They say you don’t forget your first timers. Be it your first love, the first time you’ve flown onboard an aircraft, the first time you drove a car or when you’ve taken up a certain sport. I’ll always remember my first flight (October 2002, to Paris CDG), as well as my first trip to St. Maarten (June 2014, also through Paris). The first time driving a car? Well, this is a bit blurry, just like with the first love – I was way too young when Cupidon hit. I’ll never forget the first time I rode a jet-ski – December 2004 in the marina next to Burj Al Arab – just like I’ll always remember the first time I went kayaking. It happened at Riu Palace St. Martin this November, together with Robert, a close friend. The guy at the water sports booth was friendly and seemed to know us for years. After a nice chat with him we boarded the kayaks and headed out in the bay for over half an hour. It sure was a fun morning! My friend also insisted we do scuba diving, but I kindly declined since I cannot swim – yes, there are still people who don’t know how to do that.

Speaking of activities to keep you in shape, Riu Palace has a wide range on offer. Gym, aquagym, French bowls, beach volleyball, snorkelling equipment, one introductory scuba diving lesson, windsurfing, catamaran and scuba diving school (PADI). When it comes to entertainment, guests can enjoy live music, a daytime entertainment program for adults, as well as a miniclub and daytime entertainment program for children ages 4 to 12 (all these programs take place several times a week). Riu Palace is not close to the world-famous Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), about 20 km away, but there are many guests who prefer a secluded beachside property to unwind instead of a hotel or resort located next to the runway or Maho beach, on the Dutch side of the island. However, Grande Case and Marigot are closer: 4 km and 6,5 km away. Situated on the beach, Riu Palace offers direct access to Anse Marcel Marina, being the perfect place to enjoy some spectacular sunsets. Without doubt, the sunset we’ve seen after we checked-in easily ranks amongst the top 3 witnessed so far, together with the one from Cabo da Roca (Portugal) and Burj Al Arab. Add the white-sand cove and turquoise water and you can imagine how it feels to spend a few days at Riu Palace St. Martin.

Upon arrival, the colonial architecture of the property and well-defined lines caught our eye, reminding us of similar buildings from several US states. The check-in process went smoothly. At first we were given a room on the ground floor, but a couple of hours later – when we returned from one of the restaurants – someone from the Reception told us we were upgraded to the third floor, with rooms overlooking the inner courtyard. That was another pleasant surprise! With two 2-storey main buildings and 1-2-storey annexes, Riu Palace St. Martin boasts 258 guest rooms and suites, with free Wi-Fi around the hotel. Some of the services and amenities awaiting guests: room service 24 hours a day, turndown service, bathroom toiletries, special make-up mirror, hairdryer, carpeted floor, telephone, central air conditioning, minibar, liquor dispenser, coffee maker, satellite TV (flat screen), in-room safe and balcony or terrace. The Junior Suites boast king-size bed (190×200 cm) or 2 queen-size beds (150×200 cm) and garden or courtyard views, while Superior Suites come with bedroom and king-size bed (190×200 cm), separate lounge with sofa-bed, 2 satellite TVs (flat screen), 2 balconies/terraces and most of them have views to the marina. If you opt for the Gran Suites you get bathroom with bathtub and shower, bedroom with king-size bed (190×200 cm), separate lounge with sofa-bed, 2 satellite TVs (flat screen) and a large balcony.

There are 4 restaurants and bars at Riu Palace St. Martin. You can start the day with full American breakfast buffet, live cooking stations, fruits, juices and Cava, as well as continental breakfast and snacks. For lunch there’s hot and cold buffet plus live cooking stations, pizzas, pasta, salads and assorted desserts. At dinner, apart from buffets and live cooking stations there are themed buffets (three times a week) and optional dining where reservations are required: “Krystal” fusion restaurant, “La Mer” French restaurant and “L’Île” grill and steakhouse. Guests can enjoy an extensive menu of local and international dishes prepared daily by the hotel’s chefs, as well as delicious fruit cocktails. The sound of the waves splashing on the beach and the unforgettable sunsets from “La Mer” are also included in the menu. As for the huge infinity pool, it’s the biggest we’ve tried so far during our iconic stays. Riu Palace St. Martin

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We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: small hotels, family-owned businesses are more to our liking than huge hotels, with hundreds of rooms, where you feel like another number in a long line. Searching for accommodation for our second trip to St. Maarten in two years we’ve come across Le Petit Hotel, the sister property of L’Esplanade. However, since the former was fully booked, we opted for the latter. We had a look on its website and saw the numerous awards received: The Caribbean Journal named it one of the Caribbean’s Best Luxury Boutique Hotels and TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards classed it as one of the 25 best hotels in the Caribbean. L’Esplanade has been a TripAdvisor winner in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011-2015, as well as a World Travel Awards winner in 2007, 2010-2014. Therefore, we were looking forward to this stay.

Barely arrived at the hotel and the first surprise was to meet Ana-Maria behind the check-in desk. A young lady from our country (more than 8,500 km away) who has been living in St. Maarten for the past 10 years. After checking-in, we went for a quick tour on the grounds of this lovely boutique hotel. L’Esplanade is perched on the hill above the village of Grand Case on the French side of St. Martin, a five-minute walk from Grand Case Bay and the town’s world-famous gourmet restaurants known as “Restaurant Row”. As we would find out the next day, Boulevard de Grand Case is still a tiny, one-lane street where people stop to say “Hello”, lined with brightly-painted traditional houses one can recognize from historical photos. Today, many of these heritage buildings are home to boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.

Descending the beautiful staircase from the Reception, we headed to the pool, taking a look at the lush gardens which surround the hotel. There were also several iguanas and geckos, but as long as you don’t bother them (especially the bigger ones) it’s ok. As Ana-Maria was telling us, many returning guests head directly to the pool after checking in. It wasn’t long before we’ve seen why. The pool area of L’Esplanade is an oasis of palms, but the star attraction is Alain at the poolside bar. A few minutes chatting with Alain—plus one of his signature cocktails—and you will forget there is a world beyond L’Esplanade. During the season, Alain can be found at the pool bar from late morning until evening preparing exotic cocktails of his own invention, like the Rendezvous, as well as lunch and snacks. The pool and poolside lounges are available at any time. Guests of L’Esplanade are also invited to use beach chairs, parasols, snorkel gear, kayaks and paddle boards at Le Petit Hotel, the sister beachfront property located at the other end of Grand Case. A nice detail: the pool of L’Esplanade has recently been heated, so now you can spend some romantic moments with your loved one, sipping one of Alain’s signature cocktails, even after the sun goes down.

Speaking of ways to unwind at L’Esplanade… Besides watching the sunset over Grand Case Bay while enjoying a glass of wine – every day, after 6 PM, guests can sample some of the finest wines, for free, in the area next to the Reception – there’s also Ti Spa. An “oasis within an oasis”, here you can enjoy a variety of massages, healing and personal care treatments. There are dozens of options to choose from or you can enjoy a customized Ti Spa experience created just for you. Also worth mentioning is the new Ti Temple. Here, guests can take part in yoga classes and participate at events such as weddings, reunions or special ceremonies.

On the second day of our stay we met Kristin, one of the owners of L’Esplanade. She knows a thing or two about hospitality and she told us the story of this boutique hotel. L’Esplanade has been owned and operated by the Petrelluzzi family since it was built in 1992. The concept was simple, and hasn’t changed: a beautiful hotel built in the perfect location. The hotel is designed to provide absolute relaxation, an authentic Caribbean experience and genuine hospitality. Kristin and Marc Petrelluzzi arrived to visit Marc’s parents almost twenty years ago and never left. Their vacation turned into the beginning of a new life on the island. Under their care, L’Esplanade has thrived, reflecting their passion, vision and perfectionism. Today, the hotel is as beautiful as ever: 24 rooms tucked away in a hillside oasis. Kristin and Marc are still there every day sharing their genuine warmth and looking for new ways to improve the guest experience, like the newly-opened Ti Spa. Kristin also told us that the hotel undergoes upgrades every year, so each time you return for a stay you’ll notice something new. No wonder L’Esplanade has received so many awards…

Each of the 24 residences features a private balcony overlooking the village and the turquoise sea, as well as Premium imported linens and king-size Celestial Beds. During the stay we’ve also noticed unique Spanish-Mediterranean mosaics, exquisite hand-painted Mexican tilework, and Moroccan lanterns which complement the breathtaking ocean views. Every room at L’Esplanade boasts glowing hand-crafted Brazilian woodwork, Balinese furniture, and rich French fabrics. But more than these, L’Esplanade won us over with the friendliness of the staff and the impeccable service. Attentive, but unobtrusive, the hotel’s employees are ready to help you right away when you need something and fade into the background when you don’t. Actually, we wouldn’t call them “employees”, but “friends” since they had a great role in making us feel at home, away from home. Next year we’ll return to St. Maarten and L’Esplanade hotel will surely be one of the places we’ll stop at to say “Hi!” www.lesplanade.com

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