Frequently asked questions about St Martin and St Martin Blue?
1. Why should we travel to St Martin for our vacation?
St Martin is a premier island destination due to its pristine beaches, turquoise waters, outstanding villas and hotels as well as world class dining. St Martin offers it all with renowned French restaurants, numerous water sports and activities as well as excursions to neighboring islands such as Anguilla, St Barts, Saba and several deserted islands. St Martin is a safe and modern island with all the amenities and services you will need. The island is also a major Caribbean hub offering direct and easy flights from the United States, Canada and Europe
2. What advantages does St Martin Blue offer?
St Martin Blue has the distinct advantage of being a class leader in luxury travel to St Martin. St Martin is our sole focus. Our travel specialists have island expertise beyond those of other companies. We know the island and the villas well. As a guest, we match the best villa with your needs and location preference while representing you and not the property owners. We also offer a VIP service with a full and dedicated concierge service that can help plan a vacation replete with luxury and excitement. Our services include:
Complimentary airport transfer to the villa
Welcome basket
Seven days a week customer service
Complimentary concierge service
Complimentary rental car drop off
Island expertise
Complimentary advice and guidance
Complimentary restaurant reservations and suggestions
Last minute deals
Attentive service with immediate responses
Villa packet including your villa information, restaurant suggestions, maps and a St Martin tip sheet
3. What value do villas offer?
Villas offer a home away from home. They allow an escape from crowds and noise to enjoy a lavish vacation filled with privacy, serenity and pampering. Values in most cases are much more affordable than hotel rooms when broken down by bedroom. Most of our villas are privately gated estates in the exclusive and gated community of Terres Basses offering additional security and solitude for prime vacationing with easy access to quiet and pristine beaches. Villas also offer amenities that are not found at resorts such as gourmet kitchens, barbeques, outdoor eating areas, gazebos, private maid, caretaker and many other features as well.
4. What are the advantages of a villa over a resort?
Villas are a way to leave the suite life behind. Villas offer exceptional space, privacy, and luxury. We can customize villa vacations with elite chefs, private spa services, private boat rental (lagoon front villas) and many other services. Villas are an escape from noisy crowds and annoyances of resorts.
5. What happens when we arrive at the St Martin airport? How do we get our keys?
Each of our villa guests has an escort awaiting them at the airport. A representative with a placard with your last name will be awaiting you at the airport arrivals area. The representative will help you with your bags and transfer you to the villa. A property representative will greet you at the villa and orient you to the villa. At that point, the keys and pertinent contact information will be provided to you. We can also arrange for a complimentary delivery of your rental car if reserved through our company. If you plan on picking up a rental car at the airport, please provide us the rental car information so that we can expedite your arrival.
6. What happens if there is a problem or an issue with the villa?
Life is not perfect as we wish it to be. Sometimes an appliance may dysfunction or an issue may arise at your villa. You are well covered. Each of our properties is professionally managed in which you have 24/7 coverage. Information on emergency contacts will be provided upon your arrival. We encourage you to directly contact the property representative for concerns, issues and problems. The property management company should be your initial contact since they can expedite your request and have service people at the villa as soon as possible. You may also contact our toll free line (guest services) for problems, questions, issues and advice. We offer seven day a week service.
7. Can I arrive any day of the week?
Yes, guests may arrive any day of the week subject to availability and their stay meets minimum stay requirements. We do NOT require Saturday to Saturday stays.
8. Are there minimum stays?
Yes each of the properties we offer have a minimum stay. Minimum stays vary with each property. Please check the villa information page for specific minimum stays. Minimum stays may be waived if you are traveling at the last minute (within 5 days) and availability exists. Owner approval is required.
9. Are long term rentals available?
Yes, we do offer longer term rentals based on availability and owner's approval. Discounts on long term rentals may apply. Please contact us for further information.
10. What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept personal checks, certified checks, wire transfers and major credit cards such as Mastercard, Visa and American Express. Please note that credit card charges above $500 incur a 3% surcharge.
11. What are the occupancy constraints?
In regard to villas, there is a maximum of two guests per room. In most cases small children and infants are exceptions. We can provide cribs, cots, high chairs, and pack n plays for additional charges.
12. Do you offer complimentary delivery of rental cars?
Yes we do. We highly recommend having your rental car delivered to your villa. The convenient service allows you to be whisked away from a chaotic airport and long waits at car rental booths straight to your awaiting villa. We will have the rental car waiting for you at the villa and a rental car representative will travel to the villa to sign the rental papers for the transfer of the keys. Cars must be reserved through our company. Only select companies are permitted to delivery cars to the villas.
13. Which activities would you recommend?
The choice of activities on the island is vast. We would recommend taking advantage of St Martin's beautiful beaches and unique location. Private catamaran charters will take you to neighboring islands and secluded beaches. We also recommend snorkel excursions and yacht racing. Please visit our St Martin Activities page for a full listing of St Martin activities. Our concierge division would be happy to assist you.
14. Do they accept US dollars on the island?
Yes, US dollars are universally accepted. The official currency of the Dutch side is Guilders. The French side predominantly uses Euros however many restaurants will offer 1:1 pricing if you pay in cash. ATMs are prevalent throughout the island.
15. Do they speak English on the island?
Yes. The island has several different languages but English is spoken throughout the island.
16. Should we rent a car while on the island?
We recommend renting a car on the island due to the lack of reliable public transportation. We offer a variety of rental cars with complimentary drop off at villas or hotels. Please visit the following St Martin Car Rental link for further details.
17. What is the deposit policy and payment policy for villa reservations?
Once a reservation is made, we require a deposit of 25% within five (5) days of a reservation. The remaining balance is due 60-90 days prior to arrival depending on the selected property. Please note that holiday reservations have a different policy. Most villas will require a non refundable 50% deposit upon reservation with the remaining balance due 90 days prior to arrival.
18. Can you explain the cancellation policy?
The cancellation policy for each villa and vacation rental varies. Once you settle on a specific property we would be happy to discuss the cancellation policy of the specific property. We always encourage our clients to obtain trip insurance.
19. Do you recommend trip insurance?
St Martin Blue does recommend trip insurance if you are planning a vacation months in advance. The cancellation policies of the villas are strict and it is best to protect yourself from any unforeseen cancellations on your behalf.
20. What type of electricity does the island use?
The Dutch side has the 110 v standard that is consistent with US standards. The French side uses the 220 v standard that Europe uses. Most villas are equipped with converters.
21. Should we tip the maid and how much?
Yes. Maids should be tipped approximately $5-10 per day per room. Additional gratuities are suggested if the maid does personal laundry. If you would prefer that the maid does your laundry then we would recommend discussing the option with the maid for a mutually agreed upon rate.
22. Where do we shop for food on St Martin? Does the island have infant supplies?
St Martin has it all. There are large supermarkets and a discount center on the island. We recommend Grande Marche and Match supermarkets for stocking food. A Cost U Less discount center near Phillipsburg offers discounted bulk items for large group shopping. Grande Marche is located in Cole Bay and in Phillipsburg off the main roads. The Grande Marche features many US brands and has organic baby food, diapers and baby formula for those traveling with children to St Martin. We highly recommend the villa provisioning service we can arrange. The convenient service (between $30-75 delivery fee depending on villa) is quite affordable and allows you to arrive to a fully stocked villa. We always encourage a headache free arrival so that you can start to enjoy your blissful vacation immediately.
23. Is chef service included with a St Martin villa rental?
Due to the island's outstanding and well renowned restaurants, chef service is typically not included with villa rentals. Certain premium villas will include a complimentary chef but the majority do not. If you are interested in chef service our concierge can easily arrange for an elite St Martin chef. We work with the best chefs and caterers on the island. For more information please click on the following St Martin Chef Services link.
24. Do we have daily maid service?
Yes, each villa offers private maid service except Sundays and public holidays. Please note that public holidays may differ than the United States such as Bastille day, Carnival and Boxing day.
25. Are the villas private?
Yes, each villa in the Terres Basses area is on an estate like property that average around 2 acres. Each villa is privately gated and walled off. The pool is for your private use. You will not share a pool with other guests or other villas unless you have rented a villa at a resort.
26. In regard to the tiered rate schedule of villas, for example if we only rent two rooms of a four bedroom villa do the other rooms get rented out to another party?
No, if you rent the villa no matter if it is one bedroom or all bedrooms, the villa is solely for your party. Villas are not shared and no other party will be appointed to the unused bedrooms.
27. Do you offer villa provisioning?
Yes we do and we highly recommend villa provisioning. Villa provisioning allows guests to arrive to a fully stocked villa and removes any immediate need to go food shopping. With provisioning, you can enjoy the villa immediately without needing to venture out and worry about procuring food. The cost of the provisioning is the actual cost of the food (no markups) plus a delivery fee that ranges between $30-75 depending on location and villa.
28. Do I need a passport?
Yes, St Martin requires a valid passport for all travelers. No visas are required for US, Canadian and European nationals. For all other nationalities please see the following link for further details regarding visa requirements.
http://www.pjiae.com/immigration.html
29. Where are the best sunsets on St Martin/St Maarten?
The best sunsets can be found on the beaches or accommodations in Maho, Cupecoy, and Terres Basses location. Happy Bay also provides an ideal vantage point for sunsets.
30. Can we have a wedding on St Martin?
Yes. We offer the perfect villas for wedding receptions. Our company has a network of the top wedding professionals and caterers on the island. French St Martin has strict laws for marriages while the Dutch side offers an easier process for legal marriages. Our wedding coordinators will be happy to guide you through this process. The following link provides a listing of villas that are perfect for wedding receptions: St Martin Wedding Villas
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