St.Martin suggestions with baby
 

Hello - I can't seem to get my posts posted or responded to but I shall try again...

My family and I are taking our 20 month old to St. Martin in January and staying at L'Hoste...anyone have specific suggestions about what to do and where to eat that is child friendly?!?! Anything to watch out for? Thanks

Most restaurants on St. Martin seem to be child friendly. I would suggest renting a car to get around the island. It's my understanding that Le Gallion (aka Baby Beach) is a wonderfully calm beach setting for toddlers. Another activity that is great with little ones is the Butterfly Farm.

Hi Statia!!

Thanks for your reply I know you have been very helpful in the past....I may be getting to specific here but we are staying at L'Hoste and I have heard that there aren't a lot of restaurants open in the evenings around L'Hoste is this correct?

It is good to know places are baby friendly as I love my son however, I remember being without child and feelign that some places are NOT for children....The toddler friendly beach sounds perfect I will have to look it up on the map....is Orient Beach wavey - I did wonder about that as well...And I have heard rave reviews about the Butterfly farm....I think we will rent a car for that event without question....I am really excited but feel the travelling to the Caribbean is a whole new experience with baby....we have been to St. Martin before twice...however I feel like a total newbie now....!?!?!?

caribdreamn, I'm not certain where L'Hoste is, although I've heard of it. Isn't it near Grand Case? Remind me what beach it's near and I can give you more restaurant info.

I agree that although most restaurants are child friendly in St. Martin, it's probably not a good idea to go to an elegant French restaurant at night with a small child. There are many, many other fun places to go with kids, though so you have a lot of options.

Regarding Orient Beach, the water there tendsto be pretty rough, and part of the beach is clothing optional. Not that a child as young as your would probably notice, but I don't often see many children there with the water being rougher. It's a beautiful beach, though.

Another great child activity is the SeaWorld Explorer which is a glass bottomed boat trip located in Grand Case.

http://www.atlantisadventures.com/to...=146&cat=8

Here is another link with some activity info, as well. Not all child friendly, but it might give you some more ideas, including info for the Butterfly Farm.

http://www.st-maarten-info.com/St-Ma...ctivities.html

Speaking as someone who has actually stayed at L'hoste: It is located around mid-Orient beach - nowhere near Grand Case. It is family oriented - small play area for kids. There is a pizza restaurant/takeout right next door in the 'Orient Village' and several other restaaurants nearby. Also a useful convenience type store is located near the pizza place. Ocean conditions on Orient beach can vary from a bit rough to quite calm - it is very hard to predict- le galion is a nice beach for kids - never rough.

Those are fantastic links and messages I am getting really excited which is silly because it is so far away still...

I dont mind the nudity as it is probably a good thing for my son to accept people as they are - and at 20 months too you are right he will unlikely even notice...but rough water may mean we go to Gallion Beach...I guess we will be renting a car...any suggestions there?

Statia you mentioned there are all sorts of fun places to eat without being elegant not for children - do you have any faves?? And Semiramis....you obviously know specifically about L'Hoste thanks for the info about play yard - that is great...where would you recommend eating that is close...I have also heard that the restaurants close down at night in the area of L'Hoste -- is this true?? Where did you get your groceries??

OK - i am off to look at the websites!! Thanks again!!!!

caribdremn, glad the websites are being helpful.

I can highly recommend Best Deal Car Rental. I've used them all at one time or another and have stuck with Best Deal for a few years now and have never been disatisfied. http://www.bestdealcarrental.com/

Regarding restaurants, some you might like with having a younger child are:

Jimbo's (American, Tex-Mex)
Cheri's Cafe (American)
Lee's Roadside Grill (Casual Seafood)
Taloula Mangos (Caribbean)
Pineapple Pete's (Caribbean/America)

Oh gosh....there are just so many on the island to choose from, but those have been just a few of our faves when we have my husband's daughter with us. Honestly I don't think you'll have a problem finding places to eat with your little one. There are a lot of great places located on the various beaches, as well.

I would imagine that you could probably also eat at some of the French establishments in either Marigot or Grand Case with a young child as long as you have an earlier dinner. Those restaurants at Marina Royal Waterfront in Marigot would probably be more casual for you.

Happy planning! :)

Caribdreamn:
"Semiramis....you obviously know specifically about L'Hoste thanks for the info about play yard - that is great...where would you recommend eating that is close...I have also heard that the restaurants close down at night in the area of L'Hoste -- is this true?? Where did you get your groceries??"
Groceries are available at the small (but surprisingly well-stocked - the European mousses and yogurts are fantastic)convenience/grocery store. They even have a small bakery area and deli-area. To get to Orient Village from L'Hoste (about a 1 minute walk but tricky):
assuming you are facing the ocean: just after you walk by the pool on your right, you will see a small latched gate separating L'hoste grounds from a small parking lot, go through it into the parking lot, almost straight ahead across the parking lot, you will see a covered walkway, go through it to Orient Village. Immediately as you exit the covered walkway, the pizza place is to your left and the convenience/grocery store is to you extreme right.
I am not the best person for restaurant opening hours. We tended to eat our "big" meal in the afternoon between 2 and 4PM - all the restaurants were open then. Evenings we just had a yogurt or a small pizza. I am pretty sure that some of the nearby restaurants are open evenings - I just don't know which ones. The front desk staff at L'Hoste are usually very helpful - so just ask them if they know which restaurants are open at night. We liked the beach restaurant at L'Hoste and we also liked Pedro's. Note when we were there L'Hoste had a very good continental breakfast offered beside the pool - baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, yogurt, fresh fruit,juice, cheese and ham.

You are both so incredibly helpful I am going to print this thread off at work so I can have the details with me!! Fantastic fantastic!!

Statia - I will contact that car company for sure as I can only guess partly by your name and some previous postings....you KNOW what you are talking about when it comes to being comfortable in St.Martin....I shall also look forward to these restuarants...and I also totally agree with Semiramis re: main meal at lunch. My parents are coming with us so we expect that on several occasions they will want a classic "dinner out" but we are also planning on feasting merrily at lunch for the less formal atmosphere and more affordable meals then having baquettes and wine etc...on our porch while baby sleeps (please God let it be true!!).

So I am totally excited now and can't wait to see Galion (sp?) aka: Baby beach and the butterfly farm which we love a similar one here in Canada....then just relaxing in our hotel, by the pool walk the beach with sunscreen and baby toes in the sand...sand castles...ohhh sorry getting carried away..but the smell of the Caribbean sea...

I shall stop - however, Semiramis - do you have any photos on line of L'Hoste you would be comfortable sharing? Is there a room we should ask for? Anything we should be on the look out for specific to the hotel?

Again - thank you both so MUCH - I can NOT wait!!

Glad you're enjoying your trip planning, caribdreamn...after all that's half the fun, right?

BTW - The restaurants I recommended aren't fancy, nor do they have four star food by any means, but will fit the bill with a little one. I'm sure you will find a nice restaurant here and there that you can enjoy, as well, especially if you dine at lunch. There are some great ones in Grand Case and Marigot and all have their menus posted outside so you can get an idea of what they have before venturing in.

Yes, you are right by my screen name. I live 35 miles south of St. Martin/St. Maarten and go there often. Sometimes more than I care to when it's just for an errand running marathon and not necessarily R&R. ;)

Enjoy your trip!