PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

At the end of a twisting, scenic road, a 1-minute walk from Dawn Beach, this retreat was originally designed for vacationers who don't like overly commercialized megaresorts; now it's largely timeshare. Once an intimate inn, it's been growing by leaps and bounds, having witnessed a five-fold increase in size since it was established in the 1960s. It can't be considered intimate anymore, but it's still not overwhelming. On a circular harbor on the eastern shore, near the French border, the fortresslike structure stands guard over a 14-hectare (35-acre) protected marina. There's a central courtyard and an alfresco lobby. Two new additions should be completed by the time this book goes to press: an 18-unit condominium (with a rooftop infinity pool) and a 40-unit timeshare pavilion. More than half the units have kitchens, and most have West Indian decor with lots of rattan and wicker. The bedrooms offer balconies overlooking the pond or sea; the deluxe and superior rooms are preferable to the tower suites. Rooms are airy and fairly spacious, and suites have a bathroom with a tub and a shower. The resort restaurant, Jade, serves international and Asian (mostly Indonesian) food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Beau Beau's, on the beach, serves seafood and international fare at lunch and dinner.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Portable St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla & St. Barts, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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