ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT PERFECT

La Samanna in St. Martin

Quiet luxury on an idyllic beach, in the grand style of the French West Indies.

La Samanna has been a favorite retreat for those in-the-know since it opened in 1973, and has been only more prized since the complete renovation of the resort in 2018 under the ownership of LVMH’s Belmond hotel group. The Belmond brand is LVMH’s ultra-luxury global collection of exquisite resort hotels and travel experiences, including travel-by-rail on the famed Venice Simplon Orient Express and the Andean Explorer amongst exceptional others.

La Samanna’s centerpiece - Baie Longue Beach - is the living end!

White sand, clear turquoise water, and a protected cove, make playing in the gentle surf and swimming in the deeper water a warm and inviting experience.
The walk down Baie Longue Beach is miles long!

With only 75 beachside rooms and suites and only 8 villas, La Samanna offers an exclusively private respite - for a couple, family, or for groups of any size. The 25 rooms and 50 suites in the main hotel’s building and sprinkled along the beach each have the feeling of a private cabana - but with all the comfort of a penthouse.

There’s just nothing more romantic than living in ultimate luxury right on the beach!

We’d planned a family vacation - my mom and dad, me and my boyfriend - Sam Ring, my brother and his girlfriend, and my aunt. We booked a four bedroom villa complete with a private vanishing edge pool and multiple outdoor decks and patios in the backyard - and an outstanding view of the beach and the spectacular sunsets!

With ample space in the oversized rooms, the manse generously accommodated our party of seven. Each bedroom suite included a large private bathroom, a private office antechamber, walk-in closets, and a private balcony. The light-filled kitchen, dining room, and living room, and patios and decks off each upstairs and downstairs room, provided plenty of comfortable gathering space.

…What I didn’t know… was that Sam was intending to propose to me!

…With my family in on the whole thing, Sam secretly arranged for our B&NC MAG photographer, Andrea Ceraso, to be there, and deftly positioned to capture the moment of the proposal, and for his parents, his brother and sister-in-law, and his sister to be hiding-out in their own beachfront suites so they could share in the moment and join us in the festivities.

…I said yes!

The ensuing weekend was nothing short of a daydream! We all had a few days of some fabulous fun…savored some seriously delicious meals…and can’t say enough about how the staff accommodated our group of 13! Whether it meant having 13 chairs set-up on the beach for whenever we decided, or a table for 13 waiting at the fabulous buffet breakfast each morning, or arranging all the fresh flowers Sam had ordered-in for the whole affair…the Staff at La Samanna set the scene - and always with a friendly smile.

La Samanna is posh and boutiquey, but completely friendly and unpretentious at the same time.
Guests entering the main building, set into the side of the beachside cliff and surrounded by pops of red and yellow Hibiscus blooms and other verdant tropical flora and fauna, are first treated to the breathtaking view of the bay through a pair of scalloped Moorish arches that set the mood for the elegant space.

The main swimming pool is perfected like a Wes Anderson movie set with a playful maturity. Three Omni tennis courts are lit for playing at any hour. The spa is a clean and cool oasis with private indoor-outdoor suites - all set in a tropical jungle with chirping birds and a soothing waterfall. And the fitness center is modern and well-equipped.

The food is outstanding!

The breakfast…which turned into a brunch every morning…was bountiful. They had a table for 13 outside on the terrace waiting for us each morning…and a regal buffet with an omelet station, smoothies, pancakes, French toast, waffles, sausage and bacon, a selection of fresh and exotic fruits, melons and berries, an array of cheeses and specialty meats, and a wide assortment of breads, cakes, pastries and hot French croissants. By the second morning, the waitresses knew how each guest liked their coffee or smoothie, or both. …One might say we lingered…

Lunch is served in the Baie Longue Bar just off the hotel’s main lobby, poolside, or at Laplaj located on a beachside deck. The Baie Longue offers sweeping ocean views, spectacular frozen drinks, and great light bites. Laplaj is retro-inspired and chic, and ideal for a déjeuner a la plage. Festive lunches are a must - and there were even a few groups with guests arriving by dinghy from yachts they anchored in the bay, adding to the atmosphere!

The Laplaj deck is transformed at night into a magnificent Italian restaurant, La Spiaggia, with a romantic and whimsical Italian-coast aesthetic. The entire family enjoyed a lively evening overlooking the glittering moonlit ocean with mouthwatering and opulent dishes of Linguine Alle Vongole, a perfect Chicken alla Vodka Parmigano, and plenty of Crispy Calamari. And there’s nothing quite like a round of fresh spritzes - or a few rounds - to liven things up… La Spiaggia has a whole menu devoted to ‘The Art of The Spritz’ - with over ten different options to suit any preference!

Another night we dined at the hotel’s French restaurant, L’Oursin, which boasts the Two-Star Michelin Chef Marcel Ravin, who brings the restaurant’s blend of Provençal and Caribbean cuisine to new heights. The Snapper Fillet with Lemon Basil Maltaise was a favorite. The evening was exquisite. A cool ocean breeze, impeccable service, delicious dining…and a late night under the stars.

On the last day of the vacation, my dad eschewed our plans to go - with our entourage of 13 - out to a restaurant in Marigot for dinner, and asked the exceptionally hospitable director of Food and Beverage, Guy, who’d been personally checking in on each meal all week, to arrange for a catered dinner in our villa that evening. Without another thought, a team from La Samanna showed-up at our villa a couple of hours later to set-up, right down to the flower arrangements and pre-dinner sunset cocktails…and then served a lavish island-style barbeque!

On the beach

…Staff attend to the plush beachchairs ensuring that sunbathers and umbrella seekers receive a steady flow of cool drinks and treats like frozen grapes and fresh fruit skewers.

The watersports are glorious! …And, funny enough, Mark Sollinger, who runs the watersports and the beach cabanas - which can be rented by groups for an even more elevated beach day... actually grew up in Bedford!…and started running things on the beach at La Samanna about 35 years ago. He’s the hunk with the Baie Longue Beach coordinates tattooed on his chest. While seeming to be just enjoying ‘the endless summer’, Mark actually has a fatherly watch over everyone in the water. He’ll tell you where to swim to see the most tropical fish. His team will supply floaties, snorkel and scuba gear, windsurfers, paddle boards, jet skis, underwater scooters, and other equipment - and he’s effortlessly always making sure everyone on the beach is having a good time.

La Samanna has always been a glamorous getaway! A private riviera, and a go-to for celebrities, dignitaries, moguls, and artists, from Cindy Crawford to Richard Nixon, Andy Warhol to Robert De Niro. …Now it’s a go-to for those drawn to Belmond’s extreme luxury in this pristine slice of paradise! Large groups looking to celebrate their special occasions take-up blocks of suites or combinations of villas. A long list of Hollywood celebrities, pro athletes, and other famous guests book their favorite villas to party…privately. One NBA team owner takes the entire resort for the same week each year for his friends and family.

…We’re already planning a return…