Snguggled on a hill, a close walk from Grand Case's 50 or so beachfront restaurants, this small spot has big madern and immaculate rooms with views to match. The French owners are pleasant and want to please.
Private security makes you feel safe at nights,something that at times is lacking elsewhere on St Martin.
Going back next year.

Ok.. So this was my second visit to this hotel and again I had an absolutely amazing time. This review may be a little more than you are looking for... but you need to read it to get the full effect. This was a little 4 night, last minute, getaway to recharge my batteries. To start, my oversized loft was immaculate, and the music playing upon my arrival made my bones melt, (along with the loaf of French bread). You could literally eat off the floors, counters etc...it was so clean in there. My upstairs bedroom/loft had a balcony with two chairs overlooking the water, GORGEOUS! And the newly renovated bathroom was very modern, clean, and sleek. The grounds are immaculate as well. The staff was very friendly, had no problems there...or anywhere!
On Tuesday nights (or any day or night) you can walk down the "footpath" which is beautifully lit and there are so many trees with tropical flowers along the way, and head into Grand Case where the streets are closed off for the festival which is filled with vendors. Food/clothing/accessories etc... There is a parade and live music playing, if anything its nice to soak in a little of the local flavor. There is also a fantastic sandy beach to go to in this area, one of my favorite things to do is walk down to the beach and sit out in front of Calmos Cafe and have a Pina Colada and some lunch and soak up the rays! (lots of pretty seaglass there too).
Like I said I was there for a retreat, and that is exactly what I did. I had a MASSAGE by Tricia in my room that was to die for. I did this on my last day there and wished I had done it on my first and everyday I was there. Tricia gave an extremely professional massage. She is very knowledgeable in a spiritual healing way. I truly felt 100% better after my session with her.
As for the owners... Well... Words cannot describe how extremely wonderful, kind, genuine, warm, and generous Kristin and Marc are. These two know how to make a guest feel at home! I am anxiously awaitng my next trip there. It will have to be longer for sure!

My wife and I have been coming to St. Martin for the last 20 years and have been staying at either L'Esplanade or their sister hotel Le Petit for the last 15 years. During that time we have got to know the owners, Kristin and Marc, and their staff very well. It is the main reason we return every year and will be doing so again this July at L'Esplanade. And it is easy to tell by the vast majority of the reviews here that our feelings are shared by many. That is why I was very surprised by the recent negative reviews and the degree of the negativity of those reviews. I really thought that I was reading a review of some out of the way hotel on Interstate 95 in the States. L'Esplanade is not perfect and Kristin will be the first one to tell you that but they are far and away one of the best run and accomodating hotels you will ever stay at. Anyone who spends 5 minutes with Kristin will see that she is obsessive about making sure you enjoy your stay and will do anything possible to achieve that end. But it cannot be everything to everybody. There is so much information available on the Internet today that you can research a hotel and its location and know exactly what it offers and what it doesn't before you book your stay. Any savy traveler today does that and Trip Advisor is one of the most reliable tools. It is readily documented that they do not have a restaurant on site. They are a five minute walk from some of the best dining you will find in the Caribbean. They would be crazy to try and run a restaurant at the hotel. Each unit has basically a kitchen which allows you to go to the grocery store, get and store provisions for breakfast and lunch or even dinner if you choose. Enjoy breakfast on your patio then get on with your day. But if you want a full breakfast you can walk into Grand Case or take your car and venture out. If you don't want those options they offer a limited breakfast that will be brought to your room. The flexibility of having the kitchen is what most travelers enjoy and is a big plus for the hotel. They do not have a gym or exercise room. If that is something someone needs then that should have been researched and they then can book at a hotel that does. It is not nor has it ever been advertisied as a "business" hotel. The majority of the reviews you read here advise any first time visitors to rent a car. St. Martin is a small island easy to get around(except for traffic). If you don't want to rent for your entire stay you can rent on a daily basis through the hotel. You normally can tell each day, the parking lot empties by mid morning as people go exploring or to other beaches and then fills up later in the afternoon. Nobody is stuck at the hotel or Grand Case unless you want to be. Normally the service is excellent but there are those occasions where maybe you don't get the answer you want or the person isn't as friendly as you would like. Its unfortunate, it happens, but not often. Before you write the place off get hold of Kristin and explain the problem and she will handle it if at all possible. One of the main things people rave about in their reviews is the service and friendliness of the staff. They can't all be wrong. The hotel is not on the beach nor does it advertise as such. Their sister hotel Le Petit is on the beach. The island is not a slum nor should any part of it be labeled as such. Unfortunately, there is poverty in the islands, some more so than others. St. Martin is no different but not nearly as bad as some others. But if you would take the time to talk to the locals and see the warmth and friendliness that is there then maybe you come away with a different impression. Friendliness cuts both ways. Mosquitoes...unfortunately they're part of the life in the islands. The hotel is not growing them...bring your sprays and lotions. Some days are good, some bad. Noise, Kristin addressed this in one of her responses. We have stayed in some very nice hotels and there is alway noise in the morning. People leaving, doors slamming, people walking above you. Hard to eliminate it completely but they will try believe me. Alain...hard to believe anybody had something negative to say about him. He's the bartender and cook at the pool in high season. you've got to go see him...he's a blast.
I know for the majority of the people reading this I'm preaching to the choir. Many have the same strong feelings for Kristin, Marc and their staff as we do. It is a family owned and run business. They work their tails off, especially in high season. They are wonderful people. Kristin was born to be in the hospitality business. There is always going to be criticism or complaints, that is expected in this business. But as I mentioned earlier, the degree and breadth of the negative comments made is what concerned me and I felt needed to be addressed. It was done with the hope that someone that is looking at going to L'Esplanade for the first time would not be turned off by them and have some counterbalance. A lot of people write a lot of nice reviews here, they all can't wrong. I hope this review is helpful in some small way.

My husband and I live on Dutch St. Maarten and going to Grand Case for a night or a weekend is a real escape for us. When we can find the time to scoot away, we always choose L'Esplanade. Our most recent trip was on Tuesday night, January 31st to celebrate my husband's 42nd birthday. It was a perfect night because Mardi de Grand Case was going on which is a festive street fair with a parade and carnival dancers. We arrived at L'Esplanade at 5pm and were welcomed back with open arms and a complimentary bottle of champagne on ice in the room with a birthday note for my husband which was very thoughtful. Kristin, the owner, knows my husband is a fish nut (we have a charter business on the island called True Blue) and she even had 2 fishing magazines in the room waiting for us...nice little touch. We were blown away by the newly renovated oversized loft (we've stayed in this room type before); the upgrades they've done are fantastic. The master bathroom is extremely sleek and modern with a great shower and the bed was as comfortable as ever. The staff granted us a late check out on the 1st so we were able to sleep late and lounge around before having to pick our kids up from school. We got take out food from the Lolo's (rib shacks) and enjoyed the amazing view from the room. Out of all the hotels on St. Maarten/St. Martin, this one is the best. It is small, family owned and operated and it is the perfect retreat from our busy lives. Thanks L'Esplanade, we'll be back time and time again!