Split the difference: The two sides of St. Maarten

Hugged by hills and the Caribbean coastline, Radisson Blu Resort shows off French beach style with flair.

By Vince Font

St. Maarten is a tiny island with a big, big heart. It’s even got two alternate name spellings — St. Martin for itsFrench-run half, and Sint Maarten for its Dutch-run other — which in my opinion has always been the sign of somewhere truly unique. But St. Maarten’s got a lot more going for it than alternative spellings, as anyone who’s ever been there can attest. Looking for Caribbean beach vacations that’ll take you someplace you’ve never been? Take a closer look at what this 37-square-mile paradise of St. Maarten, where it’s not land mass that matters, but what you do with it that counts. Here are two great places to start for all budgets, starting with the affordable Captain Oliver’s Resort and rounding off with the posh Radisson Blu Resort.

Captain Oliver’s Resort
This is one of the more affordable of the St. Maarten beach vacation packages where average nightly rate is concerned, but when it comes to quality and amenities you’re making no sacrifices. It’s also one of the best places to be able to simultaneously experience the island’s French and Dutch influences: on the French side of the border you’ve got the hotel, and on the other side you’ve got the marina and three restaurants. One of the restaurants, appropriately named Captain Oliver’s, features a stunning glass floor that gives a grand view of the aquarium below that’s home to a wide variety of marine life, including sharks and turtles. Lodgings come in the form of private bungalows with terraces and balconies that overlook the water, but even the bungalows that face inward have a view made great by lots of dense tropical shrubbery. Rates average around $115 per night, but you can frequently take advantage of specials offering additional nights free, not to mention the savings you can rack up by booking your stay and airfare at the same time.

Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa
I’ve always felt that the best beach vacation destinations for people who aren’t sure what they want to do when they get there is to pick a spot whose very name screams “choice!” The fact that the Radisson Blue is a resort, marina and spa is one such place that proclaims no matter what your mood, you’ll find something here. Where location is concerned, you really can’t do much better than the Radisson Blu, which sits on Ance Marcel beach facing the Caribbean and is surrounded by lush green hillsides on its 3 other sides, providing an aura of isolation that’s hard to capture in most beach vacations. Whatever you’re into, you can pretty much find it here. The hotel offers rentals of banana boats, kayaks, and wave runners, or you can head into the marina to arrange water skiing or fishing. Rooms range in size from 430 square feet to over a thousand (a home away from home, anyone?) and are bright, airy, and border on lavish. Nightly rates start in the upper $200s, but package deals for hotel and flight are available that’ll help you save a hefty chunk of change.

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Vince Font is a freelance writer born in Puerto Rico and currently escaped to Utah. When not dreaming of interstellar travel, he’s on the hunt for weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations. Next stop: The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.

Tagged: Caribbean, Hotels