cheap, safe hotel near AUC?

[sohomale]

I have decided to spend a week at a hotel on SXM while I look for an apartment. There is a place called Holland House 9mi east of the airport for $89/night. Is that a decent price? Do any of the hotels offer discounts to AUC students? Most importantly, has anyone heard of hotel employees stealing baggage?

[tRmedic21]

Holland House is down on Front Street in Philipsburg, quite a ways from the school.

I personally would recommend either Travel Inn in Simpson Bay right next to the drawbridge and across from Ric's Place (restaurant), or Caravansarai near Maho. Both offer student discounts. And it is now offseason as well, so you can get a decent deal and a rental car without paying an arm and a leg. I think around $70-80 a night if you mention the student discount to them. And they are much MUCH closer to the school and Simpson Bay/Maho area (where as a student you will be spending most of your time).

If you'd like phone numbers I can look them up.... well, heck, I can do it now...

www.caravan-sxm.com - 599-545-4000

Travel Inn doesn't seem to be listed in my phonebook. :(

You can also try www.cheapcaribbean.com. They have a few places for decent prices as a packege (weeklong stay) and I booked mine there when I visited and ended up with a HUGE, WONDERFUL room at Sapphire Beach Club for $650 for the week. It would easily have gone for $250 a night or more. And this was during high season!

Anyways, good luck, and let me know if I can be of any more help!

[J_chou22]

My fiance and I stayed in a studio in Côte d'Azur Marina for a week while we looked for an apartment. It is a "gated" complex and about a 5-10 minute walk to school. The person who owns the studio is a nice French guy who also owns Citrus, a restaurant / market near campus. His name is Toufiq and he charged us $400 for the week.

Please PM me and I will provide you with his direct email.

Here is a link to the studio:

http://www.sintmaarten-lodging.com/

I must warn you that there are at least 40 - 60 steps leading down to the studio. So if you have tons of luggage, you can either leave it in your car of you just got to muscle it down.

Good luck,

JWC

[FoxTrot]

Anybody heard of Carl's Inn? If so, is it a relatively nice place for $85/night? I'm headed down there in 2 weeks from Dominica and want something decent for the price. What kind of places is it close to in terms of restaurants, casino, beach?

[tRmedic21]

Carl's is in the heart of Cole Bay, on the nasty part of the lagoon. not the safest place, not scenic, a few blocks from restaurants (not that you should be walking down there at night, especially if you're white).

You're nowhere near the school or any beaches.

For the same cash I still recommend Caravansarai or Travel Inn. Heck even Maho Beach Resort or the Royal Islander Club (la Terasse) in Maho might offer you a deal close to $100 a night (it's low season now), and it's certainly worth the extra $20 a night....

Good luck!

[WantMD]

I completely agree with tRmedic21. Forget about stuff in Philipsburg, Cole Bay...etc... Caravanserai is pretty close to school, it has good restaurants next to it, bars, nice pool, on the beach...etc... and they have been known to rent out rooms to AUC prospects for $60.00 a night. At this price, this is certainly your best quality:price ratio.

Of course, if you can get a room for $100 at Maho Beach Resort or the Royal Islander Club and you don't mind spending the additional $40 then I would do that. These places are very slightly closer to school and it's really nice/clean & safe in Maho. Either way these are your best bets. If you don't have a car you can walk to school from there in about 20 minutes.

If you really want to be close to school, The Summit hotel rents to prospective AUC students for about $100 / night. This is a nice hotel, with bar, pool & restaurant. It is a 2 minute walk to school, located on the lagoon with nothing else around. Another really nice hotel that is close to school is the Wyndham Sapphire on Cupecoy Beach. It is a 5 minute walk to school, the rates are very pricy, around $150 but it is a 4 star hotel. Also, there is not much around the hotel except fields, grass and beach. These are two decent options close to school, but personally I would stay in Maho or Caravanserai.

Even though you can probably get good rates by searching on the internet for Joe's XYZ hotel, you can end up in really nasty places even if the pictures on Travelocity look awesome. Also, maps can be deceiving, Cole Bay and Maho look pretty close on the SXM maps. They are. However they are extremely different places and the difference in traffic can be extreme as well. When you see Cole Bay, you'll understand.

Good Luck & Have a pleasant visit!

WantMD :-)

[beach bum]

"The heart of cole bay?... I don't know about you, but I instictively yelled out "RUN!!" the minute I read that...

I've heard good things about the Royal Turtle. IIt's just above Turtle Pier (great food, with varied levels of service..) and owned by the same guy. Any how it's $100 a night in the high season, so it'll be less now and you could probably get a student discount out them b/c they know you'll eb living here soon and perhaps coming to eat once in a while..

http://www.theroyalturtle.com/

[Hemo Dynamic]

Caravanserai was $60/night for AUC students one year ago. They do not check for student ID either.

[anencephalic]

Caravanserai was $60/night for AUC students one year ago. They do not check for student ID either.

Their rates as of April 2004 was $76 for students but with the room tax and fees, the total was near $92 a night (AUC discount included).

Aloha,

[sohomale]

we are going to have to sneak 2 small cats into our hotel room for the week.... Hopefully, no housekeeping staff will enter the room with the do no disturb sign on the door....

[anencephalic]

You don't have to sneak them in...Caravanserai is a "pet friendly" hotel and I know of a couple of students who stayed there with their animals. THe "Do Not Disturb" sign is a good plan, as you never know when housekeeping will want in.

ALoha,