News

St Maarten Tourism Is “Steadily Recovering”

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - January 12, 2018 - 9:29 pm

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Four months after Hurricane Irma, St. Maarten is “steadily recovering” and showing visible signs of progress, officials said.

This past month marked the reopening of St. Maarten’s cruise ports, as Viking Cruises’ Viking Sea ship and Marella Cruises’ Marella Discovery sailed into port on December 4 and 5, 2017 respectively.

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines operate daily flights to St. Maarten through Miami and Atlanta, respectively, while JetBlue is operating twice-weekly flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

St. Maarten’s boutique hotels and guest houses are also open for business, officials told Caribbean Journal.

Options currently accepting guests include Baker’s Suites, Horizon Beach Hotel, Carl’s Unique Inn, The Paradise Inn, Travel Inn Hotel, Princess Heights, Holland House Beach Hotel, Sea Palace Resort, Atrium Resort & Spa and several others.

Oyster Bay plans to reopen in April and Sonesta Ocean Point in the fourth quarter.

Many food, beverage and entertainment options are open in Simpson Bay, including Topper’s, Pizza & Co., Little Jerusalem, Bombay Bites, Lee’s Roadside Grill, Avantika, Marty’s, Rhythm & Booze, Pizza del Sol, Jungle Steakhouse, Sale & Pepe.

For fine dining, Rockland Estate is welcoming guests for island-inspired fare by acclaimed St. Maarten Chef, Dino Jagtiani.

Just one month after Irma, 80 percent of land-based activities and 64 percent of sea-based activities were back in action, and that number has steadily increased.

Ninety-percent of the shops on Front Street in Philipsburg are open, as well as Rainforest Adventures and Aqua Mania Adventures.

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


Royal Caribbean’s New Cruise Ship Has a Rooftop Bar, a Waterpark and the Largest Pool at Sea

star of the seas

You step into a glass dome floating high above the ocean. To your right, divers plunge from platforms. Above, aerialists twist through light. Somewhere behind you, a DJ is spinning beside a suspended infinity pool. This isn’t a dream — […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


Related Posts all-inclusive caribbean vacation solo

This All-Inclusive Caribbean Vacation Is the Ultimate Solo Travel Experience

You arrive alone, but you’re not on your own. That’s the quiet magic of this four-night all-inclusive escape designed specifically for solo travelers — a curated experience at a breezy, beachfront Caribbean resort that knows what it means to travel […]


Tortola’s Long Bay Beach Is a Mile of Calm Surf and Caribbean Solitude

long bay beach in tortola

It’s early morning and the beach is nearly empty. A few footprints trail off into the distance, soon erased by the tide. To your left, steep green hills tumble into the sea. Ahead, nothing but a long ribbon of golden […]


This 115-Mile Hiking Trail Through Dominica Is the Caribbean's Longest (And Most Epic)

caribbean hiking trail longest

The path twists upward through fern forests, crosses rivers lined with boulders the size of small boats, and opens onto vistas that seem carved from a fantasy novel. This isn’t Costa Rica or the Andes — this is Dominica, and […]