TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin First trip off to a good start :)

We arrived safely yesterday afternoon at Belair Beach Hotel. Our trip actually began the night before as we traveled to the Hilton Garden Inn near JFK. Travel was easy for a Friday evening. Transfer to the airport went well. All checked in two hours before our Jetblue 8:25 flight. Left on time and had a great pilot. Arrived in sxm on time, cleared immigration, and found Starlite within 45 minutes of landing. Drive to Belair was a breeze too. Our room was not ready, so we had lunch at the Gingerbread Cafe. My grouper sandwich was very good. Room was ready around 3:30 and we even got a fourth floor room as requested! Thanks Belair staff! Swam for a while and then went shopping at LA Grand Marche for supplies. I think we are going to have a great time this week:)

Glad all went well for you.

If you have a car it's worth driving into Marigot to Super U in the Howell Shopping Center (main road out of town just past athletic field on right) lowest prices give 1 to euro to dollar and food is exceptional fresh, abundant. Only downside is if you buy boxed, packaged items like instant rice the directions are in French.

We were on island 2 weeks. 1st week shopped Grand Marche $92. On 2nd week bought basically the same items (bread, milk, cheese, eggs, ice cream, water, roti chicken, lettuce, tomato, salad dressing, tiny jar of mayo, cookies, green beans, yogurt, wine, rum, ting. ) minus Ting but plus extras and spent $52. Saw a rack of lamb for $12 but I don't cook big meals on vacation---especially when in SXM because of the many great restaurants.

Thanks for the suggestion, we will check it out. Leaving for butterfly farm now:)

Sounds like a great start! Enjoy!

Lamb for $12 for a rack. That would make me a big meal cook in a jiffy.