Princess Heights, Sonesta Maho, JW Marriott among local World Travel Awards 2025 Winners

GREAT BAY--World Travel Awards 2025 brought a strong showing for both sides of the island, with multiple tourism businesses in St. Maarten and St. Martin (French side) taking top destination (local) titles across hotels, resorts, suites, car rental, and destination management.

The World Travel Awards carry weight because they are a long-running, international awards program that has recognized travel and hospitality brands since 1993, spanning countries, regions, and global categories. Winners are determined through a voting process that includes travel industry professionals and the traveling public, and the brand value is amplified by the program’s wide reach, competitive category structure, and the way winners use the seal in marketing and trade positioning. For destinations like St. Maarten and St. Martin, these wins are not just plaques, they function as third-party validation that can influence travel advisors, tour operators, corporate travel planners, and travelers comparing options.

St. Maarten: boutique wins, business travel, and a standout suite

St. Maarten’s list of winners was broader, reflecting how the destination is competing at several levels at once. Princess Heights took two titles, St. Maarten’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2025 and St. Maarten’s Leading Hotel 2025, reinforcing its positioning in the smaller, more personalized end of the market. Oyster Bay Beach Resort secured St. Maarten’s Leading Boutique Resort 2025, while Divi Little Bay Beach Resort won St. Maarten’s Leading Resort 2025, and JW Marriott St. Maarten Beach Resort & Spa captured St. Maarten’s Leading Luxury Resort 2025.

On the business and meetings side, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa was recognized twice as St. Maarten’s Leading Business Hotel 2025 and St. Maarten’s Leading Conference Hotel 2025, signaling strength in group travel and events, a segment that often drives higher spend and year-round occupancy. The destination’s visitor-support ecosystem was also recognized, with Hertz named St. Maarten’s Leading Car Rental Company 2025 and Maduro Travel winning St. Maarten’s Leading Destination Management Company 2025. Rounding out the list, the Royal Suite at Holland House Beach Hotel earned St. Maarten’s Leading Hotel Suite 2025, a niche category that still matters in luxury sales, influencer stays, and high-value repeat travelers.

Taken together, the results show an island selling more than sun and beaches. The awards point to a destination maturing across segments, boutique and luxury, leisure and meetings, and the practical services that can make or break a visitor’s experience.

St. Martin (French side): resort strength and visitor services

On the French side, the 2025 results highlighted a mix of upscale stays and the visitor services that shape the experience beyond the hotel gate. Hotel L’Esplanade earned the title of St. Martin’s Leading Hotel 2025, while Secrets St. Martin Resort & Spa captured St. Martin’s Leading Resort 2025. In the services space, Leisure Car Rental was named St. Martin’s Leading Car Rental Company 2025, and Lagoon Group won St. Martin’s Leading Destination Management Company 2025, a category tied directly to how smoothly travelers move through the destination, from planning to on-island execution.

It is also noteworthy to mention that the island won the award for top event destination in the Caribbean.

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