We were met at the airport by our charming driver Peter who took us to our villa where our rental car was already waiting for us. Since some of the roads are not well marked, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to the route taken; this is the easiest way to learn the way to the villa you’re staying at.

The first villa we stayed at is called Encore. Let me just say, “WOW, what a place!” We were met by Vincent, the houseman who lives very discreetly on property in his own dwelling. He showed us around the house, and one room was as beautiful as the next. The villa’s two master bedrooms are extremely large, and the other three bedrooms are very spacious too. All bedrooms have huge bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers. The décor is ultra-modern and monochromatic in brushed steel, browns and blonde wicker, and it creates a very soothing, understated environment.

The swimming pool adds a unique touch to this villa. The pool has a motion sensor, a really great feature if there are small children around. It can be de-activated for adult-only groups. Some other features at Encore include mood lighting indoors and outdoors, an indoor/outdoor sound system, and safes for your valuables.

A wonderful housekeeper keeps the place spotless daily. I wondered what it would be like to have a houseman living on site, and it was great. We never saw him except when we needed to call him for something, such as finding the matches to light the candles. Silly, yes, but he was over in a jiffy! He also made us feel safe and not stranded with unanswered questions.

Each day, it was a pure delight to return at Encore. One night we had a French chef, Stephan, come and cook for us. He is a chef with Fabulous Feasts, and I highly recommend their service, as it was top restaurant-quality food and service.

The next villa on our itinerary was called Green Cay. These fully air-conditioned villas are casual rather than luxurious in design and well-priced. While each villa has its own individual style and some are remodeled, all are designed to create an island ambiance. Some of the homes have open-air kitchens, and all feature a swimming pool. There is no shallow end, so floaties are necessary for those who would like to relax in the pool for a while. Green Cay also boasts a short walk to a great beach that has umbrellas, chairs, and a small beachfront restaurant. Along the road just before the beach are a few shops.

After a few days at Green Cay we moved on to Cala Luna, a brand new two-bedroom villa perfect for a honeymoon couple, two couples, or a small family. One bedroom has twins that can be pushed together to make a king. We loved this rental immediately. While modern in style, it feels warm and inviting. The natural coloring of blondes, greens, and woods is very restful and peaceful. Also, it has a unique open feeling in its design. For instance, the open closet in the master bedroom is located at the head of the bed behind a wall. Sounds odd, but it really works! Also included are soft white natural fabric robes. Though the pool is on the small side, the infinity edge gives it a more expansive feel. There is also a lovely romantic wrought iron day bed out by the pool for afternoon naps.

Onward to Joie de Vivre! This villa is located beachfront and has its own coded gate entry for added security. All beaches are public, but the homeowners belong to a neighborhood consortium to have some control over the public beach activities (making it more private in nature). This villa stood out because it is different from the ultra modern designs we saw elsewhere. With dark wood furniture and contrasting terra cotta flooring, it has more of the Mediterranean look to it. It also has several levels with great outdoor seating areas and views of the ocean and lagoon below, and a small, well-equipped office. The best part is the kitchen; I have never seen powder and royal blue marble in my life. Stunning! Given the multi-levels and stairs, this villa is not very suitable for families with small children.

Next on our itinerary—but certainly not least—was our absolute favorite: L’Oasis. We were lucky to visit when the owner and his wife were there. They are such interesting people! He is an architect and his innovative design touches were the first of their kind to villas on St. Martin. The entryway with the round ceiling and blue lighting is a show-stopper in itself. This villa has everything you can possibly wish for and then some. Viewing the quality of furnishings and artwork throughout the villa was like meandering through a contemporary museum. Not only is this villa beachfront, but it also has two pools and its full spa is as well equipped as any spa in an upscale resort. The spa service is for hire, and they will come out to the villa for scheduled appointments. The gym is fully equipped and state-of-the-art. The views from every room are fantastic; all in all, we loved this one.

I could go on and on, as there are so many great villas on St Martin, but you will have to just go there and experience it yourself!

Best Bets: Restaurants

Our first day on island we headed to the supermarket to stock up on goods for a week's worth of breakfast and sumptuous snacks. Visiting grocery stores abroad is always quite an experience, and this was no different in St. Martin. Because everything is imported from afar on a weekly basis, costs can be quite high and if you don't head to the store on the day the perishable imports arrive, the produce will be quite picked over. Although we had to peruse carefully, we were able to find everything on our list to satiate our stomachs through the week.

St. Martin is definitely a destination for the gourmand. There are hundreds of restaurants on this island, making it easy to find something for everyone to enjoy. A few of the restaurants we enjoyed while on island included the following:

Les Boucaniers (Nettle Bay) - Casual, on-the-beach ambience with fresh, flavorful food. Our personal favorite!!

Try: Anything! We loved the Boucanier's Vegetarian Salad with roasted vegetables; the Roasted Goat Cheese on Toast with Salad, Pesto and Prosciutto; and the Grilled Mahi-Mahi topped with Mango Salsa served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Le Tastevin (Grand Case Bay) - Charming waterfront ambience with exquisite cuisine. Lunch and dinner.

Try: The chilled pumpkin curry soup; fresh catch-of-the-day; or the mushroom and pumpkin tarte with sun dried tomatoes. Top it all off with a bottle of wine from their extensive selection.

Layla's (Nettle Bay) - Laid-back atmosphere with great music. Lunch only.

Try: The mahi-mahi burger and the rum punch.

Blue Martini (Grand Case Bay) - Large menu, great bar, good live music.

Try: A glass of the Moet & Chandon champagne while enjoying some local tunes.

Fabulous Feasts - One evening when we chose to eat in, we were treated to a sample of the wonderful in-villa chef service and, even though our chef was faced with a wide variety of dietary restrictions, he was able to prepare a special dinner dish for each of us.

Best Bets: Beaches

There are many great beaches on St. Martin. Some beaches are more suitable for watersports, wakeboarding and body boarding, while others are more suited to families with small children because of the calm surf. Here are some of the beaches closest to our villas:

Orient Bay (near Green Cay Villas) is one of the better known and busier beaches. It is important to note that parts of this beach are clothing optional. Towards the middle of the beach you will find the local hangout with restaurants and live bands playing great music. Orient Bay is the place to rent jet skis, go parasailing, or participate in a local hobie cat race. Snorkeling equipment is also available for rent here.

Baie Rouge/Bay Rouge/Rouge Bay is located in the Lowlands (Terres Basses) near many of our villas. This beautiful beach has many options from water activities to dining and drinks. Although this beach is also clothing optional, the swimsuit clad beachgoers tend to hang near the entrance whilst the scantily clad head more westward. Lounge chairs, umbrellas, snorkeling gear, food, and drinks are available every day.

Long Bay/Baie Longe is one of St. Martin's longest beaches, stretching over a mile along the southern part of the French Terrest Basses/French Lowlands. There are no amenities or watersports on this beach, only the exclusive 5-star La Samanna Resort and private luxury villas, which makes this beach intimate and relaxed.

Nettle Bay/Baie Nettle is a beach that has more recently emerged into a commercial area with restaurants, hotels, and bars along its coast over the last few years. It has an active atmosphere with wakeboarding, water skiing and kite surfing being the sports of choice.

My Bio

Juliana started her travel career with a leisure agency that specialized in luxury yachting experiences, but the majority of her 18 years of travel industry experience has involved group travel. Her roles as a VIP agent and Airline Contract Negotiator served to further her familiarity with luxury travel and meeting the expectations of an upscale clientele. Through her FAM experiences, she has been fortunate to experience many worldwide luxury destinations. She also gained valuable sales and real estate knowledge while working towards becoming a full-time real estate agent. With this knowledge along with her worldwide travel experience, she followed a natural progression and recently joined the Villas of Distinction team.

When she’s not working, she enjoys studying art and improving her painting skills so that she’ll one day be able to express her love of travel on the canvas.