First, I would like to thank everyone here who provided insight on our first trip to St. Martin. We had an unforgettable experience and looks as though we'll become regular visitors to the island. We didn't extend ourselves on this trip, as we focused our time on the French side, mainly in Grand Case. We spent five nights at Le Petit and the hotel/location could not have been better. We decided not to rent a car; however, it was not an issue for us during this trip as we walked to nearby beaches or took advantage of the complimentary shuttle provided by Le Petit. In future trips, we'll rent a car to explore. Below are the highlights of our trip:

Le Petit and Grand Case Beach

We made this home for five nights/six days. The hotel was quiet and the hosts (Remy and Yamina) provided wonderful suggestions on activities and food. Breakfast was included with our stay and the views from our balcony were beautiful. Most of our time here was lounging on the beach with Rose, walking to the Lolos for lunch, and dinner out in Grand Case. We ate at L'Auberge Gourmande, La Villa, Bistrot Caraibes, Piazza Pascal, and Spiga. We didn't have a bad meal; however, L'Auberge Gourmande (stayed away from filet based on other review), La Villa, and Spiga were our favorites. The people in and around Grand Case were wonderful and were even invited to a local barbecue, which was fun with great food. People were really friendly.

Happy Bay

When not on the beach in Grand Case, we spent two quiet days at Happy Bay. Happy Bay was an easy 15 minute walk for us and both days, we were the only ones on the beach, which allowed us extreme privacy . The first day at Happy Bay, we took the trail to Friar's Bay and had lunch, but were not too impressed with the beach so the second day we brought our own refreshments and just relaxed. The walk to Friar's Bay was beautiful and not difficult and definitely worth the views. There is also a gentlemen at Happy Bay providing beach chairs and beers. We did purchase a few beers from him and they were reasonably priced.

Anse Marcel

We did splurge on a cab to Anse Marcel based on reviews from this forum. The afternoon did not disappoint. We had a wonderful meal and beach service with a few cocktails. The drive was not as bad as imagined after reading the reviews here and the views from top of the hill were wonderful. Anse Marcel beach is beautiful and was not crowded. However, not sure we would repeat the visit here during our next trip and really do not have a reason other than we would rather spend the day on Grand Case or Happy Bay.

Next Trip

We have already made a reservation to go back to Le Petit next summer. We will rent a car and explore more of the island, including Orient and other hiking spots. This was the first vacation that we felt that time moved slow. Again, thank you all for helping out and answering my questions.