My friend is going to St Maartem in July and trying to decide between The Sunterra Royal Palm or Flamingo Beach Resort. She is traveling with her husband and 2 daughters ages 12 & 16. Does anyone have any recomendations?

I would stay at the Flamingo as it is always rated higher than the Royal Palm. However, if given a choice I would not chose either. I really dont like that side of the island its too crowded and touristy. But it does have shopping and casinos if they are looking for that.

I agree that I prefer the French over the Dutch side, but we get such a good rate at Royal Palm thru my husband's company that we stay there often enough. I think it would be a good choice for a family with children.

I can't comment on Flamingo, but we have always been happy with Royal Palm as a couple. We like it enough that we are taking my husband's 15 year old daughter there for a long weekened in July and expect that she will really like staying there, too, since we often see kids of all ages on the property.

Do you have any specific questions? I can't really think of anything to let you in on about the property, other than to request a room OFF of the first floor. At times they seem to have some water damage from past hurricanes. We have always been happy with any rooms on the second floor and higher, though.

thanks for the information - Statia - I do have a couple of questions, if you dont mind. Are there any restaurants near the hotel that you would recommend? How are the pool and beach? What about the grill on the property, is it a restaurant or just a walk up?
Thanks for the help.

francot, I've never been too impressed with the restaurant on the premises, but we've only had breakfast there. The food isn't bad, but the service leaves a little something to be desired.

I can, however, highly recommend Lee's Roadside Grill directly across the street from the resort. Some of the freshest seafood on the island, great service and nightly entertainment. Fun place and great location.

Some other good and/or fun eateries that are nearby (bearing in mind your kids ages) are Cherie's Cafe, Turtle Pier, Hot Tomatoes, and Peg Leg Pub. These aren't in walking distance, but they aren't far by car.

I can also recommend many of the restaurants at Port Royale Marina in Marigot and/or the restaurants in Grand Case for fine dining. The "lolos" in Grand Case are also great for an affordable lunch delving into the local fare.

The pool at the property is nice. They seem to have plenty of lounge chairs and there is a swim up bar. The bar area is also a lot of fun in the evening. The beach is nice and the water is not too rough, but it does tend to drop off quickly at certain points. You could always spend some time at the resort beach, as well as see various other beaches on the island during your stay.

Statia, Thank you so much for the information. They have now decided to go to Saba for the first 2 days of the trip and Royal Palm for the rest. I will pass on your recomendations. You never know maybe your step daughter and her daughters will meet up how funny would that be. Have a great trip and thanks again.

francot, Saba is wonderful and I highly recommend it...especially for those into eco-tourism or those wanting to just really get away from it all. We go there often enough to get away from the hurriedness of our own 8-square mile island.

If they have not yet decided where to stay on Saba, I can recommend the Cottage Club as I've stayed there for years. I can also recommend some wonderful restaurants. Saba is like our home away from home.

What dates are your friends going to be on SXM in July? We will be there the second weekend. Yes, that would be neat to run into them.

Statia, I think they are staying at The Willard. They are leaving the states on the 5th going to Saba for a couple of nights then to The Royal Palm. They are a great Greek couple with 2 teenagers. You never know who you might run into. Thanks for all the great information. Have a great trip.

Willard's is also a nice place, francot. And, it's got a wonderful view of my island to boot!

I hope they have a great time.