One Night Pre-Cruise Stay: JW Marriott St. Maarten Beach and Resort

Arrival into St. Maarten

We flew into St. Maarten from Charleston, South Carolina, via Miami. We were very grateful to not only make it to the island, but also to land early! We left Charleston at the tail end of a once-in-seven-years winter storm and were on the first flight out after the airport re-opened.

The SXM airport has changed drastically since our first visit back in 2023. That experience had us waiting in the customs line for well over two hours in a hot and uncomfortable hangar. Dreading that experience, I did some research prior to the trip and was delighted to see that the airport has recently completed a massive renovation. This time, after getting off the plane, we walked out into a brand-new terminal and were directed into a quick-moving immigration line. SXM now has kiosks for the majority of international passengers to complete the arrival form and scan your passport. Families were directed to a separate line to meet with passport agents.

Pro tip: You can expedite this process even more by completing the arrival documents online beforehand. Be sure to double-check all dates entered, as the website does seem to be a little glitchy at this time (I noticed when selecting dates via the calendar, the form populated the day prior. I had to go back and make changes). Doing this enabled us to get through the kiosks in less than five minutes, while others who filled out the form there took about 10 to 15 minutes to complete it.

After exiting immigration, we quickly found our bags and were ready to head to the hotel. We attempted to use the SXM taxi app, but it was not working for us. Instead, we exited the airport and waited a short time for a taxi. Most taxis in St. Maarten are vans, and drivers will wait to fill them as much as they can before departing. There was a woman outside managing the taxi line and directing people on which van to get in based on destination.

Pro tip: Be sure to get the price of the taxi ride ahead of time and have cash to pay the fare. USD is widely accepted.

Our driver was quite friendly but questioned why we were staying so far away from the downtown area. She seemed a little frustrated to have to take us all the way over to the JW, and once we were in the van, we realized why. The ride took a good 30 minutes from the airport to the hotel, including a couple quick drop-offs for the others in the van.

Hotel

We arrived to the hotel right at check-in around 4 pm. The hotel bellman were there to greet us upon arrival and offered to assist with baggage. We politely declined and headed over to check-in. The front desk agent was very friendly and engaging. The room we were originally assigned to was not ready yet, but he was able to accommodate us in another room right away. Check-in was quick and we headed up to the room.

We used our Marriott Bonvoy points for this one-night stay. We were booked in a king room with a balcony. The room was beautifully appointed and spacious. The bathroom was stunning with a standalone tub and a very large walk-in shower as well as a double-sink vanity. The bedroom area was also spacious with an L-shaped couch and a table in the corner as you walked in, perfect to sit and watch TV or eat a meal. The king bed was simple with crisp white sheets and plenty of outlets by each side of the bed as well as individual lighting for reading. Lastly, the balcony was ocean-facing, which we were pleasantly surprised to see. Furniture on the balcony was comfortable with cushioned chairs and a small table. Great place to sip your morning coffee or an evening nightcap.

Since we were only here for one night, we wanted to see and experience as much as we could during our stay. We quickly made our way over to the pool/beach bar. After leaving a snowy, icy Charleston at 3:30 am that morning, it was beyond refreshing to now be sitting between the ocean and pool in a warm breeze sipping a Sands beer. The staff here were quick and we found the other guests to be very friendly. The menu was typical to a beach bar with beer and fruity cocktails. Food could also be ordered here during certain times of day. We just missed the food service, but there were other options nearby. We decided to wait and not spoil our appetites for dinner. We sat here for an hour or so just enjoying the view and the warmer weather.

As our taxi driver mentioned, the hotel is a bit outside the main tourist area. That has it pros and cons. Since it would be about a 20-minute taxi ride to the downtown area, we opted to stay on property for dinner and enjoy the hotel. Prior to dinner, we stopped into the lobby bar for a pre-dinner martini. The bar was busy but again, no issues grabbing a seat and getting our drinks.

Dinner was at Liguria, the Mediterranean-style restaurant at the hotel. We were able to dine al fresco and it was the perfect night to do so. Both the food and service here were wonderful. We particularly enjoyed the burrata appetizer and split the short rib and gnocchi entrees. We left very full and satisfied. We had no regrets staying on property for our meal and would go back to Liguria when in St. Maarten.

We ended the evening back in the room with some wine on the balcony, listening to the ocean. We were even able to catch up on some of our shows on Netflix, with the hotel TV system allowing you to log into some of your own streaming services, which I really enjoy. The bed was comfortable, and it felt great to get some sleep after a long travel day.

The next morning, we opted to enjoy some coffee and muffins in the room. There is a coffee shop in the lobby area that had everything we needed for quick breakfast. The hotel does have other breakfast options if you wanted something more filling from both the room service menu or the other restaurant on property. Check-out time was at noon, and we could not arrive to the port to check in for our cruise until 2 pm, so we had some time to kill. After coffee, we went down and got a couple of chairs poolside to relax before check-out. It was fairly quiet and we had no problem finding a place to sit. That being said, when we headed back upstairs to get ready to check out around 11:30, it was much busier.

In the earlier part of the morning, there was a water aerobics class at one end of the pool with a good group of participants. Being at the other end of the pool, I wasn’t bothered by it and honestly barely noticed them at first. We did take a walk on the beach which was smaller but a nice option. It was easily accessible right from the pool area with a few steps down to the beach. It was quite windy and I got a feeling that is the norm for this part of the island. I noticed some people swimming, but I would caution if you are not a strong swimmer as they waves were strong.

After some pool time, we headed back to the room before check-out to shower and repack for the next leg of our journey. We were able to store our bags with the bellman as well as schedule a taxi to come pick us up after lunch to go to the port. We again opted to have our meal at the hotel as we did not want to drag our bags around the cruise port. This time we ate at Carambola. This is the hotel's casual restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. We both enjoyed tacos and while service was on the slower side, the food was good. After lunch, we headed back to the lobby and the taxi was ready and waiting to take us over to the beautiful Windstar Windsurf.

The JW St. Maarten is a luxury hotel on the island, offering a quieter pace. The amenities include various facilities to enjoy the sunshine, as well as a culinary school and a pickleball court. There are multiple dining options with varied menus and delicious food. The hotel is somewhat isolated on the island, which may be seen as either positive or negative based on individual preferences. A taxi ride to the downtown area takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes and can be organized through the hotel valet. We found the staff to be friendly and efficient. The hotel and sleeping rooms have been newly renovated and are well-maintained. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel for anyone visiting the beautiful island of St. Maarten!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.