Philipsburg Hotels

English speakers-Philipsburg side of island

I just joined V.T. [2009] and I am reporting on my stay in 1983. I do not remember the name of the hotel where I spent the week, but it had a great view of the ocean from my balcony.

The staff at the hotel were very friendly and spoke English. The Dutch citizens and the natives were English speakers in the hotel. The hotel also provided some complimentary local food items and beverages [FREE] which were placed in my room refrigerator.

There was a local t.v. station broadcasting three hours a day, mostly local news [read island] and talk -format t.v. No movies etc in 1983.

Additionally, I was traveling alone and would enter a restaurant to dine alone. Usually some fellow traveler would soon take notice of my status and invite me to join their table. Conversation quickly disclosed that the majority of these people who invited me to their table were sure, fellow Americans, BUT New Yorkers !!! Now, New Yorkers sometimes have a reputation of not being too nice.
However, having been to New york once before this trip and once since, I find New yorkers to be very friendly. In this instance too, they lived up to my impression of New Yorkers, very friendly and engaging. I soon discovered the reason for so many New Yorkers on vacation in the islands.

Due to their large population, 7 or 8 miillion people, they receive better package deals there than in my home town of Chicago which is much farther from the islands than New York. Chicago also has a smaller population than New York . Chicago is now [2009] approximately 2.7 million, but in 1983 it was approximately 3 million.

Unique Quality: Standard room, great view of the ocean.