Though I wasn't a huge fan of Grand Case, this hotel was fantastic. Very well decorated, with great service. More of a vacation condo than hotel, with well equiped kitchen, etc. I'd stay there again!

I would have to say that i was a little underwhelmed by our St Martin visit. The hotel L'Esplanade was nice - although not quite as nice as the photos portrayed! We stayed in a deluxe loft. The room was a pretty good size and nicely furnished. The pool areas was lovely (small - but adequate). Some afternoons we were the only ones there - loved that! There's a bar there too - they make very nice pina coladas! And the staff there were also really friendly and helpful.

In terms of St Martin - while the beaches were nice - the rest of the island was a little run down. it just didn't compare as well as some of the European beach destinations we've been to.

My recommendations would be:
1. Get a car!!!! Our favorite beach was Galleon (sp?) Bay - stunning water, calm and quiet!
2. Visit Phillipsburg when the cruise ships are there - otherwise all the ships are closed
3. Make sure you do your supermarket shopping near Phillipsburg (stock up for breakfast)
4, The beach club resort just up the road from L'esplanade is a good beach in walking distance (we didn't rate grand case beach at all)
5. Bring insect repellent!!! The mosquitos are rife! Even wear it at night, as some of the hotel cleaners leave your door open while cleaning so they fly in and lie in wait for when your asleep.
6. Make sure you go to Maho beach to watch the planes fly in

This is a great hotel, that far exceeded our expectations. The hotel arranged our car rental for us (car rental is an absolute necessity to exploring the island), and a taxi met us free of charge at the airport.

We stayed in a one bedroom suite (free upgrade courtesy of Jonathan) that was absolutely beautiful. Over 1000 square feet, with a breathtaking view of Grand Case Beach. Suite had large bathroom, large bedroom with walk in closet, spacious living room and eating area, and nice kitchen with all necessary amenities (fridge, microwave, stove, pans, plates, etc.). Can't forget the large balcony which was great to sit outside and eat breakfast on to start out the morning.

The hotel staff and service were both great. Jonathan offered us several great tips for dining in Grand Case, while other staff members offered parking tips, directions, set up excursions for us, and so on. Dining options are about a 5-10 minute walk or a 2 minute drive down the street. Do not worry about the lack of direct access to a beach. All beaches on the island are public, and small beach (by Sunset Cafe) is only about 5 minutes down the road.

This hotel is great for a romantic getaway- I would absolutely stay at Hotel L'Esplanade again if I return to the island. After spending time around the island, I am convinced it is in the best location.

L'esplanade, Grand Case, St. Martin
June 27, 2008
Trip Advisor Member - upstate NY

We just returned from our first trip to St. Martin and L'Esplanade. Our accommodations could not have been better. The hotel is set on a hill (be prepared to climb) and is absolutely beautiful. Our room was gorgeous with a view of the ocean, and the cleanest hotel room I've ever stayed in. I'm very particular about "bathrooms" - ours was sparkling clean everyday. Myriam and Philomena were wonderful to work with and really care about their guests. Myriam was a great help with renting a car, and also with our reservations for a catamaran trip to St. Bart's - a lot of fun and great people to sail with.
Grand Case is "food heaven." Every restaurant we ate in was great - Spiga, Calmos Cafe and the Sunset Cafe to name a few - also, be sure to try a least one "lolo" - the ribs are terrific. Breakfast each morning was at the "Sunset Cafe" at the Grand Case Beach Club (a short walk from L'Esplanade.) It was wonderful, especially the "fresh fruit plate" and the "coffee." But make sure to go back there for dinner. I'm not a fish eater, but my husband said the "Mahi Mahi" was unbelievable. One of the owners works the breakfast shift (her husband is the dinner chef), and she's terrific. She and her staff made the start of each day very pleasant.
The beaches were beautiful, but be prepared to "search" for some of them. It's apparent that neither side of the island spends a lot of money on road repairs or signs, but that actually adds to the island's ambience. We actually found one beach (Mullet Bay) because we saw a lot of cars in the parking lot and decided to drive in to investigate.
To sum it up, we had a wonderful time in St. Martin. The people are great, and the beaches are beautiful, and there are still many restaurants we would like to try. We are looking forward to a return trip - yes, we will stay at L'Esplanade.