St. Maarten Sonesta Resorts Offer Family Fun Package

We know firsthand that families that travel with two guest rooms instead of one can have twice the fun. Especially great for families with older children, the second room option gives the kids a sense of freedom and everyone just a little elbow room.

But that can add up to an expensive vacation...unless a good package comes along. Here's one that just came our way: the new Family Fun Package at the Sonesta St. Maarten resort. When you book a second room, you'll receive it at half price!

The Package: Families book two rooms at either Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino (photo, left) or Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino and receive the second room at half price. Also, kids ages 12 and under eat, stay and play free (buffet dining only).

Dates: The Family Fun Package is valid for travel June 1- August 31, 2008. Book by May 31, 2008. Minimum five-night stay. This is not combinable with other offers.

Price: Rates at both resorts April 19 through December 19, 2008 begin at $165.00 per room, per night based on single or double occupancy. Rates are room only and are subject to 21% tax and surcharge. All-inclusive rates are also available.

For More Information:
• call 1-800-223-0757
• visit www.sonesta.com/stmaarten

Sint Maarten Offers Summer Savings Program

Families looking to stretch their vacation budget a little will be interested in this program we received: the “SXM Bucks” Summer Savings Promotion. St. Maarten, called the “Culinary Capitol of the Caribbean,” is offering this promotion which includes a wide range of discounts and free offers.

Dates: May – December 15, 2008

The Package: There are two promotions, depending on length of stay:

5 Nights: You will receive the 5th night free and $50 in “SXM Bucks” when you stay for five-nights or longer.

7 Nights: You will receive the 5th and 7th night free and $100 in “SXM Bucks” when you stay for seven-nights or longer.

Participants: The “SXM Bucks” can be used at any of the participating restaurants, shops and tour operations:

Resorts

• Divi Little Bay Beach Resort
• La Vista
• Mary's Boon
• Oyster Bay Beach Resort
• Princess Heights
• Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort
• Sonesta Maho Beach Resort
• Westin Dawn Beach

Note: When booking reservations be sure to mention the “SXM Bucks” promotion to receive the discount.

Restaurants

• Antoine's
• Lee's Roadside Grill
• Los Gauchos
• The Tide Restaurant
• Peg Leg Pub
• Pineapple Pete
• Ric's Place
• Saratoga

Shops

• AMA Jewelers
• Ballerina Jewelers
• Bedazled Jewelers
• Caribbean Gems
• Diamonds International
• Effy Collection
• Lucky Too Gift Shop
• Lucky Too Jewelers
• Shipwreck Shops
• St. Maarten Guavaberry
• Tanzanite International

Car Rentals

• Best Deal Car Rental
• Hertz Car Rental
• U-Save Car Rental
• Value Car Rental
  

Activities

• Aqua Mania Adventures
• Exquisite Watersports
• Philipsburg Theatres
• Xaro Tours

For more information:
• visit www.vacationstmaarten.com

POTD: Walk to Fort Louis, Marigot, St. Martin

It's a long walk up the hill to Fort Louis in Marigot, St. Martin but one well worth the climb. A stroll past a residential neighborhood brings you up to the fort with is open as a park now and offers an unobstructed view of the city, the sea, and on to neighboring Anguilla. Kids enjoy a look at the cannons at the hilltop. Bring water for your walk up the hill; you won't find facilities selling water once you reach the summit.

POTD: Ferry Terminal, Marigot, St. Martin

Island hopping is easy in St. Martin; your family can hop a ferry from Marigot to Anguilla at this terminal located adjacent to the market. The ride takes under half an hour and you can just walk up and buy your ticket...but don't forget your passports!

POTD: Capt. Hodges Playground, Sint Maarten

Whether you're coming in on a water taxi from one of the cruise ships or just strolling around Philipsburg during your resort stay in Sint Maarten, here's a good family stop: Captain Hodges Playground. Located on the boardwalk in Philipsburg, this playground is open Sunday through Thursday 10am - 8pm and Friday and Saturday 10am - 10pm. It's open for use by families with children ages 2-12.

POTD: Largest Playground in Sint Maarten

Here's a little trivia question for you family travelers: where's the largest playground in St. Martin/Sint Maarten? Give up? It's at the Sint Maarten Park, the zoo just minutes from Philipsburg (on the Dutch side). This zoo is fairly small but very family-friendly with zero crowds, plenty of shade, wide trails, and a great gift shop.

Just Back from Sint Maarten

We just returned from five days in Sint Maarten! We'll be bringing you updates from the island where we enjoyed some beautiful weather (luckily just missing the rain that had been caused during the development of Hurricane Noel). We spent two nights at Sonesta Great Bay, a property we'd visited before it became a Sonesta a year ago; in fact, we were on hand for the cutting of the one-year celebration cake.


The cake cutting was followed by a special anniversary party at poolside:


Sonesta Great Bay has a wonderful location on a big stretch of beach that extends all the way into Philipsburg; just a few minutes from Great Bay there's a boardwalk to make strolls (even those with strollers) into town easy. We spent a morning walking around Philipsburg then returned for a snorkel trip just minutes from the resort.

After two nights at Sonesta Great Bay, we moved to Sonesta Maho, located near the airport. We stayed on the eighth floor, one of the renovated floors at the resort; our room had teak furniture and a great view of the pool and the sea beyond.

We'll be bringing you a full review of all our stops in Sint Maarten...stay tuned!

POTD: Watersports at Orient Beach

In St. Martin, Orient Beach is always one of the busiest beaches in the Caribbean, right up there with Jamaica's Negril Beach and Grand Cayman's Seven Mile Beach. You'll find watersports of every description here: jetskis, Hobie cats, windsurfers, and more. The no-hassle beach makes it easy to walk from vendor to vendor and compare prices.

POTD: Sint Maarten Park

Birds from throughout the Caribbean, Central America and even parts of South America are found at the Sint Maarten Park, a zoo near Philipsburg.

POTD: Caiman at Sint Maarten Park

This caiman catches some sun at the Sint Maarten Park, a zoo that features many Caribbean animals, birds and reptiles. The caiman, which looks like a small crocodile, is found on many islands (and was the namesake for the Cayman Islands).

Sint Maarten's Sonesta Moho Undergoes Renovation

The 537-room Sonesta Maho Beach & Casino has undergone a $2.5 million renovation, debuting 110 premium rooms with teakwood furniture. The resort, long a family favorite, features a casino, two outdoor pools and beach, three restaurants, shopping promenade, spa, and a large swath of beach. The hotel is just minutes from the international airport, convenient for families who want to make the most of their vacation time.