Located in the congested heart of Philipsburg, this well-managed hotel rents cozy medium-size apartments decorated with mostly rattan furniture. Units either face the street or the beach, and most contain tiny kitchenettes, ideal for light cooking (and best of all, the kitchenette units don't cost any more than the regular rooms). The suites are very spacious. Shower-only bathrooms are small but efficiently arranged. Each room has a veranda, many of them overlooking the sea. It also has the most beautiful hardwood floors in St. Maarten, made from a well-finished Guyanan hardwood. Rooms are really very attractive, sometimes filled to capacity with U.S. naval officers and staff from some of the ships that periodically moor offshore. Good beaches are a 10- to 15-minute drive away. (You may want to arrange for a taxi to drop you off and pick you up at a prearranged time, since the lack of parking in Philipsburg makes it tough to have a car here.)

An open-air dining terrace fronts Great Bay, and the hotel is near all the major restaurants and shops of Philipsburg. Even if you're not staying here, you might want to call and reserve a table for dinner; this is one of the few hotels that serves authentic Dutch specialties at its Three Ladies Restaurant. International and Indonesian specialties are also featured.

Amenities: 1 restaurant, 1 lounge; babysitting; laundry