Best All-Inclusive Resorts in St. Maarten and St. Martin (2026 Guide)

Most people searching for all-inclusive resorts in St. Maarten picture a Punta Cana style strip with dozens of big properties. This island works nothing like that. As of September 2026, St. Maarten and St. Martin have exactly two resorts that run as true all-inclusives, one more that sells an optional plan, and several former options that have closed for good. Here is what is actually bookable, how the Dutch and French sides differ, and which French side hotels are worth paying for meals.

St. Maarten Has Two True All-Inclusive Resorts Right Now

In 2026 the island has only two full-time all-inclusive properties: Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa and Sonesta Ocean Point Resort. They sit next door to each other on Maho Bay on the Dutch side. A third, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort near Philipsburg, sells an optional all-inclusive add-on. Anything else advertised as a St. Maarten all-inclusive has either closed, requires a third-party tour package, or is a limited hotel meal plan.

That short list drives the whole plan. If you require an all-inclusive, you are choosing between the two Sonesta properties. If you can flex, the French side has some of the best boutique beach hotels in the Caribbean, and in a village like Grand Case, skipping the resort buffet turns into the highlight of the trip.

St. Maarten vs St. Martin: Dutch Side vs French Side

One 34 square mile island holds two territories, split by the Treaty of Concordia in 1648. The spelling tells you where you are. Sint Maarten is the southern 40 percent and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Saint Martin is the northern 60 percent, a French overseas collectivity on the euro. There are no border checkpoints, so you can drive from a Dutch casino to a French bakery in about 20 minutes.

• Dutch St. Maarten has Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Maho Beach, the Philipsburg cruise port, the casinos, and both all-inclusive resorts. Prices are in US dollars.
• French St. Martin has Orient Bay, Grand Case, Marigot, quieter beaches, and boutique hotels with serious French kitchens. Prices are in euros, though nearly everyone takes dollars.
• Sargassum collects on the Atlantic-facing east coast, so Orient Bay, Dawn Beach, and Oyster Pond are the exposed spots. The sheltered west and south shores stay clear, which covers Maho, Mullet Bay, Simpson Bay, and Little Bay. Both Sonesta resorts and Divi sit on that protected side.

For how this island stacks up against its neighbors, see our ranking of the best Caribbean islands.

1. Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa: Best All-Inclusive for Families

Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa is the island's largest all-inclusive, with 420 rooms on 10 beachfront acres at Maho Bay, one minute from the airport. If you have seen the viral video of a jet landing low over a beach full of people, you have seen this one. The rate covers buffet and a la carte dining, snacks, drinks, activities, and tips.

The resort added real capacity in 2026. The Pelican's Nest Sky Deck, a 59,000 square foot rooftop opened in June 2026, brought a climbing wall, mini golf, multi-sport simulators, a kids play area, a running track, and an entertainment stage, all included rather than billed as extras. Below it are the Oasis Pool with a swim-up bar and waterslides, Casino Royale, Serenity Spa, and a pizzeria for when the kids are done with the buffet.

Expect $240 to $460 per night for two adults. Late summer and autumn are the cheapest windows.

Check current rates for Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa on Expedia→

2. Sonesta Ocean Point Resort: The Only Adults-Only All-Inclusive on the Island

Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is the island's only adults-only all-inclusive, so there is no comparison shopping here. The 130 suite property sits on a rocky peninsula on the southwestern tip, next to its family-friendly sister. Ocean Point guests get private pools, bars, and restaurants plus full access to Sonesta Maho Beach. Maho Beach guests cannot come the other way.

The signature feature is the 40 foot clifftop Edge Pool, with fire pits and views across Maho Bay, one of four pools on site. The cliffside restaurant Azul draws the strongest guest reviews. Rates cover all meals, drinks, activities, evening entertainment, 24 hour room service, and tips. One scheduling note: the Edge Pool closes for annual maintenance from September 7 to October 13, 2026, while the other pools stay open.

Rates run $570 to $890 per night for a couple. As the only adults-only all-inclusive here, winter fills months out.

Check current rates for Sonesta Ocean Point Resort on Expedia→

3. Divi Little Bay Beach Resort: Best Optional All-Inclusive Plan

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort runs as a standard hotel with an all-inclusive add-on, which makes it the flexible pick. Book through a platform like Expedia and you get the Signature plan: unlimited meals and drinks at the main bars and restaurants, non-motorized water sports, and weekly events like trivia nights and guided hikes to the Fort Amsterdam ruins. At the front desk you can upgrade to Premium for two more restaurants, top-shelf spirits, and a stocked in-room minibar.

Two rules matter. The package requires a minimum of three consecutive nights, and once activated it applies to the rest of your stay, so you cannot drop it for one night to eat in town. Room-only rates run $200 to $300 per night in 2026, and Divi has advertised promotional all-inclusive rates from around $242 per person per night.

The resort sits on a calm, protected beach at Little Bay under the Fort Amsterdam ruins, a short drive from Philipsburg's Front Street.

Check current rates for Divi Little Bay Beach Resort on Expedia→

The St. Martin All-Inclusives That Are Closed in 2026

Older guides still recommend three resorts you cannot book.

• Secrets St. Martin Resort & Spa (Anse Marcel, French side) left the Hyatt Inclusive Collection on May 31, 2025 and became St. Martin Beach Resort & Spa. It shut down suddenly on December 15, 2025, costing more than 130 staff their jobs. Reservation systems show it closed through at least December 31, 2026.
• Riu Palace St. Martin was the same Anse Marcel property under its earlier name. It closed after Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and reopened as Secrets in 2019. Any guide still selling the Riu is badly out of date.
• Great Bay Beach Resort, Casino & Spa (Philipsburg) was an adults-only all-inclusive wrecked by Irma. The buildings are gone. Sunwing planned a 450 suite Planet Hollywood St. Maarten on the site, but permit disputes have stalled it for years with no opening date.

If a travel site tells you to book any of these three, check the rest of its advice too.

French Side Resorts Worth Booking Without an All-Inclusive Plan

The French side has no full-time all-inclusive in 2026, but it has the beachfront hotels most people picture when they imagine this island. Pay for meals separately and you get Orient Bay, Grand Case, and the best restaurant scene in the Leeward Islands.

La Playa Orient Bay: Best Value on Orient Bay

This 56 suite boutique hotel sits directly on Orient Bay, the longest and liveliest beach on the island, at $225 to $350 per night with breakfast included. Every room is a 48 square meter junior suite with a kitchenette, breakfast is served at the seaside bar, and Grand Case is a five minute drive. Expedia guests rate it 9.4 out of 10. Orient Bay faces the Atlantic, so check sargassum reports for summer travel.

Check current rates for La Playa Orient Bay on Expedia→

Grand Case Beach Club: Best for Food Lovers

This 74 room hotel occupies a quiet cove at the edge of Grand Case, the island's culinary capital, at $350 to $570 per night. It has two beaches, easy ocean access, and a short walk to a street of French bistros and open-air lolo barbecue stands. It suits couples who would rather eat their way through a village than queue at a buffet.

Check current rates for Grand Case Beach Club on Expedia→

La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel: The Luxury Pick

Open on Baie Longue in Les Terres Basses since 1974, La Samanna is the island's five-star benchmark, with winter rates starting above $1,000 per night. It is not all-inclusive and does not try to be. It is for travelers choosing between St. Martin and St. Barts who want a mile-long beach and a refined room.

Check current rates for La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel on Expedia→

Best Beaches in St. Maarten Near Each Resort

The island has 37 beaches, and your resort decides which ones you can walk to.

• Maho Beach (Dutch): the plane-spotting strip outside Sonesta Maho, two minutes from Ocean Point. Compact, loud, unlike anywhere else.
• Mullet Bay (Dutch): five minutes from Maho, soft sand and turquoise water, widely called the best beach on the Dutch side, and rarely hit by sargassum.
• Little Bay (Dutch): a calm protected crescent at the foot of Divi, under the Fort Amsterdam ruins.
• Orient Bay (French): the island's most famous beach, lined with beach clubs, in front of La Playa. The southern end is clothing optional.
• Baie Longue (French): an uncrowded mile of sand in front of La Samanna.

When to Go and How to Get There

The dry season runs mid-December through April, with highs in the low 80s and little rain. Hurricane season is June 1 to November 30, and St. Maarten took a direct hit from Irma on September 6, 2017, which is why so many older resorts here are gone. Our hurricane season guide covers that risk, and our piece on the cheapest time to visit the Caribbean explains why Sonesta rates drop so far in late summer.

JetBlue moved its Fort Lauderdale route to daily service on July 9, 2026, covered in our JetBlue flights update. American, Delta, United, and Spirit also fly nonstop into SXM, and the terminal is a minute from the Sonesta properties. The island scores well in our safest Caribbean islands ranking too.

FAQ

How many all-inclusive resorts are in St. Maarten?

As of 2026 the Dutch side has two dedicated all-inclusives, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Sonesta Ocean Point Resort, plus Divi Little Bay Beach Resort with an optional upgrade. The French side of St. Martin has none.

Is there an adults-only all-inclusive resort in St. Maarten?

Yes, one. Sonesta Ocean Point Resort is the island's only adults-only all-inclusive, a 130 suite clifftop property on Maho Bay with its own pools, restaurants, and bars.

What is the difference between St. Maarten and St. Martin?

Sint Maarten is the Dutch southern portion, Saint Martin the French northern one, peaceful neighbors since 1648 with no border control. The airport, cruise terminal, casinos, and all-inclusives are Dutch. The quieter beaches and better restaurants are French.

Is Secrets St. Martin still open?

No. It left Hyatt's Inclusive Collection on May 31, 2025, ran briefly as St. Martin Beach Resort & Spa, and closed on December 15, 2025. There is no reopening date.

What is the best beach in St. Maarten?

Mullet Bay wins on scenery and swimming and rarely gets sargassum. Orient Bay is the largest and liveliest on the French side. Maho is the most famous, because of the planes.

The Bottom Line

For a true all-inclusive, book Sonesta Maho Beach for a family trip or Sonesta Ocean Point for an adults-only one, with Divi Little Bay as the flexible option on a shorter stay. If paying for meals does not bother you, the French side hotels in Grand Case and Orient Bay deliver better beaches and far better food than most all-inclusives in the region. And if you want real choice among all-inclusives, Aruba is simply the better island, as our best all-inclusive resorts in Aruba guide shows.

Still weighing Dutch against French? Send your dates and budget through our concierge planning page and we will match you to a resort and watch for price drops.

<!-- FACT CHECK

• Divi all-inclusive promotional pricing "around $242 per person per night" came from a search summary of a 2026 Divi press release; confirm the exact figure and whether it was a limited sale.
• All nightly rate ranges (Sonesta Maho $240 to $460, Ocean Point $570 to $890, Divi $200 to $300, La Playa $225 to $350, Grand Case Beach Club $350 to $570, La Samanna above $1,000) are aggregator averages from momondo/Expedia snippets, not live quotes; spot-check before publish.
• Sonesta Ocean Point Edge Pool closure dates (Sept 7 to Oct 13, 2026) came from a search summary of Sonesta's site; verify on sonesta.com.
• Pelican's Nest Sky Deck: press release said opening June 1, 2026, another source said soft open June 8, 2026; post says "opened in June 2026."
• St. Martin Beach Resort closure "through at least December 31, 2026" is from a listing note marked subject to change.
• "37 beaches" is the commonly cited tourism board figure; not independently verified.
• Planet Hollywood St. Maarten 450 suites is from 2018 to 2021 reporting; no 2026 status confirmed beyond "no opening date."
• Nonstop carriers into SXM (American, Delta, United, Spirit) not re-verified for the 2026 to 2027 winter schedule.
• Orient Bay southern end clothing optional is long-standing but not re-verified for 2026.
• Divi Little Bay Expedia h470827 confirmed by Expedia search result title; a second listing h27334926 with a similar name was not opened because Expedia returned HTTP 429 to direct fetches, as did every other Expedia URL (all h-numbers came from Expedia's own search result titles).
• VERIFIED 2026-09-28 (browser, Playwright): every Expedia URL in this draft was loaded in a real browser and resolves to the correct hotel page. Expedia returns HTTP 429 to curl, so command line checks cannot confirm these; use a browser.

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