Sharing a home with its French sister, St. Martin, Dutch St. Maarten offers a thriving nightlife, including casinos, bars and night clubs; opportunities for water sports such as kayaking, sailing, and swimming; and land activities such as golfing and kite-surfing. Especially fun is "night crawl," where you enjoy drinks on board a catamaran and sail to several pubs and restaurants. Sample the signature dishes of restaurants and pubs at each stop. After so much fun, rejuvenate at a well-appointed hotel on St. Maarten.
Perched atop a hillside, overlooking the ocean, Hotel L'Esplanade offers 24 rooms, each with fully equipped kitchens, dining areas, and private terrace with views of the ocean. There is also a villa that sports three bedrooms, each with a private bath. The villa has a living room, gourmet kitchen, infinity pool and offers views of the village and the bay. Frommers notes that Hotel L'Esplanade is "easily one of the most pleasant places to stay" on St. Maarten. Enjoy a massage in your room, a swim in the pool, or, if you prefer, take a leisurely six-minute walk to one of the beaches just past the hotel's foot path.
Hotel L'Esplanade
B.P. 5007 - Grand Case
97150 St Martin FWI
011-590-590-8706-55
lesplanade.com
Locate Divi Little Bay Beach Resort on a semi-private peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay. The resort offers guestrooms with private patios and balconies and direct access to the beach. Deluxe suites offer separate living rooms, and a full and a half-bath. "Casitas," the hotel's luxury offerings, are one-bedroom suites that feature garden and pool views, private patios, and granite kitchen counter tops in fully equipped kitchens, wood cabinets and porcelain tiles. For your dining experience, choose Toucan's Café for a casual breakfast and candlelight seafood dinner; select Seabreeze for a poolside lunch or a drink at the bar; or before you head out for some sightseeing, grab lunch or breakfast to go from Bayview Café.
PO Box 961
Little Bay Road
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
011-599-542-2333
diviresorts.com
Princess Heights is an "intimate hideaway with great panoramic views.," according to the NY Times. The hotel offers studio, one and two-bedroom suites, complete with separate bedrooms, kitchenettes and balconies with views of the ocean. Studio suites accommodate up to two guests, and a maximum of four guests can enjoy the one-bedroom suites. Two-bedroom suites have two bathrooms and a separate living room and can accommodate up to six guests. Use the gym and pool any time of day but be aware that there are no lifeguards at the pool. With a 24-hour notice, you can obtain babysitting services or you can rent toys and cribs for in-suite use.
Princess Heights
Oysterpond Road, 156
St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles
011-599-543-6858
princessheights.com
