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Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa

Adults-only beach property

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January 2025

Photo gallery for Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa

On the beach, white sand, beach cabanas, beach umbrellas
Grande Ocean view | Outdoor pool
Grande Island View | View from room
Room, Ocean View | View from room
Sports facility

Reviews

7.4 out of 10

Good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
    Bar
  • All-inclusive
    All-inclusive
  • Hot tub
    Hot tub
  • Breakfast included
    Breakfast included
  • Room service
    Room service
  • Pool
    Pool

Room options

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About the area

Map
Little Bay Rd 19, Philipsburg

What's nearby

  • Philipsburg Boardwalk - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Little Bay Beach - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Great Bay Beach - 11 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Sint Maarten Park - 4 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Maho Beach - 11 min drive - 10.5 km

Getting around

  • Philipsburg (SXM-Princess Juliana Intl.) - 30 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sharky's - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Buddha Bar Beach - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Hard Rock Cafe St. Maarten - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪The Greenhouse Restaurant - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Blue Bitch Bar - ‬19 min walk

About this property

Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa

All-inclusive property by the ocean
Consider a stay at Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa and take advantage of a free breakfast buffet, a casino and a swim-up bar. This property is a great place to bask in the sun with a white sand beach, beach cabanas and beach massages. Indulge in a hot stone massage, aromatherapy and a body scrub at Serenity Spa, the on-site spa. At the 4 on-site restaurants, enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner and seafood. Fitness classes are offered at the 24-hour gym; other things to do include snorkelling, volleyball and kayaking. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities, such as a poolside bar and a free daily manager's reception.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • 3 outdoor pools with cabanas, sunloungers and pool umbrellas
  • Free self-parking
  • An outdoor tennis court, a 24-hour front desk and multilingual staff
  • Beach towels, concierge services and a billiards/pool table
Room features
All 257 rooms boast comforts, such as premium bedding and furnished balconies, as well as thoughtful touches, such as laptop-compatible safes and air conditioning.
More conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding, Egyptian cotton sheets and pillowtop mattresses
  • Bathrooms with rainfall showers and designer toiletries
  • Flat-screen TVs with premium channels
  • Coffee/tea makers, daily housekeeping and desks

All-inclusive details

This property is all-inclusive. On-site food and beverages are included in the room price (some restrictions may apply).

Gratuities and taxes

Gratuities are included and additional gratuities at guests' discretion are accepted.

Food and beverages

All à la carte meals, snacks and beverages included
In-room minibar (all beverages included)
Meals and beverages at companion properties

Activities and facilities/equipment

All on-site activities and use of facilities and equipment are included.

Water activities

Snorkelling

Land activities

Fitness facilities
Volleyball

Lessons/classes/games

Dancing
Yoga

Entertainment

On-site entertainment and activities
On-site live performances
Theme parties

Languages

Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Free buffet breakfast
  • 4 bars/lounges
  • 4 restaurants
  • A poolside bar
  • A swim-up bar
  • Coffee and tea in common areas
  • Free daily manager's reception
  • Snack bar/deli

Restaurants on site

  • Bay View
  • Il Pescatore
  • Pizzaria Capri
  • Water's Edge

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Free newspapers in lobby
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Turndown service
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Computer station
  • Conference centre
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Beach cabanas (surcharge)
  • Beach towels
  • Beach umbrellas
  • On the bay
  • On the beach
  • On the boardwalk/promenade
  • Pool cabanas (surcharge)
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Facials
  • Hot stone massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Spa open daily

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking

More

  • 2 buildings
  • 7 floors

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Down comforter
  • Egyptian cotton sheets
  • Hypo-allergenic bedding
  • Pillowtop mattress

Bathroom

  • Designer toiletries
  • Dressing gowns
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with premium satellite channels
  • IPod dock

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water
  • Free stocked minibar
  • Limited room service

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3 PM; check-in end time: noon
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals welcome)

Children and extra beds

Children younger than 18 are not allowed at this adults-only property; all guests 18 and older are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types at the property

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards

We should mention

Reservations are required for massage services; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Guests under 18 years old are not permitted at this adults-only property
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation

Property is also known as

Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort Casino All Inclusive Philipsburg
Sonesta Great Bay All Inclusive Beach Resort Casino Philipsburg
Sonesta Great Bay Beach Casino Philipsburg
Great Bay Beach Resort Casino Philipsburg
Great Bay Beach Resort Casino
Great Bay Beach Casino Philipsburg
Great Bay Beach Resort Casino Spa
Great Bay Beach Casino
Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa Philipsburg
Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa All-inclusive property

Frequently asked questions

Does Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa have a pool?

Yes, this property has 3 outdoor pools.

Is Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking at Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa?

Check-in start time: 3 PM; check-in end time: noon.

What time is check-out at Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa?

Checkout is at 11 AM.

Are there all-inclusive benefits at Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa?

Yes, the property is all-inclusive. All food and drinks are included, and activities include snorkelling, volleyball, dance classes and more.

Where is Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa located?

Located in Philipsburg, this beachfront property is on the boardwalk and within a 15-minute walk of Philipsburg Boardwalk, Little Bay Beach and Great Bay Beach. Bobby's Marina and Cyrus Wathey Square are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa Reviews

Reviews

7.4

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 110 out of 486 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 201 out of 486 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 103 out of 486 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 45 out of 486 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 27 out of 486 reviews" "

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

madaged

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Hotel is nice for a smaller hotel.
Food was great! A majority of the staff was great! Tried the rooms with Bali beds out front and that was a waste of money. No view and filled with ants. Get a higher room with an ocean view. The beach was useless as it is steep and ground seashells for sand. That said, you cannot beat the view of Simpson Bay. Great island and will be back when they rebuild. I would just stay at a sister property near the airport next time.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Lauren, Chulutoa, FL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel and amenities for the price!
My husband and I loved this resort. We stayed there for our anniversary and even though we flew in the Saturday before Hurricane Irma devastated the island, the hotel and the islanders made sure we had an amazing time. The resort pools and beach are both so relaxing and feel private as there aren't resorts right next door. Tons of local shops, restaurants etc are in walking distance. Even though the resort was preparing for Irma, they still made sure the guests were entertained and had excellent dining options. We tried each of the restaurants and loved all three of them as well as LaLa's food truck for lunch. We were lucky enough to get an early return flight back to the US the day before Irma hit and we do look forward to visiting this resort once they have recovered and rebuilt
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2017

8/10 Good

Kelly, CT

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Get the ocean view!
While the beach was really nice, the grounds well-kept, walking distance to town, and the staff was extremely friendly, if you stay here, make sure to get the ocean view. The rooms on the island side are okay, but there is the traffic and random roosters to constantly hear, which is a little annoying. Otherwise, this resort was simple and enjoyable.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2016

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Probably wouldn't recommend to a friend.
Hotel is very dated. Beds were not comfortable. Beach was cold, swimming pool was cold (May). Sand was more like pellets rather than real sand. All food is bland unless you go to the Lava Rock restaurant. The main buffet restaurant had roaches. Staff didn't save my reservation to the Lava Rock restaurant one night. Overpriced. Scene of beach is very beautiful. Similar to "Chilligan's Island"
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Only a handful of employees there really care and do their job really well. The rest are not happy at all.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

8/10 Good

Joann, ny, ny

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel right on the beach ..
The beach is Amazing ! The staff is super friendly . Bar service extremely slow and there is no night life at this resort . The restaurants are good but they need to improve the Buffet at night because the food is the same everyday . The breakfast buffet is good and the pizza is pretty tasty too at Lala's for lunch . We loved how close this resort is next to town. We also visited the maho resort and this one is much better ! Would we stay here again YES!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Carlton, New york, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Simply Relaxing and Well Worth it.
How do I Even start? The views? The island feel is abundant here. Arriving at the hotel you are greeted with open arms, staff was extremely welcoming, helpful and informative. The resorts views are breathtaking, the beach is literal steps away, several pools, jacuzzi, buffet, casino and restaurants. I'm not a party person so this resort was my exact speed, nice calm and quiet with nights with a band and people just interacting. If you're into the night life this may be too reserved but it was tranquility at its finest coming from a fast paced environment. I will most def return!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I'm coming back
Truly amazing staf, Truly amazing place. I'm definitely going back.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

AISHA, NEW YORK, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Staff were very nice and informative. Entertainment was great, food was great, although Il Pescatore was disappointing.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

2/10 Terrible

feelzstar, st-john's

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very old hotel. Room is dirty. Food is bad.
Staff is unprofessional! Food is very mediocre. One day I wanted a mojito, they had no mint, no lime and eventually found out they had no ice. We ate 2 breakfast there and the rest was outside the resort.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017

2/10 Terrible

IK, New York

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Horrible dirty resort
It is the worst all inclusive resort we have stayed at. We did book cabana room beachfront which did cost extra money. The room was located right next to the trash container. Every night workers would go right by our cabana to throw trash away. The smell was horrible and we had a view of a green construction fence. One night we saw a huge RAT run under our cabana. We had roaches and water bugs in the room and they were all over the resort. When we tried to contact the manager about the room she never got back to us.The rooms are old but we could tell that from the pictures. However, the rooms are very dirty. Housekeepers just mop the floor with stinky mop and change the sheets. We stayed there 8 nights and they changed the cabana sheet once. Never cleaned around it. On the fourth night our room got flooded so we asked to change rooms. They moved us to a one bedroom(without cabana-just a small balcony)The room was dirty and the kitchen smelled like vomit.(And they refused to give us our money back) Food is very bad with very few selections Pool bar- they only have one or two bartenders working so be prepared to wait at least 10 minutes We have been to many all inclusive resorts(way cheaper than this one) and never complained.However, this resort is just horrible-you do not want to waste your money on it and ruin your vacation. Please look into a different all inclusive resort or you will be sorry.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2017

6/10 Okay

ljcv, New York

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Needs updating
We stayed last year and loved it so much we came back . They cut back on staff and the food. The food was leftover from previous day and was just not as fresh .I always check beds by lifting mattresses up and while the mattresses were clean the box springs were stained and torn .
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

ANNA, QUEENS, NEW YORK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
NICE HOTEL AND NEAR THE BEACH,
WE HAD A VERY NICE EXPERIENCE. UPON ARRIVAL WE WERE GREETED AT THE FRONT DESK AND WERE OFFERED A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AND A WET COLD TOWEL TO WASH OUR FACE AND HANDS SINCE IT WAS HOT . WE ARRIVED ON A MONDAY AFTERNOON, WHICH AT NIGHT WERE GREETED TO A MANAGERS COCKTAIL HOUR. AND ALSO SAW THE DANCERS WHICH WERE VERY NICE AND POLITE. OUR STAY AT THE HOTEL WAS VERY FRIENDLY. THE ALL INCLUSIVE BUFFET FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER WAS GREAT. THE HOST AND WAITERS AND WAITRESSES WERE FRIENDLY AND NICE. WE HAD LOVED THE WALKING DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN PHILLIPSBURG FROM THE HOTEL WHICH WAS ONLY MAYBE 20 MINUTES GOING AND 20 MINUTES COMING BACK.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2017

6/10 Okay

sandy, new jersey

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disappointed
Hotel is old and needs updating. Hallway and rooms have terrible musty smell. Food was just that..food. Nothing here with a wow factor. The Caribbean was beautiful as it is everywhere. On the up side we made the best of it and met some really nice people.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

8/10 Good

EJ, Richmond, VA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Staff!!!! I would stay there again
I stayed at Sonesta Great Bay from August 9-14th, 2017. I had a great time. I was lucky enough to get one of the end rooms which are much bigger than the regular rooms. The best thing about Sonesta Great Bay was its staff. I felt the staff went over and beyond to please my fiance and I. For example, the minibar in the room was only stocked with coke, diet coke, sprite and water. I did not want to mix my drinks with coke or sprite, I prefer Tonic. The staff stated no problem and made sure I got as much Tonic as I wanted in my minibar. If there was something you wanted the staff made sure you got it. The entertainment staff are terrific as well. I met two couples who were not happy with the Sonesta. They literally complained about everything from the food, the rooms, the drinks and several other things. One lady in her complaining was comparing the Sonesta Great Bay to the Westin and detailing everything the Westin had. Umm...then go stay at the Westin. I would never stay the Sonesta Great Bay is perfect but I do think you get your money's worth there.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

6/10 Okay

Dollfacee, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Same thing everyday
This adult all inclusive is very small and limited. If you are looking for serenity, this is your place. If you want to do something other than lie on the beach and eat the same breakfast every morning then move along..... Many times we were told that a particular food item "was finished" during buffet hours/aka no intention of replenishing that item, this included decaffeinated coffee. No room service No beach service Food not allowed outside of the dining areas Few/limited entertainment if any Nothing is open 24/7 1 store No shuttle service to their other location in Maho that you are able to use free of charge-rather, pay your own way there and back which could run $20pp for a taxi OR ride a bus for $2 each way Found out on the very last day there that there were food trucks that were part of the hotel. Spa was okay We spoke to the General Manager (Alexander) on August 19,2017 to address our concerns. He promptly threw his boss "the new Jamaican man" under the bus for the changes in service, then had his "fitness director" take the blame for the lack of activities and notification thereof. He had her take my number, name and room number down so that the management would call me to address the same-NO ONE CALLED ME. All in all, we had a nice time in St Maarten because we'd rented a car and were able to enjoy the island on our own. I would suggest looking into another resort
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017

4/10 Poor

mdlb, NC

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Dated resort, poor service, meh food, nice beach
This is a dated resort with some infrastructure problems (plumbing, elevators, pools, etc), disinterested staff, poor service, mediocre food and a beautiful beach. Located on one of the nicest beaches in St Maarten, but otherwise a pretty forgettable resort. Water in the shower can be cold or scalding hot or something in between depending on the time of day. Housekeeping was a mess; some days we got no towels, most days we were short. We had to ask for 3 days straight before the sheets were finally changed. Staff was uninformed, indifferent and mostly poorly trained. Main building has 2 elevators but only one small is accessible from the lobby so guests with suitcases stand in line waiting to use the tiny 4 person elevator. All restaurants have 2 names to make it appear there are twice as many restaurants, although all the food comes from the same kitchen. Food was generally mediocre, buffets lacked variety. Pizza bar at the pool makes great pizza. The resort only carries 2 kinds of beer: Coors Light and Heineken (nothing else, no local beer either). There are 3 pools, although one is hard to find and therefore hardly used. All pools are oddly 7.5 ft deep and lack a "ledge" to stand on. So unless you're a 9ft giant, you better know how to tread water. Located on one of the nicest beaches on the island with a great view of the cruise ships.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Dana, WV

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful beach!
We enjoyed our stay at the Sonesta, but we wish we would have had an ocean front room. We had the island view and were awakened by the local roosters. The bay was absolutely gorgeous! The buffet breakfast was pretty good, but it was hard to enjoy your coffee because of the heat. The buffet restaurant is open without air condition. Some waiters were more friendly than others, especially Sheldon and Kerry. You'll know Sheldon by his contagious smile. Kerry worked mostly under the white tent next door where you could order sandwiches and drinks. I got a big hug from him upon departure. These guys deserve your tips because all of them work very hard. I recommend the food under the big white tent plus the pizza place where hot dogs and other sandwiches were served. They were delicious! I highly recommend visiting Friar's Bay where the beach and sand are beautiful. Spend the day!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
old, clean and relaxing
Very clean, out of date, staff very friendly and accommodating. All inclusive means food. drink and room, there is very little else included if anything. Sand very course. Food good but repetitive, casino small no table games, several machines didn't work. Great place if you want to just kick back and relax, if you want to do things and be entertained go elsewhere. Easy walking distance to downtown Philipsburg. Mix of ages, mostly 50ish.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

dave, oviedo fl

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
beautiful bay view
overall great place ...not top shelf liquor,,,bartenders make better drinks wen u tip them .75% of staff friendly some of food servers not so friendly...nice entertainment getting guests involved...awesome infinity pool and beach loaded with chairs and umbrellas.front office staff very helpful....getting restaurant reservations very hard 2 nice restaurants on site but they alternate every other nite making reservations hard make them early wen u 1st get there.made resv at sister hotel chinese rest wen we arrived it was closed we ate at sports bar instead.food was good but repetitive all week at buffet.its a great place more intimate than larger resorts great location
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

Kris, Queens

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Needs a makeover.
The staff at this hotel needs to be a little bit friendlier especially at the front desk. The rooms at this resort need a serious up date, my bathroom smelled like feces half the time and it was nearly impossible to get out of the tub. Impossible to get reservations with the kiosk but the food was good overall.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The rooms had roaches and a horrible order to them.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

TY., HARLEM, NEW YORK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
GREAT PLACE, GREAT PEOPLE
STAFF VERY FRIENDLY, ROOMS CLEAN. CLOSE TO BEACHES, CLOSE TO E EVERYTHING, WILL GO BACK AGAIN. FIVE STARS!!!!!! THANKS. HARLEM NEW YORK.
Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Jack, New Jersey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Small adult only all inclusive
All in all OK. Food was not terrible, service hit or miss. Some were very nice and some look miserable. Not much night life. Pools and beach nice and always had a chair available which is a plus. Nice for couples who want a quiet time.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our original room left much to be desired. After bringing up how uncomfortable the beds were we were able to move to a new room. The new room, in the same building & also an island view, was much more comfortable and as a result we were much happier with our stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2017