After attending a beautiful wedding on Anguilla we decided to stay on St. Maarten for a night before leaving for the U.S. The start was terrible with the front desk staff. However, the lunch, dinner and happy hour were GREAT. The staff for those activities were exceptional. The rooms were clean with great views for the bay and beach. We upgraded. The street side is just that. Opt for the beach views. Dinner was a pure delight. I had the snapper wrap in prosuccioto ham. The drinks were outstanding. The sister from Jamaica are "Jewels" at this property. The front desk staff was not that great and everything seemed a bother to them. They knew nothing of departure taxes and really seemed disturbed by our request for a beach view room even when they said that they had available rooms. Questions to them about information was the same, "I don't know". Go figure. All in All I would go there again. The shopping does end a 6:00 p.m.

My wife and I just got back from a 5 night stay at The Holland House and were very happy with our choice. The last time we were in St. Maarten we were on our honeymoon traveling from the airport to the ferry to take us to St. Barth’s so our expectations were low since St. Barth’s was so amazing (and amazingly expensive).

But now I think I would rather stay on St. Maarten than the overpriced St. Barth’s and the Holland House is the perfect place for the budget-conscious traveler. The Holland House feels like a 4.5 star hotel yet is priced like a 3 star. The restaurant is definitely 5 star with great modern seating and incredible food. It reminded us of the Isle de France Hotel we stayed in on Saint Barth’s. Our room was overlooking the Great Bay and I would highly recommend upgrading for this. There’s nothing like waking up and opening the curtains and looking out at the tranquil blue/green water. This was the end of the high season so we never had any problem finding beach chairs and the staff was very good at coming out to the beach and asking us if we wanted anything.

The thing with Philipsburg is it’s a town that thrives off of the cruise ship industry. Giant ocean liners dock sometime during the night and tourists pour into town to shop. The ocean liners are nice to look at since they are so far away. The tourists? Not so much. Some people seriously need to start considering salads for lunch. Speaking of food there are great restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel. Toula Mangoes has some delicious ribs, the conch fritters at the Greenhouse should not be missed, Pasanggrahan House has a great breakfast, Barefoot Beach Bar has an incredible conch soup so you won’t be missing out on great food. On a side note: you must rent a car or take a cab to the lolo’s (BBQ stands) in Grand Case. If you love ribs, chicken, lobster, and other island specialties you will remember this place (I know I do).

But back to the hotel: the staff can be great or indifferent depending on whom you’re talking to. One bartender was super-cute and friendly while another was surly and dour. One front desk lady who handled our car rental was impeccable and helpful (I asked to rent a car she said she’d take care of it—the next morning I came downstairs and there was my car all ready to go) another lady when we checked out was a bit grumpy. The rooms were great. Large beds, beautiful balconies, flat screen TV’s, free wifi, a refrigerator to fill with Presidente and gouda cheese, good water pressure in the shower, hard wood floors, ample AC, and very quiet (I never heard people in any of the other rooms and I hope they didn’t hear us).

While you can always go down to the hotel bar/restaurant for reasonably priced drinks and food you can also walk down the boardwalk that’s in front of the hotel. Since we were there at the end of the season the boardwalk can be a little creepy at night so we stuck to places close by. Once the cruise ships leave around 5pm the town closes down. But there are plenty of places between The Holland House and the Greenhouse restaurant to go at night. Try to find the funny little Canadian bar near the Pasanggrahan House for a good time.

I’m not a big shopper. In this economy who can afford to buy a Rolex or a new diamond ring? If you can afford it you will love Philipsburg because Front Street is just one boutique store after another selling everything from Puma sneakers to Versace swimsuits and Gucci bags to Lacoste dresses. I think I bought a magnet for a friend. Everything else was spent on food (I’m a chef so I love to find stuff I can’t get in New York).

There are a few drawbacks to report: the hotel has no pool but the ocean is smooth, soft and perfect so you won’t miss it. There’s no room service but there’s food downstairs in the restaurant or if you want to save money there’s a grocery store (the Afoo Market) about five blocks away. You should go just for the experience…what a wacky place. Make sure to try the garlic gouda cheese and the Danish salami. Get a loaf of lard bread and you’re set. I think the hotel water is safe to drink but we always bought bottled water just to be sure. If you rent a car parking on Front Street is essentially nonexistent and there is no valet parking. We found parking on Back Street but you have to be careful where you park because you will get ticketed. We rented a car for a day and it only cost $50 with tax and insurance. I’d recommend it because driving around the island is a blast (try it on a Sunday when there are less crazy drivers on the roads). Go to the lolo’s in Grand Case, check out the French supermarkets on the French side and buy un-pasteurized cheese, good wines, and baguettes. Go to Orient Beach and go skinny-dipping, check out the Butterfly Farm. You can easily fill a day just driving around and sightseeing.

In all I will be coming back to the Holland House. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing vacation. We loved it.

My boyfriend and I just got back from spending 4 days at the Holland House and we enjoyed every minute of it. The only downside to our stay is the fact that Phillipsburg closes up shop at 6pm sharp and suddenly becomes a ghost town. It's also a Mecca for the over 70 crowd, Being in our early 30s, we felt a little out of place. The hotel was nice enough. The bathroom wasn't in tip top shape, but it was clean. The room was decent size, and clean as well. And the ocean view from our balcony was spectacular (ALWAYS go for the ocean view rooms, or else you'll be facing the hoards of cruise ship tourists trying to bargain their way into a new Rolex). The staff at the hotel were nothing but nice. I'm shocked by all the awful reviews of the staff, particularly the one stating, "will never go back here and i am quite sure this place and its rude, discourtesous [sic] staff will be present in hell." Really? Is that necessary? The staff was nothing but genuinely nice to us, from the front desk, to the beach attendant. The lobby of the hotel is beautiful, and we spent many a night sitting on the wonderfully cushy outdoor couches drinking very inexpensive drinks and watching the sun go down. Not sure that I would stay in Phillipsburg again, due to its high cruise ship traffic, but if I do, I will indeed come back to the Holland House. It's not 4 star, but for traveler who cares more about the overall experience of their trip rather than the nit-picky details of whether or not someone left a mint on their pillow every morning, then you'll do just fine here. And trust, you won't find anything more inviting and charming in Phillipsburg.

We were on top (4th) floor, street side. Balcony was well shaded and pleasant to sit there on hot afternoons. Good food but service was spotty. Great location in the middle of town.