We took a very short trip to SXM...not enough time to make the trip to SBH this year due to hubby's work schedule. While there is still a lot to do to recover from Irma, the island is slowly getting visitors to come back. They are really grateful. We stay at Esmeralda on Orient Beach and they are doing great except their beach bar is still under construction. They made arrangement for guests to use the chairs and umbrellas down the beach at several locations. The disappointing thing is that I have yet to have a meal that blew me away, like they normally do here. So far we have been to La Plantation, the hotel resto-L' Astrolabe, Spiga, and what replaced Il Netunno-Barranco. That was the biggest disappointment of all. I plan to write it on Trip Advisor. Service was rude and awful (only catering to French) and the food was bad with a salad consisting of brown lettuce and nothing else. It was very pricey. Husband left a tip when i would have left none. Hoping that our last night is better. The airport arrival was smooth...hoping for the same at departure time tomorrow..We both missed SBH this year and hope to have more time next year. I am also looking at other options and opinions are always welcome. Even thinking about being normal and going to a US beach next year