Tour Philipsburg, Capital of Dutch St. Maarten

The lovely Pasanggrahan Royal Guesthouse Hotel on Front Street is definitely the place to stay in town if you dig history and are looking for a quiet, shaded oasis. The hotel, which was the original governor's house on St. Maarten, has a set-back porch for people-watching on Front Street, and the lobby includes a semi-shrine to the Netherlands' Queen Wilhelmina. The colonial style of the hotel carries over into the Sidney Greenstreet Bar and guest rooms. The hotel restaurant and beach bar overlook the Boardwalk and Great Bay.

More toward the middle of town you'll find the high-rise Holland House Beach Hotel, a thoroughly modern property that has been recently redesigned and boasts the sleek Ocean Lounge Restaurant & Bar. Budget travelers can find guest houses in town for under $100 a night.