Club Orient, St Martin
• Choice of superior self-catering studios, chalets, mini-suites • Sited on a beautiful tropical beach in the French West Indies • Excellent on-site restaurant, shop and boutique • Quiet location, ideal for that special holiday • Powdery white sands lapped by crystal clear waters • Duty-free area – no taxes or duties. Happy hour too! • Constant warm temperatures for year-round holidays •
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CLUB ORIENT takes its name from Orient Bay, one of the finest beaches in the world. It has sparkling white sands, lapped by crystal clear waters. This first clothes-optional resort in the Caribbean was opened in 1981 on the island of St Martin. Clothes are optional at all times throughout the resort, including the offices, shop, restaurant and the beach.
The beautiful tropical climate is the same year-round. The mean annual air temperature is 27°C (80°F), cooled constantly by the gentle Trade Winds. The water temperature is the same. Thus Club Orient is one of our year-round holiday destinations. Between June and October hurricane activity may occur.
THE RESORT Club Orient was developed by a Dutch family who are still running it. It is set on a tropical beach on a peninsula of about 30 acres. There are magnificent views of the rolling evergreen countryside and of the small islands in the bay.
Club Orient blends perfectly with the scenery; all buildings are single storey. The red pine studios and mini-suites are log cabins from Finland, and the concrete-built chalets are painted to match the sand around them.
Club Orient comprises 44 family chalets and 34 semi-detached ('duplex') studios and 58 mini-suites. The superior accommodation makes Club Orient an away-from-it-all holiday paradise.
WHERE YOU STAY There are three different types of air-conditioned accommodation to choose from: Studios for 2 people; Mini-suites for 4 people; Family-size chalets for up to 4 people. You can find further details at the Club Orient website.
THE BEACH The magnificent sandy beach at Orient Bay has been used by naturists for many years. It is now designated as a clothes-optional beach, with textile visitors particularly at weekends. Club Orient fronts part of the open-ended beach for a quarter of a mile. It is wide, unpolluted and protected from the open Atlantic by a coral reef, sandy and shelving, making it safe for children.
FACILITIES The Orientique Boutique boasts an art gallery and offers an exclusive line of clothing, tee-shirts, pareos, jewellery, accessories, souvenirs and many other gifts. The food market carries a wide selection of food products including beef, chicken and fish. Fresh pastries and bread are delivered daily. Suntan lotions and many other drugstore items are also available. The hotel reception will advise you about excursions and cruises. Air-conditioned cars are also available for hire.
The Papagayo Restaurant and Bar has become the favourite meeting place. It is open seven days a week and serves Continental breakfast, including freshly squeezed juices and French pastries. At lunch time, it features a wide variety of European and American specialities. In the evening, the Papagayo is transformed into one of the best restaurants on the island with an extensive selection of international dishes and a wine list offering quality French and Californian wines. During the daily Happy Hour, drinks are half price.
The clean, warm Orient Bay, designated as an Underwater Marine Reserve, is protected by a shallow reef. It is ideal for watersports off the beach: snorkelling, windsurfing, canoes. Sail-boats and catamarans are available for rent to take you to and from the Orient Bay islands. A clothes-optional cruise operates to the beautiful island of Tintamare for the day! You’ll snorkel, explore the island, sunbathe and admire the tantalising beauty of the Caribbean scenery. The captain and crew will treat you to a wonderful lunch served aboard at midday.
There are two 'American Green' multi-layer surface tennis courts. Guests play free. Tennis racquets are available free of charge at Reception. Tennis balls can be purchased at the Orientique Boutique.
ENTERTAINMENT Every Wednesday night the manager holds a cheese and wine party in the Papagayo Restaurant. It is a great way to get to know the other holiday-makers and to make new friends. Several times a week live music draws people to the dance floor. It has become an enjoyable custom among new found friends, mainly from the States and Canada, to take turns in throwing barbecue dinner parties ('bring a bottle'), on the terraces and in the gardens around the well-equipped accommodation.
Several of the larger hotels on the island have discos and casinos. Over 100 small restaurants offer a wide variety of local Creole and international speciality dishes. There is an 18-hole golf course on the island.
SHOPPING St Martin is a free port with no import duties or sales taxes. Therefore, it is a true shoppers’ paradise. The main shopping areas are Front Street and Back Street in Philipsburg. They are lined with Dutch West Indian style shops, piled high with Caribbean batik, embroidered linen, international fashions, pearls and gems, digital watches, radios, calculators, cameras, spirits, cigarettes, Dutch and Cuban cigars, etc.
WHAT OUR CLUB ORIENT HOLIDAY PRICES INCLUDE
- Return flights in full Economy Class to St Martin via Paris by scheduled service A320 Airbus of Air France.
- NO supplements for departures from any U.K. airport with services to Paris by Air France.
- Air-conditioned accommodation as booked.
- Electricity, linen and towels (changed daily), maid service, local taxes and entrance fees to the grounds.
- Complimentary personal holiday insurance.