La Samanna's name joins a father's three children, Samantha, Anouk, and Nathalie, into SAM-AN-NA. In 1973 it rose as a Mediterranean villa on the westernmost cliffs of French St Martin, above Baie Longue, the island's longest and quietest white-sand bay. Whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs read Mediterranean; the waves below are unmistakably Caribbean. It spreads over 55 acres, its 83 rooms and suites and 8 villas redesigned in 2019 by London's Muza Lab. Rooms are airy and cool, white linens with nautical detail; some sit on the sand, others perch cliffside, the top tier with a private cabana and plunge pool. For the water's edge, take a clifftop villa: three or four bedrooms wrapped in terraces around an infinity pool.
This is a hotel built for slowing down. Meditate in the gardens at sunrise or flow through morning yoga; the al fresco La Samanna Spa opens six treatment rooms to the gardens, with fine French products, a signature Roucou pretanning treatment, and a Lomi Lomi massage. The table matters as much: L'Oursin serves traditional French cooking above the turquoise sea, and Caribbean Night brings bonfires, a lobster barbecue, and local musicians and dancers to the beach. For movement: a champagne powerboat cruise at sunset, a charter to the neighboring islands, or tennis, kayaking, and snorkeling closer in. Long a favorite of couples and honeymooners, it looks after children with ease, with a kids camp, nanny service, even a poolside safety bracelet.
