We stayed here for a week at the end of January. We've stayed previously at Le Grand Blue and Grand Case Beach Club. I'd rate Palm Court above both.
Liked
-The free breakfast was great! Plain and chocolate croissants, fresh bread, cheese, hard boiled eggs, cereal, fresh juice and fruit are complimentary and served on a nice patio overlooking the pool. It also gives you an opportunity to meet the hotel's other guests.
-Rooms are clean and updated. However, the bright red color of the walls and moroccan themed decoration don't feel very Caribbean.
-Reception was friendly and helpful. They even helped me sort a rental car issue.
-Only two block to the beach and the hotel's central location mean you're very close to Orient Village where you can find shopping and restaurants (we liked the pizza at safari cafe).
-Given its central location I was surprised at how quiet our room was. We were on the second floor closer to reception. All rooms overlook the pool. The hotel consists of several (four I think) A frame buildings with several units on the first and second floors and only one unit on the third floor. Some of the third floor units may have ocean views. First floor rooms are likely quite dark.
-The bed was comfortable. Not too hard.
Not So Much
-By American standards the water pressure of the shower is poor.
-No screen door on the balcony door means you have to run the AC constantly and can't enjoy the breeze.
-Hotel guests receive complimentary access to beach chairs and a charge card at Waikiki Beach. It's a walk down the beach from the hotel. It would have access to multiple beach clubs. Especially as Waikiki' beach chairs/umbrellas look a bit tired compared to others and their food is a B-. Also, Waikiki does a huge business with cruise ships. Stay away from the reserved section of chairs that they rope off. Finally, it's a tradition of ours to enjoy a bottle of champagne on the beach on the last day of Caribbean trips. The folks at Waikiki hassled us about this as we brought our own bottle rather than purchasing one from them. I'm not sure what arrangement PC has with Waikiki, but my expectation is that part of what you're buying with your hotel booking is a beach chair and umbrella. However, at Waikiki your beach chair feels more like a chair at a restaurant. Technically it doesn't cost anything to sit in the chair but the expectation is you'll order food and drinks.
This may go without saying, but I'd be wary of coming here with children. I didn't see any staying at Palm Court while we were there. Also, our first night in Orient Beach we went for a drink at the Bikini Beach bar where we witnessed a group of swingers doing nude body shots on the bar. We later discovered that they were staying at PC.
Tips
Le Pressoir was the best meal we had in St Martin by far. Le Astrolabe was good. I would not return to Tastevin. The hike to Pic Paradis is great. Do a dive with Octopus. We and several of our friends have done discovery dives and everyone loved it. Go to Blue Martini in Grand Case especially on Thursday to see Dreadi. Calmos and the LoLos are also great places to eat.
- Also Known As:
- Palm Court Orient Bay
- Hotel Palm Court
Phone Number:
Region:
Caribbean >
St Maarten-St Martin >
Saint-Martin >
Orient Bay
Amenities:
Business Center
Free Breakfast
Free High-Speed Internet
Free Parking
Kitchenette
Swimming Pool
#1 Romantic Hotels in Orient Bay
#1 Family Hotels in Orient Bay
Price Range:
$$
Hotel Class:3 star (3*)
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
-
Palm Court is situated in Orient Bay, just two minutes walk from the beach and all local amenities. Orient Beach is on the windward side of the island, so the hotel is blessed with the cooling Caribbean trade winds for most of the year. The breeze not only keeps the temperatures comfortable, but also provides ideal conditions for watersports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing.
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