TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Poll: Do you stay on French or Dutch side?

Lodging, recreation and dining only on the French side. Only shopping and casino gambling on the Dutch side.

Stay on the Dutch side but spend time on both, beaches and restaurants.

French
French

I agree that this is an interesting thread. I am surprised by how many people on this board say that after arriving they never (or almost never) go to dutch side.

I couldn't have said it better <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

okay, here are the new totals after day 2:
75 responders by my count.

42 lodge on French side
32 lodge on Dutch side

22 spend most of time on Dutch side
47 spend most of time on French side

The time spent numbers are not an accurate representation of anything though. It seems a lot of people eat on the French side, shop on the Dutch side, obviously can only gamble on the Dutch side, etc.

The lodging is pretty close to an even split, but I think someone had suggested that there was more lodging available on the Dutch side, than on the French side. Yet this small sample shows more people using French lodging? Is it possible that the active forum members who have taken time to respond are the ones more attracted to the French side? And if so, why would it be that way?

Earlier Pat had wondered how much of an influence the nude beaches were having in the responses (I have paraphrased her, but believe I have the kept her context).

I have some ideas for a follow up poll that touches on Pat's thoughts, but since some of it will be about the nude beach use, I am looking for a more anonymous approach so forum members will not feel uncomfortable or afraid to respond.

I will see what Carol has available. Stay tuned,
and if you haven't responded to this poll, what are you waiting for? :-)

French side all the way. If someone offered me a free trip but had to stay on the Dutch side I would probably pass. Any charm that existed there was paved over long ago...IMHO.

Honestly, you really need to check out more accomodations on the Dutch side, as there are PLENTY of really lovely places to stay on the Dutch side..

Please send the free trip offer whenever you receive it. <wink>

If somebody offers you that trip to stay on the Dutch side, give it to me! I have stayed on both sides and enjoy all of it. I would never pass up a free trip!!!!!

You're second in line. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

and some say the same about the French side

The only time we are on the Dutch side is when we arrive and depart. We think the French side has a more low key atmosphere. We stay at O'Paradis and love the fact that there are only 4 units. It is great to be able to walk down to great restaurants in the village.

I don't think I need to worry! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

We stay on the French side, and spend most of our time there, as well.

Dutch

Raleigh,

I started to say this yesterday and held back at the risk of seeming controversial but what the heck - why let a little political correctness get in the way.

We came to this island 43 years ago and our first stay was on the Dutch side of the island. But we visited and explored the French side freely, fast learning that beyond a few great restaurants and nice beaches, it didn't hold much of interest for us. But still, we kept enjoying it and with each year and each trip that passes, and with only one of them lodging on the French side of the island, we are still open to exploring it while lodging still on the Dutch side.

Those who say there is no charm or they'd rather stay home than visit EITHER side over the other are, IMO, missing out big time. There is much to explore and enjoy on both sides and while I'll readily admit, the over construction of the Dutch side wouldn't have been my plan for it, it is what it is, just as so very many areas on the French side are equally seedy and grungy in my eyes. But along with the over development and the seedy and grungy, if you take the time to explore BOTH sides, there really are equally incredible and enjoyable aspects to each.

The last few remnants of the gingerbread architecture need to be seen before it all rots away and is replaced with more concrete and glass, as do some of the more tucked away beach spots that so many will miss by limiting themselves to only one spot.

There was a time when people ONLY dined on the French side because that's where the 'really good restaurants' were but those days are done, too. Some if the best restaurants on the island are now to be found on the Dutch side and more are relocating there every day.

I'm not condemning or criticizing and I'm sure not saying either side is better or worse, but after 43 years and probably sixty plus stays, I still find something new on each side with every trip and wouldn't miss our island-wide travels for the world and I'd strongly advocate everyone should get out and explore ALL this island has to offer. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Pat,
That is the danger with a poll like this. The intent is just to find out which side of the island each person spends their time at, or the side THEY like better. But what happens is pretty soon it turns into an argument about which SIDE is better. And of course, that will turn into a very passionate debate, and we all know how that ends.
IMHO, those debates are silly, since we all don't like the exact same things. Some like peace and quiet, others want bustle and party time. What is perfect for you, I may not like at all. And so it goes.
It is hard to not respond when someone slights your personal favorite place, but I always look at it like this, "If someone says they would never go to xxxxxx, great by me, one less person I have to share it with." ;-)

My only experience with the Dutch side, is from what I've read in this forum. I have done the exact same thing on all 3 of my cruise stops. Hail a taxi, go to Club O, hail a taxi, get back on the ship. So not only do I know nothing about the Dutch side, I really also know nothing about the French side. As I mentioned, I am hoping to get a couple of polls up that I hope will get the same interest as this thread. Those polls will let people anonymously select what they like about the island.

Raleigh....just a suggestion, but you could have eliminated the need for gathering responses and potential conflict by posting a poll link.
Surveymonkey is an example.

Raleigh - your thread topic is interesting, and I think one that all of us deal with to one extent or another. However, there is a HUGE difference in the nature of island visits.

For cruise ship 1 day visitors, what you are doing is a home run. For those who travel by themselves (with spouse), then the hotel or time share is a primary option. In my case, I always travel with friends and rent a house for a week. That completely changes where we look to rent, which is in the Lowlands, as we like to have a house on the beach.

All in all, I think a more appropriate topic is where you spend your time rather than where you spend the night.

Charlie,
I agree that where you spend your time is more defining of what a person is looking for on the island. But, when you look at the responses many, nay, most, of the people are on both sides much of their time. For many it is probably hard for them to say which side they spend more time on. The answer would depend on what they were looking to do any given day. But housing is pretty close to binary. You are either on one side or the other. I also am assuming that people are choosing their lodging to be closer to the things they want to do most. For instance, I have inferred from the forum(s) that the Dutch side has a more active night life. If I want to dance/drink into the late night (I don't), and not drive across the island after I am done, I think I need to stay on the Dutch side. Does that mean all of the people who stay on the Dutch side are looking to party? Of course not. In your case, it looks like you are saying the TYPE and FIT of lodging you need is more important than which side of the island you find it. That is certainly understandable, and in that case, this poll would distort your response.

To reiterate, I wasn't looking to start a war over which side is better. I just wanted a light-hearted snapshot of where people lodge, and if they mostly prefer one side or the other. I think that has been pretty successful, but in the end, I also know the responses really have no meaning, in addition to being a very small sample size.

I desperately want to come to the island for a couple of weeks. I am looking into sharing a villa, hotels, VRBO, condo, etc. I have not looked into it yet, but I would assume there is a rental market out there for TS units, something like the VRBO site. The poll was to help me get an idea of where people on this board, who I have read for a few years now, find lodging.

Hi BK,
Yeah, I agree this was a pretty mediocre way to do a poll. Other boards that I am on allow the members to create polls. The idea for this poll came to me as I was reading a couple of other threads, so I started this one. Almost 80 people have responded, so I think the interest is there. And it appears most people have enjoyed the responses. But I am starting to feel that I have stumbled into a topic that has perhaps caused turmoil in the past, and I am hoping it does not happen here.
As far as survey monkey, I am familiar with it, but have never set up a poll there. I am not a fan of sending people off-site. Just a personal peeve of mine.

What is your point with this survey?

Hi takeus,
Just a simple place for a person to say where they stay, and if they spend most of their time on one side or the other. Nothing more than that.

So far, it appears a few more people lodge on the French side, and I have come to understand, the activity is really irrelevant, since the two sides offer different things to do.

We stay, play & eat on the French side, however now the Mario's has moved the the Dutch side there will be at least one trip to Mario's

1st time (1993 or so) stayed at La Belle Creole on the French side and fell in love with the place. When the 1995 hurricane blew it away, it was awhile before we returned and the condos were so much less expensive on the Dutch side, stayed there nearly every year, with the exception of a couple of years ago at Cottages de Longvilliers. I'm thrilled to say we'll be at Club Orient starting on December 12.

As I said before, this board does have the ability to do polls, but they are only enabled for admins, because polls take up a tremendous amount of bandwidth. We have done a very similar poll to this in the past..

We stay on the Dutch side, In our condo at Tradewinds, and have for 31 years.

I personally think polls are a waste of time and don't serve any real purpose. I did contribute to this one, but usually don't bother as they are far too subjective, just like our taste buds! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Aside for answers to the simple yes/no or where is this or that questions, the reality is that this and most forums are just polls with a bit more detail about the answer. Read through the posts: subjective just like our tastebuds.

I don't think labeling a post as a poll really changes anything, except, based on the number of participants in this post, maybe they get more responses.

People stay mainly on the Dutch side more than the French for a number of reasons. Many own timeshares, Hotels on the Dutch side are more like those in America, the local people speak English on the Dutch side while French is more common on the French, TV is in English on guess which side while on the French side it will more likely be in guess what. This is changing as the French are more and more willing to cater to North American tastes, but the Dutch side is more like home, although we don't like to admit it.

We do package tours out of Toronto and stay at the least expensive hotel. The past 6 trips have been spent at The Beach Plaza / Beach Hotel just on the edge of Marigot. This trip we spent each day at Mullet Bay (calmer water) we ate more meals on the French side than the Dutch

Dutch side, much more nightlife and we own timeshares there. We do visit French beaches and restaurants occasionally.

Day 3 Summary

85 people have responded

47 lodge on French side
37 lodge on Dutch side

52 spend most time on French side
27 spend most time on Dutch side

Frenchside is the place to be

French Side

We also live in Raleigh!!

French side all the way. If it were not for the Grande Marche and the airport, we would never go the Dutch side.

French! Like the wine too much to stay anywhere lese

After reading Pat's post, I wanted to provide clarification to my answers. I stated we stay on the French side and go to the beaches on the French side. Pat is correct, there is so much more to the island than we have seen on our trips over the past 10+ years. At this time in our lives, for me the trip to SXM is an opportunity to just decompress and get away. We have limited vacation time due to work schedules and with the stress of work, all I want to do is sit in my lounger and find a way to forget about everything and focus on my wonderful wife, the warm water in front of me and the cold beverage next to me, and nothing more. We are certainly missing out on so much more and I hope when we retire or when our schedules allow us to stay longer, we will get to enjoy the entire island. At that time, my poll answers may be very different. Thanks for your comments Pat, your note really made me think.

Stay on French Side and most activities also on the French Side.