This was our tenth visit to SXM over a period of 25 years. We first came here for our honeymoon in 1985. This year we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by finally staying at Club Orient. During last year’s trip we decided we waited long enough! Well, it was worth the wait. We possibly had the most relaxing time ever in our lives…can’t explain it, but if you’ve experienced it you know what I’m talking about. We cannot wait to go back.

We live in the Philly suburb but have been taking Continental out of Newark for the past couple of trips. It’s so convenient and the direct flight is great. We stayed overnight at the Wyndham Garden. After arriving at the airport, we had plenty of time for breakfast, breezed through security and boarded our on time flight. It was a very smooth, pleasant flight. Arrived in SXM to Lesley’s smiling face, picked up our Corolla, and we were off to Club O.

Check in was fast and pleasant. We stayed in a mini suite, #161, close to L’Orientique. This proved beneficial as one did not have to walk very far for the morning croissants and pane’a chocolat! Of course, we attempted to burn some calories during our regular morning walk to Mount Vernon…(I have the feeling that not too many calories were lost, as we kept “replenishing” them during the day)…Our days fell into a comfortable routine…Up early, walk, back to the room for breakfast, then off to our “own” chairs at the beach. It was so nice to walk out of the room and stroll to the beach instead of hauling everything in the car and driving to the beach. Everyone at Club O from the front desk staff, the girls in L’Orientique and the maid staff, were outstanding!

Breakfast was mostly in our rooms. We did, however, go out a few times. Safari Grill one morning. First time at Safari Grill. Hubby had pancakes and bacon; I had an omelette. Coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice; approximately $25. Very good and a pleasant spot. Toppers By The Sea. We had an errand to run, so we stopped in at Toppers. It was pleasant enough and we had a nice breakfast here. Approximately $22 for two of us. Paradise View. Lovely spot, and wonderful service. It was a little pricey for breakfast, however, well worth it. We each had delicious coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a delicious crepe. My husband had a spinach crepe, I had a bacon, potato and cheese crepe. They were enormous. We probably could have shared one! They were served with a small salad. With tip, this came to approximately $50.

Lunch most days was in our suite…We would buy a baguette and make sandwiches and take a break from the beach…This was so nice to be able to do. Plus, there is something to be said about ham and cheese on a fresh baked baguette, eaten without clothes, on your patio! We did eat lunch at Papagayo on two occasions. Both times we paid approximately $25 for lunch. We had chicken wraps or sandwiches, with onion rings, and a couple of beers or iced tea. Food was good; view was priceless…We did venture down to Orange Fever one day. The owner was very friendly and we enjoyed two hamburger platters with fries, a couple of beers and a soda. Approximately $25…Very good lunch, with a very friendly staff.

Dinners. For our anniversary/my 55th birthday dinner, we chose Temptation. Of course, it’s a great place for a “celebration” meal. Hubby had onion soup for a starter….I stuffed my face with these delicious little bread-type squares with a crunchy topping. Not sure of the ingredients, but when dipped into the extra virgin olive oil provided and popped into my mouth, I think I heard angels singing…lol..I had a braised short rib with asparagus and scalloped potatoes. My husband had an Asian style crispy duck breast with an orange flavor, served with Asian style rice/vegetables. We each had a mixed drink; apple martini and gin and tonic…My husband had fresh strawberries (as big as your head) with three dipping sauces. I had the crème brulee sampler; apple, pistachio, vanilla and chocolate…delicious.
Impeccable service and atmosphere. Total, with tip, approximately $160. (I’m definitely worth it…it was MY birthday, by the way!) Papagayo. We had dinner here two nights…It was so nice to stroll down to the restaurant from our room and not have to worry about “driving home.” And believe me, one night we would have definitely been pulled over for “swerving!” The first dinner we had a pasta and shrimp dish and a steak. We used our coupon for a free bottle of wine. No dessert. Approximately $42 Euros…Decent meal. The second dinner here was French onion soup, spaghetti with Bolognese sauce and chicken Florentine; bottle of a nice Cabernet and no dessert. Again, a decent meal. Approximately $78 with tip. Piazza Pascal. We heard lots of good things about this restaurant. It’s a lovely setting upstairs. The owner was a pleasure and the service was wonderful. We started with a tomato and mozzarella salad that was beautifully presented and delicious. I had the Italian style steak. This was breaded with a herb seasoning and lightly fried. It was served with a homemade pasta served with a yummy marina sauce. This was an outstanding dish and if I could have picked up my plate to lick it, I probably would have. Hubby had veal Milanese with homemade pasta. He enjoyed it very much also. We had a couple of mixed drinks and a soda. Approximately $72 with tip. Would definitely go back again next trip. Le Piment. Another new place for us. We never had dinner in Orient Village….It was really very enjoyable and lovely. Felt like dining in an outdoor plaza in Paris. We had a salad and shared a pizza. The pizza was a couple of kinds of cheeses, some bacon and herbs. It was outstanding. We just kept eating and saying “this is so good.” We also shared a bottle of Beaujolais since it had just come out the day before. It was a very enjoyable evening and was an expensive meal…I forget the total, but approximately $50 or so with tip.

We didn’t go out as frequently for dinner as we normally do. Being at Club Orient was too darn relaxing and it was too much trouble some nights to get motivated. We bought some groceries at Grande Marche and I cooked in. I enjoy cooking, so cooking on vacation is not an issue for me. We had a bottle of wine every night, cooked some steaks, made a salad, and were very content. One night we had a rotisserie chicken, some bread (what else is new) a salad and wine.

Jewelry…I had always admired Hans Meevis jewelry on his website. This year I found a cute charm, but it had been sold. I sent an email to Anne and Hans and they assured me that they could make another charm for me. On Saturday we went to their shop. They are the nicest couple! You should take a minute to stop in their shop sometime. The charm is lovely. It’s about an inch wide, in the shape of a shell. The shell is sterling silver. Inside the shell is a cut-out, in 14k gold, of the map of SXM. In the center of the map is a diamond. It’s beautiful and I will always remember my 55th birthday and 25th anniversary!! We also bought a set of watches, Skagen, for a man and woman, at Boolchands. For the ones we bought, they were approximately $60 less than in the US. They are very handsome.

Miscellaneous…Weather was a little different for November…It was quite windy most of the time; some days it was almost unpleasant to be on the beach. I think the water was also a little cooler than normal. Not as hot or humid. We still managed to come back with a nice tan though. Enjoyed our Perch Happy Hours everyday. Had a nice time at the manager’s Wine & Cheese Party. Met some great folks at Club Orient.

At one point during our stay, we had taken our lounge chairs off the patio and under some palm trees…we were just relaxing and reading our books. Suddenly, I looked at my husband and said, I think this is the most relaxed I’ve ever been! That says it all….Another wonderful time in SXM.

Trip home was uneventful. Bought some MaDouDou and Guavaberry at the airport to take home. We like buying it after security, then we can just carry it onboard…Good flight home, picked up our car, and headed back to the cold wilderness that is southeastern Pennsylvania…Till next year…