St. Martin Luxury Vacation Villa Rentals

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St. Martin Restaurants

Fine dining on St. Martin/Maarten is part of the island’s true Caribbean experience. St Martin restaurants reflect the many cultural influences that have developed in cohabitation. St Martin restaurants display a selection of French and ethnic cuisines that welcome guests each year who are in search of a special dining experience during their vacation. St. Martin restaurants have little emphasis on Dutch cuisine (practically an oxymoron). St. Martin restaurants are strongly influenced by French and Italian cooking techniques. A few St. Martin restaurants are well versed in Caribbean cuisine; many of these St. Martin restaurants are on the French side. St. Martin restaurants feature top chefs, many of whom have significant training in contemporary continental cuisine. St. Martin restaurants are higher priced than the average Caribbean restaurant, though those who are like to experience dining will find St. Martin restaurants a pleasure. Please enjoy many of our favorite St. Martin restaurants.

St. Martin - Restaurants:

Brassiere de la Gare:
Phone: 590-8720-64
Located on the water in Marina Royale in Marigot, this St. Martin restaurant is a wonderful spot for good, reasonably priced food and an excellent spot for people watching.

Le Santal
Sample fine French cuisine prepared by a Parisian-trained chef. In Sandy Ground, St. Martin. Note: does not serve lunch. Telephone: 590-87-53-48

Tropicana:
Dinner only.
Phone: 590-8752.88
Located in the Marina, this St. Martin restaurant is a small and charming bistro that offers many seafood entrees.

Paradise View
Enjoy delicious Caribbean dishes with a view that lives up to its name. In Orient Bay, St. Martin. Telephone: 590-29-45-37

Maison Sur Le Port:
Open for lunch & dinner.
Phone: 590-8756.38
Located in the harbor area, it offers French cooking with a good selection of fresh fish entrees.

Rainbow Café:
Reservations are a must.
Phone: 590-8755.80
St. Martin restaurant located on the water near Grand Case it is certainly one of the best restaurants on the island. The food is French and very expensive but well worth it-especially if you are celebrating a special occasion.

Spartaco
This is a special St. Martin restaurant that serves Italian specialties in a 200-year-old plantation home. In Almond Grove, Cole Bay. Note: closed Mondays, no lunch, closed June-October. Telephone: 599-544-5379

Il Nettuno:
Phone: 590-8777.38.
Located on the water in Grand Case, an excellent Italian St. Martin restaurant.

Le Perroquet
The view overlooking a romantic moonlight lagoon makes this one of the best St. Martin restaurants. In Simpson Bay. Note: closed Mondays, no lunch, closed June and September. Telephone: 599-545-4339

Laylas:
Lunch only.
An outdoor beach bar/restaurant located on the main road in Nettle Baie. It offers a wonderful menu with everything from specialty salads to lobster to pasta dishes.

Sunset Beach Bar:
A great beach bar located at the end of the airport runway on Maho Beach it offers grilled sandwiches and $2.00 beers as well as the opportunity to watch planes land from its deck.

Saratoga
One of many elegant St. Martin restaurants. Located in the Simpson Bay Yacht Club, Simpson Bay. Reservations are a must. Note: closed Sundays, does not serve lunch, closed Aug.-Sept. Telephone: 599-544-2421

St. Martin Dining:
The restaurants and bistros of the island continue to thrill epicureans season after season. Chefs from France set menus each season and train staff at many of the better restaurants. On no other island in the Caribbean do we dine so well. Explore St. Martin gastronomically!

Air France arrives daily from Paris with fine food, wine and champagne for this chic colony of France.

The best champagnes at the best prices we’ve seen anywhere encourages a bottle of Cristal or Dom Perignon with fresh grilled lobster on a white sand beach. Heaven!

Chef Service:
Chef service offers the ultimate in personalized gourmet dining and service in the privacy of your own villa. Personal chefs or cooks arrive one hour before service to create an ambiance of elegant dining. For group of six or more, a waiter is provided at no extra charge. Unique menus (available upon request) blend the best of French and Caribbean cuisine. Guests may request one, two or three meals served per day for a minimum of five days per each seven-day period.

Rates for up to six guests:
One meal per day: $200 per day
Two meals per day: $250 per day
Three meals per day: $300 per day
Additional persons are $50 per day extra.

**Please add $100 per day to the above rates for the peak holiday weeks Dec. 15-Jan. 15.

**All rates are for households of up to six persons; additional persons are $50 per day/per person extra.

The cost for groceries is additional. A 50% deposit is required to secure the reservation and full payment is due approximately 45 days prior to departure. A $1,500.00 per week grocery deposit is due upon arrival and all grocery bills will be presented to you on departure day when any balance or overpayment will be settled. Personal checks from US based banks are accepted locally but no credit cards.

Rates include:
Shopping
Food preparation
Service
Clean Up

Gourmet food/meals delivered to your private villa:
World-class cuisine may be arranged with menus that range in price from $50-$75 per person plus a 15% service charge-all groceries included.

St. Martin History

The native Arawak and Carib Indian tribes initially inhabited many Caribbean islands and St. Martin history is no exception. Christopher Columbus began European exploration of St. Martin in the 15th century, though he didn’t set foot there. Columbus named the island for the feast day of St. Martin (a holiday that occurred near his discovery time) and claimed St. Martin for the Spanish kingdom. The Spanish crown paid little attention to St. Martin. The Dutch soon occupied St. Martin and it became a Caribbean trading center between Dutch-controlled Brazil and modern day New York. St. Martin was soon to become home to a group of French settlers who set up a colony on St. Martin alongside the Dutch. This relationship was the first step in St. Martin’s centuries-long history of shared sovereignty between the two nations. The Dutch were expelled in the 17th century as the island became more profitable in the triangular trade and local mining.

St. Martin’s history took a turn when the Netherlands and France concluded a treaty in 1648 in which the result was the splitting of St. Martin between the two nations. France side of the island was marked off around 21 square miles. The Netherlands portion of St. Martin was the remaining 16 square miles. St. Martin’s modern day borders are the result of years of negotiations that finally established the boundaries in 1817.

Many of modern day residents of St. Martin descend from the plantation economy that was the backbone of St. Martin through the modern era. African laborers were brought to St. Martin throughout European dominated centuries. St Martin finally ended it oppressive system of slavery in 1848, while St. Maarten enacted similar legislation in 1863. St. Martin focused its economic attention on tourism industry during the twentieth century, sparking new economic life into the island. St. Martin lifted import and export taxes, making island a duty-free destination. St. Martin’s international airport allowed tourism to truly flourish during the past few decades; this in turn helped in the creation of new restaurants, hotels, and gift stores.

St. Martin Golf

There is only one place to play golf in St. Martin. The Mullet Bay Resort near the Princess Juliana International Airport provides the only St. Martin golf course. Mullet Bay's 18-hole golf course does provide a challenge for golfers of all handicaps who would like to play St. Martin golf. This St. Martin golf course was designed by Joseph Lee and offers beautiful views of the lagoon. Enjoy St. Martin golf surrounded by palm-lined fairways and Caribbean sun.

St. Martin Golf at Mullet Bay
Phone: 545.2801 or 545.3069.
Mullet Bay. It is an 18-hole ocean-view course but is not of championship quality. Green fees for Mullet Bay golf in St. Martin are $52 for 9 holes or $93 for 18 holes; cart rentals are available at this St. Martin golf course.

St. Martin Airport

There are two main St. Martin airports on the island. One St. Martin airport, Aeroport de l'Espérance on the French controlled side of the island, is quite small. This St. Martin airport only accepts island-hopper small planes. Princess Juliana International Airport, the major St. Martin airport, is on the Dutch controlled side of the island. A few international airlines use this St. Martin airport as a connection point to the West Indies. Several Caribbean airlines also use the St. Martin airport as a hub of sorts as the St. Martin airport is large and modern.

Many traveling from the United States are brought to St. Martin airport aboard American Airlines. Continental Airlines and US Airways also offer flights (though less frequently) from a few major U.S. cities. St. Martin airport is easily accessible from Europe as well. Air France conducts daily non-stop flights from Paris to St. Martin airport. Local carriers also access St. Martin airport and allow easy access to other Caribbean islands. Windward Islands Airways is based at the main St. Martin airport on the Dutch side and provides daily service from the St. Martin airport to Anguilla, Saba, St. Barths, St. Eustatius, and St. Kitts-Nevis.

St. Martin Airport - Airlines:

    * Air France
    * Air Martinique
    * Air Guadeloupe
    * ALM
    * American Airlines
    * BWIA
    * KLM
    * LIAT
    * Lufthansa
    * Windward Islands Airways

Approximate flight times:
NY to St. Martin Airport: 3.5 hours
Miami to St. Martin Airport: 2.5 hours
Paris to St. Martin Airport: 8.5 hours

St. Martin Airport Transfers:
The Princess Juliana International Airport is located on the Dutch side of the island, around a 10-30 minute drive from the majority of the villas, which are located in the exclusive Terres Basses area of the island. Guests will need to rent a car, which we are happy to arrange and we will provide a complementary airport meeting and escort to the villa from St. Martin airport.

For more information on St. Martin villas, please click here.

St. Martin Press / St. Martin Communications

Communications on St. Martin can be mildly difficult due to the dual autonomy of the small island. St. Martin and St. Maarten have different area codes and use different phone systems. St. Maarten uses the area code plus seven-digit system used in the United States. St. Martin uses a European area code plus six-digit format. Calling from one side to the other, as a result, is considered a long distance call. There are no pay phones on the French side, though calls can be made from public phones using a credit card.

St. Martin press has a few dailies that keep locals and tourists up-to-date with current events. The Dutch part of the St. Martin press consists of two local newspapers, the Daily Herald and Today. Later in the morning, the Miami Herald is available throughout the island in addition to St. Martin press releases. St. Martin press on the French side represents only one paper, This Week. If St. Martin press is not enough to keep your news demands met, the New York Times can be found at specialty newsstands.

St. Martin Press online

Click to access the The Daily Herald Online

St. Martin Area Code:
011-590590

Telephones:
The St. Martin rental villas all are equipped with telephones and guests will be advised of the particular phone number of the property prior to departure. Please do note, however, that none of the St. Martin villa rentals have an open international line. International calls may be made with ATT or MCI cards. If St. Martin rental villas clients would like to have an international line opened, a $2000 payment is required and this security deposit is held for a minimum of four months from the date of departure from the St. Martin rental villa. Alternatively, phone cards are available for purchase at hotels, post offices, supermarkets and some shops. All of the public phone booths across the island accept phone cards and you may call locally or internationally from the phone booths.

Cellular phones:
Are available for rental through the St. Martin Telephone Company. Cellular phone rental: US$10/day, incoming calls at US$0.96/minute and calls to USA at US$2.40/minute.

Electricity:
220 volts/60 cycles on the French side, adapters are necessary for visitors from North America.

Internet Cafes/Connections/St. Martin Villa Communications:
On the Dutch side, ISPs.NetworklDLN.V has been providing Internet Access and offers visitor-roaming accounts on a weekly basis. They, also, operate a cyber café and are affiliated with eight other cyber-café locations elsewhere on the island including: three in Philipsburg, one in Mahoe and one in Marigot. Contact NetworkkDL at 599.544.4815/3188. To connect your laptop on the French side you will need an adapter which may be purchased from Home n’ Tool near Marigot or on the Dutch side at Radio Shack.

Telephone Deposits:
The majority of the villas have an overseas debar placed on the telephone lines. If clients require the debar lifted, an additional telephone deposit ($2,000.00) must be collected for any overseas phone calls made at the property and at least 2 weeks notice in writing must be given. The deposit is refunded approximately 4 months after departure.

Fax Machine Rentals:
Fax machines are available for rental at approximately US $100 per week and are subject to change.

Language:
Dutch is the official language on the Dutch side and French on the French side. English, however, is widely spoken.

St. Martin Nightlife / St. Martin Casinos

Evenings can be exciting and vibrant. With St. Martin nightlife one finds the excitement of Euro-style discothèques and the St. Martin casinos on the Dutch side. Or perhaps stargazing from your pool terrace will more than suffice for your personal St. Martin nightlife.

St. Martin nightlife is French, sexy, young and exciting. No other island offers so many temptations to lure you from the luxury of your own private villa from your own private swimming pool. How much or how little you do is entirely up to you.

St. Martin nightlife is considered the best part of the Island by many of its guests. Some would say that you don’t truly know St. Martin until the sun goes down. St. Martin nightlife begins with evenings just walking along a promenade with the sun going down through the Caribbean Sea. Dinner begins with a bottle of Chardonnay at one of the islands fine restaurants and then a night on the town.

Test your luck at one of the twelve St. Martin casinos. All the major styles of play are represented at St. Martin Casinos, from Black Jack to Baccarat and back. Some of the more popular St. Martin casinos to begin your St. Martin nightlife are:

Casino Royale - Maho Beach
Mullet Bay
Philipsburg

If St. Martin casinos aren’t for you, some reggae music may be called for and St. Martin nightlife is there to answer. Many of the island's hotels, bars, clubs, and restaurants regularly host musicians of all genres. Many local bands perform on regular basis though on occasion international headliners have been known to grace St. Martin nightlife with some great music.

St. Martin Nightlife:

Cabaret-Style Shows
Studio Seven
Bird show

Nightclubs
Club One
The Greenhouse
Cheri's
Le Privilège
Indiana Beach Bar

St. Martin Car Rental

St. Martin car rental brings the small island within a 30-minute drive from any villa destination. St. Martin car rental adds convenience and freedom to any island getaway. St. Martin car rental is an easy option because of very good road conditions. The advantages of St. Martin car rental vs. public transportation (which can take the island m.o. of ‘will come’) are extreme.

Several St. Martin car rental companies occupy space at Princess Juliana International Airport. The St. Martin car rental market has Avis, Hertz, and Budget on island. St. Martin car rental fares are low considering the average cost in the United States or other Caribbean car rental markets. All St. Martin car rental companies allow for use of international drivers licenses. St. Martin car rental companies also accept all major forms of credit card for payment.

St. Martin Car Rentals:
We highly recommend that clients rent a vehicle for their stay on St. Martin. We will be happy to arrange vehicle rentals and delivery to the villa on a complementary basis for your arrival.

Children’s car seats are available for rental upon request.

Rates, optional CDW Insurance, Gas & Children’s Car Seats are all subject to an additional 8% government tax. All rates are subject to change without notice.

St. Martin Weddings

Marriage & Weddings in St. Martin:
We are able to provide a service on island that provides complete planning services for an unforgettable villa wedding. They are able to handle all of the reception details including food, beverage, service, minister, flowers and bands. Sample menus are available upon request for weddings in St. Martin.

St. Martin weddings have all the charm of the Caribbean coupled with old-world charm. St. Martin wedding ceremonies can take place overlooking a beach with warm Caribbean breezes; weddings in St. Martin are a perfect event. Weddings in St. Martin allow for the choice of estate based more traditional weddings or the beachfront I do’s that make St. Martin weddings so unique.

St. Martin weddings fall under different jurisdiction depending on which side of the Island you are on. Weddings in St. Martin are more difficult to organize than weddings in St. Maarten. To hold weddings in St. Martin (the French side), one member of the couple must have resided in St. Martin for longer than one month. St. Maarten weddings have a requirement as well. Guests who desire to hold their weddings in St. Maarten must request permission from the Lieutenant Governor at least several months in advance (so last minute eloping is not a good idea). Couples must present themselves at the Office of Civil Registry in Philipsburg 10 days before their weddings in St. Martin are to occur. There is a small fee to register ($150). A notary public must translate any and all documents not already in Dutch or English into Dutch prior to registering for weddings in St. Martin.

St. Martin Shopping

Shopping:
The best St. Martin shopping areas are located in the two capital cities, Marigot on the French side and Philipsburg on the Dutch side. Front Street, in Philipsburg, is where most of the duty-free St. Martin shopping can be found. There are dozens of shops and boutiques to choose from when shopping in St. Martin. St. Martin shopping is truly defined by rue de la Liberté and rue de la République in Marigot. This area of St. Martin shopping provides an interesting maze of houses and chic shops as well as duty-free boutiques. If you are shopping in St. Martin for cosmetics or perfume guests should head for Lipstick or Manek’s (one of the largest selections of duty-free St. Martin shopping). St. Martin shopping is a fantastic duty-free port; shoppers will find excellent bargains on a wide variety of luxury items including jewelry, cameras, perfume, designer clothing, works of art, wine and champagnes and more. Visitors will enjoy such upscale shops as Cartier and Hermes.

St. Martin Shopping: Customs & Duty-Free Allowances
U.S. Citizens duty-free allowances:
Departing citizens whose stay is in excess of 48 hours may on their return take back, free of duty, articles totaling up to US $600 (based on the retail value of the items in the country of purchase). Duty on purchases in excess of the US $600 exemption is 10% on the next US $1000 and thereafter.

St. Martin ATM'S:
While shopping in St. Martin, the Island offers ATM machines at the Windward Islands Bank that accept Cirrus, MasterCard and Visa cards. There is an additional machine at the airport and three in Phillipsburg.

Banks:
Banks on St. Martin are open 8:30 AM-3:00 PM from Monday-Friday.

Currency:
One island, two governments and several currencies…On Dutch St. Maarten, the Netherlands Antilles guilder (NAF) is the official currency while on French St. Martin it is the French Franc (FF). The Euro soon is now used, however and U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere.

Budgeting/St. Martin Villas:
In addition to the weekly rental rate for a villa on St. Martin, the additional costs involved include but are not limited to the following:

• Air Transportation
• Car Rentals
• Groceries & beverages:
• Tip for the maid
• Tip for chef/cook if hired

Business Hours:
The hours of operation vary between stores and parts of the island. Stores on the Dutch side are generally open Monday-Saturday from 9:00 or 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM…The European style is more evident on the French side where stores are generally open from 9:00 or 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM but tend to close between 1 and 3:00 PM.

Grocery Shopping:
Visitors will find the supermarkets in St. Martin are well stocked and offering a staggering array of exotic and distinguished specialty foods for the good life.

St. Martin Villa Pre-stocking:
The villas on the island are generally pre-stocked with some complementary arrival items such as coffee, bread, eggs and milk. If additional items are desired, kindly advise our staff ahead of time and we would be happy to make those arrangements (but you will be charged locally for the items etc).

St. Martin Vacations

St. Martin vacations are different for every guest of the Island. The variety of St. Martin activities allows for those of all ages and interests to find a St. Martin vacation that suits them well.

Practically all guests on a vacation in St. Martin will take a trip to the beach. Many on a St. Martin vacation will simply enjoy the sunbathing, but there are a ton of St. Martin activities to enjoy. All St. Martin beaches are public so many companies (including sports-rental, concession, and craft vendors) have set their businesses along the water front for easy accessibility to guests on vacation in St. Martin.

The Dutch side of the Island offers legalized gambling while on a St. Martin vacation. There are twelve casinos that are worth your time if you would like to hit the tables before beginning a night out on a St. Martin vacation.

The Carnival celebration, if you can plan to stay during this time, makes any St. Martin vacation extraordinary. This party is a festival of parades, Caribbean music, and great food. Carnival takes place before lent on the French side and after Easter on the Dutch side (noting different cultural celebrations). There is a Calypso music festival that takes place in July that further makes a St. Martin vacation a special treat.

St. Martin Vacations - Activities:
Tennis, golf, swimming, sailing, squash, aerobics, hiking and horseback riding are just some of the activities this island can provide. Children are delighted to find a butterfly farm in the Caribbean.

St. Martin villa guests are offered a multitude of diverse activities to fill their St. Martin vacation. Beach lovers enjoy St. Martin, as it is known for its spectacular beaches, which offer brilliant white sand and crystal clear waters. St. Martin affords exceptional close in snorkeling directly off its spectacular white sand beaches. St. Martin villa guests will find vast arrays of big game fish live in the oceans surrounding St. Martin.

Several different companies on St. Martin offer guided fishing excursions with a focus on big game fish like marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado, barracuda and kingfish. Glass bottom boat tours are popular while on vacation in St. Martin, as well as theme cruises where passengers are able to swim, dance and party on the deck of a huge ship. Furthermore, several companies on the island offer guided tours that lead visitors through spectacular scenery. Finally, St. Martin comes alive at night. St. Martin villa guests will enjoy nightlife that is extensive and varied. St. Martin Island nightlife provides a variety of entertainment options for every taste from historic dinner shows to romantic cruises to fine dining as well as nightclubs and numerous casinos.

Beaches in St. Martin:

French Side:

Baie Rouge:
An expansive cove located on the French side of St. Martin Island offering clean sand and shimmering turquoise water. Good snorkeling may be enjoyed over to the side by the rocks. At the main entrance to Baie Rouge Beach there is a concession area that rents lounges, umbrellas and serves cocktails, sodas and snacks.

Plum Bay Beach:
A small strip of sand on St. Martin that is bordered on one side by a cliff and offers a secluded area.

Baie Longue:
Off the beaten track and usually nearly deserted, it is a wonderful beach with a wide stretch of sand and a favorite of many St. Martin villa rental guests.

Grand Case Beach:
A narrow but pristine beach. Grand Case also affords wonderful gourmet restaurants and adds a charming European feel to St. Martin.

Orient Beach
The island's official nude beach but it is, also, famous for its spectacular crescent of sand that swings around a turquoise cove. Restaurants and water sports facilities are available. Orient Beach St. Martin is one of the best swimming beaches for St. Martin rental villa guests.

Dutch Side:

Cupecoy Beach
A picture postcard beach that is lined with rugged sandstone cliffs and caves.

Dawn Beach:
Excellent snorkeling in the reefs located just offshore.

Maho Beach:
Even though it is so close to the St. Martin airport, it offers a surprisingly good beach and great snorkeling. Offers sparkling white sand and rugged rocks.

Boating in St. Martin:
Glass bottom boat tours are popular as well as theme cruises where passengers are able to swim, dance and party on the deck of a huge ship.

St. Martin Casinos:
The islands 12 casinos are all located on the Dutch side and offer European style gaming.

Horseback Riding:
Several companies on the island offer guided tours that lead visitors through spectacular scenery.

Sports:
Cycling, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Sports Fishing, Diving, Parasailing, Sailing, Tennis, and Windsurfing are all available on the island.

Tennis:
The majority of the large hotels and resorts on the island have tennis courts that may be booked even if you are not a guest.

The following St. Martin rental villas feature private tennis courts:

    * Escapade
    * Little Jazz Bird
    * La Tropezziene
    * Marine Terrace
    * La Lousiane
    * Villa Cascades
    * Le Chateau Des Palmiers

Useful information on
St. Martin

Welcome

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Restaurants

History

Golf

Airport

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Weddings

Shopping

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Useful information on St. Martin

Welcome

Quick jump to:

Restaurants

History

Golf

Airport

Communications

Nightlife

Car rental

Weddings

Shopping

Sights

Tell us how

Can we assist you?

Useful information on
St. Martin