• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

One year after storms' one-two punch, islands getting back on their feet

RNCollins

TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
3,329
Reaction score
1,200
Points
399
Location
Borscht Belt
Resorts Owned
Tradewinds, Divi, Quarter House, Casa Ybel
One year after storms' one-two punch, islands getting back on their feet
https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribb...-two-punch-islands-getting-back-on-their-feet

By Gay Nagle Myers / September 2, 2018 / Travel Weekly

“It's been one year since the Caribbean suffered a one-two punch from the most destructive hurricane period in decades to hit the region.

Of the 33 Caribbean island nations and territories, eight were significantly affected by the 2017 hurricane season.

Where are they now?

Let's take a look at the rebound and the significant progress of recovery, rebuilding and reopening that's taken place on these islands in the months since Irma and Maria brought them to their knees....

St. Maarten/St. Martin: The Dutch/French island continues to recover at a steady pace.

The Princess Juliana Airport on St. Maarten is open, although it is under reconstruction, with completion slated for the first quarter of 2020. Temporary arrival and departure lounges are in place.

Major carriers have increased their flights each month.

Grand Case Airport on St. Martin has daily flights to and from Guadeloupe, Martinique and St. Barts, and Seaborne is flying daily to and from San Juan.

Electricity and cell service has been restored islandwide, although service can be spotty at times.

On the Dutch side of the island, there are currently several hundred bookable rooms available, including Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, Simpson Bay Resort & Marina and Oyster Bay Beach Resort.

The Sonesta Ocean Point Resort will reopen its adults-only resort on Nov. 15 and its family-friendly Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa on Feb. 1.

The all-inclusive Planet Hollywood resort, the former Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort, will reopen the second quarter next year.

Inventory in St. Martin, which stood at 1,500 rooms in hotels, villas and guesthouses pre-Irma, will be up to between 500 and 600 rooms by December.

Grand Case Beach Club has pushed back its soft opening to Nov. 15, according to Steve Wright, general manager.
"Improvements will include all new furniture; 43-inch TVs; new doors, locks and hurricane shutters; upgraded high-speed WiFi propertywide:eek:ur pool brought back to pre-Irma beauty; and art from local artist Roland Richardson throughout the guestrooms and rebuilt reception and administrative offices," Wright said.

The 83-room Belmond La Samanna plans to reopen Dec. 10, and Le Beach Hotel will follow sometime in 2019.

The former Riu Palace St. Martin will be converted into a Secrets resort in 2019, following a $20 million renovation that will add a rooftop pool and swim-up suites, among other enhancements.

More than 90% of all on-island activities are operating; most of the restaurants on St. Maarten are available as are several restaurants in Grand Case on the French side....”

C0E44737-E8C3-4D87-A6A9-BA4C16E9ED81.jpeg

Rainforest Adventures' Rockland Estate ecopark debuted its Flying Dutchman zipline ride on St. Maarten within weeks of last year's hurricanes, giving a much needed boost to its tourism product. Photo: Travel Weekly
 

Free2Roam

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
1,734
Reaction score
533
Points
323
Location
Maryland
Resorts Owned
Club Wyndham, Quarter House, a handful of East Coast beach resorts
We'll be heading back to Oyster Bay Beach Resort in April (quad ownership.) Our last visit was December 2014. Looking forward to enjoying the newly renovated resort! When I made the reservation a couple months ago, they said there's plenty of availability remaining for this year.
 

stmartinfan

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2005
Messages
1,816
Reaction score
1,059
Points
523
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Resorts Owned
Divi Little Bay, St. Maarten
We're booked for 2 weeks at Divi in late January. By that time there should be two restaurants open on Orient Beach, but I'm expecting it will still be a shock to see how much that area has changed. Several of our favorite restaurants in Grand Case have reopened and there are lots of options in the Simpson Bay Area. Really looking forward to the trip after missing last year!
 
Top