Spent Valentines/ President’s Day week at Residence Adam and Eve on French St Martin. It is in a gated compound inside the gated Reserve Orient at Orient Beach. It is a short drive (or a healthy walk) thru Orient Village to the Club O beach. All cars can park inside the gate although it is tight even with tiny cars. Palm trees are everywhere. There are 8 suites mostly on the lower level and some are in the rear of the one large building. Some suites do not have kitchen facilities. Ours was Eve in the rear of the building. It was clean, modern and spacious. It had a decent sized fridge and two burner cooktop. I forgot my plug adapter for the phone/tablet charging. Electric is Euro so 220 volts. I got by with the one plug adapter in the room. Big shower, comfortable bed and the quietest AC. You could hear the doves cooing in the morning but little else. The pictures posted on the Residence web site are on the main floor of the building. The bar and dining area. There is a two couch sitting area and a sign out book for the fridge stocked with some reasonably priced wines and beers. Ring the bell for bar service. Caroline or Alain or Helen will be up the spiral staircase in the office. Alain mixes a very good Pina Colada. Alain also has a large sailboat which can be chartered for day trips to Tintamarre etc. Breakfast is served at the Residence every day for 12 euros per person if not included in the room rate. Dinners are occasional events for 30 euros p p. These are very reasonable prices. French wine under 3 euros a glass. Dinners require some dress. Flimsy, nudist resort wear seems to work. But this is St Martin where you won’t be able to hit all the other great restaurants in a month. Then there is Club O beach and other daytime diversions. With 8 suites there were enough people around to always socialize. The bar and drink fridge made for pleasant times in the day and evening. Caroline has been on the island for 27 years and hosts the bar in the evening. Steps down from the bar and dining area is the pool. It is a good size but a little short for lap swimming. It is deep with no ladder or hand rails. There is a somewhat steep inclined surface at one end. OK if you are fit. There is a pleasant hot tub and about a dozen loungers. There are some big umbrellas or you can get a days full of sun. We got a non-cancellable web rate for a week at the residence. You could taxi to and from the airport and spend all week at the Residence. You would have a great time at the Residence but have to return several times to partake in all the island has to offer. It’s always 82 degrees in the day 75 at night. No snakes or gators. No garbage piled up on the beach and always something to do.
