Not in the way Cancun or Punta Cana are — and if you’ve been to either, you’ll understand immediately why that’s a good thing.
St Maarten is a small island with a strong identity. Beach clubs, private villas, some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, and a French side that has spent decades perfecting the art of doing nothing particularly fast. It was never built around the all inclusive model — and the few resorts that exist here reflect that. Smaller, more human-sized, nothing like the giant complexes where you spend a week without ever really leaving the property.
There are three resorts worth considering, all on the Dutch side around Maho and Little Bay. Three options sounds limiting. In practice, it makes the decision easier — and means that whichever one you choose, you’re not surrounded by ten thousand other guests doing the same thing.
What I find genuinely different about an all inclusive stay here is that you’re never trapped inside it. Grand Case is twenty minutes away. Orient Bay is accessible. The French side exists, and it’s extraordinary. The resort becomes a base — comfortable, taken care of, everything included — rather than a bubble you never leave.
That distinction matters more than it sounds.
The French side was built around a completely different philosophy. Boutique hotels, open-air restaurants, beach clubs where lunch stretches into the afternoon and nobody rushes you. The all inclusive model never really took hold here, and the island is better for it.
There was one exception — Secrets St Martin Resort, tucked into Anse Marcel, one of the most secluded and beautiful bays on the island. It closed, and as of 2026 there’s no confirmed reopening date. I’ll update this page the moment that changes.
So if all inclusive is what you’re after, you’re looking at the Dutch side. Maho, Little Bay, Simpson Bay — that’s where the resorts are, and that’s where this guide focuses.
If you’re set on the French side, the honest alternative is a villa or a small boutique hotel, and dinner in Grand Case every night. I’ve seen that plan make people very happy.
Three resorts. That’s it. And honestly, it makes the decision easier than you’d think.
The hard part isn’t finding options — it’s knowing which one actually fits the trip you want. Because the three are genuinely different from each other, and choosing the wrong one for your travel style would be a shame.
Here’s my honest take on each.
⭐ 8.5/10 — 1,244 verified reviews ·
This is the one I point couples to first — not because it’s the most spectacular property on paper, but because it delivers something that’s genuinely hard to find: quiet.
Real quiet. The kind where you arrive, drop your bags, look out at the water, and feel your shoulders drop.
No kids running past your sunlounger. No entertainment team with a microphone at the pool. No pressure to be anywhere or do anything. It’s adults-only, and you feel it from the moment you check in — not as a rule posted on a sign, but as an atmosphere that runs through the whole place.
The suites are oceanfront. The pools are calm. The service is present without hovering. And the sunset over Simpson Bay from here is the kind of thing people bring up two years later, over dinner back home, when someone asks about their best trip.
For a honeymoon, an anniversary, or simply a trip where the whole point is to actually stop — this is the right call.
✅ Free cancellation available
→ Find the best rate for Sonesta Ocean Point
⭐ 8.1/10 — 1,317 verified reviews ·
The beach is one of the best for actually swimming on the Dutch side. Calm, clear, no strong current. The kind of water where you float on your back, stare at the sky, and genuinely forget what day it is.
What I appreciate about this place is that it doesn’t try to compete for your attention. No constant entertainment, no manufactured energy. Space, ease, and a pace that stays slow even when the resort is full — which is rarer than it sounds.
It works well for families. It works well for couples who want rest over romance. Anyone who wants a trip that feels genuinely unhurried rather than performatively luxurious will feel at home here.
✅ Free cancellation available
→ Find the best rate for Divi Little Bay
⭐ 7.8/10 — 3,865 verified reviews ·
Sonesta Maho doesn’t do quiet. It doesn’t do slow mornings by a peaceful pool. From the moment you arrive there’s music, movement, people — that constant low hum of a place where something is always happening somewhere. If that sounds exhausting, this isn’t your resort. If that sounds like exactly what you want from a holiday, keep reading.
You’re right on Maho Beach — one of the most famous beaches in the world, where planes from Princess Juliana Airport pass so low overhead you feel the jet wash on your skin. I’ve lived on this island for years and it still makes me stop and look. It’s absurd. It’s spectacular. And it genuinely never gets old.
Beyond the beach: multiple pools, bars, restaurants, a casino, nightlife — all without leaving the property. For a group trip, a family with teenagers, or anyone who wants their holiday to feel full and loud and social rather than quiet and restorative — this is the obvious choice.
The loudest option on this list. Also the most fun, if that’s what you’re after.
✅ Free cancellation available
→ Find the best rate for Sonesta Maho
No ranking. No resort that beats the others across the board. Each one is the right choice — for a specific kind of trip.
If you want calm, intimacy, and an ocean view with no children and no noise — Sonesta Ocean Point is the answer. Don’t overthink it.
If you want a beautiful beach, easy days, and a resort that never feels overwhelming — Divi Little Bay delivers that better than anywhere else on the island.
And if you want energy, people, planes flying ten metres over your head, and something happening at every hour — Sonesta Maho is exactly what you’re looking for.
Three resorts. Three completely different trips. The right one is whichever one just made you nod.
Most people who book an all inclusive in St Maarten end up stepping outside it at least once. Usually more. Not because the resort disappoints them — but because the island pulls them in, and it’s hard to resist.
Grand Case is fifteen minutes away. A single street of restaurants right on the water, where some of the best chefs in the Caribbean have been cooking for decades. One dinner there and you understand why people keep coming back to St Martin specifically. Staying all inclusive doesn’t mean you can’t go — it just means you might wish you’d left more evenings free.
The beaches do the same thing. There are dozens of them, each completely different. Orient Bay on the French side. Friar’s Bay. Long Bay. Happy Bay, which requires a short hike and rewards you with almost nobody around. A rental car for a day or two and you’ll see more of the island than most visitors ever do.
None of this is a reason to avoid all inclusive. For plenty of travelers, having everything taken care of is exactly the point — and the resort becomes a perfect base for short explorations rather than somewhere you stay locked in.
But if you want the full experience, the move I’d suggest is simple: a few nights all inclusive on the Dutch side, then a villa or small hotel on the French side for the rest. Best of both worlds — and the way I’d plan it myself.
I hope this guide helped you see things a little more clearly. St Maarten’s all inclusive options are genuinely good — you just need to pick the right one for the trip you actually want.
If you’re traveling between December and April, checking early makes a real difference — not just on price, but on which rooms are actually still available.
Take a look at what’s open for your dates before you decide.
✅ Free cancellation available on most rooms
→ Check availability & compare prices for all resorts
Yes — but only a handful. St Maarten has three true all-inclusive resorts, all located on the Dutch side around Maho and Little Bay. The island is not a mass-market all-inclusive destination — and that's exactly what makes it special.
Yes — three of them, all on the Dutch side. Sonesta Ocean Point, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort. Each one is genuinely good — for a different kind of traveler.
The three worth considering are Sonesta Ocean Point (adults only, calm and refined), Divi Little Bay Beach Resort (relaxed, great beach, families and couples), and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort (lively, planes overhead, casino, nightlife). Each one is genuinely good — for a different kind of traveler.
The sweet spot is mid-January through April — dry season, trade winds, beaches at their best. December works too but prices spike around the holidays. If budget matters, May and November offer good value with fewer crowds, though September and October carry some hurricane risk.
Yes — if you want a stress-free stay where everything is taken care of. But St Maarten has a lot to offer outside the resorts too. Grand Case, Orient Bay, the French side — most travelers end up exploring at least once. The smartest move is a few nights all-inclusive, then a villa or small hotel on the French side for the rest.
No — as of 2026, there are no operating all-inclusive resorts on the French side. Secrets St Martin Resort in Anse Marcel was the only exception, but it closed and has no confirmed reopening date. The French side is built around boutique hotels, villas, and world-class restaurants — a completely different experience.
Sonesta Ocean Point — without hesitation. It's the only true adults-only all-inclusive on the island. Oceanfront suites, quiet pools, no entertainment team with a microphone. Perfect for couples, honeymoons, and anyone who wants genuine rest.
Yes — both Divi Little Bay and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort welcome families. Sonesta Maho has a kids club, aqua park, and teen zone. Divi Little Bay is calmer with a great swimming beach — better for younger kids or families who prefer a quieter pace.
I've lived in St Martin for 25 years — and I'm an epicurean at heart, in love with my island. I've been giving out insider tips for almost 15 years.
Let me help you plan your perfect vacation in St Martin / St Maarten!
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