 |
 |
|
With over 300 restaurants—yes,
300 restaurants—dining in St. Maarten/St. Martin
can be as exotic and sumptuous an experience as you
can imagine, or as simple as a flip of the hamburger.
From sizzling Caribbean dishes to French gourmet cuisines,
from Moroccan to Indonesian; from Chinese to Indian,
from Mexican to Italian; from Japanese to Surinamese,
the ethnic origins of food served in St. Maarten/St.
Martin is a true reflection of the demographics of the
island’s population.
Mouth-watering, finger-licking, spicy St. Maarten/St.
Martin dishes rub shoulders (or is it palates) with
international menus. Whether it is in Grand Case at
Rainbow or Setal, or at the Marigot waterfront by Enoch’s
or maybe at Sugar Cane’s or Temptations at Cupecoy
or Yvette’s in French Quarter for cozy home cooking,
the gourmet food train runs along a trail that passes
through virtually every nook and corner of the island.
No wonder the island is known as the “Gastronomic
capital of the Caribbean.”
You can sample some tasty barbecue ribs and/or chicken
at Johnny B Under the Tree in Cole Bay, famous also
for its grilled lobster, or you could choose to dine
like royaly at any of the first-class restaurants along
the Boardwalk in Great Bay. In fact, you may wish to
start off with breakfast at one restaurant, lunch at
a different one and enjoy a romantic dinner at yet another
for the entire duration of your stay without repeating
(unless you wish to) your visit to any one of them.
The choice is yours. |
|
You can actually smell
the dampness of the earth, hear the cacophony of birds
chirping, as if calling out to you in various languages
and catch the refraction of sunlight on some broad green
leaves. And as you look down, lo and behold, before
you unfolds a most breathtakingly beautiful, some would
even say mesmerizing view of the island, the kind you’ll
most likely not see on any postcard. You are standing,
of course, at the highest point of the island—Pic
Paradis (Paradise Peak) on the other side of the historic
Freetown. Pic Paradis is a lush, tropical crown of rain
forest, sitting majestically at the top of the Loterie
Farm —a haven for hikers, bird watchers and other
Nature lovers. It is accessible by motor vehicles.
The Highest Hills of
the Friendly Island
Paradise Peak, 424m
Mt. Careta, 401m
Mt. O’reilly, 381m
Sentry Hill, 341m
St. Peter’s Hill, 316m |
|
|
|
For the sixth consecutive year, Oyster
Bay Beach Resort (OBBR) received Interval International’s
Five Star Award for superior service, placing it among
the elite group of the top 20 percent of the global
vacation exchange company’s properties. Oyster
Bay’s claim to fame is its exceptional service
that has made vacationers to continue to give the property
“exceptional ratings.”
To further encourage this, and in tribute to the team
work of the OBBR staff, Interval International has granted
a monthly seven-day stay in Orlando, Florida for the
employee of the month at the resort.
“We are delighted to receive these coveted awards
for the sixth consecutive year in acknowledgment of
our efforts to offer owners and guests a memorable vacation,”
Oyster Bay Beach Resort General Manager Jan Borsje said.
“We look forward to building on the successes
we have had.”
Interval International Vice President of Resort Sales
and Services David Callaghan also commended Commissioner
of Tourism Theo Heyliger and the St. Maarten island
government for their continued commitment to the industry.
He recalled that when Oyster Bay first joined Interval
International several years ago, the road to the resort
was in bad shape. Callaghan said Heyliger came through
on his promise to fix the road.
Callaghan also pointed to the ultra-modern Princess
Juliana International Airport terminal building, as
evidence of continued investment in the success of the
tourism industry on the island. |
 |
|
Twenty years and Royal Islander Club
in the Maho Village is still going strong. The resort
marked this milestone in early December 2006.
In a press statement on the occasion, the resort said,
“Our success at Royal Islander Club reflects the
fact that our members enjoy their stay so much with
us and return year after year, which is something that
Royal Islander Club acknowledges and appreciates.”
Congratulatory messages poured in on General Manager
Walter Kieser and the whole staff for making Royal Islander
a Five Star and Gold Crown timeshare resort.
In turn, management, staff and members were full of
praise for the developers for their invaluable support,
dedication and commitment in developing and making the
Royal Islander Club the finest resort in St. Maarten.
“They remain true to their promise in maintaining
a superior resort and providing the best possible experience
for the members, guests and employees,” they said. |
|
|
 With
200 of its projected 310 rooms fully booked for the
New Year’s weekend and 80 percent occupancy confirmed
for Christmas, Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort
officially opened in January 2007.
It was a moment of joy, especially for Commissioner
Roy Marlin, who saw the five star resort as a major
employer of labor.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Marlin,
who has been pushing for as many St. Maarteners as possible
to be involved in the development of the resort. A number
of the island’s youth who had attended job fairs
are now working at the brand new resort.
“This is just the beginning as the resort has
still not employed its full quota of employees,”
Marlin noted.
The US$120 million Westin St. Maar-ten Dawn Beach Resort,
Spa and Residences, which has modern conference facilities,
is expected to be finalized by Spring 2007. It will
be the first residence resort property on the island
offering the privacy of a home with the modern amenities
of a resort.
|
|
