With nice touches such as welcome bottles of wine and flowers in rooms, and a very modern interior design, the recently renovated Grand Case Beach Club feels more upscale than its rates or 3-star status would suggest. The hotel is located in the northernmost section of St. Martin, on the French side of the island. The two beaches are both quite small (this factor has a strong negative effect on the Overall Beach Resort Rating), dining variety is lacking (just one on-site restaurant), and there’s an additional fee to use the fairly lackluster fitness center (which is highly unusual); but the property offers a complimentary continental breakfast daily, a rooftop zero-entry pool, impressive overall service, and modern rooms with beautiful wood flooring and trendy kitchens. The Sunset Café, the on-site restaurant, is directly on the water and offers incredible ocean and sunset views plus fresh French cuisine and a nice candlelight ambience. Rooms range from studios to two-bedroom units; many have ocean views and can easily accommodate up to six people. Activities include scuba diving and snorkeling (in the immediate vicinity), water skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing. The lovely small town of Grand Case isn’t far; there’s plenty of shopping and dining, including French and Italian restaurants (the town is within walking distance).