TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Dreams Reincarnated Anywhere?

By far our favorite place to spend a day was Dreams. Great food, service, atmosphere, and beach. Have heard that they were leveled and are not rebuilding.
Has anybody visited any worthy successors?
We're arriving Jan 30th.

Closest would bikini and kontiki at orient. Maybe the new venue next to Royal Palm on Kim sha once it opens.

Kakao has also reopened on Orient. Unfortunately LaPlaya (which is owned by Bruno, who owned Dreams) will not be back open until May. Although not quite on the level of Dreams, you could try also Friars Bay Beach Club. Be aware that they do NOT accept credit cards though.

Haven't been there since it reopened, but we have spent many wonderful days at Anse Marcel in the past and would rate it in the same category a Dreams used to be.

We also are very fond of Friars Bay Beach Cafe and have enjoyed meals there for many years. one of our island favorites, in fact. The disadvantages there, to me, is that they do NOT accept credit cards and the entry to the water is about 4 - 5 feet of pebbles when trying to enter the water which can be very uncomfortable to tender toes.

I would recommend Bruno's new place on Orient Beach if it is opened by your time on island. It was scheduled to open in December but has been delayed a bit. Perhaps Anse Marcel or Friars Bay would be other choices.

What's the name of the bar/restaurant/beachfront before Friar's BC? Looks low key but comfortable....

That would be Kali’s, unless it’s changed names. Used to host a supposedly raucous full moon party and may still for all I know. Or not?

Elizabeth--no, LaPlaya (Bruno's place on Orient) is now not scheduled to open until May 2019.

Oh really. That is a long delay!

Yes, I think it is timed with the reopening of the hotel.

Carol,
I just received an e mail on Saturday from La Playa saying the hotel will not open until July 1.

Wow, that's terrible, another delay. I wonder whether the restaurant is also delayed further?? I had hoped to be able to go there in June.

The closest thing we found this past November was Friars Bay Beach Cafe. The chairs are padded, though not quite as comfortable as Dreams' chairs. The food is comparable, as is the very friendly and efficient service. The beach there is actually better than it was at Dreams. As has been mentioned, they don't take credit cards. La Playa, when it reopens, will definitely be on our list; we miss Bruno!!

Georgia--as you know, basically nobody would go to Dreams for the beach, as it wasn't good. I personally have not spent the day at the beach at FBBC, we just ate at the restaurant for lunch. But it appeared to me that if you want to go into the water, beach shoes would be a good idea, due to the small rocks at the water's edge. And I don't remember, did they have little tables beside their chairs? It seemed when we were there, that looking out at the chairs, they seemed kind of close together..

Just curious--have you ever been to Anse Marcel Beach Club? We've never been there, but need to go sometime, based on Linda's (Jazzgal) and Pat's recommendations.

The few days we were at FBBC this past December, the little rocks weren't a problem getting in and out of the water, but I have been there when they were. Two chairs, one umbrella, and a table were $10 if you were eating at the restaurant, and there was scads of space between the chairs. I'm sure if it's busier there's less space between.

As to Anse Marcel, we went once in 2016. It's a gorgeous beach of course, and the facilities are beautiful as well. The food was also excellent, but we felt it was overpriced; and the servers were pretty snooty. Anyone who knows us knows that we're friendly and know how to act in a nice place, so when we experience that it's a bit of a turn-off. We'll probably give it another try this year; maybe we just caught them on a bad day.

Georgia,

We were at Friars just a week before you and I thought the rocks (pebbles, stones or whatever.....) as you entered the water were so bad this year that one of the first things I did when I got home was order a pair of water sandals for future trips to this beach, of which there will be many. The food has always been excellent and varied and the service, IMHO, has always been very good. It says something to me about the quality of the place when you see so many diners coming to the beach solely for lunch, considering the distance off the well travelled path. Will definitely be going there next trip.

With reference to Anse Marcel, if it reopened with the same style and class it previously offered, I can’t wait to get back. We have enjoyed every day we’ve spent there and I can’t say I’ve ever experienced a snooty attitude but sometimes the French l’attitude can be described that way I guess. Our last trip there was in April ‘17 and strangely enough, this was the only time I was bothered by those sharp stones in the water there so I guess those water shoes may do double duty. Can’t wait to get back.

And to the OP, I think you will probably enjoy your days at either of these venues as long as you don’t mind making the lengthy drives to either place. And if not, I’m sure you will find others to enjoy as well.

Nobody mentioned Kokomo at Indigo Bay. Did they reopen? Has anybody been there?

I though I heard that location opened under a different name and venue.

We went to Kokomo last May. We were ignored when we arrived, in spite of the fact that I spoke to the young lady behind the bar. We found the chairs to be ragged, and the beach looked difficult to navigate. Based on all of that, we left and went to Mary's Boon, where we were welcomed warmly and enjoyed our day. I won't spend my money where it's not appreciated.

I felt the same about Kokomo and did not stay either. Perhaps it is different now with a new name and owner.

Hope so.

New name is Indigo Beach

Thanks. That's what I thought it was changed to.

If you Google Indigo Beach Restaurant it takes to the Kokomo website. Any first hand info from somebody that's been there very recently?

The reopened restaurant at Anse Marcel is getting very good reviews from foodies on the island whose opinion I respect. Can't wait to try it in June. I have also read quite a few good comments on Facebook about the new Indigo Beach restaurant.