Guest Comments
(scroll down to see all, recent to older)
Please note that we now get 80% of our bookings from returning guest. That is why so few current comments. So we must be doing something right! Thanks everyone.
Since 2015, if I remember well, my wife and I have
stayed in your retreat in Beacon Hill many times. It was always like
coming home.
The house has good airco in each room, a well
equipped kitchen and a great living room with satellite tv, radio and
DVD player. You only need to take your clothes with you; the rest is in
the house!
The cleaning lady comes once a week. The caretaker is
immediately available if necessary.
This all for a nice price, surely in comparison to
other bungalows in Sint Maarten.
The beach and beach bar El Zafiro are less than 70
meters walking distance. The runway is nearby too, interesting for plane
spotters but some disturbance is only in the afternoon and early
evening. The airport is closed during the night.
I will recommend your retreat to anyone who is going
to Sint Maarten.
Conveniently located near the airport, beach and the Maho entertainment area. It is very clean, comfortable and nicely appointed. Front Porch is a plane watchers paradise and is in the shade most of the day. We were required to vacate our previous accommodations and Mr. Bowie, very graciously accommodated our need to transfer our possessions and most importantly the refrigerated food items at a time prior to check in. Thank You !
By Deborah P., Lakewood Ohio (01-26-2019)
We loved our stay at white sands. Ash the caretaker was a fountain of help. The kitchen was equipped well. We may have been close to airport runway but it was really fun to see and hear all the different planes. The planes did not fly all night. Being steps from the long expanse of beach was great. If you come to the Island take the time to visit with the people who lived through the hurricane. We heard some great and frightening stories.
By Helen R. (12- 31- 2018)
We really had a wonderful time at this place. It was exactly as Gary had described it in the VRBO description. A bungalow style 2 bedroom house. Location is just a couple of minutes walk from Simpson Bay with very easy access to the beach and 5-10 minutes walk from Maho beach. About 15 minutes from the airport. The area is very residential and felt very safe, we walked all over at all times including at night. We even befriended some of the neighbors. House was clean and had no maintenance issues. The availability of the beach chairs, beach towels, and the beach umbrella was very useful as we could take them in our rental car whenever we went to a beach away from the house. Mr. Ash, who is the person that looks after the house lives next door over the back wall of the property so you just have to shout over the wall for anything. He was kind and helpful to give us a brief introduction to the house and the area when we first arrived. His and Ash's responses to any of our questions were prompt and effective. So, will we come back? Most definitely yes. Thank you, Gary and Ash.
By Sunil T., Toronto, Ontario (12-18-2018)
First Post-Hurricane Irma review (03-2018)
Hi Gary, things went good on the island. The house was in great shape minus the palm trees. It reminded us of how it was twenty years ago, a lot less traffic and the same friendly people. Everyone thanked us for coming back and supporting St. Maarten. Had long talks with your neighbor, as he was rebuilding his wall and putting an addition on the rear of his house. The sounds of construction were heard all over the island. The roads were in good shape with minor flooding on Beacon Hill Road by the Allegria shell. Simpson Bay was thriving with the addition of a few new restaurants. Pizza Del Sol and Little Bamboo and Advantica were all great . Toppers and Marty's doing fine, the Yacht club had a good crowd at all times of the day when we visited. Karackters , El Zafaro, and Mary's Boon were all open and the beaches were spectacular. Over in Bay Rouge, the beach was great but Gus has yet to rebuild his shack but Antoines is open. Mullet was open and doing well. Overall we had a great time as usual. We will be going back again next year so keep us in mind when you start the booking process.”
by: Joe & Kathy Z., Caldwell, New Jersey (March 2018)
Coming home was rather sad after the most awesome vacation!!! We absolutely loved being at White Sands Retreat and honestly can't think of one thing that would have made our vacation any better!! Your caretaker lived up to his reputation as THE Caretaker, making sure all was well. We cooked in most of the time and never were in need of anything in the kitchen at all. There were plenty of towels and the coolers were used regularly. Your referral got us a fantastic deal on a rental car, thanks. It's the most relaxed we've been in a very long time! Really a fabulous place and I'd like to say that we'd love to come back next year. For now, pencil us in.
by: Jill & Rick W., Pentwater, MI (February 2013)
This was our second stay at this 2 bedroom cottage.
When vacationing at places in the Caribbean in January over the last
years, we always say "we should come back here again". The fact that we
came back to White Sands says it all.
100 steps to a very un-crowded beach to see the cruise ships pass by to
Phillipsburg while watching the sunrise over the hills is a daily and
repeatable memory. Walking onto the sand and seeing the yacht A and
other luxury ships anchored offshore while the pelicans dive 50 feet
away is a thrill. Want a snack and a bucket of beer at mid-day? Stroll
10 minutes down the beach to Karacters for tapas and Caribs.
The cottage has everything you need if you prefer to do some or most of
your own cooking. And there are at least 50 restaurants within 5 or 10
minutes. The new grocery store 10 minutes away is wonderful and fully
stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. The cottage is
airy, clean, bright and well furnished.
People from all over the world seek out the experience of sitting at the
Sunset Bar and Grill to watch the 747 from Paris land at the airport,
coming in so low you can count the rivets on the wings. You can just
walk to the Sunset, have dinner or a drink, see the cruise ships pass by
to another island destination, wave goodbye to the last flight out of
the airport and watch the beauty of the tropical sunset.
When we left this year, again we said "we should come back here".
We will.
For two weeks.
Mike & Frank, Maine, USA (January 2013)
Thank you very much for allowing us to rent your beautiful home. We had such a great time! We had a good time at the Oyster Bay Beach Resort but really felt at home at White Sands. It was wonderful that other guests have left spices and sunscreen and such; we tried to leave that kind of stuff behind as well so the next people will have as comfortable of a stay as us. Thank you again for providing such a comfortable vacation house. Much love!
Audrey & Drew, S.Lake Tahoe, CA (June)
We just got back from White Sands and we loved it! We want to book it for another week. We enjoyed our stay there very, very much! Thanks.
Bruce & Carol, N.Hatfield, MA (May)
Your place was very nice and your caretaker, Ash, is the topper. We want to return in November. Thanks for all your help.
Lee & Patricia, USA (May)
Just a short note to say how much we enjoyed your beach cottage. location was great. We are considering renting it next year. The little place is great and plenty of room for 4 adults. Thank you again.
Jackie S., USA (April)
Please accept our immense gratitude for the wonderful time we spent at White Sands Retreat. This lovely house of yours, just a few steps from the beautiful Simplon Bay beach, made us feel as a "Homeaway" should.
Your caretaker's attention to every single detail, however small it happened to be, meant a lot to us and make our stay even more enjoyable.
White Sands Retreat will undoubtedly be among our top choices for our next vacation.
Leon & Helen, Wesley Hills, NY (March)
I can't remember the last vacation I had where I came home so rested. It was that good! Your cottage was even better than anticipated. The closeness of the beach was great as each morning I had my first cup of coffee watching the cruise ships go by to Phillipsburg in the dark. That was followed by my morning workout with the sunrise and first of the day swim.
We never put on the A/C at all, the ceiling fans and open windows worked just fine! Your caretaker was a wonderful neighbor to. Your cottage will be a topic for our next January vacation plans. Maybe we will rent for two weeks and have family join us for the second.
M & F, Auburn, ME (January)
As always our vacation to St.Maarten was excellent. The cottage was very clean and suited our needs. We make use of the cooler & beach towels everyday - thanks!
Your caretaker was available to us whenever we called and made sure our needs were taken care of. Between you and him, you both helped make our vacation enjoyable. We have wonderful memories of the cottage and St. Maarten.
Kelley & Leslie, Quarryville, PA (January)
First of all, thank you very much for everything. My family and I had a great time in St.Maarten. The house exceeded our expectations. I definitely want to go back to St.Maarten again. I think it's quickly becoming one of my favorite vacation spots.
Funda S., New York, NY (November)
We had a wonderful time in St.Maarten as always. White Sands Retreat was very nice. The house was very neat and clean when we arrived. Hopefully, next year if all goes well we will be back agin.
James M., Troy, MI (March)
Thanks Gary, we had a nice time. Your caretaker was very conscientious about checking with us and delighted my daughter by picking and opening a few coconuts for her from your trees. We like the "honor bar" and left our share in turn. One of our favorite spots was Karakter's beach bar halfway down Simpson Bay beach.
Jon L., USA (March)
My husband and I had a great time at your place. We really enjoyed the privacy and the amenities at your home. My husband and I work for the airlines and we really get tired of staying at hotels. The last time we were in St.Maarten we would drive to Friar's Bay, after seeing the beach at your house we did not need to drive there anymore. We loved the beach and spent most of our day there. We really enjoyed the gas grill. It's nice sometimes to just hang out and enjoy some shrimp on the grill. We wish we had the place for another week. One week was just not enough. We are looking forward to coming back.
Lisa & Mike K., Hookstown, PA (February)
We had a great stay - lovely, clean home with comfy beds and beautiful breezes. No need to use the A/C at your house. Thank you! We will be sure to recommend White Sands Retreat!!!
Genie & Alex G., West Chatham, MA (January)
Your house is very comfortable and has all you could wish for. There is a lot of luxury. We really liked the surroundings and enjoyed the outdoor life very much. The BBQ was excellent, we had all our meals outside. We also appreciated your very kind emails and help.
Anton, Natasja & Family, Groninger, Netherland (May)
Thanks for the wonderful vacation we were able to have form the comforts of our home base - your cottage. As others have said before us, it indeed, is like being "at home". This is our first time out of a resort environment and the freedom, the closeness to the soil, the ease of coming and going, the sound of the surf at night, were all something to cherish and remember. Even now we are pondering another visit next year.
Len M., Toronto, Canada (April)
We had a great time in St.Maarten again this year. We love staying at White Sands Retreat! Looking forward to returning again next year.
J.K., Port Jefferson, NY (February - March) repeat guests
We had a pleasant stay and the location worked out quite well for us.
Chuck & Sharon A., Salem, NH (February)
White Sands Retreat was everything we could ask for and more!
When we first arrived and your caretaker was showing us around the house, he said it was our home away from home, truer words have never been spoken! The house was immaculately clean and pest free, and had all the amenities to make our stay relaxed and worry free. We certainly make good use of the cooler and lounging chairs at the many beaches we encountered. We loved the close proximity of the house to Simpson Beach.
We appreciate your professionalism in handling the correspondence and details of our stay. We have traveled quite considerably and have enjoyed getaways in several Caribbean countries staying in accommodations from the all-inclusive to vacation rentals such as yours. White Sands Retreat was definitely the best vacation spot that we have encountered.
We couldn't have asked for a better place to spend our vacation, and when we return to St.Maarten, will be sure to check in with you again!
Dan & Vicki, Edmonton, Alberta Canada (April)
We truly enjoyed our stay at your beach house. It was quite comfortable and had more than enough amenities. the airplanes did not bother us. My husband ran out anytime he thought a big plane was taking off. He just loves to watch the planes arrive and leave.
Charlie & Mary R., Brooklyn, NY (March)
We really enjoyed our stay at White Sands Retreat. The house was perfect for us. The neighbors were all very friendly. My husband enjoyed being by the airport. We would love to come back for one month again.
J.K., Port Jefferson, NY (February - March) They did come again & again - see above
Thank you very much! Everything was great, no complaints.
Watt W., Massachusetts (February)
Once again we had a great time. You are lucky to have such a terrific property and the caretaker is a great guy. We had no problems.
T&S w/ R&K, Wisconsin (January) repeat guests
We found the house to be what we desired in terms of accommodations. It allowed us the freedom to eat in should we wish and was a comfortable place to relax after a busy day of exploring the island. Your caretaker did a great job of taking care of us during our stay.
L&J, LaGrange, Indiana (December)
We had a great time! Your house was everything we hoped for. After being in St.Maarten as many times as we have you are in a great location on the island. We will definitely check availability every time we come.
T&S, Pardeeville, Wisconsin (March)
Your place is great. Very clean and well maintained. The caretaker was really nice and helpful. It was nice knowing he was around. There really was a nice breeze through the house, we hardly used the air conditioning. It was great to have the beach so close, REALLY enjoyed that. We are referring you friends.
LP, St. Johns, Michigan (February)
We had a wonderful stay at White Sands Retreat. Got to have some much needed relaxation. Loved the short walk to the beach each day for sun, swim and snooze. Will be back.
John & Pam, Windsor, Connecticut (July)
Great little house with everything we could need. Good location to get out to see all the island. We had a good time snorkeling off your beach too! Planning our next trip now.
DM & NG, Florida
