I stayed at Villa Coralita for nearly a week in March with my boyfriend, my sister and my sister's boyfriend (we're in our mid-late 20s). We loved it! It's in a perfect location. Pictures are as is; there were no surprises when we arrived. The view is amazing! We loved laying by the pool, listening to music on the outdoor speakers & taking it all in! We rented a car, which I would say is absolutely necessary. You can't walk to the beach, but it is a short drive away, as are a few restaurants. We had some minor issues that we noticed our second day (iPod dock wasn't working, problem with TV, some outdoor lights off) but when we contacted REMAX, they sent Paul over immediately & everything was fixed. Paul was phenomenal! So was Lenka, our contact at REMAX -- amazing! Quick to reply to all of our MANY emails & questions prior to arrival (& the few questions we had while we were there), & she made our dinner reservations in advance. She also set up a driver for us at night (which I would recommend). The pool was clean and the housekeeper kept the house spotless (even did our dishes!) every day. I am a stickler for cleanliness & this house was up to my standards.
NOTE: the bedrooms are all separated from the main living space (kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom) so you have to walk outside and essentially in a different direction to get to each bedroom. This would not be ideal for families with kids, as it is very separate and private, but worked just fine for us. Also note: there is no oven.
St. Martin/St. Maarten: Loved it! Can't wait to come back. Had no issues with crime and never felt unsafe. That said, we always locked the rental car and the villa & left nothing inside the rental car at any time. We loved the beach at Orient Bay (spent the day at Bikini Beach Bar), explored Pinel Island (great hiking, beach was so-so), watched planes land at Maho Beach (cool for about an hour), and took a day trip to St. Barths via Scoobidoo Catamaran (loved it).
Grand Case is about a 15 min drive from the villa; same with Cul-de-Sac. There is a large supermarket just past Orient Bay where we shopped, as well as two markets within five minutes of the villa. Loved Le Tastevin for dinner in Grand Case, had delicious food (but poor service) at Sol E Luna, & enjoyed the Talk of the Town lo-lo in Grand Case. Closer to the villa, in Oyster Pond, we had a great dinner at Canoa.
We would definitely recommend Villa Coralita & hope to return soon! Enjoy!
