Nettle Bay Vacation Rental studio

My husband and I rented this apartment in August 2008. The apartment was very clean and we particularly enjoyed the private balcony and quick access to the ocean. There is a large and very clean pool quite close to the apartment. The owner was very helpful by providing us with information about where to shop on the island. The downstairs neighbor was also quite friendly and helpful, and we enjoyed his afternoon accordian music - very French atmosphere! The property is safe, clean, and conveniently located.
We particularly enjoyed the time we spent on the island because we visited during low season, and it was quiet and peaceful. Not only would we recommend this property to friends, but we would stay there again.
I do recommend renting a car at the airport, but there is no need to rent in advance.

We woud actualy rate this property a 9 or 10 !
We stayed for a week in Feb 2009 and never wanted to leave. This unit is even nicer than the photos and pictures portray. It is very clean and in excellent condition. The location is convenient to everything but a car is recomended. The owners Marie and Phillipe are a delight-warm and friendly, always having great recomendations for shopping and restaurants.
This place has it all-spectacular view, great pool, fabulous accomodations and a private second floor terrace. We cooked several meals in and enjoyed eating on the terrace listening to the accordian concert by Luc from downstairs.
We had a terrific stay with Marie and Phillipe and can't wait to return to the "friendly island".

The second floor studio overlooking the sea seemed more spacious than it looks in the photos, and the large roof terrace with the same view was where we spent much of the time when not at the pool (which was never crowded).
The French owners, Philippe and Marie, speak excellent English and were very nice. They live in a larger apartment on the ground floor. In the evenings, when we were dining on the terrace, their neighbor Luc often played his accordion -- very French -- which we very much enjoyed.
The studio and pool area were clean, the towels were fluffy, but the Nettle Bay Beach Club buildings are starting to show their age.
We cooked most of our meals on the two-burner electric stove (we usually had a salad for a vegetable). We enjoy fish but found it hard to find (try the Skipjack Restaurant's retail fish store in Simpson Bay) except on Thursday night when the U.S. Imports supermarche received a shipment of fresh fish from mainland France.
The location is good, only a short drive to the capital Marigot, where we frequented the French bakery Le Sucriere. We had dinner at Ma 'Ti Beach Bar, serving French food, which adjoins the Beach Club, and lunch at O Plongeoir in Marigot, also French food. Each was good, but not extraordinary. We also ate at one of the inexpensive "lolo" (locally owned and locally operated) barbecue places in Grand Case.
We disliked the Dutch side with its high rise hotels, American style restaurants, bars, casinos and strip clubs.
A short walk down the road is a small shop, Le Tissu au Soleil, selling colorful fabrics from Provence, where we bought beautiful Jacquard woven table linens and printed aprons. They also have a stand at the open-air marche in Marigot.
You can get by without a car, but with one you can search for your favorite beach (ours was Le Galion, much of which is a nature preserve and was a favorite of local families because an outer reef where wind-surfers play provides calm water for children).
We took the Voyager ferry to St. Bart's --an expensive (around $90 roundtrip per person) and often rough trip-- to spend the day with relatives vacationing there.
All in all, a nice place for a quiet vacation by the pool and beach at a reasonable price -- and you're in France!