday we did not have to go out with other people. Snorkeling is included by Creole Rock but we decided before the trip we did not want to snorkel. The guys have snorkeled on past trips so we agreed to forego.
Casino – Dunes in Beacon Hill was extremely quite that night we went. Very disappointed that the roulette machines were all closed down. The staff could not give us an answer as to why they were closed and when they would reopen so that was our one and only trip to the casino. We normally go to the one in Maho, but our friend had gone the night before and said they’ve removed several of the roulette tables and I believe he said the crap tables were gone or shut down. You have to wear your mask in the casino and no smoking allowed.
COVID TESTING –SLS. After considering all the options for COVID testing to return to the US, we decided on SLS near Avantika as it has received good reviews on TTOL. Made an online reservation for morning appointments where we paid and arrived following morning with ID. A large family went in before us so we had to wait but it wasn’t more than 20 minutes before they took us. Testing was quick and half way through our breakfast at Yacht Club we received email with results. Went back to their office for print outs of negative test.
RENTALS SAX Car rental – will pick up at airport and you can drop car off at airport upon request. SAX owner, Anil met us at Princess Juliana’s parking lot where we signed papers, checked the car and off we went. Very efficient process, new car with a full tank and reasonably priced. Check them out as they have plenty of cars for rent.
Pack light . We’ve rented from Craig a few times now. David contacts him through his website and reserves ahead of time. This trip was 2 umbrellas and 2 sit up chairs for Craig delivers and picks up. Can’t beat that.
This was our third trip since 2002 where we stayed two full weeks and it’s just the right amount of time for me. David would adamantly disagree. He’d stay much longer! We noticed more visitors this trip than in March but we had no problems getting into restaurants or with traffic although it is still off season. Reservations at BSV made for next year so now we wait and enjoy our lives outside of SXM for the next year.
A beautiful report and so nicely presented. I wish I could focus on details like you did, but lately they don’t seem so important to me personally these days. But that’s understandable since we do less and less every year. But I have to admit, when it’s lunchtime and I can’t remember if, and/or where I had breakfast……. 🙂🙂
edited to add - where is the lobster house located?
Last edited by pat; 11/13/202110:19 AM.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
Lobster house is near the gym at Port De Plaisance. It was a bit difficult to find so we had to ask the security guard who directed us. I'll add location to the report. David and I collab on the report. Enjoy the rest of your stay Pat and John.
A very nice report, Louise. Nicely organized, interesting and easy read. I'm sorry we didn't connect when you were here; would have enjoyed meeting you and David.
Enjoyed reading your trip report--we will have to put the Lobster House on the list for next year. I think I saw signs for the restaurant as we headed towards the casino and I wondered where and what it was like--now I know! Thanks for sharing your trip, we learn so much from the adventures of others.
I just wanted to point out how many times we review our trip reports before posting. But as you know, things slip through the the cracks. Under beaches: Mullet. I wanted to point out that I brought my snorkel gear, but you can rent from the scuba shop on Airport road. The snorkeling at Mullet beach is beautiful with schools and schools of all kinds of fish near the rocks/the old boardwalk!! It's a must!!! Talking about the Boardwalk, there are builders that are going to reconstruct "The honeymooners" walk!! As I understand, with a restaurant with a bar for day or evening dinning and just take a walk on the old boardwalk!!
Sounds like it could end up being much like the original ‘honeymooners walk’ at the original Mullet Bay Resort and Casino. Always a pleasant way to spend a little time after dinner at the old Mullet Bay Gourmet Restaurant before heading into the casino. 🙂🙂
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
One wonders who they would be able to build a restaurant there. Wouldn't that be a violation of the building code? Silly me, guess there is no such thing on SXM..
……... Wouldn't that be a violation of the building code? Silly me, guess there is no such thing on SXM..
There possibly is such a code but so many who build there choose to ignore it, and that’s allowed to happen by people with deep pockets, or so it seems to me. 🙂🙂
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
Hello to both of you and thank you for sharing your trip. Sounds like you had a fabulous time! I can’t wait until January - we’re staying at the Morgan for the first few nights, so we will be sure to return to Sandbar - I agree it’s a great beach bar with a fun vibe. Also looking forward to trying some of the other places you went to.
What the Funk also played at the Morgan Hotel but we didn’t get there. Not sure where they played on site. They told us it was open to non guests also.
Thanks for the great report - using red to highlight the subject of each paragraph is genius!
We are spending one of our weeks at SBR this trip, so a whole new world of restaurant opportunities will be in close proximity. It has been many years since we've stayed in that area and your review has helped me put a few more on my short list.
An absolutely stunning report! The time and effort put into this synopsis is so apparent. That you for sharing your trip with us all here. I so wish I was there too, but soon my time will come.
AHHH that is a no brainer! BSV all the way!!! You will want for nothing! Open door on your own beach! relax, read books on your deck or keep your toes in the pool!! check out the flights on the new observation deck with a cold beer!! When on the Dutch side, only one , Beachside villa's!! Contact Tracy Mascarin for bookings and rates!
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Silly me, guess there is no such thing on SXM..
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