The shopping in Philipsburg. The scene in Simpson Bay. The landings at Princess Juliana. The rum punch at Sunset. St Maarten has a style all its own, and it’s getting even easier to visit the “Friendly Island” this summer, Caribbean Journal has confirmed.
For the summer season, JetBlue will be flying daily nonstop from New York John F Kennedy and Boston Logan to St Maarten.
Even more? That will include multiple daily flights from both Boston and St Maarten on Saturdays.
It’s not a surprise, given that the New York-Boston corridor has long been a crucial stronghold for tourism to the island.
The Boston flight is the only nonstop route from Logan to St Maarten; the island also gets a JFK flight on Delta, which has a similar daily (and multiple on Saturday) schedule from New York.
So what about fares? Boston-St Maarten is showing prices around $529 for the four-hour flight in early June.
Are you thinking about a trip to the island this summer? St Maarten has been seeing strong tourism numbers this year, buoyed by its newly-transformed airport (that includes fresh arrival and departure terminals).
If you’re not familiar with the island, it’s the rare Caribbean hotspot that includes two countries on one island, one Dutch and one French.
Each has its own unique charms, from the some of the region’s best shopping on Front Street in Philipsburg and the region’s premier lineup of fine-dining eateries along Grand Case Boulevard in St Maarten.
That means you can stay on either side and drive to the other to explore and savor the attractions.
Our favorite place to stay on either side has long been the Grand Case Beach Club, which is just a short stroll from the restaurants in town and has two beautiful beaches on property. Rooms at $304.
If you’re set on the Dutch side, there are some solid options, including the all-inclusive Sonesta complex in Maho (just near the airport); the Sonesta has two hotels, one family friendly (with a waterpark) and another, the adults-only Ocean Point, where we stayed recently and loved the swim-up rooms. (Starting rooms at the Sonesta Maho have rates as low as $373 in June, according to Google Hotels.
The family-friendly one actually just added its own adults-only all-inclusive wing called the Ultimate Adults-Only Club, which gives you access to both properties’ amenities and some other dedicated touches.
The Coral Beach Club, which has some very cool units (some with private pools) right on the sand in Oyster Pond. The latter has two-bedroom townhouses starting at $795 per night, great for couples.
