Esmeralda Resort - Breakfast Plan

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

659 reviews

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  Paradise but plan ahead, not great for older adults

  We stayed here one night post-cruise for some extended beach time before departing for home. It was our first time staying on the French side of SXM. This is a beautiful resort, with mature trees and shrubs. The property is laid out in villas, each few sharing a private pool. The resort is very quiet, very lush. The villa itself seems more dated than it is. One outlet near the bed is not ideal for things like c-pap and the number of devices you might also need to charge. A/C oddly positioned to blow directly onto the beds. There was a kitchenette with a bare minimum of supplies and it seems cleanliness of cups is up to the last guest who washed them. Doors are heavy. Security measures on doors are robust perhaps due to needing to withstand wind but not great for getting them open. The property has few accessible walkways, many step ups/downs, and I never found a sidewalk to the village. If you haven’t arrived with provisions, you’ll need to find the restaurants. Many advertise reservations required and you’ll be at disadvantage at high season when you learn this at 4pm. Walking down an uneven earthen path in the dark with poor lighting everywhere is not great for older adults with gait or mobility issues. The roads are narrow and there is lots of zooming traffic in the evenings so walking on the road is risky. Inquire in advance about beach chair rentals as we were advised advance reservations are required. We made the best of it and did find the one club that provides a chair for guests a few rows back from the water. Extra umbrella was an extra charge. Beach restaurant staff were great once we found them. Restrooms very clean. The breakfast/onsite restaurant was great with lovely attentive service. The info given is at check in about advance notice required for a “salted” breakfast was inaccurate. Pluses include friendly staff at check in and storage of luggage (albeit in the open lobby) while we waited 7 hours for our villa check-in. Overall, not a great option for a short stay post cruise if you’re arriving at 0830. Many things noted to need reservations. If you can come and settle in with some provisions for a few days and reserve your beach chairs you’ll be fine. The beach is nice although un-swimmable due to rough Atlantic surf. Big crowds on weekend.

  Jan 22, 2026
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  A place to relax

  Resort was quiet and grounds well maintained. Staff were always helpful when we had any questions. When we arrived and taken to our room we seen that the kitchenette did not have anything to actually cook on. After explaining to the girl she left and rounded up a hot plate and a couple of pots and frying pans. We did all our own cooking and found a nice little mini market a ten min. walk away. The continental breakfast was good. They had the basics like a couple types of breads, croissants, fruit cups and a few types of cereals. My only complaint was that the one type of bread that we fell in love with was not replenished if it ran out. A couple of times we had the coffee urn run out. And this was when there was still allot of time before they were done serving. The beach was a five min walk away and it was awesome that we could choose lounge chairs at more than one location. Water on this side is quite rough. Allot of large waves so it made swimming a big no. But you could just try to jump the waves and still have fun. If you plan on exploring the island it might be best to rent a car. The resort has parking available. Taxi’s are expensive and the bus system is something you don’t want to chance. In trying to book a tour we had issues with companies not willing to come to the French side for pick up. So just a heads up.

  Jan 20, 2026
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  Ideal for staying in St Martin

  Ideal resort for a holiday on the island. The staff is very attentive, the accommodation is spacious and clean, the swimming pool almost Private, it's close to the best beach on the island (3 minutes walk) and very secure. We recomment it without hesitation.

  Dec 29, 2025
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  Exceptional — Best Place I’ve Stayed in the Caribbean

  I have stayed at Esmeralda Resort seven times, most recently December 13–20, 2025, and it remains the best place I have ever stayed in the Caribbean. The location is perfect — just minutes’ walk to the beach and about 7 minutes to Orient Village. The private villa layout with individual pools offers outstanding comfort and privacy. The resort is beautifully maintained and very peaceful. The included continental breakfast is excellent, and dinners at L’Astrolabe are absolutely fantastic — high-quality cuisine and a wonderful dining experience every time. Service is top-notch and very well organized under General Manager Audrey Donel, with exceptional maintenance and care by Robi and his team. I truly cannot wait to return. Highly recommended without hesitation.

  Dec 23, 2025
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  Fabulous stay at the Hotel Esmeralda

  My Husband and I arrived at Esmeralda resort on December 8. 2025 with recent mobility issues. The room that we were booked into was not accessibility friendly, so we asked the reception if another room was available. The hotel was full and we were told that it was not possible to change rooms. Lara, a work student from a school in France was working that evening and worked hard to find us a room that would suit our needs. She found us at dinner and informed us that she had found a new room for us near the restaurant and with a walk-in shower. Because of her our stay at the Esmeralda this time was made more comfortable and enjoyable and we thank her profusely and recommend any hotel to hire her as an valuable employee in the future. Her demeanor and attitude is top notch! We have been to this hotel many times and enjoy the consistency of professional service and clean rooms. The pool is a wonderful extra and is always kept clean and inviting. The Restaurant at the resort Astrolabe is outstanding. The food is delicious (I recommend the Lobster Bisque Soup) and the wait staff are fun loving and entertaining. The live music is not overpowering and a nice touch on the night it is featured. The beach of course is fabulous and is quiet without loud booming music throughout the day. We highly recommend the Hotel Esmeralda and share this hotel with everyone we meet. We have a friend that now books an entire block each year with her family and friends because they enjoy the stay so much. We recommend booking a car for at least a few days to get around. Buy Groceries, (there is a kitchenet in most rooms) The groceries are very inexpensive. We shop at Leader Price 5 Min from the hotel. Go to restaurants and shopping or just seeing. Very reasonable and the car company the hotel uses is very accommodating. In conclusion a stay at the Esmeralda is a must and the best way to experience Orient Beach!

  Dec 22, 2025