You wake up and open the sliding doors to your private pool, lifting up the bird figurine on the wall to signal that you’re ready for fresh croissants and pain au chocolat.

Moments later, a staff member arrives with your French breakfast basket, filled with pastries and fruit juice.

That’s when the toughest decision of the day comes along: when do we take the private shuttle to Pinel Island?

The best hotels are able to distill guests’ wants and needs and passions into a flawless routine; that’s what happens at the Karibuni Lodge on the French side of Saint Martin.

This is a simple place: there are just six rooms (the “pink suite” comes with the private pool), a reception desk that’s staffed for half the day and hip, cleverly designed suites with hammocks and spectacular views.

But it also owns what might be the Caribbean’s greatest hotel amenity: its own beach bar on an offshore island.

The island your eyes wake up to every morning in the distance is Pinel, a nature preserve-cum-beach that has nothing on it but a pair of beach bars, one of which is also owned by Karibuni.

Above: How to order breakfast at Karibuni

And while you wake up and eat breakfast and sleep at Karibuni, the Karibuni beach is where guests spend most of their days, with a pair of boat shuttles at 9:30 and 11 AM every day.

That becomes the daily ritual, the breakfast, the boat, the day spent lounging on the sand, looking back at the Cul de Sac neighborhood of Saint Martin.

And then you face another tough decision: a pina colada or a ti’ punch?

And then you realize the greatest joy here is being able to ask such questions.

To book a stay at Karibuni Lodge, book now on Booking.com.