St. Maarten/April-May 2004

The Atrium staff was very friendly.

Our room had a view of the parking lot, but other than that we were very happy with the hotel. It was very clean and well kept. The room had the standard appliances and utensils. Our only gripe was that the king-size mattress was way beyond "firm" -- more like "rock hard."

The hotel amenities include direct dial phones, restaurant (Indiana), bar, a small fitness center, and a beach. The beach was nice enough for those times when you didn't have enough time to drive elsewhere. The Atrium is within walking distance to the Pelican Resort marina where many of the sailing and snorkeling trip begin. We would stay there again.

This is fantastic food at a great price and probably the best service we experienced on the island. We ate several delicious Creole dishes -- the blackened mahi-mahi and the seafood Alfredo were great.

By the way, unless you physically say, "Check please," you're not going to get it. "We're finished," "We don't want dessert," or "No, we would not like anything else" doesn't get you the check.

This is a great place. There was great food and good service. The coconut mahi-mahi was great. It's fun to see desserts topped with sparklers!

There was even a live sax/clarinet player. Very family friendly.

This was a great way to end our week on St. Maarten. We didn't have reservations, but the place is so small (10 tables) that you probably should make reservations. Although we didn't have it, they had a four-course meal special (salad, salmon, and flambé for dessert) for $32. They had a very nice wine list. The lobster ravioli and the shrimp and scallops with papaya were delicious.

We enjoyed a short three-hour snorkeling trip aboard the Sand Dollar. Although the diving itself was far from spectacular, it was a very enjoyable afternoon. We enjoyed a beer on the way across Simpson Bay Lagoon, past Marigot, to Creole Rock. The fish and coral weren't that exciting, but it was still worth the money. We then enjoyed some cheese and crackers (and a few more beers) on the way back.

Although not part of the usual package, we did have some excitement heading back to the marina. The captain noticed a boat in the bay that was adrift and about to hit another boat. He motored to it, a few of us grabbed hold of the unmanned boat, and we tugged it an open spot where we were able to anchor it. It was a fun morning and a great story to tell.

Friars Bay Beach is much smaller and quieter than Orient Bay. Friars Bay was quiet with only about 20 others there to share the beach with. Things got a little noisy when a carload of cruise ship people showed up, but we were all glad when they finally left. Orient Bay Beach is everything you have heard and more. Yes, it is topless (like every other beach on St. Martin) and you get the occasional naked beach walker from Club Orient, but the beach itself is beautiful. We went to Orient Beach twice since we enjoyed it so much the first time.

This is the kind of trip that can be great or miserable depending on the type of people that also sign up. In our case, we set sail with a fun bunch. There were five sets of newlyweds, two fun-loving senior couples, and a group of three young-at-heart women who have been friends for life. The rum punch started flowing before we left the dock and never stopped. The sunset was beautiful. The food was great (ribs, chicken, salads, and pasta). The music started after dinner, and before the night was over, we were all doing a conga line around the boat and high kicking like the Rockettes to Sinatra's "New York, New York." We recommend the trip. Go with friends if you can and let your hair down.

They say that the market is only there on Wednesday and Saturday, but most of it was there on Friday also. The stalls sell typical the T-shirts and trinkets you'd expect, plus a great selection of local fruits and spices. Have lunch at any of the many outdoor cafes and then take a walk around the shops on the side streets. If it's hot, go to the two-story mall at the northeast end of the market area where there are several upscale shops.