I cannot say enough about how much this site helped us plan our first trip to St Martin. We arrived and got through the airport with no problems. Thanks to this site, Wilfred Brooks was there waiting to take us to Grand Case Beach Club. What a great guy, very friendly and reliable. We decided to use Wilfred several times during our stay rather than renting a car.

We could not have been more pleased with our decision to stay at Grand Case Beach Club. We did not want a mega sized ritzy resort. Instead, we wanted a place that was just big enough to have a restaurant, had a water sports desk on site, had clean rooms, had a friendly staff, and had a good location with a laid back atmosphere. All of this was met and surpassed for us. There is nothing else that we could have wished for. The grounds were beautiful. The room was very comfortable and clean. We could walk right out of our room and go snorkeling, sit on the beach in the sun, or sit under the sea grape trees in the shade watching the beautiful water. We could go to the Sunset Café and have great food or drinks with a very friendly staff, or we could take a safe 10 minute walk or golf cart ride into Grand Case and eat at great restaurants from the Lolos to 5-star French restaurants. We had a full choice of water activities available on site from kayaks to day trips on catamarans. We have no desire to stay anywhere else on St Martin or any other island.
Our itinerary:
May 10
Arrived in St Martin mid-afternoon.
After checking in at Grand Case Beach Club, we spent the afternoon exploring the place and enjoying happy hour at Sunset Cafe. Had a wonderful meal at Sunset Cafe. Later sat in lounge chairs watching the water and boats in front of our condo.
May 11
After eating breakfast at the Sunset Cafe, we spent most of the day enjoying the beach at Grand Case Beach Club. We had a very nice dinner at Le Pressoir.
May 12
After breakfast at Sunset Cafe, we walked into Grand Case and went through several shops. The crowds were very slim. Finally, we stopped for lunch at Scooby's Lolo and had a great lunch of BBQ ribs cooked on the grill. After walking back to GCBC, we spent the afternoon under the sea grape trees and watched it rain on the other side of the bay. After that we had a nice supper at Sunset Cafe.
May 13
Spent the morning lounging in our chairs on the beach. After lunch we had a great snorkeling trip to Creole Rock and saw lots of pretty fish. Tonight we walked into town and had a wonderful dinner at La Villa of grouper and mahi mahi finishing off with crème brulee.
May 14
After sleeping in and eating breakfast, we camped out under the sea grape trees in front of our suite. Late in the morning we snorkeled around the point at GCBC. Tonight we walked into town and had a wonderful dinner at Caraibes Bistrot of grilled shrimp with a curry coconut sauce and salmon with a basil sauce. For dessert we had profiteroles.
May 15
After eating an early breakfast, we boarded the Scoobi Too for a day of sailing. We first sailed to the island of Tintamarre, where we snorkeled with the turtles. We saw more turtles here than anywhere we had ever been. Then we sailed over to Anguilla where we had lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon in Rendezvous Bay. After we returned to GCBC, we relaxed and watched the sunset until time to go to supper at the Sunset Cafe where we had mahi Mani and Mary had asparagus soup. Fun but tiring day.
May 16
We spent a lazy day at GCBC. We ate breakfast and lunch at Sunset Cafe. Tonight we walked into Grand Case and ate dinner at Le Tastevin where we had sea bass and red snapper, both of which were outstanding. The view right on the water was beautiful, including the incredible sunset.
May 17
After eating breakfast at Sunset Cafe, Wilfred Brooks drove us to Philipsburg for the day. It was nice to see a lot of the island. We did a lot of shopping, walking, and tasting rum. We ate lunch at Lazy Lizard, which was good. After returning to GCBC, we crashed until time for the 2 for 1 happy hour. We decided to just stay here and have dinner at Sunset Cafe.
May 18
After eating breakfast at Sunset Cafe today, we headed out toward Orient Beach with a stop at the Butterfly Farm. We spent about an hour there and really enjoyed all of the beautiful butterflies. After that we spent the rest of the day at Orient Beach. We really enjoyed seeing Orient Beach but like Grand Case Beach where it is fairly quiet and no vendors. Tonight we wanted a change of pace and went to Spiga, which was very good.
May 19
Today we spent the whole day lounging at GCBC. We took a double kayak out for a nice long paddle in the morning. In the afternoon we went snorkeling around the point at GCBC. Tonight, we walked into Grand Case and ate dinner at Bistrot Caraibes. This had been our favorite restaurant, so we returned for another great meal. Since we had returned, they gave us a free bottle their ginger rum, which is very good.
May 20
Our last day. Hate to leave so much. After breakfast and checking out, Wilfred Brooks took us to the airport near Philipsburg. No problems at the airport, which is the nicest airport in the Caribbean. We were through security in 15 minutes.

We had such a good time that we can not wait to go back and do all the things we did not do this trip. We are hooked on St Martin.

Sounds like a wonderfully relaxing vacation. Thanks for posting.

HI wcorbitt,

Thanks for the trip report. What company/vendor did you use for your snorkeling excursions and trip to Anguilla?

great report......sounds like you got bitten by the ''sxm bug''. it happens to most people...the only cure for it is to return to the island...over and over and over again!!

Thanks for the report and glad you enjoyed your first visit.

First of all, thank you for taking the time to share your trip and your experiences and opinions with all of us, and particularly for those of us with long waits till its 'our turn' again.

Secondly, after almost forty consecutive years of visiting this island, we finally stayed at GCBC a few years ago and found it to be all you said and more. Truly, it's one of the nicest properties on the island, IMHO, and we found it hard to drag ourselves off property, even to enjoy the fine dining in Grand Case. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Always great to read new visitors impressions of a place we all love. Thanks for taking time to post and return the info you gained from this site.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us! Grand Case is high on my list of places to return to in SXM.

Now I will be thinking about SXM all day (again)

Thanks for the report! Sounds like you're hooked, for sure!

RNCollins, we booked the snorkeling/Anguilla trip on the Scoobi Too through the Creole Watersports desk at GCBC. The website for Scoobi Too is www.scoobidoo.com.

I enjoyed reading your report and thank you for taking the time to give back to the forum. It sounds like a perfect vacation and I know you will be a return visitor now like the rest of us. Through the years SXM has become our other home!

Sounds like a perfect first trip, and I'm sure it's not the last for you! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Thanks for sharing it with everyone!

Lovely report, thanks for sharing. My first trip to the island about 15 years ago is almost a repeat of yours--stayed at the GCBC, lounged on their beach almost every day, loved "raising the flag" for beach attendants to serve us lunch/cocktails all day, then down to the strip every night for fabulous dinners...tough life, eh? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Wishing you many more happy repeat visits! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

I discovered GCBC in 1987. So glad to hear that they are still running a great place. One one trip we stayed on Main St in Grand Case. That was interesting.