Sign In  Register

 

New visitor, looking for advice/knowledge


Hi,
I'm visiting Saint Martin for a conference in April.
The conference is in Oyster Pond, but that area looks really sedate.
Orient Beach looks much more interesting, but it is really hard to tell from Tripadvisor and what not what the vibe is really like.
My wife would definitely not go for Club Orient type vacationing - and I wouldn't want to inflict my uncovered appearance on innocent bystanders!
Hence these questions:
1) Are the northern/middle sections of Orient sen Beach more prudish/clothed?
2) Are the large numbers of restaurants in front of the condo plex just outside of Club Orient, nude or optional?
3) Is Orient Beach a family, couple, or singles type area? Or sectioned?
4) Is it outrageously atypical to rent out one of the restaurants for a private party?
Hoping for some on the ground knowledge before making a significant commitment as well as avoiding offending sensibilities if the area isn't amenable to what I'm looking for.
I'm coming with my wife and several partners/employees who are late youth/middle aged.
I do want to host a party one late weekday evening (during the conference) for frenemies and friends who are also attending - some of these might be younger but not young.
Replies

anything north of the rocks in front of Pedro's is clothed ,woman can be topless, no nudity in any of those restaurants any time. for evening I know that leandra at chez leandra`s will open for a group the food is creole,her and her son Zelman would be glad to accommodate you. tell them paul sent you. the food is fabulous.p.s. I will be there april 21 thru may 6th
Bassman answered most of your questions in a succinct manner. Club Orient is a family type resort, but most of the the families with children visit in late July into August. Club O is not sectioned. We normally go in June, and it is mostly couples then.

If you come to Orient Beach for a party, be careful with alcohol consumption and the ride back to Oyster Pond. I'm not sure what the legal limit is, but it is low, perhaps .05%? And the Gendarmes (French Police) treat it as a serious offense. Their headquarters is in Quarter of Orleans, which you will go through on the way back from Orient Beach. Plus, they sometimes set up roadblocks to catch the unwary.
Christa and Bassman,
Thanks for the info! It is very helpful!
I've found a place for our group and am looking forward to the visit.
I also inquired with Waikiki and Kakao beach clubs regarding hosting a party - Waikiki came back with a very large number.
Will take the DWI advice seriously - the charges to shuttle back and forth from Oyster Pond to Orient Bay aren't high at all, especially for groups.
It does appear, though, that Saint Martin closes down fairly early as do most islands in the Caribbean.
The French side does close down early. There are restaurants in Grand Case that are open for normal dinner hours. The night life is on the Dutch side.