en minutes from St. Maarten's capital
city of Philipsburg, I discovered a bit of history and some rest
and recreation at the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort.
Part hotel, part time-share property, the resort features 235
units, including 97 hotel rooms and suites; 14 casitas, and 124
studio, one- and two-bedroom time-share villas that can be
rented.
All accommodations offer views of Little Bay and private
balconies or patios.
My standard hotel room was not very different from generic motel
rooms found in the U.S., with two double beds, a nightstand, a
small writing table, a television stand/dresser and a full
bathroom.
The decor was a bit bland, with little color and not much in the
way of art.
However, it was functional and had more than enough space for
clothes and luggage.
Activities for all types of people abound at the property, from
shopping to water sports.
On an island known for its duty-free shopping, I headed first
for the shopping promenade next to the open-air reception area.
Shops included a liquor store, a jeweler, a minimarket, a
women's clothing boutique, a souvenir shop or two, a hair salon/spa
and a fitness center.
I discovered no great bargains at these stores, but did visit
the minimarket several times for munchies after a day of
sightseeing or beachcombing.
Healthy snacks included small bags of vegetables and bottles of
water, while snacks for the sweet-tooth cravings included ice cream
and candy bars and all sorts of chips.
The Divi resort features an on-site fitness center, but I found
a more interesting way to keep in shape.
A five-minute hike from the shopping plaza, on a hilltop above
the resort, are the ruins of Fort Amsterdam which I visited every
afternoon.
Signs at the resort guided me to a trail just beyond the guest
rooms.
From the hilltop, I had a sweeping view of the property on one
side and vistas of Great Bay and Philipsburg on the other.
The fort's dilapidated guns, rusting cannons and wall remnants
attested to the presence of French, Dutch and Spanish troops which
were once stationed there.
Fort Amsterdam, said to be the oldest Dutch fort in the
Caribbean, played an important role in St. Maarten's history.
Built in 1631 by the Dutch, Fort Amsterdam was captured by the
Spanish two years later and was the site of a famous battle in
which Peter Stuyvesant, leader of the Dutch armada and future
governor of New York, lost his leg.
The Spanish vacated the fort after several years.
By the time the Dutch attempted to reclaim the fort, the French
had already taken up residence.
Holland and France fought for control of the fort until a peace
accord dividing the island in two was signed in 1648.
If clients do not want to hike to the fort, they can see one of
the few remaining buildings from Divi's beach.
Divi Little Bay is on a half-mile, white-sand beach with several
water-sports activities for guests.
Waters teem with fish and coral and are excellent for
snorkeling.
Sailboats, kayaks and scuba gear also can be rented.
Other resort activities include a weekly manager's cocktail
party, beach volleyball, daytime tennis, pool basketball, aqua
aerobics and bingo.
With so much available at Divi, I was tempted to stay put and
take in the sun, sand and sea.
What a fun dilemma! Should I snorkel at Divi, shop in
Philipsburg, dine in Simpson Bay or tee off at Mullet Bay in
Maho?
Both Divi Little Bay and St. Maarten have much to offer
visitors.