St. Maarten Travel Guide: What We Did, Where We Stayed and What I'd Do Again
St. Maarten had been on my list, and after this trip, I can definitely see myself going back. I had the pleasure of traveling there last month with my husband for my 42nd birthday getaway.
Our Caribbean island-hopping adventure took us to St. Maarten, Anguilla and St. Barth, and St. Maarten was our first stop. With only 4 nights and 5 days to split between three islands, we knew we wouldn't be able to see and do everything. And honestly, that was okay because for the first time in a long while, it didn’t feel like the trip flew by on the last day. It felt like we really maximized our time in the best way and got a full and enjoyable vacation.
We enjoyed what we did get to experience, and now I have a few more reasons to return.
If you're considering a trip to St. Maarten, here's what we did, where we stayed, what we ate and a few things I'd keep in mind when planning your own trip.
Getting to and around St. Maarten
We flew into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on American Airlines.
We knew before the trip that we wanted to rent a car. This was our first time renting a car on an island, and I'm so glad we did. Our rental was $205, and we chose a rental car company located right at the airport, which made the process convenient.
Having a car gave us the freedom to get up and go whenever we wanted instead of coordinating taxis every time we wanted to leave the hotel. And financially, it made sense for us. The amount we would've easily spent on taxis would have exceeded what we paid for the rental.
If you're planning to explore different parts of St. Maarten/St. Martin, I'd definitely consider renting a car.
Where We Stayed: JW Marriott St. Maarten Beach Resort and Spa
We stayed at the JW Marriott on the Dutch side. We paid about $1,800 total for 4 nights, which I thought was a pretty reasonable price for the stay.
As a long-time Marriott Bonvoy member, I already know I tend to gravitate toward Marriott properties when it makes sense. So naturally, the JW Marriott was on my radar when we started planning this trip.
Overall, the hotel was nice. The interior was clean and modern, and our room was spacious and comfortable.
The property also has quite a few amenities if you want to grab what you need without leaving the hotel. There's a restaurant, café, gym, spa, meeting rooms, kids room and pool. They also offer hot breakfast, lunch and dinner on-site, which is convenient if you want to grab a bite before heading out for the day. And the coffee from the café was good! I enjoyed grabbing coffee and an apple turnover there every morning. I also had fish tacos at the on-site restaurant, and those were good as well.
The hotel isn't exactly on the beaten path, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing for us since we had a rental car and were getting out to explore, but it’s something to keep in mind if you prefer to be in the mix.
The biggest downside during our stay was the beach. There was a major seaweed issue, and the beach was closed while we were there. The pool was open, but we never actually spent time out there. I will say that the outdoor pool grounds felt a little lackluster compared to other resorts I've visited. Because of that, the oceanfront view from our room wasn't quite as impressive as I expected.
That said, it didn't take away from our stay because we weren't planning to spend our days sitting at the pool anyway. But again, something to note if your goal is to spend more time at the resort than exploring.
For the price we paid, the clean, modern property, spacious room and on-site amenities made it a solid option for our trip.
Would I stay there again? I wouldn't rule it out, but I do want to try somewhere different next time.
I've already been checking out Fourteen at Mullet Bay for their vacation rentals, and I'm considering staying there on our next St. Maarten trip. it’s more conveniently located in my opinion with better views.
What We Did + Where We Went
As noted, we didn't have enough time to experience everything St. Maarten has to offer, but we made our time count.
Marigot
We spent some time in Marigot on the French side, where you'll find shopping, restaurants, ferries and more.
It was our departure point for our day trip to Anguilla, so if you're planning to add Anguilla to your itinerary, you'll likely become familiar with Marigot pretty quickly.
Mullet Bay
We made our way to Mullet Bay Beach and spent some time at Kalatua Beach Restaurant and beach club.
If you're looking for a beach day with food and drinks, this was a fun stop. The salmon burger and Half Organic Piri Piri Chicken with mashed potatoes and chicken jus were both so good. The drinks were good, too.
Give me beautiful water and a place to sit for a while, and I'm happy.
Simpson Bay
We spent some time in Simpson Bay, including stops at Avantika and Amore for dinner and nightlife. Both restaurants/lounges are side by side and almost appear to be one place. The snapper, wings and oxtail pasta were delicious. And the DJ understood the assignment, so we had a good time here with friends from Maryland, also vacationing in St. Maarten.
We also stopped by Captain's Rib Shack, although we had already eaten, so we didn't get a chance to try the food. It was PACKED when we stopped by, though, and since it's locally owned, I'm definitely adding it to my list for next time.
If you're looking for somewhere to grab dinner and keep the night going, Simpson Bay is definitely an area to check out.
Rainbow Café
We had my birthday dinner at Rainbow Café, a beachfront restaurant and beach club on the French side.
The hummus trio and shareable steak were really good, and the beachfront setting made it a great spot to enjoy the evening. I would love to come back here and enjoy it during the day to really have a nice beach day.
The French Side vs. Dutch Side
One of the things that makes St. Maarten such a fun destination is that you can experience two sides of the island in one trip. St. Martin is the French side and St. Maarten is the Dutch side.
We spent time exploring both, and I liked having the opportunity to experience the different restaurants, beaches and overall feel throughout the island.
My advice? Don't limit yourself to one side. Rent the car, get out and explore.
One More Travel Tip: My Amex
One of the travel perks I enjoy with my American Express card is the Marriott benefit that can upgrade you to Marriott Gold Elite status. That comes with additional Marriott Bonvoy benefits, so it's something worth looking into if you stay at Marriott properties regularly.
Another perk I personally love is airport lounge access. I enjoy being able to grab a nice hot meal and a glass of champagne before I depart, or during a layover. It makes travel days feel just a little less stressful.
Until Next Time, St. Maarten
St. Maarten was the perfect first stop for our island-hopping adventure. We got to eat well, explore both sides of the island, spend time at the beach, enjoy some nightlife and get a feel for what makes St. Maarten such a fun Caribbean destination.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed our 4 nights and 5 days across three islands. I could easily see St. Maarten becoming an annual or bi-annual trip for us, similar to how often I like to visit Mexico. There's enough to explore that I don't think I'd get tired of coming back. And honestly, having a few things left on the list just gives me another reason to return.
If you're planning a St. Maarten trip, I hope this guide gives you a good starting point. And if you're considering adding Anguilla and St. Barth to the itinerary, stay tuned for those guides coming soon. I'm breaking down the entire trip, including transportation, accommodations, costs and what I'd do differently.
And for a visual look at our time in St. Maarten/St. Martin, check out my Instagram reel below.
Until next time, keep going, growing and glowing!
Shalyce