Why Honeymoon in Grand Case
Few Caribbean towns are this good at dinner. Grand Case has a concentration of restaurants that would be impressive in a town ten times its size. Many sit right on the sand with tables a few steps from the water. Menus lean French and Creole: tuna tartare, local lobster, duck and slow-cooked fish with rum and spice.
The town is also refreshingly low-rise. There are no high-rise towers, just small hotels, guesthouses and apartments. It feels local in a way that much of the island does not, with fishermen on the beach in the morning and families out on the boulevard on weekend nights.
The setting helps too. Grand Case faces west across the Anguilla Channel, so sunsets drop straight into the sea most evenings. Creole Rock, a small islet just offshore, gives you a snorkeling trip within kayaking distance of your hotel.
When to Go
December through April brings the most reliable weather, with breezy, dry days in the low 80s Fahrenheit and comfortable nights for eating outdoors. It is also when every restaurant is open and the town is at its liveliest.
Grand Case has traditionally hosted a weekly street festival on Tuesday nights during the winter season, with music, local food stalls and craft vendors filling the boulevard. Confirm dates with your hotel before planning around it.
May through July is warm and calmer, with lower room rates and shorter lines for tables. Some restaurants trim their hours but most stay open.
August into October is the quiet stretch. Hurricane risk peaks. Many of the best kitchens close for several weeks, usually in September and part of October. If your dates fall then, check opening calendars first. A Grand Case honeymoon with half the restaurants shuttered misses the point.
Where to Stay
Grand Case has no large resorts, which is part of its appeal. Most lodging falls into a few types.
Beachfront boutique hotels sit along the boulevard, some with only a handful of rooms and balconies over the water. Grand Case Beach Club, at the north end of town near a quiet cove, is a longtime favorite with couples who want easy beach time.
Hillside suites above town trade sand for views. Hotel L'Esplanade, a small hotel on the slope at the edge of the village, has lofted suites looking down over the bay and is a short walk from dinner.
Villas and apartments around the edges of town suit couples staying a week or more who want a kitchen and space.
Wherever you book, ask whether the room is above or behind a restaurant. Music and kitchen noise travel on warm evenings. A room on the beach side, away from the busiest stretch, is worth the extra cost. As a rough guide, boutique rooms in town often run about $300 to $600 a night in high season and noticeably less in May and June.
Romantic Things to Do
Plan your days around meals. Book one or two splurge dinners at beachfront tables for sunset, then fill the other nights with something casual, including at least one round at the lolos.
In the morning, rent a kayak or paddleboard and head out to Creole Rock. The water around it is part of the protected Saint Martin nature reserve and often has turtles and reef fish. Some dive shops in town also run snorkel trips there.
For a beach day away from town, Happy Bay is a short walk over the headland to the south, a quiet curve of sand with no buildings. Friar's Bay, a little farther, has a couple of relaxed beach bars.
Book a catamaran trip to Tintamarre and Pinel Island, or drive 15 minutes to Cul-de-Sac and take the tiny ferry to Pinel yourselves. On a weekday, a ride to the Pic Paradis trails adds a cooler, greener contrast to the beach.
Getting There and Around
Fly into Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on the Dutch side, which has nonstop flights from several East Coast and Florida cities. From there, Grand Case is roughly 25 to 40 minutes by car. Traffic around Simpson Bay can slow things down in the afternoon.
Grand Case-Espérance Airport (SFG) sits right behind town, handy for regional hops to St. Barts, Guadeloupe or Martinique.
You do not need a car in Grand Case itself. Everything along the boulevard is walkable, with the beach right there. A rental car is useful for day trips to Orient Bay, Marigot or the west coast beaches, or for an evening on the Dutch side. Parking on the boulevard is tight at dinnertime, so walking or taking a taxi is easier. If you do drive, leave nothing visible in the car.
Taxis wait near the main hotels and restaurants. Agree on a fare before setting off, especially late at night.
Food and Drink
This is the reason you came. The boulevard mixes classic French restaurants with Creole kitchens and casual seafood spots. The quality is high across the board. Expect fresh fish, local spiny lobster, foie gras, tartares and serious wine lists. Reservations are essential for dinner in high season.
The lolos are the other half of the story. These open-air grills near the pier serve barbecued ribs, chicken, grilled lobster and fish with rice and peas, plantains, johnnycakes and coleslaw. Seating is at picnic tables, the mood is friendly and lunch is the best time to go.
Mornings are for the bakeries, where you can pick up croissants and baguettes to eat on your balcony.
Try guavaberry liqueur, a spiced local spirit. Then order a ti' punch made with rhum agricole from Martinique or Guadeloupe. Many restaurants include service in the bill, so check before tipping.
Honeymoon Tips
Make dinner reservations as soon as you book flights for high season, especially for Valentine's Day, holidays and Tuesday nights. Tell the restaurant it is your honeymoon; you might land a better table.
Bring some US dollars in cash. Many places accept them. Some offer a favorable exchange rate for paying in cash. Cards are widely accepted too.
Grand Case runs on a relaxed schedule. Dinners take two or three hours. Service is unhurried by design. Plan on that rather than fighting it.
Pack reef-safe sunscreen and water shoes for the rocky stretches near Creole Rock.
If you want a livelier night out, the Dutch side is close. A taxi to Simpson Bay or Maho takes around half an hour, so you can stay in quiet Grand Case and still sample the casinos and beach bars across the border.