Club Fantastico—A unique boutique hotel
by Barry Murphy
My wife, Joanne, and I arrived in St. Martin on April 3 about noon, rented our car, and off we went to Orient Bay and Club Fantastico. In about 40 minutes we arrived in the beautiful gated community of Orient Bay on the French side of the island and were graciously greeted by Peggy and Mike Aveyard, the husband and wife host couple for Club Fantastico, and what wonderful greeting it was! First, we enjoyed a drink to quench our thirst followed by a quick tour of the property. We unpacked in Room 2, the premier ocean view suite, overlooking the beautiful 12-person Jacuzzi and Orient Bay beyond. From our French doors we could not only view the Bay, but also the swimming pool and terrace bordered by bougainvillea and hibiscus. Just beyond the pool was the completely stocked open bar, which later that evening provided the centerpiece for the weekly wine and cheese party. This is the only regularly scheduled event for non-guests and is a perfect way to tour the property while enjoying a wide selection of hors d’oeurves, wine, and live music.
Each of the 6 rooms is furnished with a king-sized bed with pillow top mattress, ensuite Euro-style bathroom, A/C, and in-room safe. This five-star property is up to American standards. The place was immaculate. There are also four outdoor showers where most of the guests preferred to bathe. The villa boasts a commercial kitchen capable of turning out complete dinners for several dozen people. Although the villa capacity is 12 guests, special arrangements have been made with the Alamanda Hotel for overflow accommodations in which the villa can be enjoyed by all during the day and evening hours. When there is sufficient interest, visiting chefs from Orient Village will provide dinner at the villa for the guests. Gourmet cuisine meets dining in the buff. We had the delight of tasting a great dinner prepared by another guest and his wife for all the guests, If you want to dine out, just down the road is the town of Grand Case, which some say is the dining capital of the Caribbean.
The nightly rate provided a very satisfying buffet continental breakfast daily and a complete open bar. I was also able to ‘keep in touch’ with the Wi-Fi Internet connection and free phone calls to North America. Nearly all the rooms were filled while we were there, and the atmosphere was one of a big family that got along.
While the physical makeup of any resort beckons first time explorers, it is the personal touch found with the staff and management that creates rebookings. Peggy and Mike seem to be the perfect couple to pull this off. Mike, a retired chiropractor, and Peggy, a retired hairdresser and salon owner, sold their businesses nine years ago as well as 90 percent of their personal effects to become naked nomads. They have traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada, Asia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Northern and Southern Africa, and Europe. After three years of being on the road, they found themselves spending a month at Eden Bay (now Caliente Caribe) as guests. The newly reopened resort was lacking activities, so Peggy began teaching water aerobics and playing various beach and pool games with the guests. Mike became the now infamous Nudini, the only naked magician in the world. Their one month gig lasted a year and a half. The couple then went on to Hidden Beach in Mexico. Now home is Club Fantastico and there is nothing more they would like to do than to invite you to join them in the garden spot of the Caribbean and the most popular naturist destination in the Caribbean—Orient Bay, St. Martin FWI. To quote the poet W.B, Yeats, “There are no strangers here only friends you haven’t met.”
