The Lowdown
For respite with a touch of French je ne sais quoi.
Overview
Hotel L’Esplanade has honed its personality over decades and it shows. Set upon a cliff which slopes toward Grand Case Bay, its paved pathways are bordered by tamarind trees, oleander and Turk’s head cactus. Antillean crested hummingbirds flit from nearby neem trees to gorge on the nectar of Mexican petunia.
Rather than the engineered sameness of big box names, the 24-unit hotel favours substance over trendiness. You’ll get lovely touches like caramels and mints at reception, decorative accents like mosaic inlays offset by tiered fountains and colourful tiles, and functional details like towel hooks (remember those?). If it all sounds rather old school it more than makes up for it in charm.
Background
Opened in 1992 by the Petrelluzzi family, the second generation has been operating the family-run hotel since 2000. Sister property Le Petit Hotel which shares a similar Mediterranean aesthetic is accessible by shuttle where you can enjoy its beachfront location, chairs and facilities. Plus, it is within walking distance of lolos, local street-food stalls.
Rooms
Light pours in from framed glass doors, embracing every corner of interiors featuring rich, dark Brazilian wood and Balinese furnishings. The kitchen stocks every appliance and utensil you need to cook a nice meal and there’s a small starter kit of snacks and drinks. Should you need supplies there is a shopping complex with everything from a large Super U grocery store (think cheese and rillete direct from France) to a pharmacy and wine shop at the main junction just before the hotel on the former Hope Estate.
On the upper level of loft style rooms, a four-poster bed invites you to jump in while the bathroom is clad in slate with showers tucked under the vaulted ceiling (and they actually drain properly). In my suite, I find myself swaying in the hammock on the patio. The panoramic view encompasses the small, nearby Grand Case airport which offers plane spotting during daytime takeoffs and landing from surrounding French-speaking islands. Or, tilting my head a little, I watch boats and yachts bob in the water under an ever-changing sky.
The Whole Picture
It’s a nice walk to the beach and a shortcut will take you past beach houses ravaged by Irma. The beach itself is an idyll – shallow enough for relaxing with enough fish to make for interesting snorkeling. Mostly, I had it to myself.
The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to restaurant row in town, which I made use of despite having a car because street lights are scarce and well, this is technically France, so wine is never refused.
Down a few flights of stairs from reception and to the left is the pretty pool. To the right is the yoga studio with daily classes attended mainly by locals. Further down, Ti Spa offers treatments in a simplified gingerbread house. The attendant worked out knots I did not realize I had (lugging suitcases will do that).
Drinks and Dining
Breakfast is one of those sweet rituals that reminds me of Paris. Picking-up a basket full of locally made pastries identified by your room number. Then to the self-serve coffee, yogurt, fruit, baguettes and cereal station before bringing the whole lot to your room (in a tray that matches the decor, of course) ensures you slow down and savour the morning. Lunch is a casual affair with seafood or meat salads and burgers paired with cocktails by the pool.
What CSL Loves
At first, you’ll notice the bowls of water, then you’ll see Jack lolling about bedecked with a collar that says, “mayor of Grand Case.” The dog is the unofficial mascot of the hotel befriending all and sundry when not napping.
This original article first appeared in the FALL 2024 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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