This was the first visit to St. Maarten for my husband and I and we are very thankful we choose the Westin. For us it was in a great location - quiet so we could relax but close to both the French and Dutch towns. Dawn Beach is one of the nicer beaches on the island and also quiet. Our 2nd floor room overlooked the ocean and almost right on the beach - what a view. We usually stay at Westin hotels, primarily for the clean rooms, heavenly beds and helpful staff. Most of the hotels on the island are in touristy parts of the island or not very nice beaches as compared to the Westin. By far the staff at Westin Dawn Beach EXCEEDED any other Westin we have stayed at. Always hello with a smile and 'how can we help you' attitude. For the most part the Westin was very clean but the salty, moist air takes it toll on metal and some moldy spots in the shower. We did rent a car and the island is easy to navigate but not in very good shape. We kayaked to Pinel Island or you can take a 5 minute ferry. We went to snorkel at Pinel Island but not very good. In fact we were told by our concierge, snorkeling is not the best on the island. However one of the most spectacular views from Pinel Island overlooking St. Maarten. The best location for food is Grand Case and very reasonable prices before dinner starts. We only ate twice at Dawn Beach, the beach cafe and room service, and the food was fine and the usual prices you find at a resort. There are a few restaurants close by to Dawn Beach in Oyster Bay and a convenince store that serve fresh, French croissants. You need to arrive by 8 a.m. or they run out or just place an order for the next day. Phillipsburg is only 10 minutes away by car or taxi and great shopping (way better than many Carribean Islands) but the gift shop at the Westin is very good too. Anyone who travels to St. Maarten needs to experience the airplanes landing and taking off at Sunset Beach - what an experience when a 747 lands! Close by is Mullet Bay which also has a superb beach with a small bar/restaurant. Overall, for my husband and I, the staff and quiet, gorgeous location of this Westin make it a 5 star for us.

We had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The property was very pretty, the room and bathroom were very nice, spacious and clean. The staff could not be be more friendly or accommodating, everyone you encounter greets you. The staff in the restaurants are very attentive. Fran the concierge was extremely helpful to us and Max in the Restaurants was also wonderful. We had dinner in both the Ocean and the Aura and had great meals in both restaurants. The pool area and beach are very nice and they have bar service at both. The hotel is not in the middle of a town but it is in a nice quiet location. You will need to take a taxi or rent a car but the taxis are not expensive. We has some great taxi rides, many of the drivers are more like tour guides, we had a great day with Carlton "Uncle Pretty" he is a great ambassador for the island of St Maarten. It seems that no matter where you stay on the island you have to travel some distance to get from town to town.

We got upgraded to a 2 BR & den condo unit so were very well treated. Beautiful unit, granite counters, nice furniture, bedding, and bathroom. Just what you would want in high-end hotel. Our room smelled musty, but you get used to it and we opened the doors regularly.
The pool and grounds are very nice, not overcrowded.
Ate once at their lower end restaurant, Ocean, and it was just OK, so we went elsewhere later. The high end Aura restaurant struck us as too pricy.
Beach is very picturesque but can be rough as you are on the Atlantic windy side.
Short drive in to Phillipsburg, say 10-15 min. That's better than being on the French side where the roads and traffic are horrible.
Staff was always friendly, especially at front desk.
Casino only opens at 2:00, but it was good to me on one particular slot machine: Carnival Magic "Helen of Troy". Won over $300 twice, was up $650 on one session, and frittered some away to end up ahead $400 for our stay. Play it til you get the bonus 15 free games, this gets you big wins (triple payout), and then walk away after that! The Hyperlink "clown spouting balls" bonus round is not worth playing for, as it would take you a lifetime to practice the aiming and caroming, so don't play to earn that bonus round.

Spent one night before a crusie....a little bit out of the way and a long taxi ride from the airport...but nice location....really great restaurant for dinner......beautiful pool and grounds... typical westin resort....