Belmond
La Samanna Resort:
Exquisite Sandy Beach & Michelin Star Chef Serge Gouloumes
Welcome
to Belmond La Samanna Resort the perfect place for
a peaceful stay in the heart of the Caribbean. A destination
always ranked among the best hotels in the Caribbean for its
service, La Samanna is a secluded haven for luxury, elegance
and superb cuisine.
Belmond
La Samanna is a hotel on the half-French, half-Dutch island
of Saint Martin in the French West Indies. It is located adjacent
to Baie Longue, the island's largest beach. Its original owners
were James and Nicole Frankel and it was designed and built
by architect Happy Ward, of the Barbados firm Robertson Ward,
created in the style of a traditional Mediterranean villa. Construction
began in 1971 and was completed in 1973. Frankel named it after
his three children-Samantha, Anouk and Nathalie-combining the
letters of their names and adding the French prefix, "La."
Overview of Belmond La Samanna St. Martin
I
had the pleasure to visit this property shortly after it opened
in the 70s and was dazzled by its beautiful location, and enjoyed
a cocktail by the pool. It's comforting to know Orient-Express
has done this amazing renovation and such a blissful area is
now home to a renowned five star respite on St. Martin. They
have two pools, with beverage service, a kids day camp and nanny
services. There is a tennis court, business center and gym.
The La Samanna Spa offers a bevy of divine treatments in it's
own serene location.
In
addition to the hotel buildings there is a row of cottages to
rent along the beach. There are also four villas situated on
the cliffs above the beach. It has attracted famous guests including
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Robert Redford, Donald Trump and
Barbara Walters. In 1996, Orient-Express Hotels acquired La
Samanna and embarked on a program of renovation. In 2014 Orient-Express
Hotels changed its name to Belmond Ltd. At that time the hotel
was renamed Belmond La Samanna
THREE-BEDROOM
COTTAGES & VILLAS
Private
Dining in your Cottage or Villa
For
those seeking luxury Caribbean vacations with family or friends,
our spacious cottages are the perfect choice. Stay close to
your loved ones at this indulgent St. Martin hotel. Our Three-Bedroom
Cottages feature ample space, luxuriously furnished living rooms
and spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. All Three-Bedroom
Cottages are located directly on the beach. The ideal size for
large families or couples traveling together, there are two
bedrooms downstairs and one master bedroom upstairs. Each room
has either a king-sized bed or twin beds and an en-suite bathroom.
The master bedroom also features a private patio with outdoor
living and dining area. The Premium category offers special
added luxuries, including in-room check-in, Champagne and fruit
upon arrival and an iHome music player with a selection of music.
White Sand Beach View
Private
and exclusive, the luxury Caribbean Villas are the perfect getaway
for family and friends. Some of the finest accommodation in
St. Martin, Villas at Belmond La Samanna are palatial yet comfortable
and offer three or four bedrooms. Master bedrooms have generous
private terraces overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and the fully
equipped kitchens are perfectly suited to entertaining. Large
bathrooms feature both a rain shower and spacious tub. Wrapped
around the front of each Villa is an oversized terrace-the perfect
vantage point from which to enjoy the spectacular sea views.
Architectural details include floor-to-ceiling windows, graceful
archways, teak accents and Italian marble flooring.
TRELLIS
Restaurant, one of several dining venues at La Samanna, offers
the ultimate in island fine dining. Enjoy beautifully crafted,
traditional French cuisine in an elegant bistro setting. You'll
also discover a tempting display of local catch and fresh lobster.
Be sure to indulge in a bottle of Grand Cru from the acclaimed
cellar, which boasts one of the most extensive collections in
the Caribbean.
Executive
Chef Serge Gouloumès
A
native from south-western France, chef Serge Gouloumès
began his career locally before traveling abroad. After a brief
stay in Belgium and Luxembourg, he left Europe for the Caribbean
islands, where he was head chef in Saint Martin.
Chef Serge Gouloumès
Four
years later, he decided to leave for the United States, where
he expanded his knowledge working for Patrick Terrail at the
Ma Maison in Beverly Hills. In 1991 he returned to France where
he spent two years at the de luxe Aspen Park in Meribel. Following
this, he then became executive chef in charge of the kitchens
of the Royal Plaza hotel,, Montreux, Switzerland. Serge then
decided to head for the Cote d'Azur, spending six years as Head
Chef of the "Star of the Seas" at the Miramar Beach
hotel in Theole. In 2001, the opening of the five star Le Mas
Candille gave Serge the opportunity to demonstrate his knowledge
of gastronomy, where he became Head Chef of the restaurant Candille.
In 2005 Serge was awarded with a Michelin star. While the quality
of chef Gouloumès cuisine is a product of his 30 years
as a Chef de Cuisine, as consequence of all his travels around
the world, Serge Gouloumès's culinary style has influences
from the south, the east and Asia. As well as being head chef
at Michelin starred Le Candille chef Gouloumès also teaches
in culinary schools across the world including Japan, Barbados
and Australia.
Private
Dining in the Cave Wine Room
Trellis Restaurant View
A
delightful chef special Menu Decouverte Discovery Menu is offered
at $99.00 by Executive Chef Serge Gouloumes, and includes Amuse
bouche, Sea scallops carpaccio with guacamole and corn chutney,
Mojito cucumber soup, Yellowtail snapper, sauteed squid with
olives & pesto, sweet potato tart, Duck with Cognac juice,
potato chantilly. The resort has a cellar with 12,000 bottles
of wine including 146 varieties of Bordeaux, and has its own
private label: Hospices de Beaune La Samanna.
Belmond
La Samanna
PO Box 4077
97064 St
Martin
CEDEX, French West Indies
Tel: 590 590 87 6400
Email: reservations.las@belmond.com
Reservations (Toll-free): 1 800 957 6128
http://www.belmond.com/la-samanna-st-martin/
By Bonnie Carroll
About Bonnie Carroll
Bonnie Carroll has been a food/travel/lifestyle writer since
1983. She is the founder & publisher of Bonnie Carroll's
Life Bites News - www.lifebitesnews.com,
does travel and food reporting on KZSB1290 radio, and contributes
to a variety of national and international travel/lifestyle
publications. Her first children's book C.C. Charles was published
in 2002 and she is currently working on a second book. Contact
her at Contact her at writebc@aol.com.