Simpson Bay Resort & Marina

Guests are provided with a map when checking in at the
resort and they need it. The property encompasses eight buildings (not counting the
villas by the beach), six pools, and four restaurants, and the sprawling, fairly hilly property requires a lot of walking. There is plenty of parking around the resort and you
will most likely get a spot right next to your room, but driving the
narrow roads around the property can be tricky. There is a security booth when
entering the buildings with guest rooms and guests are provided with a parking pass at check-in.
All of the amenities are shared between the Simpson Bay Resort and The Villas section. The lobby is large and cavernous with reception on one side,
a large activities desk on the other, a car rental desk, and a lobby bar in the
back. There are two large seating areas with couches as well as bar seating
along windows that overlook the ocean. Some guests complain about a lengthy
check-in process, and indeed, the velvet ropes in front of the reception desk
are not a promising sign.The numerous pools are spread throughout the resort so your
room is never far from water. The hotel has an attractive waterfront area that
has two restaurants and Aqua Mania, the on-site water sports provider. There
is a building in the center of the resort that houses the casino, the Italian
restaurant, and the deli-convenience store. Simpson Bay Resort is a time-share property and although
there are some posters around the lobby and other public areas, this aspect is
not pushed. However, this may mean that some of the better units get rented out
first to owners.Guests are a mix of families, couples, young groups of friends, and
retired folks. The pool bars and the beach are lively and fun during the day, while the smaller pools and other areas of the property are quiet and relaxing. Although the hotel is large, it doesn’t
have a cheesy resort feel that define many properties of this size. The rooms at the resort are a great value given their level of style and the property features. Other resorts of this
size with similar amenities, including Oyster Bay Beach Resort and Divi LittleBay Beach Resort, are more expensive (Divi also doesn’t have full kitchens).
The Westin and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort have similar amenities at a
higher price, although they are more upscale.

Simpson Bay Resort is located in trendy and popular SimpsonBay, just over the bridge from the airport in the Pelican Key area. The hotel
has its own drive (follow signs to reception). The area
is lined with resorts and restaurants. There is some plane traffic noise from
the airport nearby but it is not overwhelming. The popular strip with lots of shops, restaurants, and bars
is a 10-minute walk. The area is safe and well-populated.- Five- to 10-minute walk to Simpson Bay restaurants

• Six-minute drive to Princess Juliana International Airport
• 12-minute drive to Marigot
• 12-minute drive to Fort Louis
• 16-minute drive to Philipsburg    
• 17-minute drive to Grand Case with restaurants and shops
• 17-minute drive to Baie Rouge for excellent snorkeling
• 17-minute drive to Loterie Farm, a nature retreat with toursand zip lining
• 23-minute drive to Orient Bay
• 24-minute drive to the Butterfly Farm

Simpson Bay Resort offers studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units spread across eight buildings. Most rooms have some kind of view of the ocean but the views vary by building. Guests have complained that rooms close to the road result in some traffic noise.The updated rooms have a bold color scheme of blue and bright pink (blue accent walls, pink bed runners, blue couches and armchairs), clean beige tile floors, and bright paintings on the walls. Modern lighting and quirky accent mirrors complete the look. All of the mattresses are memory foam, and they are quite comfortable. The bathrooms are a bit on the small side, especially in the studios, but are nicely updated with dark wood and red-brown accent tile. However, there is a noisy cruise-ship style toilet and some guests report a lack of hot water in the shower. While the units are modern and clean, they do look chain-like.All units come with full kitchens. They are large, even in the studios, with ample cabinetry, full-size refrigerators, and stoves. All of kitchens have plates, glasses, utensils, cookware, toasters, blenders, microwaves, and coffeemakers. Every room also has a semi-private, furnished terrace that faces the ocean or garden.The one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites have spacious living rooms with dining tables for four or six, larger kitchens, and an open-concept layout. The suites as well as the Studio Plus rooms have Murphy beds that can sleep two additional people.

The resort’s fitness center is essentially a full-size,
state-of-the-art gym. It has numerous cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals,
bikes), strength machines, free weights, and balance balls. The room has a full
wall of windows that overlooks the villa pool and the ocean. Unfortunately,
there is a charge to use it. The two well-maintained tennis courts, one with a basketball hoop at the end, are free to use. Aqua Marina, the resort’s on-site water sports provider, is
located by the water on the resort’s lowest level and has a large storefront.
It is the largest water sports center and dive shop on the
island, and offers tons of excursions, including to evening dinner sails, shopping trips, and day trips to Saba and St. Barts. Also on offer are island tours,
dive packages, and snorkel excursions. Equipment rentals are available, including wave runners, stand up paddleboards, catamarans, and
kayaks.The resort has a casino that’s located in the
central building. Casino Hollywood features Texas Hold'em, black jack,
roulette, craps, and slot machines. It’s open from early afternoon until the wee
hours of the morning.There is a large convenience store on-site that sells beer and liquor, ice cream, groceries, some fresh produce, and
fresh baguettes, among other items. Prices are a little higher than grocery stores outside of the
resort, but you are paying for the convenience. A children’s playground is located near the security
booth and has a swing, a slide, a play house, and a climb-through in the shape
of a ship, as well as a small pool. 

Simpson Bay has numerous bars, including three pool bars and
a lobby bar. The resort has four restaurants on-site.- Alexander’s Kitchen is a waterside eatery that is open forbreakfast, lunch, and some nights for theme dinners. The casual spot has outdoorplastic tables and chairs, and serves American cuisineand seafood.

• The Stone is also located waterside and is more upscale.Open for dinner only, The Stone has an extensive wine list and serves elegantmeat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes. The space is small, dark, and intimatewith red booths and chairs. There’s also an outdoor patio facing the water.
• Bon Appetit is the resort’s French brasserie and bakery.Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Bon Appetit serves a variety of goodfood at reasonable prices. It has an attractive outdoor patio that’s romantic when lit up at night.
• Roma is an Italian restaurant located in the middle of theresort by the casino that serves basic pastas, meat, and seafood dishes. It is housed in an open-air space that’s litup with blue lights and accents at night. 

L'Aqualigne Spa, located by the beach and marina pool, offers massages, facials, body wraps, and other beauty treatments.

The resort is located directly on the beach, which can be accessed by walking through the Marina Pool. The beach is long and picturesque, with white sand and turquoise water. There are tons of lounge chairs and straw umbrella huts dotting the beach, but with a resort of this size, all those chairs are needed. The beach doesn’t feel particularly crowded or congested, however. There is a beach bar at one end along with some picnic tables.

The Marina Pool is the most popular at the resort. Located closest to the beach and containing a swim-up pool bar, the area is lively and fun. Lounge chairs surround the pool but it may be hard to get a chair in the afternoon. There is plenty of seating around the pool bar (both in the water and out) and there is a shallow section off to one side of it.The Villa Pool is the most scenic of the bunch. Set right on the ocean (there’s a small entry leading out of the pool that goes directly into the water), the pool is long, curving, and attractive with both narrow and wide areas. There is a pool bar here as well. While popular, the Villa Pool tends to be more subdued during the day than the Marina Pool.The B Pool, located in the middle of the resort, is huge and square-shaped, with a bridge going over the middle and a lane for doing laps. A pool bar on one end plays fun music. The area is in full sun, and with the exception of a few umbrellas and palm trees, there isn’t
a lot of landscaping; the perimeter of the pool is mostly surrounded by
concrete. This pool does not get crowded.The D Pool and the Allamanda Pool, both located on the
interior of the property, are significantly smaller than the other pools. They
don’t have a pool bar or music and they are never rowdy or crowded. They both
have attractive design and a few lounge chairs and umbrellas around the
perimeter.The Croton Pool, set on the top of the property, has great
views of the area, particularly from the sun terrace up the stairs from the
pool. This pool is rectangular and not particularly large. Lounge chairs are
lined up at one end.