Where to Stay and Play in Sint Maarten

A Caribbean vacation is a dream come true for many travelers, and when you’ve got a family, a trip to Sonesta Sint Maarten is a no-brainer. If you want to head to the island paradise but don’t know where to stay or play, we’ve got you covered.

© Sonesta Resorts St. Maarten

The island actually consists of two different countries — the Dutch side, known as Sint Maarten, and the French side, known as St. Martin. There is an actual line you’ll cross when traveling between the two sides of the island marked by flags and a small stone marker.

The French side, St. Martin, is quiet with plenty of shopping, beautiful beaches and great food. You’ll want to visit Marigot Market, an outdoor flea market-style shopping experience offering something fun for everyone, including plenty of great local souvenirs. The market is located along the waterfront and conveniently located next to some great places to grab a bite to eat or a refreshing beverage.

The Dutch side of Sint Maarten is the more touristy side, where you’ll find the airport and island’s main tourist draw: Maho Beach. The beach is located at the end of the runway, and planes of all sizes come in for a landing directly over the beach. The experience is an impressive site and makes for incredible photo and video opps. Visitors to the island plan their schedules around the plane landings to experience it. If you want a different perspective, you can rent jet skis or take boat tours of the bay to get a view from the water, but if you simply want to swim or lay out on the sandy shore, the beach is great for that.

Maho Beach © Eugenia Lazaris

Families will want to stay at Sonesta Maho Beach. Not only is it great for families with aviation fans (the property is just a few feet from Maho Beach), but this family-friendly beach is also an all-inclusive resort, so you can spend your entire stay having fun without raking up extra expenses for every little thing. From the massive pool and pool-side entertainment to great food and refreshments whenever you want it, families won’t need to leave the property (except to run to the beach and watch the planes). The property has a spa, kids club, teens club and, if mom or dad love to gamble, there is a casino directly across the street — or you can play slots at the adult-only bar in the hotel lobby.

You’ll find many different languages spoken, but most residents, especially in the tourism industry, are fluent in English. Different currencies are used depending on which side of the island you are on, but U.S. dollars are universally accepted and, of course, credit cards always work.

© Eugenia Lazaris

There are many great sites and attractions, like a roadside “iguana farm” where you can feed iguanas, and endless beautiful landscapes, great beaches and incredible food across the island. One of the best ways to explore the whole island is by booking a guided tour. Nexus Tours operates a variety of experiences and curated tours and they partner with Sonesta, so all you’ll have to do is visit the Nexus Tours representatives in the hotel lobby to find a tour that works best for your family.