Bottom line, for the seasoned Caribbean traveller, this hotel is great... bar none...the island is depressed, the beaches over rated...the food GREAT. I'd forgo the great food for a great stretch of beach and non-run down town area. Too bad this hotel isn't on another island...I'd return over and over. But even compared to it's budget-priced sister islands, St maartin is a sad ghost town of a place...The E'splandade provides a nice oasis, but I'd never return to this 3rd-class island.

My husband and I have been going to St. Martin for 13 years. Needless to say, we love the island. We normally stay in a villa on the French side. We have previously stayed at L'Esplanade on a shorter visit, but this was our first full week in a one bedroom suite. WOW! The furnishings are ultra-chic, the rooms are very spacious and clean as a pin, the grounds are immaculate, the service is very friendly and attentive, the views are magnificent, etc., etc. We love it here and literally count down the days until we return. Oh, and the soaps and lotions...divine. Yes, the hotel is close to the tiny Grand Case airport. We adore the sounds of the small island planes and do not find them bothersome whatsoever. Do not miss dinner at Le Pressoir in Grand Case. Absolutely delicious French cuisine in a delightful setting.

We really liked this hotel. We prefer smaller properties and ths was the perfect size and in a wonderful location.

Pros
The rooms were large. We had a room with a loft and it was more than adequate in size and floorplan. The pool was quiet and very pretty. The bar service was excellent and I had a wonderful pina colada made, not from a mix, but from fresh coconut milk. Upon arrival their was coffee, a baguette, and some cookies in the kitchen. The staff was terrific - particurally Anna. The first couple of days the housekeeping staff placed flowers througout our room and it was wonderful to come back to. We loved the proximity to the restaurants. We ate at some great places and we also ate at the Lolos, which shouldn't be missed. Loved the bath products they provided and the bed was very comfortable!

Cons
Although I really liked this place and not only would go back but would reccomend it to friends, there were a few things that folks should know. I found it strange that after our coffee was used up, it was never replaced. We chose to get pastries in town and make our own coffee rather than pay $30 for the two of us to have breakfast delivered each day by the hotel. When I finally inquired after a couple of days, I was given another bag of coffee but told I would be charged for it. I can't remember when I have ever been to a hotel that did not keep coffee replenished. The Grand Case airport is literally next to the hotel. I often heard airplanes taking off. They were small prop planes and did not make a huge racket - but I was aware of them. Although we had an ocean view from our balcony, the ocean felt far away and I missed being closer to the water. Maybe next time I will try Le Petite. Also regarding the view, our bedroom loft had a window that was opposite the bed. When lying in bed you could look out it. Our view was of a rooftop - which was a disappointment. As mentioned above, flowers were left around the room the first two nights. This may sound very picky, but I was really disappointed when that stopped! We had some maintanence issues while we were there - the bedroom's overhead fan made a clacking sound that forced us to keep it off and the shower drain was clogged. We reported these things, but they were not address during our stay.

All that said, this is a wonderful boutique hotel in an ideal location close to the town of Grand Case and it's shops and restaurants. I didn't give it a perfect 5 - but it was a high 4.

People were polite and friendly and we never had an issue with the French/English language barrier. A note about the dollar to the Euro - everything is very expensive! While we were there, the Euro was at 1.57, which meant we were paying an additional 50% on the prices. ouch!

For our first visit to St. Martin, my wife and I chose the L'Esplanade Hotel in Grand Case. It was a great choice. The location, grounds, service and rooms were wonderful! We can see why this hotel has consistantly received high marks from Tripadvisor members. Rent a car, as there are over 300 restaurants on the island. Grand Case is the perfect location because it is home to more than 15 restaurants within a four block walk. What a wonderful experience to eat dinner in open air restaurants and NOT see a single flying insect! The room quality and the great service at L'Esplanade are second to none. Likewise, the people who live on the island are all friendly and gracious. Phillipsburg provides many hours of walking, siteseeing, eating and shopping. Marigot, likewise, offers many eating and shopping establishments (many high-end, too.)Three fun trips are the Butterfly farm, the St.Martin Zoo and a horse ride on the beach. (The horse ride was out of Orient Beach.) Worthy of note: there are still many establishments that provide one-for-one trade of US dollars for Euros (in effect giving a 33% discount!) However, to insure this great rate, you may have to pay in US cash, not credit cards. We saved some money by staying in a deluxe room with a full kitchen and bought local food for homemade breakfasts. (If desired, the Lolos in Grand Case offer inexpensive and tasty lunches.) Groceries are a bit less expensive on the Dutch side of the island. The only cautionary note: be careful if renting a car at the Budget car rental, they try to sell you a size upgrade and many of their cars are on their last legs (mechanically and cosmetically.) I have emailed Budget about this and have yet to receive any explanation. All things considered, Str. Martin provides a VERY enjoyable island vacation.