Simpson Bay, St. Maarten

Simpson Bay runs between a two-kilometre beach on one side and Simpson Bay Lagoon, one of the largest inland lagoons in the Caribbean, on the other. It is the centre of the island's yachting and nightlife, with marinas that host superyachts, the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, and a strip of restaurants and bars. The airport is in the neighborhood, and the lagoon drawbridge sets the rhythm of traffic a few times a day.

For sale with Andreu Realty on 7 October 2026: six properties. Condos from $350,000 (a one-bedroom at The Hills Residence) and $375,000 (a one-bedroom at Simpson Bay Yacht Club, with its own boat slip); beachfront at Aqualina, a two-bedroom lower penthouse at $1,100,000, and Le Papillon, a three-bedroom penthouse at $2,200,000; a four-bedroom villa at $1,550,000; and a beachfront building of three apartments at $1,300,000. Close by on the same side of the lagoon, we also list Villa Lagoon in Point Pirouette, a new waterfront villa with a boat slip at $2,900,000, and White Sand in Beacon Hill, a beachfront two-bedroom condo at $875,000.

What owners pay: monthly association fees on these condos run from $350 to $1,500. Simpson Bay is on the Dutch side, so a civil-law notary handles the sale and buyer closing costs come to about 5.5% of the price, including the 4% transfer tax.

Simpson Bay suits buyers who want restaurants, marinas and the beach within a short walk, and a rental that visitors can reach in minutes from the airport.

Buying in Simpson Bay: what to check. Compare buildings on the same basis, because size, age and fees vary widely. Simpson Bay Yacht Club was built in 2000, Aqualina in 2015, and The Hills Residence on Welfare Road is new (2025). On our for-sale condos the asking price works out at about $434 a square foot for a one-bedroom at The Hills Residence (807 sq ft), $611 at Aqualina (1,800 sq ft), $649 at Le Papillon (3,390 sq ft) and $682 at Simpson Bay Yacht Club (550 sq ft, with a boat slip) (10 October 2026). Monthly association fees are $350 at The Hills Residence and Simpson Bay Yacht Club, $1,168 at Aqualina and $1,500 at Le Papillon: ask what each fee covers, for the association's budget, the reserve fund and the last two years of meeting minutes, and read the house rules on short-term rentals. If a boat slip comes with the unit, ask whether it is part of the title or rented separately, and the largest boat it takes. The airport is in the neighborhood: visit at different times of day and check how close the flight path runs. On the beachfront, look at storm protection; Aqualina, for example, lists hurricane-impact windows, hurricane shutters, a backup generator and its own reverse-osmosis water system. Five of our six Simpson Bay listings are sold fully furnished: attach the inventory to the purchase agreement. For the beachfront building of three apartments, ask for the current leases or rental history, the meters per unit and the permits. And get an insurance quote, including windstorm cover, before you sign.