Flamingo Beach Resort

My family exchanged one week, 1 bedroom, ocean view unit, for the Kaanapali Beach Resort, Maui, for one Garden view studio and one studio with a pool view at the Flamingo Beach Resort for January 4 -10, 2009. Our daughter really enjoyed having her own room! Both studios were very comfortable. Internet access is not free and only available in the lobby but I understand if you bring your laptop, cost is much less. This was our first successful timeshare exchange. Overall, we had a very nice time and enjoyed the Flamingo Beach Resort. Bottom line is we would return to this resort. Check in was a bit slow late on Sunday night. The Toppers restaurant, located at resort beach, had an excellent snapper dinner reasonably priced and excellent drinks each afternoon during sunset. Rooms were clean and staff available when requested. Security people were always on-site and visible. The family enjoyed the resort beach each day. We did attend the resort sales presentation and found that staff to be very friendly, informative and courteous and much nicer than the Kaanapali sales staff. We did not purchase additional property / points due to the unprecedented increase in maintenance fees by Diamond Resorts.

The on-site activities desk was very helpful. It was an easy walk to the Pelican Marina for two dive trips and two snorkelling trips. The snorkelling trip to Prickly Pear was very enjoyable and highly recommended. My daughter's two dive trips produced numerous turtles, large game fish, numerous tropical fish and no sharks! The Pelican Marina dive staff was very helpful and customer focused. At night, during January, nice schools of 20 to 40 lb tarpon position around the drawbridge to feed. This is an interesting sight for fisherman to watch and wish for a rod!

Traffic in St. Maarten is terrible and roads horrible! Lots of trash along roads and everywhere else in the community except for the resorts! Such a beautiful island but the locals do not care about their island's appearance! I understand this is a Caribbean trait and definitely a change after vacationing in Maui / Oahu for years! Simpson Bay Lagoon is very interesting because it is huge and contains many large, beautiful yachts. The passing of vessels in and out of the lagoon daily is an event itself. Recommend visitors rent a car and be aware of any damage to your rented vehicle prior to accepting. We did not have any problems, but criminal activity is a problem on most Caribbean islands. We also visited and shopped in Phillipsburg and Marigot. Both experiences were enjoyable. We did not see every beach, we saved that for the next trip!

Just got back today from a week stay. Check in was a breeze. No pressure to attend a sales talk. Everything was explained at front desk and no surprises. The units we had were large and clean. The towels were the best. Beds wern't bad but it wasen't home. The pool was nice and the monday party $20 per person for the buffet and show were good. The restraunt on site, Toppers, had very good food. Price was not bad either. The beach was also very nice and they were repairing two beach huts. We would stay again. This was our seventh time visiting Sint Maarten.

We loved the resort, after spending the first two weeks of June in St. Maarten we are dying to go back. The staff were always helpful and very accommodating, the rooms were large and clean. The beach is one of the best one the island especially for resort beaches, the amount of wildlife you can see is remarkable. The proximity to the Pelican marina is also desirable given the sunset sail is a must do.

We have stayed over the New Year and were dissapointed with rooms and services. We stayed in 2br oceanfront villa and I can hardly call it a villa. The rooms were outdated, doors were broken, cement steps to the second floor fell as we walked and the security guard told us that he informed the management to repair these a year ago, but nothing was done. The cleaning service is only once a week! I asked for a sewing kit, they did not have it! They do not even have a medical kit! The location is very convinient, but considering the lack of service and uncomfortable room I would not stay there again. We will return to the island in the near future and The Cliff is much better property.

He is a link to see pictures what is considered 2br oceanfront villa in this resort. BEWARE! http://www.photoworks.com/photo-sharing/shareSignin.jsp? shareCode=A77BB32C503&cp=ems_shr_alb_pml&cb=PW

Bought here sight unseen and visited in november 2004....very happy with the area, the staff the unit and the overall resort.

Our unit is third floor facing the medium sized beach which continues to wrap around towards the Pelican. This was great for smaller kids since there was a protective seawall for a portion of the way...comfortable lounges for everyone for a small tip...restrooms and showers and a bar all right there...

So lets explore...enjoy a day on the water...catamarans circle the island and stop to snorkel...great fun.

The food on the French side was world class at La Sammana, La Testa Vin and Vin en Rose...we also ate just down the road upstairs from the Flamingo walking distance...split one entree and one appetizer...with one glass of wine and expect to pay less than $60...cheaper food at La Tomatoes...and the pizza place in between the casino near the airport...

Enjoy Grand Case and Marigot more than P'burg...take the ferry to Anquilla and rent bikes for the day...see the celebs or at least where they have been...great cafe at the end of Grand Case...sit over the water...Sunset Cafe I think....

Buy groceries at the market on the Dutch side just down the road from the resort on the way to Grand case...French table wine $5 was very platable...great cheeses and breads, fruits and juices were all reasonable.

St Martin is lots of fun...and the people were great