This vacation was the first either of us had ever taken, so we were a bit unsure of what to expect. I did a lot of research online before going however, which I think helped (reviews have tons of great suggestions!)...
Room: When we arrived, our room was not yet ready, so we had to stow our luggage in an office (with everyone else's) and change in the washroom (we arrived wearing winter parkas and sweaters, so changing quickly was definitely a necessity!)... When we picked up our bags and room keys and headed to our room, the cleaning staff was still in it, but left quickly enough. I soon found out why - they hadn't finished cleaning the washroom. Having never been on a trip before, I assumed it would always smell like urine if I let them clean it, so I went across the street to the convenience store and bought some all-purpose cleaner and asked them not to have our room cleaned for the duration of our stay. (Got a few weird looks but oh well). The room itself was nice enough - two double beds pushed together, balcony with a little kitchenette area. We kind of overlooked the parking lot, but it didn't bother me too much.

Staff: For the most part, the staff was courteous enough. The staff at the front desk were usually quite friendly if we needed to ask them something, however we quickly learned what bartenders were our favorites and which were rude and slow to serve you. We didn't interract a whole lot with the staff though, as we were usually off the resort, exploring, so it was okay.

Food: The food, for the most part was good. I am not a picky eater, so I was quite happy to eat from the buffet most of the time and we only used our a la carte meal once (I believe we had the option to do two). The a la carte meal was very good. Breakfast served your standard eggs, bacon, bagels, yogurt and fruite, etc. One traveler's 'hint' helped us well - arrive early or the eggs might be cold. :)
One thought we did have by the end of the week is that next time if we stay there again, we won't take the all inclusive plan. We found that we were often at the beach or in town and thus missed lunch at the resort, and instead had to pay for it at a restaurant wherever we happened to be. Next time I'd prefer to buy some groceries at the convenience store and be able to eat better when we are out exploring.
Also, I would highly recommend that you do NOT waste any time or money going across the street to the restaurant called les buccaneers (or something like that). It was horrible. The service was bad (the waiter knew the couple dining at the table beside us and was engaged in a rather loud, disturbing debate in French with them, thus neglecting us and grating on my nerves as I was trying to eat my dinner peacefully). Second, the food was horrible. I ordered chicken and fries because the menu was mostly crazy seafood and shellfish that I wasn't sure I'd like. The chicken came looking half-cooked, next to fries that had been soaked in grease (I mean dripping they were so soaked). Nothing had ANY flavour, and they gave me a little pot of oil with some herbs at the bottom of it to put on the chicken (or fries?) that did nothing toward adding taste. Don't bother going there...

Entertainment: The entertainment at the hotel, itself, is pretty low-key. And when they did have one night where dancers showed up and they had a little party thing going on, it became quite awkward when they were introducing all the staff and what they do, and after about the 10th person, people stopped clapping. We were the youngest couple there I think (in our early 20's) - everyone else was about 40+ (and a lot were more like 60+) so it wasn't the kind of crowd that got all rowdy and excited, adn I think the staff were somewhat annoyed with the lack of enthusiasm... Anyway, we didn't really take advantage of any of the entertainment offered, but we did use the pools (the one on the far side away from the bar is quieter). And one night we had a glorious time swimming in the dark (the pool is all lit up pretty) and after about half an hour, finally noticed the sign that said 'no night swimming' - oops!

Beaches: Ahhh, the beaches... If you're up for a walk (or happen to catch one of the random buses - which I highly recommend you do at least once), go to Baie Rouge. It turned out to be our favorite. The first day we went there, we were astounded at the beauty of the water, it wasn't too crowded, adn there's a nice reef nearby that you can snorkel (but we didn't do that)... The only thing to keep in mind is when the waves are high, it's a high-risk zone and it's not patrolled - we showed up on the second last day of our stay and the waves were dangerously high, and no one was at the beach except a few teenagers who were playing in them, regardless).

Orient Bay: this one is definitely a beach you should go to at least once, but it wasn't our favorite. We arrived in time to get two loungers (that cost us money to use, can't remember how much now though), and the beach was crowded. We happened to park ourselves right beside the nude beach and thus had countless men in their 60's (and older) parade by our chairs in the nude (something I would have preferred to wait until I was of the same age to experience). We did get used to it though as there were the nudes strutting up and down the nude beach (they were all walking laps, it was bizarre) and there were the rest of us, many of whom felt compelled to take off at least their tops while swimming. Anyway, the water was fantastic and beautiful, and we had lunch at a little place run by a couple of Americans who make fantastic ribs. :)

The only other beach we made it to, was Maho beach. Very cool, we stood down by the water and filmed/took pictures of the planes as they flew in overhead (and I mean 50 feet overhead). Can't swim there though, the waves are crazy.

Sites/Tips:
- take the tour offered through the hotel to acquaint yourself with the island - it takes half a day and you see both the French and Dutch sides;
- take a bus ride into Marigot - I recommend this both as a neat cultural experience and as a way to observe how driving is done on the island, I guarantee it's not like it is back home;
- rent a car - there's lots to see on both sides of the island and a car is the safest way to do it (we got stranded at Grand Case when the buses stopped running in the evening and actually had to hitchhike back to our hotel);
- climb up to the fort above Marigot - the views are spectacular and the fort is neat too.. :)
- buy Ma Doudou rhum - it's excellent (you can sample all her flavours free at the mardis gras in Grand Case on Tuesday nights);
- If you have time, do have dinner at Grand Case in one of the fabulous restaurants overlooking the ocean - we never did and I wish we had!
- If you're looking for a truly unique, but relaxing experience, stay on the French side, the Dutch side was busy, dirty and we were bombarded constantly by people trying to sell us trinkets or timeshares;
- Take a trip to the butterfly farm, followed by horseback riding along the beach at the Bayside Stables. We did an hour-long ride, followed by a ride in the ocean, where the horses swam with us on their backs, followed by a complimentary drink at the beach-side bar before riding back to the stable.
- While you are out and about, keep in mind that there are some areas you don't want to venture through alone. One such area the one between La Flamboyant hotel and Marigot - we were told not to walk through there alone, and thus bused through it instead. There is a lot of poverty on the island (on our way into Grand Case, we were dropping kids off at homes that were little more than shacks with chickens and goats scratching around in the front yards). People are friendly though, and I was rarely 'uneasy' but I wouldn't venture through these areas by myself.
- If you walk to Baie Rouge from the hotel, bring sun protection (we burned the heck out of ourselves walking back from the beach), and do not bring children. The road is narrow and bordered on either side with forest (that is full of garbage and the odd homeless person) - it's perfectly fine if you're aware that the cars come around the corners fast, and close, but if you want to feel at ease while heading to the beach, take a shuttle or a bus.

All in all, our stay in St Martin was a good one, though we didn't take advantage of all the island had to offer, being that we were on a budget, and were new to travelling - if we go back, I will also go scuba diving and to Anguilla. :)

As for the hotel, like I say (and many others have too), if you're looking for a 'resort' (ie: parking yourself on the beach and not moving), this is not the place for you. But if you're looking for touring adventure I recommend la Flamboyant highly. :)

We stayed at Le flamboyant for 2 nights over Thanksgiving weekend and found it to be a very nice place for travelers on a budget. The rooms were clean and fairly spacious, not terribly modern or hip but they were comfortable and didnt feel shabby. One note is that the kitchen is outside on the balcony and there were only 2 little burners and no oven. I would recommend this more for travelers that are looking to do minimal cooking, but still want the convience of a fridge and making snacks. Overall the kitchen was not well stocked. No silverware and small range of cooking supplies.

the grounds and buildings appeared to be well maintained and the atmosphere was very relaxing. The beach and pool area are OK. I would recommend driving to nearby beaches instead. If you are looking for a hotel with a lively beach and pool scene this is not it. This was a very quiet resort, but we found everyone to be helpful and nice. The location of the hotel was convenient since it was not far from Marigot and also not far from all the nightlife on the dutch side of the island. Overall this was a nice place to stay, however if you are accustomed to the large all inclusive resorts found elsewhere you will be disappointed. This is low key and will appeal to a more budget minded, self sufficient traveler that is more interested in venturing out and exploring the island than unlimited alcohol and bikini contests. (not that that cant be fun too!)
St Martin is a great island for a beach holiday and i recommend going there. check out Anguilla also if you have the time

A tip for exchanging currency: The french side is on the euro and the dutch takes USD or NAF, but if you have only Euro to pay on the Dutch side they sellyou what you are buying at 1 to 1 then give you change back in USD, so you are losing lots of money on the exchange rate this way. I would bring all USD since it is accepted on both sides of the island.

We have been to the Le Flamboyant 6 times for up to 3 weeks and have never been disappointed.
Everyday is a Happy day at Le Flamboyant. When you enter the open air lobby with it's friendly staff, you begin to feel that wonderful process of "unwinding". The clean rooms with their outdoor kitchenette is perfect for preparing a light meal or snack or just enjoying the view.The gentle balmy air invites you to leave your worries behind, which happens quite easily in this place.
It is centrally located to points of interest such as their famous French cuisine and breathtaking beaches. Waking up each morning to the quietness of Baie Nettle and the palm trees by the pool emphasises the beauty in simplicity. Aren't we all looking to return to a more simple way of living where the beauty of nature is embraced! Come and taste and restore yourselves at Le Flamboyant.

I traveled with my boyfriend for his birthday in April. We were given an upgraded room bythe travel agent. The room set-up was odd and located in the back of the hotel. The entrance to the bedroom was through a door cut off from the rest of the living quarters. We asked to see another type of room and selected a lower priced room with a better layout close to the front of the hotel. The happy hour was the best and everyone is so friendly. Claude and the other front desk staff is so helpful. They called a driver for us every night that went to the Dutch side. The front desk are very good guide to tell you where to go and how to get around. The beach barbcue was wonderful and the lobster dinner is good. Everyone speaks some english and french at the hotel.

When I go back I will stay on the Dutch side since the dollar exchange is really low compared to the Euro. The take American $ on the dutch side and the value does not decrease.

The bad: The rooms are very basic and the electricity went out a few times. The beds are really low to the ground. Me and my boyfreind got sick the last 2 days but we think it was from the ice from a restaurant on the Dutch side. The cabs charge a different rate everytime..no standard rate/fee. If you expect a 3 1/2 star this is more like a 2 star.

Ask for Claude when you go and he will make sure you have a good time.