Where to Stay in St. Maarten: Best Areas in 2026

Front Street runs the full length of Great Bay and it is relentless: jewelry stores, duty-free liquor, souvenir shops. The beach sits right behind it via wooden boardwalk passages. Cruise ships dock here, so mornings are chaotic and afternoons clear fast. Back Street runs parallel and has cheaper eats and local pharmacies. The boardwalk stretches about 1.5 kilometers and has good sunset bars. Budget hotels cluster around Front Street and Great Bay. It is the most central base on the Dutch side, with taxis to the airport (SXM) running about $20. Loud when ships are in. Peaceful after 5pm when they leave.

Best for

Shopperscruise passengersbudget travelers who want a central Dutch-side base

Walk times

Great Bay Beach 2 min
Cruise Pier 5 min
SXM Airport 25 min

Skip if: You want beach access without cruise-day crowds or boardwalk noise

Local tip: Check cruise ship schedules before you arrive. Front Street on a ship-free morning is a different place entirely.

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$90per night

Simpson Bay

Airport road casinos, Maho planes, and the best nightlife on the island

Mid-range $100-$200/night

The main strip is Airport Road, connecting to Welfare Road where casinos sit beside beach bars. Simpson Bay Lagoon is a massive inland sea used for sailing and kiteboarding. Maho Beach is a 10-minute walk east, where planes land meters overhead on approach to SXM. Sunset Bar and Grill sits right on the beach below the flight path. Most mid-range hotels and guesthouses line the lagoon or face the Caribbean. The area has strong nightlife, a busy restaurant scene, and solid dive operators. Traffic backs up on Airport Road at rush hour. Grocery stores and pharmacies are easy to find on Welfare Road.

Best for

Nightlife seekersplane-spottersfirst-timers who want everything close to the airport

Walk times

Maho Beach 10 min
SXM Airport 5 min
Philipsburg 20 min

Skip if: Early sleepers or anyone sensitive to aircraft noise near Maho

Local tip: Sunset Bar and Grill fills up by 4pm for plane-watching. Arrive early or miss a table during the evening rush.

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$112per night

Orient Bay

The island's best beach on the French side, with beach clubs and wind

Mid-range $150-$350/night

On the French side (Saint-Martin), Orient Bay is the island's most organized beach resort zone. Route de l'Orient leads to Baie Orientale, a 2-kilometer arc of white sand with beach clubs stacked end to end. Kontiki and Kakao Beach are the most reliable for food and loungers. Hotels and guesthouses range from gated resorts to small French B&Bs. The north end of the beach is clothing-optional. Restaurants along the access road serve French-Creole for about $20-35 a plate. Wind is stronger here than on the Dutch side, making it popular for kite surfing. Quieter than Simpson Bay at night.

Best for

Beach loverscouplesanyone who wants a French Caribbean feel with good food nearby

Walk times

Orient Beach 3 min
Grand Case village 15 min
Philipsburg 30 min

Skip if: Budget travelers or those who need walkable nightlife after dark

Local tip: Order one drink at a beach club restaurant and the loungers come included. Skip paying the entrance rate at the umbrella desk.

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$168per night

Grand Case

One road, thirty restaurants, the best food in the Caribbean

Mid-range $120-$280/night

Boulevard de Grand Case is basically one long open-air restaurant. The village sits on a narrow peninsula between the Caribbean and a lagoon, and nearly every building facing the boulevard is a restaurant, bakery, or wine shop. Lo-lo shacks at the north end serve grilled chicken, ribs, and fresh fish for $8-12. Upscale tables run $40-70 per person. The beach here is calm with barely any waves. It is smaller and quieter than Orient Bay, with a more authentic French Caribbean feel. A few boutique hotels and guesthouses are scattered through the village. No casinos, no cruise ships, almost no chain anything.

Best for

Foodiescouplesrepeat visitors who want quiet and authenticity over resort amenities

Walk times

Grand Case Beach 2 min
Orient Bay 15 min
Marigot (French capital) 10 min

Skip if: Party seekers or first-timers who want a wide hotel selection and beach action together

Local tip: Lo-lo shacks at the north end of the boulevard open around 6pm. Grilled lobster for $20 is still possible if you arrive before 8pm.

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$134per night