TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Alegria (Caravanserai) Today

We have rented privately at Caravanserai for the past 2 years, but decided not to this year because of the on-going debacle. However, we still have a soft spot for the place and went to check it out; late Saturday night it was like a ghost-town, Sunday night there were about 25-30 people around Marty's bar, which seemed normal for this time of year. The entrance signage has been changed and updated to Algeria, and there is now royal blue strip lighting around the front of the main building. There are more poolside loungers and umbrellas, plus new tables and chairs by the bar. We walked around and found the elevator still isn't working; a fresh coat of paint on the main building and new room direction signs have been added. The reception has been redone and is much brighter and more professional looking than before, but still needs a bit more work; a new light fixture sans dead bugs now hangs from the ceiling! When leaving the pool area going into the reception area, we noticed what looks like an exercise room had been installed upstairs. Cannot comment about the interior of the rooms, but from what we saw it looks like the same old, same old but with possibly less people. Mary's Dream bar is still a great place to go. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the report. Wonder if they will EVER get those elevators working?

Not a big incentive unless they get the first floor full.

SXM??? Wendell

Update, we went to The Dream tonight for happy hour and walking by the elevator I pushed the button. Lo and behold it worked. Hubby went up one floor to see if it actually moved. That's progress for you!

Wow, stop the presses on that one!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> ...although if you go by again tomorrow, it probably won't be working! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

By the way, I just have to say that your profile picture is beautiful! Any chance you could post a larger version of that picture here?

Well I am sure hubby will want to go to The Dream again, it just keeps calling, so will try the elevator again. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

I can definitely send a bigger picture, however, it will have to be done when I get home, as it is on another system and I can't access it from the laptop we are using now. I took that picture 2 years ago, it's a green throated caribe. I saw one last night but didn't have my camera with me. I'm always on the hunt for the elusive hummingbird, and once in a while get lucky and get one. Takes a lot of patience though.

OK, if you do get by there again, keep us posted!

OK on the picture. I suspect that one isn't the only beautiful one you have!

Wandered over to The Dream for happy hour again, hubby really likes it there; found out the elevator was only fixed yesterday. I'll check it out later in the week to see if it is still working.

Yes, I have several good bird pictures from different places. They are so elusive and hard to capture. Haven't got one on this trip yet, but I'm ever hopeful.

OK, keep up that on the spot reporting! I'm sure that it is a big sacrifice! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Your hubby is brave! I wouldn't have gone in or up for fear it would trap me!

I was thinking the same thing, Rosemary!

Your hubby is brave! I wouldn't have gone in or up for fear it would trap me! [/quote]

That's why I didn't get in! Hubby was a bit apprehensive pushing the button too.

I will be there on the 21st of Feb. Hope the elevator is still working by then and that things improved in the rooms... Will post when I get there

Change is coming soon....

I to use to own at Caravanserai and was lucky enough to sell two years ago to another owner there. But like the other poster still have a soft spot for the place. Went by yesterday the 12th. at about 4:00 pm. Place was dead. Hardly anyone there compared to past years of us staying for our two to three weeks. Decided to go over to Sunset for a drink and do a little plane watching. Came back at 5:20 and only 4 people at the bar. Talk to Marty for maybe 10 minutes. He didn't sound overly confident about what his future was going to be. Looked around not much signs of life. Definitely not like it was when we owned there. Also the tell tale sign of no one there was there was tons of empty parking spaces. That was always an issue in the past. Don't like the new colors at all. They painted the place white with dark blue doors and dark blue outside light fixtures. It clashes with the A building next to it.

Would not set foot in this place after what they did to 2300 people, including the so called Dream Bar.

Get real. The new owners bought a resort in bankruptcy with no obligation to go forward with the timeshare owners. They are sinking new money into the resort to make it into something. It's going to take time. It's not the new owners fault people lost out, it's business.

2300 of us think there was/is obligation.

It's not that simple. The bank was well aware timeshare sales were going on, even though they claimed to the new buyers they never gave that authority.

The SXM courts didn't and the last minute association has to pay the court cost for Alegria as per judge decree. Has anyone heard if they have been paid?

SXM??? Wendell

I realize it's a hard pill to swallow but I believe the court did make a ruling in favor of Alegria. Disgruntled people will have to learn to move on. No different than buying a stock in a corporation and they declare bankruptcy. Stocks are then worthless.

Everyone, please keep in mind: "It ain't over until the fat lady sings" ... and it's only just begun. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duel.gif" alt="" />

Its over and seems to me simple to understand. Its a new company, new owner with no more obligation of the former owners debts, contracts or problems than another other bank foreclosed property in the world after its legaly auctioned off. You buy and house,car ,etc and you don't pay the bank you loose it then someone else buys it, end of story. That property has had problems over and over for years and years. The new owner did not mess it up or take our money, the other guy did so why is he the scapegoat to some? Hard earned money never nice to loose but its time to face the facts, to me it soooo over.

I think the fat lady sang.

Huhm, OK, I thought the Caravanseri 'owners' had been totally thrown out on their ears by the courts. What else is going on?

And weren't they supposed to pay Alegria's legal fees for taking them to court?

SXM??? Wendell

Have no horse in this race, but I think the new Alegria owners are wrong because it's bad for business. When you have 2300 disgruntled parties, the word gets around to avoid the place. They should have come up with a better solution agreeable to all parties. If you can't generate revenue during high season how long can you hold out unless you have really deep pockets. It's not the same as US bankruptcy, more like stealing from those who trusted the bank. Caravanseri owners were equivalent to stockholders who had no representation in the final judgement. In this country the bank would have been sued and held liable along with the previous owner.

No the bank wouldn't be sued. The property would be auctioned off on the courthouse steps with a reserve price of the amount of the loan due. Which normally the bank is the only bidder. BUT IF you could get all 2300 of the TS "owners" to come up with the $14M in an account to purchase then they would become the real owners. The"owners" recourse would have ended on the court house steps.

As for SXM I never heard of the Caravanseri "owners" putting a group together of any kind till it was too late. And as for what they think their legal right is the Judge pretty much was totally opposite of the last minute TS "owners" group. He ordered them to pay for Algerias legal fees.

SXM??? Wendell

SXM??? Wendell

No, the bank would have been held liable, nor would the previous owner.

I don't know, I have no horse in this race either, BUT, if you come right down to it, there really are not a huge number of larger strictly HOTELS on the island. Most of the larger places are timeshares, which have their own issues in terms of booking. They MAY well be successful, from bookings from people who have no idea what Caravanseri was, IF they can get their issues--like the elevators!!--fixed. They'd have to spend some money for advertising, but they could be successful, IF they improve the product.

What they are going to have to do is price themselves below market for a while till they get a clientele built up. Then they can possibly raise prices. Also for this year they were late to get bookings for high season.

SXM??? Wendell

Yes, I actually expect that is what they will do, reduce prices to get the place full, once they get some of the issues resolved.

Considering they are asking for up to $335 a night (for off season this May), I don't think they are following that plan right now.

Actually, I just looked at dates in March and it was under $200 a night for Heineken Regatta, so I think they are reducing prices closer to the time.

They appear to be taking steps to reverse the negativity surrounding the place; if you follow Trip Advisor you will find that all negative reviews have been removed for Caravanserai/Alegria. I didn't realize this could be done, but apparently it can and has been. We also found out that people booked at the Sonesta for an "all inclusive" vacation, are being sent to Alegria if the Sonesta has no rooms available. It appears they aren't eating or drinking there, just sleeping there. So there must be some arrangement between the two resorts.

All time share owners on the Island should boycott Alegria. By hitting them in the pocketbook maybe then they will get the message that they morally did the wrong thing to 2300 owners. The St. Maarten government has no idea which end is up, they better stop drinking the kool aid and get with the program.

That is one of the flaws with TripAdvisor. There are often very slanted reviews and ratings of places. Applebee's or another chain-type restaurant often is ranked higher than a really good independent restaurant with a good reputation.

Boycott what? I don't understand.

SXM??? Wendell

I don't have a dog in this fight but how is the "boycotting" of Alegria by "owners" who don't own there going to take place? People that "own" elsewhere are not going to go to Alegria anyhow and I am sure they would not consider buying anything there now.

Have you even owned stock in a company that went bankrupt or totally out of business? I have and it is the same scenario as this. You are left with a worthless piece of paper.

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