I have not posted here for seven years-- the last time we visited SXM. Abby and I are celebrating our fifteenth anniversary. We had two 2.5 hours flights from San Antonio to Miami and the from Miami to SXM on American. All went well. We actually got here early. So early -- with no baggage checked -- that we beat Leslie to the airport. But he appeared quickly. "Quickly" is the operative word for Leslie. He gave us our car in about five minutes. That has to be the fastest rental I have ever experienced. What a nice fellow! Of course, given my name, how could I rent from anyone other than Kenny's. We used to use St. Louis, but they are gone, as I learned from this site. Sharon had already given Leslie our rental phone. It was in the glove box. So off we went in no time flat. What a service combo of Leslie and Sharon!
I passed up the bridge in order to drive through town. It took longer, but it was fun to see all the old sights and get our bearings back. Off we went to Orient and to check in at La Playa -- where we have stayed 4 or 5 times now, albeit under the old name of L'Hoste. Nice to be back. Of course, it is undergoing major renovation under the new owners. We booked a newly renovated suite, which is located in the farthest building from the beach. That is a bit of an inconvenience, but the suite is beautiful. Kudos go to the design team. Very chic, sleek, and new. Kitchen and bathroom are very modern. Wifi is super. When we went to the beach we saw that they are completely gutting the front-most building -- the one we had stayed in every previous trip. A little bittersweet. However, when they are done with all the buildings, La Playa may have to add a star to its rating. Very nice.
Our first dinner was at Astrolabe. For some reason we had never eaten there before. We have driven all over the island to try restaurants, and here is what has to be one of the best right under our noses in Orient. What a meal! The ambience with the tables around the pool is unique. Like Pavo Real in Playa del Carmen. Low-keyed live music from a 2-female combo added to the atmosphere. Abby started with crayfish bisque, and I had a trio of fois. Then she had scallops while I had mahi-mahi. Both outstanding. We chose the 3-course fixed-price menu for 49 Euros. Desserts were creme brûlée and profiteroles. Just wonderful. Astrolabe deserves its high rating.
Our first day began with a really nice breakfast on the beach at La Playa. We just love the French continental breakfast. The bay looked beautiful. The beach is wide and clean this day. Hardly any seaweed. Abby walked all the way down to Club O, and found the beach to be in very good shape. We let sand gravity do its thing for the rest of the day as we unwinded to the sound of the surf and the view of the aquamarine water. The Playa lunch was light and perfect.
For our second night, we will walk over to the village and let Le Pimente and Antoine compete for our company.
