Your 24-hour during-travel assistance number is at the top of your travel docs. Save it in your phone and WhatsApp before you leave.

Call them, not me — they have live access to your flights and hotel, I don’t during your trip. Faster answers, no middle man.

• Flight delays or cancellations
• Lost bags
• Medical situations
• Any “am I stuck” moment

Attached to your booking through your flights. Covers lost/stolen baggage, medical situations, and extended stays from delays or cancellations — including meals and anything you have to buy while you wait.

• Coverage starts the day of your trip, the moment you step inside the airport
• Keep ALL receipts the entire trip — you’ll need them to file a claim
• I file claims for you for an additional fee — contingent on you having every document needed at the time of filing

• Never pack your passport in your luggage — checked or carry-on. It stays in your personal item, on you, at all times — even before your trip starts
• Check that your passport does not expire within 6 months of your check-in date. We play it safe — airlines can be stricter than the island, and this is the #1 thing that gets people denied boarding
• Fill out the free St. Maarten ED Card before you fly at entry.sx. It’s the digital arrival form every traveler needs. You’ll need your passport, flight info, and resort address
• Save the confirmation QR code or screenshot and have it ready with your passport at immigration
• Have your return flight info and resort reservation handy — immigration can ask for them

• Check in with your airline 24 hours before departure
• Arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure
• Don’t pack your car with your luggage the night before — load up morning-of
• Carry 1-2 days of essentials (a change of clothes, toiletries, medication) in your carry-on or personal item, just in case your checked bag gets delayed
• It’s hurricane season in the Caribbean — keep an eye on airline alerts, and call your 24-hour line if your plans change

• Download WhatsApp before you land in St. Maarten — it’s how staff, drivers, and concierge will reach you
• Share your WhatsApp with family and friends back home so they can reach you in an emergency
• Contact your phone carrier before you leave to add international calling and data for your travel days — cheaper than paying per-use once you land

Bring small bills — singles and $5s. US dollars are widely accepted on the island. Rates have gone up across the Caribbean, this isn’t the $2/day it used to be:

Inspect your room before you unpack. If something’s off, take a photo and go back to the front desk kindly and patiently — explain it in a friendly tone.

Go to the concierge desk the day you check in and lock in:

• Dinner reservations at the à la carte spots you want, like Portofino (dinner only)
• Your spa time slot at Serenity Spa
• Excursions and island tours through the tour desk
• Tips on what’s playing at the Maho resort next door — live entertainment, the Adults-Only Club, and Casino Royale

These fill up — the earlier you go, the better your pick.

Shuttle: Check your booking/travel docs for your specific shuttle pickup and drop-off instructions — this varies by trip.

This isn’t the fun part of trip planning, but it’s the part that matters most. This also means I’m handing you off soon to my trusted colleagues at the resort and on the 24-hour line to take great care of you while you’re there.

If you feel like I’ve given you excellent service anywhere along the way, tips are always appreciated → Leave a Tip