Little Bay Beach, P.O. Box 940, Philipsburg, St Martin / St Maarten | (888) 399-9863
Conveniently located close to Philipsburg along a long, spacious, beautiful beachfront
All units are oceanfront suites with full kitchens, private patios, or balconies, and flat-screen TVs in the living rooms
Water sports provided on-site
Small, scenic pool that overlooks the ocean
Reasonably priced cafe with good food and beautiful views
On-site convenience store that sells alcohol, newspapers, and travel necessities
On-site laundry
Two small computers in lobby for guests' use
Fee for Wi-Fi by the hour, day, or week
Dated decor, and small, dark bedrooms
Immediate location not good for walking
Pool is small
Belair Beach Hotel sustained major damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and is currently closed for repairs. The hotel hopes to reopen in March 2018. We will update our review as soon as we have more information. The all-suite Belair Beach Hotel is an older mid-range property located 10 minutes west of Philipsburg. It has a beautiful, spacious beachfront location and a small pool. All units have full kitchens and oceanfront patios or terraces. Room and hotel decor is dated -- right down to the tube-style TVs in the bedrooms, which are small, dark, and bare-bones. Wi-Fi comes with a fee. Guests might want to check out the more updated suites at Simpson Bay Beach Resort and Divi Little Bay Beach Resort (Divi Little shares the beach with Belair).
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Quiet, “island-style” hotel with mostly timeshare owners and older travelers
This is not a modern hotel with luxury rooms, lounge space, or a lively bar area. The hotel is quiet, and most guests are time-share owners, older travelers, or families with young children. The ambience is laid-back, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The full kitchens and on-site laundry are convenient for longer stays and home-style living.
Although this is a time-share property, sales are not pushed, although there is a lot of information around the hotel about time-share weeks.
The hotel consists of one large and imposing four-story, gray stone building that looks more like a city hotel than a Caribbean resort. There's arched cut-outs for the doorways and balconies along the facade, and a parking lot in the front of the building, which can get tight as so many guests rent cars. Like many properties in the area, there is a security gate at the hotel's entrance.
The lobby is open-air with neutral-colored tile floors and walls. The reception desk sits in a narrow space, and the lobby opens up to a small seating area with white wicker couches and chairs with floral print. According to the hotel, the lobby is slated for new furniture. There is a separate area with an activities and car rental desk. The casual Gingerbread Cafe, located off of the lobby, an inviting place to gather, has a large bar, and its two walls of windows provide beautiful views.
Location
Conveniently located near Philipsburg
Belair Beach Hotel is located off of the main road just west of Philipsburg, the Dutch capital of St. Maarten. There isn’t anything within walking distance, and the hotel's exit leads to a twisting, winding hilly road that is not safe for walking. A car is recommended.
Rooms
Dated-looking oceanfront suites with full kitchens
All 70 units are two-bedroom oceanfront suites, but they can be rented as one-bedrooms, depending on availability. They all have private patios or balconies that face the ocean, with unobstructed, beautiful views of the sea. Balconies are furnished with plastic tables, chairs, and loungers.
The full kitchens have large refrigerators, electric stoves, microwaves, toaster ovens, and other appliances such as blenders, and come equipped with pots and pans, cups, plates, bowls, and cooking and eating utensils. The white cabinets and tile counters look dated, though.
The living areas, with red couches and glass dining and coffee tables, are open concept, and the kitchens open onto small dining areas, with four-seater tables with bright floral-patterned cushioned chairs, and large living rooms with couches and love seats, coffee tables, and flat-screen TVs.
The bedrooms are located off a long hallway, and their windows face the hotel's hallway, making it necessary to keep the curtains drawn, which adds to the darkness. The large master bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, but the second bedrooms are tiny, with room only for a bed, small dresser, and closet.
Decor is dated, with thin, colorful or floral-patterned bedspreads and heavy curtains in such colors as mustard yellow or burnt orange. The nondescript furniture, including the end tables, dressers, and headboards, is reminiscent of the white, light wood popular in the '90s. The bathrooms, with shower/tub combos and hairdryers, have seashell sinks, old vanities, and dated tile walls and floors.
Features
Beautiful beachfront, small pool, and on-site restaurant
The beach is the highlight of the hotel. Long and spacious, the beach has white sand, turquoise-blue water, and calm waves (most of the time). There's several loungers on two levels, which can make it feel crowded but at least getting a chair is not a problem. Water sport rentals are available on-site.
The resort’s pool is located off the lobby next to the cafe. It has lounge chairs around its perimeter and lovely ocean views, but it's small for a hotel of this size. The casual Gingerbread Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, has a large bar, and serves good food at reasonable prices. The Belair Mini Mart sells wine and liquor, newspapers, books, small groceries, and other travel necessities. Wi-Fi is available for an daily, hourly, or weekly fee.
