Taxi From Simpsons Bay - Skipjacks

[landrusiek]

Hi All,

 

I need to take a taxi from Skipjacks in Simpson Bay back to my ship around 4:00pm.

 

Here's my questions:

 

About how much is it going to be?

 

What is the traffic like at that time of the day? It looks as though it travels the same route as the nightmare Maho beach commute I have heard about.

 

I need to be back at my ship for 5:30pm will getting in a cab at 4 be doable?

 

Thanks!

[gtaylor]

According to the most current rate chart that I have, a taxi should cost either $15 or $18 for two back to the ship. Additional passengers are $5 each.

 

(click)

 

The timing should be fine; 4:00 should do it with room to spare, as you're on the Philipsburg side of the bridge and just have to get over the hill back into P'Burg.

 

gary

[landj999]

Gary, is it worth going to?

[gtaylor]

Gary, is it worth going to?

 

I wouldn't make the trip just to get to Skipjacks, even though it has a nice view and a good reputation for food.

 

I was assuming that the original poster was finishing an excursion like Celine or Random Wind there and needed to get back to the Cruise Facility.

 

gary

 

p.s. Their website states voted "Best Seafood Restaurant in St. Maarten", but that was a while ago. From the last Best of St. Maarten poll in the local newspaper, they came in third, after Pineapple Pete's and Lee's.

[landj999]

We're staying at The Flamingo. Thanks Gary

[landrusiek]

I wouldn't make the trip just to get to Skipjacks, even though it has a nice view and a good reputation for food.

 

I was assuming that the original poster was finishing an excursion like Celine or Random Wind there and needed to get back to the Cruise Facility.

 

gary

 

p.s. Their website states voted "Best Seafood Restaurant in St. Maarten", but that was a while ago. From the last Best of St. Maarten poll in the local newspaper, they came in third, after Pineapple Pete's and Lee's.

 

That's correct, I am finishing an excursion there and will need to get back to the ship. :)

[gtaylor]

We're staying at The Flamingo. Thanks Gary

 

We haven't eaten at Topper's, but we were in a room at Flamingo directly above it and it sure smelled good from time to time.

 

karysa has timeshare there.

 

gary

[Karysa]

We haven't eaten at Topper's, but we were in a room at Flamingo directly above it and it sure smelled good from time to time.

 

karysa has timeshare there.

 

gary

 

I have only eaten there once and that was several years ago while watching a Caberet Show but it does smell good. We swim in the ocean at the Flamingo usually once or twice a week usually before we get ready for dinner. It's a very nice resort and many folks are content to stay right there for the majority of their week but we prefer to visit other beaches, restaurants and islands as well.

 

There is a restaurant at the resort just past the Flamingo called La Vista resort. It's a few minute walk away. On the, fri and sat evenings they have local musicians playing and you can even dance between courses. The food is reasonably priced and the setting by the pool overlooking the sea in the distance is really nice. The food is very good as well. The restaurant is called the hideaway.

[landj999]

Thanks Karysa. We'll try both. Any suggestions for room locations at Flamingo?

Will it be busy there in early December?

[Karysa]

Thanks Karysa. We'll try both. Any suggestions for room locations at Flamingo?

Will it be busy there in early December?

 

We stay in the main beachfront building. This is where our unit is and it is the most desirable location. I would think that early December will be busy enough but not packed.

 

I think that the area is one of the best to stay on the island. You chose well:)

[gtaylor]

I can personally recommend room 7502.

 

(click)

 

Lots of photos in my Flamingo PhotoBucket.

 

gary

[landj999]

Is that a studio? Looks big. I'll give it a shot and request it. Great views!

 

Have you used their rental cars , at the Flamingo?

Orange fever still the spot to go on Orient?

[Karysa]

Is that a studio? Looks big. I'll give it a shot and request it. Great views!

 

Have you used their rental cars , at the Flamingo?

Orange fever still the spot to go on Orient?

 

I would try to avoid the tennis court building (4A) especially and alsobuilding 3 the hillside Villas if possible and definitely any unit that faces the parking lot. Make sure before you accept a unit that it looks ok to you on the resort map. I wish that they had different prices for different views like many resorts. We actually have had difficulty getting our own unit when we visit a different week other than our own. Believe it or not we had to turn down 3 other units after asking for ours before they finally gave in and opened it up for us. This is how they treat owners who have always paid there fees on time for 20 years so be firm with them as the squeaky wheel gets the oil at the Flamingo. We prepare for a showdown on every visit but once in awhile we get lucky and don't have an issue with the unit we are given. We own in the main beachfront unit so we always get that unit but we paid for an ocean view when we bought the unit and sometimes they want to give us a gardenview/parking lot view. Other than these issues the resort is great.

[landj999]

Yes , I thought that was kind of a wierd pricing structure. I'd gladly pay more to

Reserve ocean view.

Does a $50 to the desk clerk help?

[Karysa]

Yes , I thought that was kind of a wierd pricing structure. I'd gladly pay more to

Reserve ocean view.

Does a $50 to the desk clerk help?

 

 

I never tried that. We pay $1300 ish per week on top of our original investment plus extra for a couple of hurricane repairs so I only want what I paid for so-to-speak. When we go in the summer and the rooms are selling off at the Flamingo for $120 per night to me those are the people who should be getting the less desireable units.

 

If you book at the sister resort the Royal Palm, all of the units have an ocean view.

[gtaylor]

Is that a studio? Looks big. I'll give it a shot and request it. Great views!

 

Have you used their rental cars , at the Flamingo?

Orange fever still the spot to go on Orient?

 

Looks like I messed up here.

 

The unit 7502 was probably one of our neighbor units (I think it IS a studio) that I took the shot through the open door. Should be the same view as our one bedroom that is in the other photos. Which is quite a bit larger.

 

I'm trying to reconstruct the unit number of the one bedroom.

 

Haven't used their rental cars. We book with Joyce Prince.

 

I don't have any reason to NOT recommend Orange Fever.

 

gary

[gtaylor]

karysa,

 

We stayed at Flamingo for two weeks in 2008 according to the timestamps on my photos.

 

When I was researching back then, I recall finding that most studios in building 7, the old Pelican wing, faced the parking lot or hillside. That's why I didn't book until I found a 1 bedroom.

 

Are you aware of this or have any such concerns about studios?

 

gary

[Karysa]

karysa,

 

We stayed at Flamingo for two weeks in 2008 according to the timestamps on my photos.

 

When I was researching back then, I recall finding that most studios in building 7, the old Pelican wing, faced the parking lot or hillside. That's why I didn't book until I found a 1 bedroom.

 

Are you aware of this or have any such concerns about studios?

 

gary

 

 

You may be on to something here Gary. We have stayed in a unit with a great view across the water towards the airport and usually stay closer to our unit 7207 which is onthe corner overlooking the pool. Sold us on the "new pool" but they "forgot" to tell us about the new building. :D. We have only been offered 1st floor with a view that you showed in your picture. Some folks love that but it's right on the walkway and not what we want when on vacation.

 

The lack of studios with comparative views may indeed be the reason for the "showdown". Funny how they always seem to find one though.;)

[Karysa]

Is that a studio? Looks big. I'll give it a shot and request it. Great views!

 

Have you used their rental cars , at the Flamingo?

Orange fever still the spot to go on Orient?

 

Gary stayed in a 1 bedroom. The studios are a decent size though and have granite counters and like I have mentioned in the past, the resort IS really nice. To me it's about the location of your unit. Gary might be right in saying that there are a limited number of studios with a beach/ocean view. If you can get on one of the corners and up from the ground floor you should be very happy with that.

 

We rent from Tripple A. I would suggest that you rent a car for the whole week. We pay $150 for the whole week in the summer and early December should be about the same. A car gives you freedom and is worth every penny. Your parking permit at the Flamingo is good at the Royal Palm resort as well. The Royal Palm has a bar on the 2nd floor I believe, with good views of the yachts going between the sea and the lagoon. The gym is also available for your use so just ask for a pass if you are interested.

[Karysa]

I am looking at the map and we stayed in 7509 before and that was nice and it was a studio.

 

The building structure changes so you can not just go with numbers alone. JFYI I am looking at a resort map and 7308 and 7406 are directly above my unit which should give you a view above the pool and the gardens and the ocean but just make sure the units face that way. 7509 is above 7219 so that shows you that you can't go by numbers alone. Some units face the sea and others face the gardens or parking lot etc. good luck.:)