Why room prices on Saint Martin's Island change so much, how to compare them fairly, what our cottages and tents cost on each day of the week, and what the price includes.
Ask three places on Saint Martin's Island for a room price and you may get three answers that are hard to compare: one per person, one per room, one for a weekend only. This article explains why prices move, how to compare them fairly, and exactly what we charge at El Marena Eco Resort and what that includes.
Why prices change
- The day of the week. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays are the busiest days, so many places charge more.
- The season. The island is open to tourists only in the season the government sets, and overnight stays were allowed only in part of it last season, so those nights are in demand.
- The kind of room. A cottage with its own bathroom costs more than a room or tent that shares one.
- How many of you share. A bigger room shared by more people can cost less per person.
Per room or per person?
This is the question that causes the most confusion. Always ask whether a price is for the whole room or for each guest, and whether it changes on Friday and Saturday.
Our prices are for the whole cottage or tent. A duplex cottage for up to 4 is ৳4,000–৳6,000; shared by four, that's from ৳1,000 each. A single cottage for 2 is ৳2,000–৳3,000, from ৳1,000 each.
El Marena's prices
- Duplex cottage, up to 4 guests: ৳4,000–৳6,000. A two-storey wooden cottage on stilts with a double bed, a sleeping loft, an attached bathroom, a balcony, a hammock and a lookout tower. Complimentary breakfast included.
- Single cottage, up to 2 guests: ৳2,000–৳3,000. A double bed, a wardrobe and a fan, with a common bathroom.
- Tent, for 2: ৳1,000–৳1,500. Near the beach, with a common bathroom.
Each stay page shows our regular price struck through and what you actually pay: Sunday to Thursday is half the regular price, and Friday and Saturday 25% off. The lower number in each range above is the Sunday to Thursday price. Prices are per cottage or tent, per night.
What's included in the price
- With every cottage: a complimentary drink, mineral water and 24-hour room service
- With a duplex cottage: a complimentary breakfast
- For every guest: the barbecue spot (you pay only for the food), the football ground and the children's playground
What costs extra
- Restaurant meals: lunch and dinner, and breakfast unless you're in a duplex
- Seafood barbecues: you pay for the fish, lobster or chicken
- A candlelight dinner on the beach
- Bike or auto rides around the island, and the ride from the jetty
- Self-cooking, if you buy fresh fish at the market
Ask us on WhatsApp for the current price of any extra before you order.
How to compare prices fairly
- Compare the same dates: a Tuesday and a Friday aren't the same price anywhere.
- Turn every price into the same unit, per room or per person.
- Check the bathroom: attached or shared.
- Check what's included: breakfast and drinking water add up over a stay.
- Add the ride from the jetty if the place is far from it.
- Check how many guests the room really sleeps.
How to pay less
- Come Sunday to Thursday, when our prices are lowest.
- Fill the room: four in a duplex costs much less per person than two.
- Choose a tent or a single cottage if you don't need your own bathroom.
- Book early for weekends and holidays, so you get the stay you want.
- Ask us about any current special offers when you message.
The room is only part of the trip
Your total also includes the ship (last season's return fares started from ৳3,500 per person), food and local rides. Our article on what a Saint Martin trip costs puts it all together, and how to book a hotel in Saint Martin explains the booking itself.
