It was home to one of the hottest beach scenes in the Caribbean before Irma; an always-hopping, party-filled stretch of sand renowned for one-word beach bars: Kontiki; Waikiki; Bikini.
And then the storm came, and Orient Bay, St Martin as we knew it was no more.
But the area has very quietly experienced a renaissance in recent years, once again trending toward the beach bar-heavy, culinarily vibrant destination it used to be.
And now that includes a brand-new hotel, of the sort that frequent Caribbean travelers love: tiny, intimate, boutique and authentic.
It’s called Les Galets SXM, and it’s a boutique bungalow hotel that’s home to five standalone bungalows, each with a clean, chic beach decor.
Each bungalow is named for a different hue, and each comes with a flat screen TV, Wi-Fi, a high-design bathroom and a private terrace.
There’s also a three-bedroom, three bathroom villa available.
That’s along with a heated pool and pool deck in the heart of the property.
The culinary option includes a French table d’hotes, with dinner three times a week, with service on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The menu, led by a veteran chef from mainland France, is ever-changing, from truffle-focused dinner lineups to a culinary journey with scallops.
It’s another cool new addition to the French side, long largely free of large hotels; adding to a unique hotel stock of course led by the island’s top hotel, signature Grand Case Beach Club and other ultra-boutique options like LTC Beach Hotel and Sol e Luna, among others.
For more, viist Les Galets.
