Sint Maarten Recovery
Apr 5, 2018, 12:21 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hilton, United, Gold DL
Posts: 993
Was just there. Some places are recovering, but stores/restaurants are closed with no sign of reopening. Still lots of damage being cleaned up, plenty of boats in the harbor that are sunk or flipped over. In talking to several people, the Dutch and French are ignoring the island and relief is at a trickle. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow.
Apr 5, 2018, 3:54 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 857
Was just there. Some places are recovering, but stores/restaurants are closed with no sign of reopening. Still lots of damage being cleaned up, plenty of boats in the harbor that are sunk or flipped over. In talking to several people, the Dutch and French are ignoring the island and relief is at a trickle. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow.
Apr 6, 2018, 7:10 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,203
Thanks, RacingJunkie. Look forward to your photos.
Were you there on holiday?
I feel out of sorts not having gone to SXM this winter and would like to plan a Spring trip. On the one hand, I'd guess that they want the tourist dollars to start flowing in again. On the other hand, I certainly don't want to be insensitive to the fact that their priorities may still be on other things....
Were you there on holiday?
I feel out of sorts not having gone to SXM this winter and would like to plan a Spring trip. On the one hand, I'd guess that they want the tourist dollars to start flowing in again. On the other hand, I certainly don't want to be insensitive to the fact that their priorities may still be on other things....
Apr 8, 2018, 1:00 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hilton, United, Gold DL
Posts: 993
Airport has a lot of work still needed. They have set up huge tents as make shift arrival and departure halls. The departure hall has several little kiosks to buy food and drink. But with them stressing to make sure you arrive 3 hours before the flight, it gets quite crowded. Customs was a breeze in and out. The process went quickly and with minimal. Check in could have been a bit better. There were 4 checks of passports. 1 to just get into the building, 2nd to have you bag weighed, 3rd for initial questions about your bag and 4th at check in desk. Then you had the normal security and finally customs.
A few pics of the departure hall.
A few pics of the departure hall.
Apr 8, 2018, 1:20 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hilton, United, Gold DL
Posts: 993
Thanks, RacingJunkie. Look forward to your photos.
Were you there on holiday?
I feel out of sorts not having gone to SXM this winter and would like to plan a Spring trip. On the one hand, I'd guess that they want the tourist dollars to start flowing in again. On the other hand, I certainly don't want to be insensitive to the fact that their priorities may still be on other things....
Were you there on holiday?
I feel out of sorts not having gone to SXM this winter and would like to plan a Spring trip. On the one hand, I'd guess that they want the tourist dollars to start flowing in again. On the other hand, I certainly don't want to be insensitive to the fact that their priorities may still be on other things....
So, the damage is to everything. Most blocks there are spots where a small building used to reside, they are now turned into staging areas for scrap to be hold off from people rebuilding or construction going on. You walk the streets and places there used to be restaurants, there is no signs of life. All the glass in blown out, you look inside and it looks like a tornado whipped through the inside. There are still several boats sunk or abandoned on the beaches or harbor rocks. I id not make it over to Maho Beach, but I understand it is almost back to normal. I would say 80-90% of people that were on my flight were connecting to other smaller south Islands like St Barts and or a boat trip.
Apr 22, 2018, 2:52 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
Wow, this is so sad. I was recently looking at a booking for Jan 2019 but this thread has me rethinking. Prior to seeing this thread I googled and found this: Updated: Mapping what's open and closed in the Caribbean: Travel Weekly and they made it sound like the restaurants and life was open for business again. It looks like it isn't however.
Apr 23, 2018, 1:39 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
That's good to hear. So you're saying that restaurants are all open? Shops? Hotels? How was infrastructure... roads e.g.,?
May 5, 2018, 8:51 am
#11
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: Hilton*G, UA*S
Posts: 14
I will be traveling to SXM in August. I would like some recommendation on any good hotels/ places to live near Maho beach. If I don't drive, is the ride expensive and developed there for now? Finally, a bit worry about security: heard there's some looting going on, is things better now? Thanks for you guys' help!
Jan 29, 2019, 9:06 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,203
Hi, everyone. Just had a quick visit to the island. Still some construction here and there. Some restaurants have not reopened, but most places seem fully up and running. Plenty of food options. No issues with infrastructure (roads, water), although the airport building is still under construction. I stayed on the Dutch side and visited Grand Case and P'burg. Happy to share more specific details if anyone has questions.