Backup Plan

Divabella

Divabella

SBH Insider
Due to living in NY and traveling to the Caribbean every February for the last 18 years, I’ve learned to always have a backup plan to fly out early in the event there’s a snowstorm in the forecast for the day we’re flying out. We’ve been fortunate enough several times to fly out a couple of days early ahead of the storm and get a few extra days of vacation. Since SBH involves a couple of flights and a rental, the backup plan is a little more challenging. I think we’d just stay in St Martin the extra day or two. My question is, I believe if you have reservations on SBC via SXM you can only be in transit. For example, I don’t think we can spend the night in St Martin and then show up at SXM for our scheduled departure to SBH. I think we’d have to go out of Grand Case? Has anyone had to do this? Does SBC honor the reservations? I know the ferry is an option but have no intention of doing that unless it’s our only option.
 
I would advise reaching out to SBC directly to pose this question. You’re correct that pre-Irma SBC only took in-transit passengers in SXM. It’s because they didn’t have a ticket counter outside the secure area. Pre-Irma I have heard of a few rare cases where people did fly SXM-SBH while not in transit by somehow getting their boarding pass in advance. But given the state of the airport, who knows?

Also did you know SBC flies out of the L’Esperance airport in Grand Case? If you miss your flight from SXM you may be able to fly later from there. The code is SFG. Whether you’d need a new ticket would depend on SBC. The plus to this scenario is (IMO) the French side is a better location if you get stuck on St. Martin. Grand Case, Orient and Anse Marcel are more convenient to SFG than SXM.
 
Thanks Marybeth, I much prefer the French side of St Martin. Our first time to SBH was via a flight from SFG as we were staying in Grand Case. Such a great, convenient airport. With the forecasted storm we are getting, I kind of want to tack on a few days to our trip in 2 weeks. :D
 
Where do you fly out of as we do not have direct flights to either SXM or PR? We always fly to Charlotte the evening before; spend the night and catch the first flight out to PR and then Tradewind.
 
stbartshopper said:
Where do you fly out of as we do not have direct flights to either SXM or PR? We always fly to Charlotte the evening before; spend the night and catch the first flight out to PR and then Tradewind.
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We fly nonstop via JFK. I emailed SBC and they replied within minutes confirming only in transit from SXM. We’d need to go out of Grand Case. They said it’s no problem to switch it if need be.
 
Very nice. That’s one I haven’t heard of. Of course we haven’t stayed in Grand Case for a long time. Most restaurants are open in Grand Case so at least you will get some great food.
 
stbartshopper said:
That is a new hotel for the Forum and will have to be recommended to others for an overnight on SXM.
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I made a note of it but most people on their way to SBH don’t stay in Grand Case unless they are flying out of there. The hotels around Juliana are the most popular.
 
Divabella said:
Andy, we stay at Le Temps de Cerise’s. It’s an adorable beachfront boutique hotel. I think they have 9 rooms. . I believe it was completely destroyed from Irma but they just reopened. http://www.ltc-hotel.com/
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We are looking for a one or two night stay in St Martin on the front end of our trip and were looking into this hotel after seeing your post. The hotel looks great. It looks like a beach without a lot of depth in front of it. How is the beach there? Are there beach bar/restaurants nearby that we could walk to for a little excitement? Also, how are the restaurants nearby the hotel?
 
Jim A said:
We are looking for a one or two night stay in St Martin on the front end of our trip and were looking into this hotel after seeing your post. The hotel looks great. It looks like a beach without a lot of depth in front of it. How is the beach there? Are there beach bar/restaurants nearby that we could walk to for a little excitement? Also, how are the restaurants nearby the hotel?
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Grand Case is loaded with restaurants. Here is a taste

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Thanks Andy. Meant more are they within walking distance of Le temps de cerise's but that is a great list for me to look at :up:
I have looked at a couple of them already and I can use Google maps to see which on your list are close by (and open after Irma) and check those out too. Any recommendations anyone has would be great. At first look was leaning towards l'auberge gourmande.
 
Horrid to be forced to stay in the islands.

Reminds me of that warm summer when the Icelandic volcano ash disrupted all flights. Nightmare: forced to catch a train over the Italian mountains to Paris and rough it in that homely village for 3 tedious nights: by day nearly drowning in rosé wine (and nothing but local crusty bread to sop it up), and by night plagued by escargots (with only champagne to wash them down!). Sure, our generation didn't fight the Great War, but in troubled times we can endure nearly anything.
 
Jim A said:
We are looking for a one or two night stay in St Martin on the front end of our trip and were looking into this hotel after seeing your post. The hotel looks great. It looks like a beach without a lot of depth in front of it. How is the beach there? Are there beach bar/restaurants nearby that we could walk to for a little excitement? Also, how are the restaurants nearby the hotel?
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We stayed pre Irma, the beach was great and tons of restaurants in walking distance. Bistrot Caraibes, L’Auberge Gourmand and Le Cottage were our faves and the Lolo, Talk of the Town. We loved that little hotel. It is BEACHFRONT!! Very nice staff also. Cute little restaurant on site.
 
Pressoir is reopened. That ocean side is still not fixed according to a friend who just returned. The Bistro Caraibe Side is doing ok.
 
Jim A said:
Thanks Andy. Meant more are they within walking distance of Le temps de cerise's but that is a great list for me to look at :up:
I have looked at a couple of them already and I can use Google maps to see which on your list are close by (and open after Irma) and check those out too. Any recommendations anyone has would be great. At first look was leaning towards l'auberge gourmande.
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Spiga is not on the main strip but a side street. It is excellent Italian and requires a reservation. Pressoir is white tablecloth French. Very elegant and super food.
 
Divabella said:
We stayed pre Irma, the beach was great and tons of restaurants in walking distance. Bistrot Caraibes, L’Auberge Gourmand and Le Cottage were our faves and the Lolo, Talk of the Town. We loved that little hotel. It is BEACHFRONT!! Very nice staff also. Cute little restaurant on site.
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Thanks. I think we are going to try it. It really looks like a great little spot.


Thanks Amy and Andy as well
 
L’auberge gourmande is one of our favorite restaurants in grand case. Although, they are all very good. Exhausted after waking at 2 am, after a day of travel, the lolo’s offer a quick, reasonable, extremely satisfying meal with grilled lobster before we pass out.

We’ve stayed at the le petite hotel on the beach, which we really enjoyed. However, their sister hotel l’esplanade is the best hotel on the French side in our opinion (We’ve stayed at others). The rooms are beautiful as well as the pool area (pool is now heated). It’s walking distance to the beach, and all the restaurants....they provide golf cart transportation to and from restaurants. They will also take you to the grand case airport, no charge.

here’s a link to l’esplanade’s website if you want to check it out.

https://www.lesplanade.com
 
Is the Lolo's open since Irma?

We will be OK. Morning flight. Some time on the beach and then shower and dinner. Maybe lunch at the Lolo's?
 
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