If you're considering a St. Martin villa rental for your next Caribbean getaway, don't miss these travel tips from Nick Guezen, our globe-trotting Project and Integration Manager. Wherever he goes (Hawaii, New Zealand, over 15 Caribbean Islands!), Nick loves to get to know the area like a local, try great restaurants and work his way out of trouble. Here are a few of his St. Martin favorites.
My favorite excursion: Galion Beach (4 Sundays in a row). It's perfect for families with young kids.
My travel essential: Adapters (for use on the French side of the island).
My best night out: Dinner at Mario’s Bistro, heading over to Le Shore Club in Nettle Bay, then off to Bliss in Mahoe (it only starts to get busy at 1 a.m.).
I was not expecting: the Mardi Gras street festival in Grand Case to be so amazing. Eat at a Lolo (a local BBQ) for cheap and enjoy people watching and local artisan shopping.
My best drink discovery: If you order a rum punch make sure it’s with juice. There’s an imposter out there calling himself rum punch but it’s milky. When in doubt order a mojito.
Most memorable moment: Every evening at 5 p.m. when the sun is low, the light is perfect, there’s a breeze in the air, and a Carib in hand.
My favorite local treat: Pain au Chocolat (available at a number of local pastry shops but Sarafina’s is tops). Also, Red Snapper or Garlic Shrimp lunch at Enoch in Marigo (a local hangout).
I was pleasantly surprised by: The availability of all the common foods we’re used to back home. Great grocery stores (a bit more expensive but that’s to be expected).
Where to Stay:
Luxury Retreats offers close to 60 St. Martin villa rentals. Nick recently had the opportunity to stay at Encore, Terres Basses. Here's what he had to say about this villa:
What I loved most about this villa was: Privacy, lots of dining space for everyone, satellite TV in all rooms, great view.
My favorite place to sip my morning coffee was: Right outside my room – away from the main living area – with a great view of the Caribbean Sea.
I'll never forget this villa's: Rooftop terrace – great for stargazing.
I would recommend this villa for: Families with older kids (because the bedrooms open onto to the pool) – or a group of couples who want similar bedrooms.
Something I think guests would like to know about this villa is: There’s an automatic mosquito spray system – so no need to worry about getting bitten. There are two kitchens – lots of room to whip up a big meal.
A detail that made all the difference was: the very friendly housekeeper – always smiling.
