Belair Hotel St Martins

Has anyone stayed at this resort? Have been offered 2 weeks there in Aug 2008. I want it to be a special holiday- good appt, good food, pretty gardens, a place to really relax for two tired 50 yr olds! Will this resort do the trick ?

Lyn N.

I was there the end of May of this year (07). We had a great time. It's not super luxurious, but it has big rooms, it's clean, and it's right on the water (the slider from our room was about 40 feet from the beach). We had a problem with the TV and it was replaced within an hour. Everyone is friendly and helpful too. However, August is hurricane season, so you never know what the weather will be. I would definitely go there again. If you do go, you need to go to Orient Beach too. It's beautiful.

Tom B.

tomb232 wrote:
I was there the end of May of this year (07). We had a great time. It's not super luxurious, but it has big rooms, it's clean, and it's right on the water (the slider from our room was about 40 feet from the beach). We had a problem with the TV and it was replaced within an hour. Everyone is friendly and helpful too. However, August is hurricane season, so you never know what the weather will be. I would definitely go there again. If you do go, you need to go to Orient Beach too. It's beautiful.

================= Be advised that Orient Beach (or at least part of it) is clothing optional, though, if you do chose to experience Orient Beach to its fullest, I can guarantee you will feel relaxed and will probably have trouble going back to the textile world. "When in Rome"... Have fun Mike

Mike N.

Yes, Orient Beach does have a nude beach. There are 5 beaches at Orient Beach, and the one to the far right is clothing optional. However, it is not viewable from the other beaches as there is a slight bend so you can't see it unless you go to the edge of it. However, it is on the french side, so a lot of women are topless on the other 4 beaches. You can go parasailing, jet skiing, enjoy some of the restaurants on the beach, or just relax in the sun. Enjoy.

Tom B.

tomb232 wrote:
Yes, Orient Beach does have a nude beach. There are 5 beaches at Orient Beach, and the one to the far right is clothing optional. However, it is not viewable from the other beaches as there is a slight bend so you can't see it unless you go to the edge of it. However, it is on the french side, so a lot of women are topless on the other 4 beaches. You can go parasailing, jet skiing, enjoy some of the restaurants on the beach, or just relax in the sun. Enjoy.

========= I plan on visiting St. Marteen in April, though I'll be staying on the Dutch side (where, it seems, most of the TS exchanges are available). How's the public transportation on the Island, or would I need to rent a car? When I was in Aruba, buses and taxis were sufficient.

Mike N.

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (down the road from Cancun) is also a topless beach if so desired. We almost stepped on an older lady sunbathing, while we were walking along the beach, who was totally topless and it wasn't a pretty sight .... so much for clothing optional beaches :o), but to each his own.

R P.

If you are going to hang at your complex most of week and go out once or twice, a taxi or a bus is fine. But if you want to see the area, get a car. We rented a car in St Maarten. We went to Orient Beach (yes, most of the people on the nude beach should put their clothes on), Maho, which is a nice little tourist trap of shops and a casino near the airport, Sunset bar, which is right next to the airport (I mean right next to it) where you can watch the planes land. We also went to Phillipsburg, which is the biggest tourist trap on the island. Don't shop in Phillipsburg on a cruise day because they raise their prices on those days. Another nice thing is that some of the stores (jewelry stores in particular) give you free drinks while you shop. I say tourist traps, but they are nice places to visit.

Speaking of casinos, only go to the big ones, which are the Royal in Maho, and the Atlantis. That's what we were told. There is a coupon in one of the local travel books for a $25 matching bet for the Royal.

And what ever you do, don't listen to any people on the street saying you won a prize and don't worry it's not a timeshare resentation. It's a vaction club and similar to a timeshare presentation. They promis nice gifts but it's a waste of time. The gifts aren't that good.

Sint Maarten is a great place to visit. Have fun.

Tom B.