TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Club Orient changes

I just read on Orientbeach.com that Club O has converted the community room/library into a 2 bedroom chalet. It doesn't seem like the best spot for a chalet.
The library has been relocated to the boutique.
If this has previously been reported here, I'll delete.
If someone has been there recently, maybe they could elaborate.

I hadn't heard that. I am not surprised though. Think about it, how much money does a library make them?? ...versus having another rental unit?

The Club O Facebook page has interior pictures of the converted unit, so it's a done deal. It's the only two bedroom chalet, but because of its location I can't imagine it will get much use. (It's directly behind Papagayo. The only ocean view is toward Water Sports and that's only from the patio. On the other hand, the view INTO the unit from the restaurant is excellent!)

LOL. It will get rented though. Maybe they'll charge a tiny bit less, but at high season someone will rent it.

..and, as I said, whatever rent they get from it will be more income than they got from the library...

It's true. It was like that in May. Plans are for the much reduced library to be relocated near where the laundry room is. Not completely sure of that location. I was told that would be completed when they close in September. I totally agree that the 2 bedroom unit isn't ideally placed. I wouldn't want to be behind Papagayo!

I seem to remember a flat screen TV for watching sports, etc. Did they move that somewhere, or the TV's in the units made it obsolete?

We're looking to book a room for the week before Halloween and the week after on the Club Orient website. The 2BR is listed as unavailable. If you can stay awake till 10:00 PM the music from Papagayo shouldn't bother you.

The last two weeks of May we stayed at unit 44, the old library. It had been converted into a two bedroom unit. It was beautiful with a large bathroom. It had a large kitchen with all new appliances and a private patio with a hot tub. It is perfect for a family or two couples that could spend a week together. It might not work if two couples had to spend over a week together. It was the most beautiful unit we have seen over our 27 stays there.

Huh. Private hot tub? Nice.. If you have any pictures of the inside, would be interested in seeing them.

The villa near the studios also has a private hot tub.

Is the library at Club Orient one of the free libraries where people can trade for books? I have noticed that with the growth in ebooks and Kindle (and other e-readers) the free lending library at Divi has really declined in the quality and quantity of newer books available, so the one at Club Orient may have the same issue.

There is a wide selection of books in several languages. We've always traded in the books that we've read. The room also included a big-screen TV, ping-pong table & other games. A nice place to spend a little time on a rainy day.

Unfortunately, when they moved the "library" to it's temporary location in the Boutique they got rid of many many of the old books. Vanessa told me that the books were in bad condition. The old library had loads of books in multiple languages as you said.

DID HE SAY HOT TUB <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> Sign me up for that studio !!

Not a studio, 2 BR chalet.

CHALET !!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> THAT'S EVEN BETTER !!!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

What about the ping pong table? Has that been discarded or set up somewhere else?

I haven't heard anything about the table or TV.

The ping pong table is in the backyard under the covered patio next to the hot tub. I wish I had taken a picture.

Just got this email from Club O. Funny, the ad shows people taking pictures. Must have done that when the guards were on break.

https://gem.godaddy.com/p/0512aa?fe=1&am...fcc65a40c631d9f

The irony of an ad showing people taking selfies is not lost on me. Bad advertisement. Regarding the library move, hope it is true and have heard the same thing. My wife and I spent time organizing the old library each trip and had many people come by who just can't read on their screens in the sun, so still using books. The boutique version was just 2 or so shelves moved from the old library. Yes, every room has a TV but for all of our trips, half way through a show we get a Pay Your Bill Now message, which no one knows how to bypass and has ruined our very occasional viewing. Mimi has new copies of all the old labeling if the library gets a real home. Hoping for some improvement and change.

'half way through a show we get a Pay Your Bill Now message' - this message, while annoying, does go away in a minute or two. It would be nice if they could fix it though

I wonder how long its been doing the pay your bill now thing? It was doing it to us in April.

Maybe a private individual bought it, sunk some $$ into it and it is now in the rental pool per their contract...? thus CO received cash and rent...just a thought.

I think pretty much since they put the TV's in. We got in in June 2016 as well