Two weeks in St. Martin

You'll more than likely take excursions, or visit beaches in the daytime—and shopping, dining, casinos, and club hopping will fill your evenings. It was incredible to be able to experience, both French and Dutch culture on the same island.

The beaches are fantastic!

The French side is filled with gourmet restaurants.

There are many casinos, fun casual restaurants, and bars

The duty-free shopping is great—you will find perfumes and jewelry on the Dutch side, and clothing on the French side

The people are very friendly, and the water is nice and warm.

Quick Tips:

Orient Beach is an absolute must—it is the St. Tropez of the Caribbean.

Enjoy drinks, and watching the planes come and go, at the Sunset Beach Bar .

Baie Rouge is a fun spot, there are a couple of beach bars, chair and umbrella rentals, and snorkeling by the rocks.

Enjoy taking a ferry to Anguilla for the day.

St. Barth's is fun too, but the ferry ride can be a bit rough.

A sunset catamaran cruise, on Simpson Bay, is romantic, fun, and on some nights they have multiple stops for cocktails and appetizers, and on other nights you enjoy dinner.

Great warm baguettes, with cheeses and pates from France, can be found at the US Supermarket in Sandy Ground near Marigot. The bread is warm, crusty, and chewy—perfectly balanced. It's all you'll need for a picnic at the beach— their desserts are also yummy.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is a must on this island... make sure to book one prior to your arrival to find  cheaper rates - try St Maarten Car . While the roads are drivable, there are a lot of potholes, but it is easy to find your way around.  There is a lot of traffic, many steep hills, and lots of curves, so be careful. They are all only two lane roads, so make sure you hug your side, especially on a curve.

The taxis are quite expensive. Buses, however, are inexpensive, but you must get yourself to a bus stop. They don't seem to have a schedule—they just come around randomly, and they do not service the outskirts, such as Orient Beach.  Only the main towns of Phillipsburgh, Mullet Bay, Marigot, and Grand Case.

Port de Plaisance's gold crown needs some polishing, but it is still one of the better exchanges on St. Martin for it's location and spaciousness. A long, curvy road landscaped with flowering bougainvillea leads you to what once was truly a 5-star resort.

It sits on a promontory in Simpson Bay, surrounded by water and beautiful yachts in the marina. The landscaping is lush, the staff pleasant, and its location equidistant between Marigot and Maho is superb. The resort is self contained and offers lots of amenities: a marina, three restaurants, a casino, a rooftop pool, children's playground, a sunning beach, spa, fitness room, tennis courts, snack bar, mini-mart, sundries shop, car rental, and business office. Nothing is missing.

Each time we exchange here there are fewer guests and fewer Americans, therefore some services are lessened or nonexistent. For example, there is the manager cocktail party where cocktails are served in the casino with Pringles and mini-pretzels... no manager, only a few guests and the timeshare salespeople. No pool attendant—you must bring your own snacks and drinks and obtain pool towels at the front desk. There are very few guests at the restaurants and the casino. Overall, the standards seemed to have fallen.

On the plus side, we were given a two bedroom although our exchange was for a one bedroom. The units are very large, clean, and sparsely furnished with island type furniture—nice looking but only of fair quality. The kitchen has a full refrigerator, microwave, stove, oven, dishwasher, and plenty of dishes and cookware. The all-marble bathrooms have large showers or a tub/shower combo, bidet, sink with designer faucets, corian counter tops, and enclosed cabinets. The living room/dining room open area is a nice size with plenty of storage and an armourer with TV.

The very large deck extends along the entire living room and bedroom with 2 sets of sliders for access. The deck is furnished with both regular chairs and lounge chairs, foot rests, and small snack tables. Some lower floors have partially obstructed views due to the mature foliage, but this provides shade, interest, and a nice rustling with the breeze.

Port de Plaisance does not meet US standards for a gold crown resort. It needs more manicuring and maintenance but we overlook that for a week at this quiet retreat. It's an easy drive to Marigot or Maho and a bit further to Grand Case, Orient Beach, or Phillipsburgh. The staff seems more pleasant each time that we visit and this year there is even free internet access; dial-up in your room, wifi in the lobby, or if you don't bring your own computer they will allow you to use the reservations office computer after 6pm!

If you're looking for planned activities, drinks by the pool, hustle, bustle, and nightlife, you would be best to exchange elsewhere. If you up for a quiet getaway to enjoy St. Martin's beaches and gourmet food, I'm afraid that you'll be competing with us again next year to exchange here.

Best Things Nearby:
Beaches are beautiful - Mullet Bay, Baie Rouge, Cupecoy Beach, Baie Longue and Plum Bay - and Orient Beach a little further away certainly deserves a visit.

Shopping at the Maho area.

Casinos on the Dutch Side.

Ferries to St. Barth and Anguilla for a day trip.

Best Things About the Resort:
Quiet, spacious, clean, and well maintained resort.

Beautiful freeform pool and bar overlooking Simpson Bay.

Beautiful views, and the hotel is surrounded by a golf course.

A short walk across to one of the best beaches.

No timeshare salesmen.

Resort Experience:
The approach to the Towers through the defunct Mullet Bay Resort (destroyed years ago by a hurricane), is not appealing—but once you enter the gate to the Towers, all is neat, clean, and well landscaped.

The spacious studios, and the one and two bedroom units in the 8 story tower all have balconies with beautiful views. The full kitchen even has a small dishwasher, and the refrigerator has an ice maker and water dispenser. There is only enough service for four, so dishes and glasses need to be washed daily.

The living room is large with a pull out sofa, marble floors throughout, and our unit had two balconies —one with two padded lounges, and a small dining table and two chairs. The balcony off the bedroom had two plastic chairs. A/C is good, ceiling fans, lights on dimmers, a dining table for four, TV with a few U.S. channels, a radio/CD, and VCR all make it very comfortable for a long stay. There is even a second TV in the bedroom.

The bathroom has a tub/shower combo. and a sink on a large counter in the dressing area. There is plenty of closet space and storage drawers all over.

Vacationers are mostly American, with a few Canadians. No activities are planned at the resort, except a manager's cocktail party—without the manager. Drinks, wine, and beer are served for an hour by the pool along with hot and cold hor's doeuvres. A part-time concierge can arrange boating tours and visits to nearby islands. A car is a must—although you can walk to shops and restaurants in the Maho area and the beach is a short walk across the golf course, the area around the hotel is not lit and is in total disrepair.

The Towers at Mullet Bay deserves it's Gold Crown, and we look forward to a return visit soon.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Poor
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Excellent

The fact that this place was voted the most romantic restaurant on St. Martin certainly inspired us to visit. We drove by during the daytime to make a reservation—it's easier to find during the day. It's a bit away from the mainstream but worth the effort. The husband and wife team, he a chef and she a decorator, transformed a "little house" in the Cul-de-Sac area (just beyond Grand Case) into a delightfully romantic restaurant and seven-room Inn.

As you approach, the candle lighting on the porch tables makes the restaurant quite inviting. We had a table for two there, surrounded by lush greenery and up-lit palm trees—the night sounds with the tree frogs and rustling leaves added to the ambiance. You see the decorator's touches everywhere... sea grass and reed furniture with overstuffed cushions, comfy and attractive chairs, and even love seats around tables. Candlelight is everywhere, reflecting light in the crustal wine glasses. The open kitchen and bar are busy but not distracting. Your focus is more on billowing curtains, flower arrangements, and more candles.

The crowd is well dressed and comfortable in the environment, chatting, drinking wine, and enjoying the moment by lingering over after-dinner drinks or espresso. The menu seems a blend of French and Moroccan cuisine with superb flavors that are beautifully plated, each dish with it's own accompaniments.

Lobster bisque is described as "lobster pie"—it's served in a crock with a huge puff of pastry. As you pierce the crispy topping, a wonderful puff of lobster steam escapes. It's very rich with chunks of lobster and a great beginning. Another great presentation was a chunk of medium rare duck breast that shared a skewer with a boneless leg, confit style. This was served over flavorful lentils, crepes, mushrooms, and haricot vert with two small spoonfuls of mashed potato. Absolutely superb! The lamb was cooked in Moroccan spices for seven hours, boned, wrapped in philo dough, and baked until crisp. This was served with dates that were full of incredible flavors. The menu featured lots of fish, homemade lobster ravioli, meats with wine sauces, and exotic, wild mushrooms decorated many plates. The desserts looked wonderful, but we had to wait until next time—as is the custom on the French side of St. Martin, you'll be offered a homemade rum digestif after dinner.

The wine list is extensive, and the prices match the high quality of the food and decor of this restaurant. Do make the effort to find this gem because it's a pleasant, romantic, gourmet experience that you'll long remember. Take a look at their ever changing menu at Sol e Luna.

One of our all-time favorites is Grand Case for many reasons. Bistro Caraibes can't offer you a water view, since it's across the street. Thibeault, the owner, and his brother personally greet you, take your order, serve your dinner, and the price is right.

The small restaurant has only 12 or 15 tables, and is open to the street for interesting people watching. Ceiling fans and cross ventilation make it comfortable. You are made to feel so welcomed. Everyone is happy, and many times there is even shared conversations from one table to the next among newly made friends, sharing vacation experiences, or dining suggestions. No pretentiousness here.

Candles and flowers, on white napped tables, contrast nicely with the bold oil paintings decorating the wall. Lighting is subdued, and service is friendly and efficient even at the height of the evening. Food is typically French, with lots of fish. There is a lobster tank as you enter, so that you may choose your own if you wish. Lots of sauces, and the daily specials depend on the catch of the day or the arrival of fresh fish, mussels, and produce on Air France.

The escargot is served in a baking dish with fresh mushrooms and cream sauce . It is so rich and flavorful, great for bread dipping! The Magret the Canard here is always perfectly prepared, and the accompanying potatoes au gratin are the best. A pasta dish, with tasty grilled shrimp, was tossed with tomatoes and a light garlic wine sauce.

At the end of the evening, a bottle of flavored rum is placed on your table. Linger awhile over coffee, and serve yourself some Ginger Rum. You're sure to return. Prices are very reasonable, €18 to €25 for main courses. Lobster is price by weight, and there is a good choice of wine in the €20 range. It's easy to see why Bistro Caraibes is always busy.