Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Review: Is This St. Maarten All-Inclusive Right For You?

There are many reasons why families choose to vacation at an all-inclusive resort, primarily because these trips are easier to plan and budget for appropriately as you know precisely what it will cost. On the flip side, others (myself included) are sometimes skeptical about an all-inclusive because they wonder if they will feel “trapped” on property or if the food and drink will be up to par.

If you are wondering how the all-inclusive Sonesta Maho Beach Resort in St. Maarten stacks up and if it is the right choice for you…keep reading. I’ve stayed at a handful of all-inclusives in the Caribbean in the past, such as Beaches Turks & Caicos, Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Moon Palace Cancun, and the Club Med Martinique, but this property is quite different. Ready to learn more?

Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Review

Editor’s Note: I was invited on a press trip and was hosted by the property in order to faciliate this review. All opinions are my own.

Location

While St. Maarten isn’t well known as an all-inclusive resort destination compared to places such as the Dominican Republic or Cancun, it does offer a similar advantage in that it is fairly easy to get to from the United States. There are 12 cities that offer direct flights to St. Maarten, including Boston, New York/Newark, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, Miami/FLL, and Dallas (although some may be seasonal or offer limited routes.)

The island of Saint Martin is divided into the French side, St. Martin, and the Dutch-side, Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten is a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, similar to Aruba and Curaçao. The other nice thing about visiting St. Maarten is that the U.S. Dollar is universally accepted on the Dutch side (Euros on the French side) and English is widely spoken.

The international airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, just five minutes from the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort — another perk that we will discuss more later! In addition to the convenient location near the airport, making it ideal for a short stay where you don’t want to waste time in transit, the hotel is smack dab in the middle of the Maho Beach village, making it incredibly easy to walk to shops, restaurants, beaches, and the casino. You don’t even need to rent a car to leave the resort!

This is definitely not a property where you feel trapped and that you can’t easily leave. In fact, I’d say it is the opposite in that it is perfect for someone that wants to leave the resort and get out to explore the island.

From St. Maarten, it is also very easy to island hop to its neighbors such as Saba, St. Barts, and Anguilla via ferry or a short plane trip.

Property Grounds

For a 420-room property, the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino, and Spa itself is fairly compact. After suffering damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017, the hotel was rennovated and rebuilt in 2018. What used to be one large property became two smaller resorts — the family-friendly Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and the more upscale, adults-only Ocean Point Resort next door. This review is going to focus on the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort since that is where I stayed and ate. However, I toured the Ocean Point Resort and that would definitely be my preference for an adult getaway.

The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort consists of one large hotel tower, with two wings that either look out on the pool and ocean, or have an island view, which faces either the lush inland setting or the village and casino. The pool is the central focus of the property grounds, with a small grassy area for events or hammocks, and a sandy area that overlooks the ocean.

Maho Beach

I’d hesitate in calling the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort a beachfront property, but rather, it is beach adjacent. If you want to sit on your own hotel-supplied beach lounge chair and stand up and walk straight down to the water to swim, this isn’t the spot for you. The “beach” area is a sandy spot near the pool and restaurants that overlooks the Caribbean, but rests above the water line on top of a protective storm barrier.

However, if you walk just a minute or two to the left, you can easily get to the famous Maho Beach. This beach is relatively small, and you will need to bring your towel with you, but this is where you can swim in the ocean.

Of course, the main draw at Maho Beach isn’t actually the beautiful blue Caribbean water, but the fact that it is directly across the street from the runways at the airport. It is a very popular spot for tourists visiting the island to hang out for a bit and watch the planes take off and land.

If you want to do this, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the big jets take off and land primarily between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Second, the backwash of jets taking off in the direction away from the beach can actually be dangerous (you will see signs posted.) Even from the hotel you can see the huge amount of sand that is swept across the beach and into the water at every take off — along with all the people running into the water to get away from the draft! If you do this, expect to be pelted with sand that you will need to scrub off later.

It isn’t as bad when the planes land or take off over the beach, but it is still loud. In fact, even from the hotel you can expect to hear the noise from planes landing and taking off throughout the day. Luckily they taper off by evening.

Oasis Pool

The Oasis pool is the center gathering spot at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, featuring a swim-up bar and two waterslides, plus the 1,400 square-foot AquaPark with three slides for younger children. The pool is lively from mid-morning until it closes in the evening, especially around the large swim-up bar.

Bisected by an arched bridge, this lagoon style pool is surrounded by lounge chairs. While the area can get quite full, there always seemed to be a few chairs available either on the pooldeck or the “beach” area. Because hotel guests enjoy going off property to explore the island or take day trips, you don’t have quite the same bitter fights for space at the pool that you see at some resorts.

That said, the pool area can sometimes get a little too lively, depending on your preferences. From mid-morning through mid-afternoon, a mix of pop and rock is played from the speakers near the pool bar. In the afternoon, the music mix switches over to live performers. For peaceful relaxation or quiet conversation, I’d suggest heading to the beach area.

While the waterslides are a fun addition to the pool for families, I have a feeling that kids over 10 might get bored of them after a few tries and be more interested in snorkeling trips or going ziplining instead. However, little kids will love splashing around and climing and sliding in the little AquaPark, which is adjacent to the Oasis pool and near the Beach House Kids Club.

At the pool you will also be able to enjoy a range of activities from fitness classes to games and group activities.

Beach House Kids Club & Teen Zone

Families will be happy to know that the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort offers both a kids club and a Teen Zone to keep the children entertained. The Beach House Kids Club offers both a 1,000 square-foot indoor space and 2,500 square-foot outdoor areas with a playground adjacent to the Aqua Park. The space has been designed for children ages 3 to 12 years old, with staff-led activities and character experiences.

Indoors, you will find a slide, various play areas, and computers. There is a daily activities schedule posted so that you can decide when your kids want to attend. Just keep in mind that the Kids Club closes for lunch and dinner and it is better for short-term drop ins than full day childcare. For younger children or after hours childcare, the resort does also offer babysitting for a fee.

Teens will be glad to have their own space, which is decked out with a pool table, air hockey, fooseball, computer games, a basketball shot machine, and board games. The Teen Zone is open from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. and again from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. for teens ages 13 to 17 years old. Again, the space isn’t that large that they would want to spend a lot of time there but it is a good space for when your teen is feeling bored.

Rooms & Suites

As I mentioned earlier, the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort contains 420 rooms and suites. All have been redone in a modern style since 2018. The rooms are spacious, decorated with contemporary Caribbean furnishings and each offers a balcony and outdoor seating to enjoy the warm Caribbean air.

The rooms offer your standard amenities including complimentary Wi-Fi, mini-fridge, flat-screen TV with US & international satellite channels, mobile device USB charging station, and wireless connect music player, in-room safe, coffee/tea maker, iron and ironing board, hair dryer and bath amenities.

Rooms on higher categories also come equipped with a mini bar that includes full-size bottles of vodka, gin, and rum, along with a mini-fridge full of bottled water, soda, and beer.

If you have younger kids that go to bed early, I’d suggest requesting an island view room, as the music and activities around the pool at night can be quite loud in a pool-facing room.

Food & Beverage

As the largest all-inclusive on St. Maarten, the Sonesta Majo Beach Resort includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks at any of the resort’s restaurants. The drinks include beer, wine and spirits, fruit drinks and soft drinks in all bars, including the Oasis swim-up pool bar. Just expected a limited drink menu made from non-premium liquor brands (with no upgrade options) and a small selection of house wine (unless you want to buy a bottle of premium wine.)

There are seven restaurants at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, along with the Maho Cafe in the lobby that serves up coffee, pastries, and snacks. The restaurants at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort are also open to guests of the Ocean Point Resort, but not vice versa. The restaurants at Sonesta Maho beach include:

• Ocean Terrace: This buffet restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will find freshly made smoothies and omelette stations at breakfast, along with a mix of fruit, salads, breads, and hot and cold entrees. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating so it was never hard to get a table when I visited in April. One thing I love is the kid’s buffet, which is lower to offer easy access for small arms and legs.
• La Fontana: This has the most “fine dining” vibe of all the restaurants, with a beautiful setting overlooking the water. Open for dinner, you will find a mix of salads, soups, entrees, and desserts like the always popular chicken parmigiana.
• The Palms Beach Grill, Restaurant + Bar: I never had a chance to try this one out for lunch, but it offers al fresco dining with views of the sea.
• Cantina Paradiso: In the evening, the Palms Beach Grill transforms into Cantina Paradiso with fresh Mexican-inspired fare including a full appetizer buffet with a nacho bar and ceviche. The beef cooked on a hot stone is the dish to try!
• Jing’s Kitchen: This Asian restaurant is located just steps from the hotel in Maho Village and is open for dinner with a range of tasty options.
• Pizzeria Napoli: For a casual meal, these handmade pizzas are made in a traditional pizza oven and is open all day for hungry guests.
• The Village Tavern: If you are craving pub-style food for dinner or late-night snacks, the Tavern is located in Maho Village and is open until 1:00 a.m. offering live entertainment and karaoke nights.

There is also a small open air grill by the pool offering hot dogs and burgers for a quick bite. In the lobby you will also find a small bar with a few casino games. But for evening entertainment, most people will head to the casino across the street or one of the nearby bars in Maho Village.

I’m a bit of a foodie so for me the food at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort was fine, but not overwhelming. It was about what I would expect from an all-inclusive. Smallish portions, standard dishes, plentiful options, and nothing particularly “local”. But you will find something for everyone and enough options to not get bored over the course of your stay.

If you are looking for a true local food experience, consider taking a Johnny Cake making class at TJ’s Cassava Coal Pot restaurant. Locals eat johnny cakes for breakfast and sometimes even lunch and dinner, served either with something sweet like butter or jam, or savory like salt fish and vegetables. Either that, or head to the French side of the island for some exceptional dining experiences.

Additional Amenities

The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort offers a Serenity Spa, which is open to guests from both resorts. Just keep in mind that there are only five treatment rooms, so I would suggest booking your appointments before you arrive. The hotel also has a 24-hour fitness room (although not as large at the one at the Ocean Point Resort) and offers activities such as morning yoga or pilates near the beach.

If you want to explore this beautiful island, and I highly recommend that you get off property and see more of St. Maarten, the hotel has a dedicated tour desk that can help you arrange activities such as snorkeling, scuba, sunset dinner cruises, private tours, ATV and dune buggy tours, distillery tours, private charters and more for an additional charge.

So is the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort Right For You?

The answer to that question really depends on what you are looking for and what you prioritize. Here is what I see as the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Easy to get to and therefore great for a short getaway
• Great for people looking to explore the island and not just stay on the resort
• Perfect for a “fun” getaway for couples and families with young children
• Priced as a mid-market hotel with service/amenities to match

Cons:

• Loud and lively, making it not ideal if all you want is quiet and relaxation
• Not high service, but also not marketed as a luxury property with those expectations for poolside chair service, etc.
• Not ideal for true beach seekers
• Good services for families but not fully family-oriented

Planning a Trip to the Caribbean? You may also be interested in…

• Best Caribbean islands for teens and adventurous families
• Atlantis Bahamas review
• 5 Reasons to plan a Bermuda getaway
• Beaches Turks & Caicos review
• Eden Roc Cap Cana review

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