This hotel is only for the person who wants to be away from everything, but within walking distance of 2 of my favorite eating establishments on the island, providing the tides not in and you can walk over the rocks to eat, otherwise, you drive which takes about 5 minutes. From the moment we arrived we were treated like platinum members. We were booked on the first floor which usually we don't accept, but we decided to take a look. It was perfect! Near the end of the building with a view of the ocean. The room was a nice size and the bathroom was standard , but met all of our needs. The shower and tub were separate, which is always a plus. It was very quiet and the best sleep the whole trip. The pool is a nice size and sets right on the beach. I got the feeling this Westin is more for adults than kids. We saw only very small children. Mostly babies and a few kids under 5. We didn't see any older kids. The pool seemed really quiet and never got loud or noisy. They have live music by the pool from 4-7 and was always nice to listen to, even if you were reading or trying to catch a few zz's. The next morning, the front desk called to see if we wanted to move from our room , because we had mentioned we didn't usually stay on the ground floor. We were totally happy with our room even though they were going to move us to a larger room on a corner. If we needed an extra towel or anything delivered to our room, it was there within 5 minutes. There is a casino on the property with bingo and free play going only almost every night. The food is good at the hotel, however, you have to try Mr. Busby's Beach Bar and The Big Fish. Both are a short beach walk, depending on the tide. If tide is in, hop in your car and head over to Busby's. Pizza from $8.00 to $14.00. Some of the best ribs I've ever had and I usually eat fish or
chicken. In fact we ate them twice, $10.00, including fries and slaw. Their fish is $11.00 during lunch. I forgot to mention Bright Beer,$1.00 from 1:00 to 4:00. I'm not a beer drinker, however my husband enjoyed his share and mine. Head back to Mr Busby's for dinner. Throw blue linen tablecloths over plastic tables and tie blue cushions to the plastic chairs and you got dining on the beach. The name is now Daniels By The Sea. The food is very good. Don't expect cheap. It's the same price as the other restaurants. The Lobster Bisque has to be some of the best I've ever tasted. Everything there is very good from the pasta to the fish. Next is The Big Fish, located within a half block of Mr. Busby's. this is strictly a dinner restaurant. I felt like we were back in Egypt on the sea. The restaurant has a white wall which surrounds the entrance leading into the outdoor dining. White leather sofas and big square tables make a great setting to sit and enjoy a nice glass of wine, while waiting to be seated. If you prefer to eat inside, enjoy the beautiful crystal chandeliers which light the whole room up. The food was excellent. Chief Leslie's dish was on The Iron Chef, which I ordered. Make this place a special night out. Canoa's is also across the street from Big Fish on the waterfront. Very small and intimate. All outdoor seating is for two. Inside is more of a nice wine bar. The fish was good, but they need to work on the rest of the plate. Bread was cold and nothing special. Give it a chance, I think their almost there in taste. They have the atmosphere. Again, this is a dinner restaurant . Let me remind you, you need to have a car to stay here. If you want to go to Phillipsburg or the French side you will be driving 20 to 30 minutes. For us, we prefer out of the way on this island. This is our second stay here and it was as perfect as the last time.

Just came back from the Westin Dawn Beach and loved everything about it. We have a new favorite place to visit. All staff were fantastic and personable. We had many chats with the managers out by the pool and in the restaurants. Concierge and managers all gave us their favorite places to visit on the island and we appreciated the "local" advice. Orient Beach, Grand Case bbq at Lolo's and the church in Cole Bay. We were glad that we rented a car and were able to explore the island although our best times were enjoying sunrise and nightly music out by the pool and the beach. Room was spacious and ocean front. Breakfast buffet was enough to keep us full until we would order from the beach girls who brought us food from the deli. Verlene, Francine and Chantel were terrific. Was able to enjoy the slots in the casino and also some craps and blackjack. I wish there were non stop flights from Chicago but the Westin St Maarten is worth the connection. Spa looked great but we did not want to lose any sun time. This resort is a winner.

I spent four nights at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa this November 2012 and found it to be an enjoyable resort on the beach, with good service and an attractive pool. The only real drawback is that it is relatively isolated on the east side of the island. A car or taxi is required to eat anywhere off of the property and we were very glad that we rented a car to explore the island.

The rooms were a good size and very clean. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was enormous for a standard sized hotel room.

Everyone I dealt with was extremely friendly and while prices for drinks on the property were higher than elsewhere on the island, I did not think they were outrageous.

The pool is definitely beautiful, with a view to the beach and (at the time we were there) plenty of chairs and an attentive staff. Overall, a good choice for my first visit to St. Maarten.

This is my 2nd visit to this property, this time we stay in the condos. What a relaxiing way to stay in a quiet place with a great view of the ocean, the condos are expectacular. Plus you have the services of the hotel. Lots space and traquility. I sugguest the 3rd floor if all possibe. The property is well maintain, while I find the service slow in some areas.