Travel Series... St. Maarten not so much but I'm Feeling St. Martin......

Sun Daab, Shades, Bose Portable & M. Franks 

Room With A View L'Esplande Hotel

Just so you know, I like to get my travel on from time to time. On this occasion I decided to have a go at St. Martin and some of the surrounding islands for a week or so. I chose this place by simply Googling "Great Hotels in The Caribbean" and the sister Hotel to the one I chose came up. I looked at the website and hit on the link to that hotel and fell in love immediately.

When I choose a place to visit I'm not ashamed to say that my digs play a major role in whether or not I'm coming for respite. It may seem shallow but my room has to be something that makes me want to come in the first place. I know that some of you will say, "I'm going to be out and about anyway, so why should I care about where I'm staying!" For me I normally will choose to stay for at least 8 days just so I can enjoy the amenities of a great hotel room. I also tend to cook when I go out so I need a place with a kitchen. Now couple of  quick side notes (uhmm) lists.

Top 5 reasons I get a room with a full kitchen:

5) It saves money! - Think no tips, no tax. Just a simple trip to the local grocery store or market...
4) It adds to your creativity! - When you give yourself the time to wake up when you want instead of   waking up to make it to breakfast it makes for time to skip sitting down and allows to more inventive things like going off the beaten path.
3) It makes you feel more at home! - I love being away but while I am away I do want to feel as if I have all of the comforts of home and then some. That means I need a place to cook.
2) I am a Chef!  - How in the hell can I teach anyone a thing about Thai cooking unless I went to Thailand to see how they actually cook? Chefs are quirky folks and tradition is just that for a reason. Staples are normally born out of availability & abundance.
1) It's my preference! - For my money this is what I like the most.

Top 5 reasons I'm willing to pay a bit more for my stay.

5) It's my preference! - "Doing me" is a big part of why I vacation in the first place.
4) I am a dreamer! - For me staying somewhere that is dreamlike is an escape all on its' own.
3) I don't do Southwest Airlines for a reason! - By no means am I stuck up but SWA does nothing for me at all. At the very least I need assigned seats and those uniforms look like I came for an oil change and not a hop across the pond. That being said I feel the same about my hotel. I don't go to exotic places to stay in that countries version of The Comfort Inn. I'm not judging IJS.
2) Location, Location, Location! - If you want to stay where the party is then you will pay. By the same token if you want seclusion you will pay as well. Staying in a convenient place will have you pay for that convenience.
1) I love to get my drink on! - Your boy get's nice on a regular when I travel. I'm never the sloppy, obnoxious drunkard. I tend to talk a bit much and engage a bit more but I can guarantee that I will be "nice" on more than a few occasions. The next day is all about enjoying the room as I recover. I just can't with a marginal spot. I have actually checked out and moved across the street to better digs before.

When Hotel L'Esplanade chose me to stay (it figuratively had me at hello) it was due to the room and the food in close proximity to it that made it a lock for me. It's on the French side of the Island and has plenty of world class restaurants in which to sink your teeth into. As you walk around you will find shops, stores and restaurants that will suit you every need, not to mention a nice beachfront in order to lay out, read or just nap in the sun.

 When you travel from the airport you will travel through the Dutch side to get to the French side. Along the way there are plenty of sights to behold. Driving to the French side from the airport is a practice in patience. Driving along you will pass resort after resort in order to get to L'Esplanade. I swear I saw what appeared to be an oasis followed by slums and then paradise again, only to pass it up on order to finally arrive (45 minute drive) to the hotel. Once I pulled onto the hotel grounds I knew that the website undersold this magnificent slice of heaven. When you get to the lobby you will be hit with your first hint that Island life is laid back. I had to wait for the hotel clerk to come upstairs as she shouted, "Be up in a few minutes!" It seemed like 30 minutes to me but who cares I was already captivated just by the views around me and the actual time was more like 3 minutes but..... 

Lobby 

L'Esplanade 

When I was finally taken to my digs I felt more than at home. From the key (not a card), to the kitchen to the bedroom and the bathroom this place is luxurious. There are two levels and each has a deck, one with patio furniture and one with chairs so you can take in a book. Both overlook the ocean and the view is breathtaking. This place is in deed magical. For more on the hotel simply go to the website above.

View from the balcony 

Lobby Area 

RainFall Shower

Tall Canopy Bed 

On my first day I had take a stroll on the beach, I had been looking at it from my balcony, as I ate a quick snack, for the entire morning. The walk along the street gave me reasons to stop, take pictures and scope out restaurants, bars and hangouts for later use. The walk from L'Esplanade to its' sister Hotel Diva is less than 10 minutes and littered with shops, food, bars and views. There are also the very popular BBQ spots called Lolo's but honestly I wasn't impressed at all. The service is marginal at best and the quality was less than so. If you want to know the places to avoid just see where the average tourist are flocking to and go in the opposite direction. And in case you haven't guessed it by now I don't do plastic tables, place settings and eating utensils. These places are the very definition of
Lowbrow........

Breakfast with a Wrench (Screwdriver with Bombay Sapphire & Fresh Lime) 

Grand Case Beach 

Pathway To Gastro-Heaven

On day two I wanted to branch out a bit so I took a trip to St. Barths to see what all of the fuss was about. The cost was a bit much @ $160.00 for all that was included but I would risk the money just to see if it is worth a planned trip for next year. St. Barths is considered to be the Caribbean version of the French Rivera and it did not disappoint one bit. There are shops for cigars, clothes, food, wine and anything else you would need. In fact the only thing that I was bothered by was the fact that the boat ride was 1.5 hours each way and the excursion only gives you 1.5 hours to venture out on the island. Meanwhile they forget to tell you that the stores in St. Barths close down at 13:00 for lunch, which is smack dab in the middle of the tour. They also failed to mention that all of the 5 star restaurants open only in the evenings. Oh yeah and you arrive on the Island at 12:30 so good luck getting anything but pictures in that half hour... That part sucked but it does draw you to make a second, longer stay. While I was there I was able to walk around and was fortunate enough to have Beef Kabob w/ Frites from a place right on the water. Yummy.....

St. Barts 

Beef Kabobs & Frites

Street Music

My third day was all about staying close to home and relaxing so I chose Loterie Farms. This is an old plantation that dates back to the 1700's and is a mere 5 minute drive from the hotel. As I said earlier I love to get my drink on and nothing is a better fix than laying poolside to get it back together. I won't spoil it by telling you a lot about it but trust that it has something for everyone DJ included and the Cabanas fit 10 at 100 Euros about 12 bucks per person.

Cabana Time

Pool Shot

All rested up I decided it was time to see more sights so Anguilla it was. Anguilla is a party so it seemed to fit the bill. Trust me, this is so worth it. There's a 20 minute ride to the ferry and then a 10 minute ferry ride to Anguilla. The beaches here are lively and to die for. I actually met 5 people there oddly enough all of us were from DC.

Much too busy to take more shots than this one...

My last several days were spent menu planning as I wanted to cook and add it to the blog. After all it is why I got a full kitchen. "But what had happened was!!!" As I said there are at least 10 top quality restaurants on the French side and all of them are in walking distance from the hotel. Plenty of French, Dutch, Italian and Creole just every cuisine is at your disposal. I went to Spiga which is an excellent choice if you are thinking Italian while you are in Grand Case. The pasta is fresh as is the seafood and the selection of vino is wonderful. Do yourself a favor and be sure to get the Tiramisu, it is incredible. While on the French side you may as well "do as the Romans do" and dine French.

I must have walked past this place 50 times during my stay and as much as it beckoned me to come hither I just took my time. It was like I knew that once I made the leap it would be a life (or at least vacation) altering experience. Le Pressoir is by far the most charming restaurant in Grand Case. As you walk up on it you can't helped but feel whisked away to a creole porch in New Orleans. The building can only be described as meticulously rustic. There are antique trinkets strewn all around with classic furniture and plates. Suddenly when you look up there are modern elements thrown in that make it all come together. This place begs for a quiet but meaningful chat. The waiter comes out and is so descriptive about each facet of every meal that you almost want to take him with you to be a tour guide.  Life could be so sweet if everyone had such a passion for awakening senses that lay dormant. Finally when the food comes out, not only is it visually appealing; your olfactory glands kick into hyperdrive and the taste is only to be described as "take me now!" I mean everything (Evuuuryyyy Thingggggg) is incredible. In fact this place was so good that I came back three times. I know what I love!!!!!

Grilled Filet with Camembert Cheese

Grilled Dover Sole & Wild Mushrooms 

OMG

My Fav Creme Brule'e 

The Press that would inspire the restaurant 

I strongly recommend St. Martin (The French Side) for so many reasons, none more important than the other but the collection makes it a solid must go. Food, beaches, people, activities, luxury and views are all a part of why this has to be on your bucket list. It's has a laid back feel but not so stuffy that a party won't break out at the tap of a drum. For my money this has got to be an annual trip. I went to the Dutch side and no disrespect but I needed a shower after walking around for an hour. I guess it has its' own charm if you think jeans with a tuxedo T shirt is stylish. To each his or her own, maybe next year I'll give it a shot, then again maybe I'll belly up to another Lolo's while I'm at it? NOT.............

Shirt @ St. Barts 

Pool @ L'Esplanade