TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Change at Club O Beach

Posted by Cedrick on Facebook:

Hey friends,

We can’t wait to see you again at Clubobeach! To keep the beach in great shape, support our amazing staff, and cover rising costs (including beach rental fees), we’ll be increasing the price of the two chairs and one umbrella package by $5 (package will be 30$ starting Oct 20th)

Also, parking will now be reserved for guests who rent chairs and umbrellas to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Thanks for your understanding and continued support. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Cheers,
Cedrick and the Clubobeach Team

GREED… The Club Orient Property is now under a French reserve meaning can not be developed and Perch lite and The beach chair guys are squatters. The Parking is now on public domain as well as the beach.

Wow, seems pretty expensive for what the chairs are at Club O.

I mean, its only $5 more, is it that big of a deal? Also can't you just bring you own towels and chairs and sit further down on the beach for free?

Sorry, just think it's too expensive, for what it is.

Got it, I wouldn't spend $0 to have a chair and umbrella set up but that's personal choice.

I don't think patrons who enjoy Club O necessarily pay for the actual quality of the chairs but the experience and friends they have met.

You can bring your own & sit further down but somehow you can't park in parking lot there if you aren't renting chairs & umbrellas. I guess they will collect at gate??

What about parking at the old Pedros ruins. It is Club Orient Property and not controlled by this bogus group.

Everything in this world is going up. I am fine paying 30 a day, I mean its only a 50$ difference for 10 days. I would agree that the chairs are not as nice as other parts of the beach, but the other parts of the beach are no fun. Cedric and his crew are about nice of people you can ever find. I do wish they would bring back that fancy bathroom though.

For nice padded chairs, I could see that price, but not for those chairs they are currently renting.I realize it is only $5 more, but it would be nice to have a comfortable beach chair for an extended stay.

It’s worth every penny. You cannot find that atmosphere anywhere else on the island. Club O May never be back but Cedrick puts his heart and soul into keeping the nude section of beach alive as well as all the friendships that have been made there over the years.
Some people just like to bitch and complain.

Yes the $5 is not a big deal for week or 2 stays but if you stay on island for a month or two it adds up. we discussed buying chairs last year decided not but looks like we will be getting them this year

It has become very expensive just to have a nice day at the beach and Club O certainly does charge a lot for that they offer. Not the good old days for sure. Prices have gotten crazy almost everywhere and it makes it hard on people on a fixed budget. On a busy weekend they must be making a fortune but that's free enterprise so good for him if people are willing to pay more and more.

I don't post very often BUT I've been relaxing on ClubO beach with the same friends for 35 years and $5 isn't going to change that.

Definitely agree! We were there today and I must say it was very nice not to have the parking lot full of cars and have an easy walk to the beach. To many cheap freeloaders trying to push out the people actually paying to support a business. Let them walk all the way down the dusty road.

Hi there. I'm wondering where you get your information, sxmmartini.

Everything I have read is that the land is owned by the Copropriété de la Baie Orientale (for simplicity, Club Orient). For it to become public property the government would have to expropriate it and I think we would have heard if that happened.

The beach is and always has been public property and is under the purview of the Coastal Conservancy which has granted Cedrick the right, for a fee, to run a beachfront operation renting chairs and umbrellas.

A few years ago, the Coastal Conservancy required that the structure Randy built for the Perch Bar and Grill be moved from the beach and it was moved, with permission from the Copropriété to their property. It isn't on the beach.

As for the parking, I'm not sure where exactly you mean. Parking in front of the Club Orient chalets is clearly on Club Orient property.

Since Cedrick and Randy both have agreements with Copro (Club Orient/Copropriété de la Baie Orientale), I don't think that they can exactly be considered squatters.

I also object to the use of the term "squatters" as that is disparaging to two legitimate business owners who have done a great job of keeping the beach usable for naturists.

Sure, maybe Cedrick's chairs aren't all padded (not that I think that's an advantage with wet bums and lotion) but they are far better than sitting on the towel on the sand or carting in chairs.

And there is widespread agreement that Randy's Perch Bar and Grill is a great place for food and drinks.

If you have new information (not gossip or rumour) to add, please do so. I'm sure we all prefer to have facts rather than speculation.

Thank you for the much needed information so misinformation does not continue.

https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islan...-resort-expected-to-close-within-30-days

Fact check needed…
How can the owners of Club Orient give permits to build a beach bar when the Copro can not get any permits to rebuild?
The area is now a nature preserve according to one Cedric’s employees and can not be developed.
A concession is needed to rent chairs on the public beach and the amount of beach chairs spread on the public beach is subject to the size and seating of the concession/ beach bar. If there is no business further down the beach it is for locals and includes not preventing access to the public beach.
Under French law the OBC must be a profit-making company, whereas the Copro must be a non-profit organization!
There is clearly profits from Perch and Club Orient/ Watersports so where are these profits going? Clearly not to Copro since it is a non profit organization. It is going into someones pockets not Copro or Orient Beach Club (OBC).

Good to know but most likely most people don't really care and just want to enjoy their vacation. Understand that resident want to use to beach too freely but keep in mind it there money that is supporting most of the islands feeding families and paying lots in hotel and other taxes. If there is a problem the French don't seem to be shy about stepping in.

Regarding building the Perch Bar and Grill, it is not considered a permanent structure so it is allowed.

You say that the Copro can't get permits to rebuild but I don't know that is true. I'm pretty sure it isn't true. The issue is complex and while permit applications have been submitted in the past, changing rules due to the PPRN meant that those applications did not meet the requirements. I understand that the issue is still under question since the rules about what can be repaired vs rebuilt and what is required if you do rebuild.

Cedrick's employee may have been referring to the beach and he may not have accurate information either.

Orient Beach Club (OBC) is in liquidation (as it says in the article you linked to) so it definitely isn't making money!

Cedrick and Randy are registered business owners so I'm pretty sure they are getting the profits since they are running the businesses. The Copro has nothing to do with their business operations other than allowing them to use the land and that is so that they will continue to keep the beach for all the naturists that love it. That is totally in keeping with the spirit of Club Orient.

I like to stay hopeful.

If I build a sand castle, do I need a permit?

Not as long as you tear it down before you leave.

From how I understood it the extra money was also for close up parking which is a benefit for those who come a little later and worry about no parking. A lot of us can not easily walk down that long dusty road to far.

Thank you for your info… Do you know the rent that Perch Lite pays to Club Orient Owners? Orange Fever and all the businesses pay rent in the range of $2800. and more per month. This bogus group pay nothing to the Club Orient Owners. To compound the insult the Club Orient Owners bought two hundred chairs and umbrellas to keep to nude beach going till the resort was rebuilt and they could take it back. Well that ain’t happening!

I will again be there in mid December. I have gone there every year for 40+ years for what I feel is healthy therapy. I spend the day there, drink a Heineken or two and smoke a good cigar, sometimes share conversation with others. This year may share some rum to celebrate the holidays, may see you there. Hope so.

Today was a good day at Club Orient Beach. Everyone was able to park and enjoy the nude beach. The group total is twelve. Most rented from Cedrick but two opted out and got two chairs and an umbrella at Orange Fever for no fee for running a tab food and umbrella drinks at Orange Fever. Rain is still in the forecast for Halloween. I hope not.

You sure the chairs were free and not included on the drink and food tab? They've been charging $5.00 per chair whether you eat or drink there or not for the past year or so.

Weren't the chairs & umbrella $20 in January? Did they go to $25 february?

Any new lounge chairs since last February?

They were already in short supply and dozens of busted ones were in piles hither and thither. Meanwhile, the new lounges purchased after Irma hit the island in 2017 were already not in very good shape.

Is it $20 for one chair and an umbrella? My wife is unable to come this time. Plus the nude beach is not really her thing anyway.

As stated above the price is $30.00 for two chairs and an umbrella. Maybe less for just one chair. My wife and I were there a few weeks ago and had a great time. Meet a lot of fun people. I am interested to know the condition of the beach, while we were there the beach got a lot smaller. There were days when the water was washing under all the chairs, even the back row of chairs. A lot of erosion was taking place. So, if you could report back about the condition of the beach that would be great.

I am afraid that one day the beach will be gone, we are planning on returning again next October.

When we were there in July I think it was $7 for an umbrella at $25 for the set of three that would make the chairs $9 each. I imagine Cerick will keep the ratios close now that they are $30 per set