Search hotels in Philipsburg

We found the entirety of our stay on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten wonderful. Taxis at the resort were readily available and reasonable. Be smart and pull up the cruise schedules and plan your trips outside the resort around lighter days. Definitely take a speedboat to Anguilla.

Philipsburg is a fun town with lots of restaurants and shops. Offcourse the boulevard too. It is like Zandvoort aan zee but a lot warmer ;) So yes it can be a bit crowdy when there are more than one CruiseShip there. Place for more cruiseships makes that a lot of tourist get ashore and that can be up to 5000 people pro cruiseship. Offcourse they do not all come to Philipsburg but it can get a little crowdy very tourist place to be. Without the cruiseships Philipsburg still got her own caracter as a small town. On sunday catholic church you can hear people sing and pray. You can join in entrance is at the backstreet of the boulevard. You still see some damages made by Hurricanes but they are building and restoring and in 2025 they think they will be ready. Nice people Good place to be

lovely beach but have to pay for loungers/umbrellas unless staying at hotel with beach access. many many shops with staff in street trying to get you to buy, aimed at cruise ship passengers, too much hassle for our liking. unable to walk and sightsee due to constant sales interruptions. traffic congestion

The island is still recovering from previous hurricanes, it is very safe to move about on your own. The people are strong and hopeful. They are friendly, displaying kindly smiling faces. Local food is so good and easy to get. Shopping is limited mostly to beautiful jewelry, cigarettes, and alcohol at below US prices. Everyone speaks English. Lots of beautiful beaches and water activities to enjoy.

Philipsburg was awesome. If you're looking for a party nightlife, stop reading. Philipsburg is not for you. However, if you're looking for a nice relaxing vacation, then Philipsburg is your place. The Boardwalk is wonderful. You can rent a beach chair for a fee and drink minimum, which isn't so bad because you can lay, drink, and eat there all day. I went to St. Maarten for the SCUBA Diving, so I would dive in the morning and relax in the afternoon. However, please be aware that bars and restaurants close EARLY. Like most of them close at 5 or 6 because that's when the cruise ship tourists go back to the boat. There are a few bars and restaurants open later. The Chinese food places in town definitely stay open a lot later. Front Street offers shopping and the Yoda Guy Museum as well as the Guavaberry Emporium. You also can take public transportation anywhere. Including to and from the airport for $2.00 US each way. The public transportation buses are simply minivans with signs in the bottom of the front windshield, that say, "MAHO" or "St. Peters," or "French Q" or "Ps'Burg" or wherever you are planning to go. The bus stop is literally a four minute walk from the airport and there's a sidewalk to the street that leads you right there. Otherwise, a taxi is $20.00 per person regardless of how many people are in the taxi. I would recommend going to MAHO Beach and watch the planes. Grab some lunch from the Sunset Bar & Grill and then go to the beach and watch the planes. You can even stand behind an Air Bus and get blown away as it takes off. I know, it sounds maniacal, but it actually is fun. If you're keeping score at home, yes I did get behind an Air Bus as it took off, but did NOT get blown over or into the sea. Five Stars for Philipsburg.

The town is still in the recovery mode from the 2017 Hurricanes. Most of the shops are re-opened for business, but the effects of the storms are still evident. It was disappointing to note the lower level of activity on the boardwalk after dark. Our favorite restaurant, IL' Escargot is still closed on front street, with no signs of renovation activity.