Royal Islander Club Resort La Plage is located in the heart of St. Maarten’s Maho Village, minutes from the airport and steps from the white sands of Maho Bay, dining, and shopping.
Maho Beach in St. Maarten: “The Airplane Beach”
You may have seen this scene on social media: Beachgoers spot a plane in the distance and everyone stands up and moves into position to get as close to a landing or departing aircraft. You may have thought that was an AI produced video but I am here to say that it’s not. Maho Beach is real and very popular among travelers.
Maho Beach, most known as the “airport beach” sits feet from the St. Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport, where from the ground, you have planes practically landing on your head.
We have always wanted to visit Maho Beach and experience it for ourselves, and we were thrilled to get an invite from friends to join them on a weeklong trip to the island of St. Maarten.
Location of the Award Winning St. Maarten Resort
Getting invited to join our friends was thrill enough, but finding out that we’d be staying at the Royal Islander La Plage resort was an added bonus.
Located in Maho Village on the Dutch side of St. Maarten and overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the resort is a recipient of TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award 2026, as we read about on the TripAdvisor site.
The resort is one mile from Princess Juliana International Airport, less than a five minute taxi ride, a fact that explains just how close the beach is to the low-flying planes landing overhead. Note that the resort does not provide airport shuttle service but rest assured, taxis are easy to get.
La Plage has 120+ oceanfront suites, each with a balcony overlooking the bay, lush gardens, and the pool, making for breathtaking sunsets that rival the views of any cruises we’ve been on.
Maho Village is a popular entertainment area in St. Maarten, where we had our pick from a diverse selection of restaurants, bars, and duty-free shopping just steps from the resort. There is a grocery store and the Casino Royale across the street from the resort. There’s also golfing nearby Mullet Bay.
Attentive Service From the Resort Staff
We arrived in the late afternoon, and the greeting we received upon arrival at the resort was one of the warmest greetings I have ever experienced.
We were offered a “welcome” drink, I think it was guava flavor, and it was much appreciated as it was a hot Caribbean day. Our friends were presented with a bottle of champagne to celebrate their anniversary.
Despite the line of guests, that I’m guessing had just come off our flight as well, the line moved quickly and within minutes, we were heading to our 2-bedroom suite. The atmosphere was so welcoming and I don’t think the staff could have been any more accommodating than they were.
It was nice to know that there was 24-hour security around the resort. And wherever we walked, there seemed to be a team member just waiting to assist with any question or requests that we had.
Resort Amenities
Along the pathway to our suite, we strolled through the lushest green gardens, passing by the swimming pool, hot tub, and the most beautiful beach just steps away calling my name. I was exhausted from our travel day but so looked forward to jumping into the pool and putting my feet in the bay.
There is no spa or gym onsite but guests have access to the spa and a fully equipped gym at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino. If you enjoy outdoor exercise, there are pickleball, soccer, and paddle courts in walking distance. However, the Caribbean is hot weather so plan to play early in the morning.
Having the beach so close to our suite made it convenient, and there were plenty of lounge chairs available.
We enjoyed breakfast every morning at the onsite Tortuga Beach Cafe. The turkey, bacon, and avocado panini and the breakfast burrito were so good that we went back morning after morning. While it’s open for lunch and dinner as well, we were too busy enjoying activities all over the island that we grabbed lunch and dinner elsewhere.
At night, there’s live entertainment and the best pina colada and cocktails at Tortuga. Note: Unlike other Caribbean resorts, La Plage doesn’t offer inclusive meal plans. However, there are many restaurants in walking distance as well as a grocery store.
There is Wi-Fi access available throughout the resort. There is also on-site laundry facilities and a business center.
We didn’t have or need a car, but it was nice to see that there is covered parking and access to Dollar Thrifty car rental services.
It’s not a pet-friendly resort.
All Suites Offer Oceanfront Views
We were spoiled by being invited to share a spacious, 2-bedroom suite on the second floor but there are also studios, one-bedroom suites, and two-bedroom penthouses.
The suite was well-maintained but perhaps a bit dated, a mostly tropical design. Still, it was comfortable and a nice place to call home for the week. Housekeeping did a great job maintaining a pristine appearance.
The spacious living room area was bright thanks to the windows, and the sofa bed (queen pull-out sleeper) made for a nice area to sit, chat, and enjoy coffee and tea breaks with our friends in the afternoons.
The fully equipped kitchen was nicer than I expected so we opted to pick up food at the grocery store and cook one evening. There was a full-size refrigerator, induction stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, blender, and a toaster oven. The kitchen was stocked with dishes, cups, flatware, pots, and pans, dish soap, coffee filters, and more.
Our private balcony had a view of the turquoise Caribbean water. It wasn’t a perfect view, but if we leaned out a bit, we could see a bit of the planes landing at the airport next to the resort.
The two-bedroom suite had two private bathrooms and was big enough to sleep six adults. Our friends had the master bedroom and we had the guest bedroom with two queen size beds. Our bed had a soft, plushy feel and while I didn’t inspect the mattress, it felt like there was a cushioned mattress topper.
Despite being so close to the local entertainment and the airport, our room was surprisingly quiet when the balcony doors were closed.
Nearby Attractions
If you’re wondering if our Maho airport experience lived up to the hype, it was even better. I don’t know which words to use to fully describe the adrenaline rush as the “woosh” of hot air that not only blows in your face and hair, but also whisks the sand, towels, and beach umbrellas as the jets (and smaller aircraft) soar overhead. To say the planes practically land on your head is an understatement.
Beyond the beach, local island excursions and other nearby attractions provided so much entertainment in the area.
We took a fun tour at the Topper’s Rhum Distillery. We had no idea that there were so many flavors of rum – 124 flavored rums at Toppers! We got to sample from over 20 rum samples and go behind the scenes to learn how the rum is fermented, distilled, and filtered. The banana vanilla cinnamon flavor was super creative. On the way out, I highly recommend you buy some rum cakes to take home as souvenirs.
And while we loved the Maho Bay plane spotting, we found an excursion that was equally exciting, a Jeep tour! We drove in a caravan of Jeeps, to see the unspoiled beauty of the area. I am not much of a thrill seeker so I was happy to find out that the tour was mainly on-road with just a portion off-road. The vehicle had a VHF radio to communicate with the tour guide. With a few curves and hill climbing roads, I haven’t giggled (in fear) that much in a long time. Such a fun experience.
As for our dining experiences, you may think our favorite restaurant was Caribbean food but our standout dining was Mr. Chow Asian Bistro. The smoked pork belly bao buns appetizer, chicken teriyaki and the beef and broccoli were delicious and the fried bananas dessert was a showstopper!
Takeaways: Do I Recommend the Hotel?
If we ever plan to be in the St. Maarten area, we will definitely stay at La Plage again. The beach was extra special as it gave us the perfect location to see the planes landing, adding a little “childlike” excitement to every day of our stay. If you’re looking for an immaculately clean resort that feels like a safe location, consider staying at this resort.
- Front desk staff treats guests like family
- Private beach area, turquoise pool, and hot tub
- Great tropical vibe with well-maintained gardens
- All suite accommodations with great views
- Excellent Tortuga Beach Café onsite
- Walking distance to dining and duty-free shopping
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
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