Royal Islander La Terrasse Suites at Maho Village: Your First View of St. Maarten
Written: Aug 04 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very friendly service, terrific location, nice units, well maintained grounds
Cons: WiFi didn't work
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this resort because of its location and the great service.
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| jetbluefan1's Full Review: Royal Islander La Terrasse Suites at Maho Village |
On our recent trip to the beautiful island of St. Maarten (also known as St. Martin), we had the luxury of remaining at the Royal Islander La Terrasse Suites at Maho Village. The Dutch-side resort is affiliated with the timeshare giant, RCI, and has been awarded a gold crown ranking. Only a few years old, it is situated less than a mile from the entrance of Princess Juliana International Airport - the only commercial airport on the island. From the resort, one can get exceptional views of the airport's runways, and you don't have to worry about noise pollution since the first flight arrives well into the morning, and the last flight arrives around sunset. Besides the airport, the resort is steps away from the public Maho Bay beach, Sunset Bar and Grill, Bliss Nightclub, a casino, and a shopping strip with various restaurants and shops.
Checking in at the resort was a bit of a hassle - the agent gave us quite a scare when he misunderstood our last name and informed us that we didn't have a reservation. However, after clearing up this discrepancy, we had a good - and nervous - laugh in good nature. I must say that the vast majority of the staff members that we met were very friendly and willing to go out of their way to help us or guide us in the right direction. In fact, upon check-out, we were granted the ability to leave an hour later than posted since our flight wasn't scheduled to leave until late afternoon.
The grounds to the hotel are fairly large, modern, and well maintained. The lobby is underwhelming but still spacious and clean, and it leads you to the elevators and the stairs (which I found to be the fastest way to our unit). The resort is also connected to a well-priced food store, spa, restaurant, internet café, and a full-service bank. The entire time we were there, we were told that the WiFi was broken and that the cable company was working to get it fixed. Unfortunately, during our 4-night stay, it never was functional unless we went near the internet café and found a faint signal.
Though the resort is not on the beach, it is a quick walk down the street, and guests of La Terrasse are welcome to use the beach of the Royal Islander La Plage across the street. Interestingly enough, we were not allowed to use the pool at La Plage, and we would be recognized as perpetrators since our hotel beach/pool towels were green while the others were blue. On that note, the pool at La Terrasse - while smaller - is less crowded and offers a beautiful view of the bay and the airport.
We reserved a one-bedroom unit, which offered us a bay/pool view - just like most other units at the resort. The unit came with a rather small bedroom, closet space with a safe, a large bathroom, a living room, a dining area, a kitchen, and a large balcony with a tanning chair, dining table, and chairs. The unit was clean and well maintained, though some of the kitchen items were older and not very modern. We did have a problem with a leaky dehumidifier, but after a call to the main desk someone was sent up to fix the machine in a jiffy.
The bedroom featured a Queen bed, which had a decent amount of linens and a window overlooking the outdoor hallway. The closet was plenty big for our 4-day stay, but we opted to use the armoire drawers for our clothing. There was also a TV with regular American channels - just like the TV in the living room. Unfortunately, there was no bathroom connected to the bedroom.
The bathroom was large, clean, and had plenty of counter space and spare towels. Water pressure was surprisingly strong, and the shower was clean and without soap stains. There were small shampoo and conditioner bottles, as well as some soap bars, but if you're staying for more than a few days then I'd recommend buying your own supplies at the grocery store downstairs.
The living room featured a pull-out couch, a large glass eating table with chairs, an armoire which hosted a TV, and a large kitchen with a toaster oven, microwave, and full-size fridge. There was a decent amount of silverware, plates and cups, and I found everything to be clean and in good condition. The sink had no problem giving me both hot and cold water. Do keep in mind that while you don't necessarily need to use the kitchen, it's a good resource to have if you're looking to save money on dining out - something which can get very expensive in St. Maarten.
Besides the pool, beach, area nightclubs, restaurants, and small shops, the area around Royal Islander La Terrasse has not much else to offer. Do note that it is located in one of the more quiet parts of the island - it is about a 20 minute drive from Philipsburg, five minutes from Simpson Bay, and about 20 minutes from the French border. However, we found it very easy to find a rental car, as well as to grab the public buses or a taxi. If you are looking for a relaxing resort, but still want the ability to find action and fun, this is certainly a prime location. If you are renting a car, you can park it in the resort's secured parking garage for a cheap $5/day.
Overall, I would certainly recommend Royal Islander La Terrasse. The service that I received was always friendly and courteous, and I could always approach anyone for advice on where to go or what to do. The resort itself - while not overly lavish or formal - offers a comfortable atmosphere, is clean, and is well maintained. The location is truly prime for those who want the beach or easy access to restaurants and nightclubs. If you're planning a trip to St. Maarten anytime soon, I'd certainly recommend checking out the Royal Islander La Terrasse.
Recommended:
Yes
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