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| Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino |
Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino in Philipsburg, Netherlands Antilles |
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Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino
Little Bay Rd 19
Philipsburg, Netherlands Antilles
Call Expedia at: 1-800-551-2409 |
| This seven-story, 285-room hotel sits on the beach at the west end of Great Bay, just five minutes from downtown Philipsburg. Air-conditioned guestrooms have blond-wood furnishings, colorful fabrics, and balconies with ocean or garden views. After a day of sailing, snorkeling, or playing tennis, guests can catch a stage show or try their luck in an on-site casino. This resort includes various amenities in the room price. See the room description section for details.
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Amenities | Recreation | Features | Reviews
Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino Amenities
Guests may book either an All-Inclusive plan or a Room-Only (No Meals) plan. All-Inclusive plans include meals, drinks, gratuities, and certain resort-offered amenities. Room-Only (No Meals) plans do not include meals, drinks, gratuities, and certain resort-offered amenities (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Plan Details section for more information). Open from evening to early morning daily, the resort's casino offers roulette, black jack, poker, and slot machines. A "Vitality Oasis," which is air conditioned and carpeted and includes Asian rugs, couches, and banquettes, contains two rooms for massage (surcharge), two tables for "tension taming" (surcharge), fitness equipment (complimentary), and a mat-floor area for twice-weekly stretch exercise (complimentary). An air-conditioned activities center contains a pool table, a foosball table, board games, books, and a big-screen television for children's movies. Self parking:
Complimentary
Subject to change without prior notification. Ground transportation:
Shuttle vans and private cars of varying prices are available. They can be reserved during the process of booking a reservation for this hotel, via this Web site, and added to the total trip cost.
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Recreation
Guests may book either an All-Inclusive plan or a Room-Only (No Meals) plan. Please note the following recreational amenities may not apply to all guests (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Plan Details section for more information). The resort lies on Great Bay and its 1.5-km (1-mi) crescent beach, which opens to the south into the Caribbean Sea. Lounge chairs and umbrellas are supplied along the resort's beachfront. Two pools are terraced above the beach. The lower pool overlooks the bay and measures 19.75m by 6m (65 ft by 20 ft); it has an infinity edge and a swim-up bar. The irregularly shaped upper pool is 18.25 m (60 ft) long. A 20-person spa tub also overlooks the bay. A water-sports/dive center rents snorkeling gear (complimentary for All-Inclusive plan guests), kayaks, windsurfers, and sailboats. The center also arranges personal watercraft, parasailing, water skiing, wake boarding, banana boating, scuba-diving instruction/certification, and scuba-diving and snorkeling excursions (surcharges for all). Tennis on the resort's lighted court, tennis racquets and balls, bocce, shuffleboard, beach volleyball, Ping-Pong, pool, beach croquet, and beach/pool lounge chair/towels are complimentary for both All-Inclusive plan and Room-Only (No Meals) plan guests. The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the resort; fees may apply.
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Features
What to expect: Remodeled in 2004-05, this south-facing resort lies at the base of Mt. Willem and attracts guests seeking walking-distance access to Philipsburg, casino action, and panoramic views.
Amenity highlights: A crescent beach extends 1.5 km (1 mi) around Great Bay, which opens to the south into the Caribbean Sea. The resort provides lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach. Two pools lie above the beach; one has an infinity edge and a swim-up bar, and overlooks the bay. A water-sports/dive center offers a variety of rental equipment and arranges motorized water sports and scuba-diving/snorkeling trips.
Insider tip: A one-way street flanked by narrow sidewalks and a few parking spaces, Philipsburg's renowned Front Street is crammed with duty-free shops. To avoid getting jostled and trapped (no side streets exist to escape the daily traffic jam), guests are advised to walk to the street—which begins 400m (437 yds) from the resort—and to arrive before cruise-ship passengers get there or after they depart.
Guests may book either an All-Inclusive plan or a Room-Only (No Meals) plan. The All-Inclusive plan includes meals and beverages plus gratuities, at the following restaurants, snack spots, and bars. The Room-Only (No Meals) plan does not include meals, drinks, and gratuities, etc. (scroll up to the All-Inclusive Plan Details section for more information).
The Bay View - Open-air buffet restaurant/bar serving breakfast, lunch, themed-night dinners.
The Molasses - Informal, air-conditioned fine-dining restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Great Bay. Reservation required. Dress code: long pants, no beach sandals for men.
Sample menu for the Molasses
(Note: the following menu is for illustrative purposes only. Specific items listed may or may not be available.)
Appetizers: Puff pastry with spicy, creamy crab Cod fritters with mustard-lemon aioli Phyllo turnover with beef, Creole sauce Christophene with ham, cheese stuffing
Soups: Cuban black bean Cream of sweet potato
Salads: Tropical shrimp Jerk chicken
Main courses: West Indian-style chicken breast with tomato-cream sauce Pan-fried curried chicken with banana Chicken cubes with spicy Creole sauce Beef stew Ribeye steak with Creole sauce Grilled pork chops with mango-cilantro sauce West Indian-style curried goat Shrimp in curried coconut sauce Seafood stew Snapper stuffed with conch Grilled grouper with spicy sauce
Desserts: Bread pudding with tamarind-rum sauce Rice pudding with nutmeg-cinnamon sauce Guava tart with guavaberry liqueur Rum-flavored mango custard
The Living Room - Air-conditioned bar/lounge with view of Great Bay. Serpentine communal table and high tables with stools. Patterned carpet. Live music three-four nights weekly. Open early evening to late night. Anchor Bar - Pool bar with swim-up side. Open late morning to early evening. Lobby Bar - Open early evening to late night.
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Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino Reviews
| Traveler Ratings Summary for Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino
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Overall: 3.76 |
Service
3.57 |
Condition
3.95 |
Cleanliness
4.24 |
Comfort
3.76 |
Recommend
90.48 % |
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| Beautiful Views, great location |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We would definitely recommend this hotel as a clean, comfortable, convenient place to stay! The staff was very friendly, preofessional and accomadating during our five day stay. Also very close to town for shopping. We would definitely recommend a car to explore the entire island. No comment on the food as we ate out for all meals. Work out center is adequate for those wanting to keep to a routine.
Reviewed by traveler from Phoenix Az on August 22, 2006 |
| Not bad for 3 stars |
Overall: 3 |
Service
3 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Overall it wasn't a bad trip. It was'nt great but a little higher than average. Staff could have been a little friendlier and food choice could stand for so more variety. The room was nicely cleaned and comfortable, however the bathroom was a shower only.
Reviewed by traveler from Nassau on August 9, 2006 |
| not worth the money |
Overall: 1 |
Service
2 |
Condition
2 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
1 |
Recommend
No |
| This hotel resort does not provide service equivalent to the cost paid. 1. The beach is very coarse made of crushed shells and hard sand. It has a 2 ft. drop from the beach to the water and when you enter the bay it again drops off extremely fast (very deceiving to the eye). We had to rent a car and drive to another beach as did many others. 2.The air conditioner in the room cools but leaves the room and bed feeling very damp. 3.The all-inclusive meals were very poor. The hotel eliminated the afternoon snacks from 2-6pm with no adjustment in price. The buffets were very limited in selection and of poor quality. The indiviual restaurants were no better. The wait staff at both restaurant and buffet were unattentive and spent their time conversing with each other. 4. The resort is next to shanty homes with dogs roaming the beach. 5. The activity center has a pool table with folding legs, a checker board table and a ping pong table which is in the middle of a walk way. To sum up the activities, there is none. 6. There is no entertainment provided by the resort, i.e music,dancing or shows, and it is not recommended to leave the resort at night. Also note the t.v. has only 8 channels with very poor quality.
Reviewed by traveler from Sarasota, Florida on June 1, 2006 |
| It was okay |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I stayed a total of 6 nights at the Great Bay. The people were great, and the views were fabulous. This hotel is not in the thick of things but is very accessible to Front Street and it was very easy to get cabs. I walked there several times. I do understand the concept of tile floors in beach resorts, however, those floors are cold in the middle of night. Rugs would be appreciated. My one major complaint would be the food. You can not buy single bottles of water in the gift shop. Not everyone wants a 6 pack. Also, the breakfast buffet served the same menu every morning. The menus are not very varied and the cook could stand a few lessons. It would be nice to get food you want when you want it and not during the very restricted times. But still I would stay there again and go outside of the hotel to eat.
Reviewed by traveler from Washington DC on May 30, 2006 |
| If you have never been to Saint Martin/Marteen there are few things you must know |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| March 06: had an amazing trip but many things fell our way that might just have easily not. First, the hotel is a pleasant place. The ocean views are outstanding and the bay is alive with activity. Interestingly the beach never fills up, postcard pretty, but no one swims or hangs out here. Cruise passengers head straight to Bay Oriental. The room was a very nice basic hotel room, marble, good bed and maid service. The crowd here is not a young one, but everyone was nice with the exception of the front desk staff which was always a little surly. Dont do the all-inclusive! Get a rental car instead. This made the trip for us. Heard many complaints about the food; we actually did not eat one meal at the hotel in nine days. Phillipsburg offers up 1L Absolut for $6!! And Johnny Walker Blue for $90-($275 in the states) and beers= ocean front deck somewhere anyway. [[See below]] lastly, the beaches are exceptional. Bay Oriental is by far the busiest on the island. It is an amazing scene of mixed cultures and ideas: nudity, French vs. English, Dollar vs. Euro, all with a little spring break and a little -rich cruise ship bitch- thrown in. Rent a two chairs and a bumbershoot- $10 a day. Many other beaches are very secluded. We spent one entire day at Bay Rouge; picnic, cool dog. The Police pop in occasionally- welcome on a secluded beach. The Great Bay turned out to be an excellent, economical hub for our sightseeing, wine tasting, Sun worshiping, groove thang shaking, holiday.
Reviewed by traveler from Boulder Colorado on May 24, 2006 |
| Superb View |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| This is a good 3 star hotel. The view is spectacular but the food is average. The beach at that location is very rough. The beaches on the French side are much better. Would highly recommend renting a car to visit the island.
Reviewed by traveler from Boston, MA on May 24, 2006 |
| Great Location with Great Views |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Right in the heart of St Martin's Great Bay. Easy access to beach and the town of Philipsburg. We're going back next year.
Reviewed by traveler from Seattle, WA on May 10, 2006 |
| Will stay here again. |
Overall: 5 |
Service
4 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| Nice place, people very pleasent and helpful. Room was cleaned twice a day, morning and evening. Breakfast was good and the Italian restraunt at dinner was very good. Lunch was ok. Hotel is right around the corner form Main Street in Philipsburg were all the great shopping is. You can walk there with no problem. They have a Hertz Rental Car Agent right at the Hotel. The beach and the three pools are all in the same location. WE will stay there again.
Reviewed by traveler from Magnolia, New Jersey on May 4, 2006 |
| Great location |
Overall: 4 |
Service
3 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel was very nice, great location on the bay and walking distance to Front Street shops and restaurants. Our room was cleaned every day and fresh towels provided in the morning and evening. The grounds/pool/beach were well maintained and cleaned daily. Hotel staff could be friendlier and socialize with the guests a little more, especially at the bars.
Reviewed by traveler from Virginia on May 3, 2006 |
| Absolutely Great!! |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| This hotel and the staff made this trip a real pleasure. Everything you need is right here. We did not have to rent a car because we could walk to the shops along the beach. If we did venture out we would take a shuttle or cab. All inclusive is the way to go. Island tour is included also. The upper restaurants have great food and the wait staff is very attentive. Will definitely return.
Reviewed by traveler from Connecticut on May 1, 2006 |
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