Mont Vernon Villas, St Martin

Mont Vernon is the hillside above Orient Bay, villas with sweeping views over the island's liveliest beach and the offshore islets, with the sand, beach clubs and restaurants a short drive below.

Mont Vernon is the residential ridge rising directly behind Orient Bay on the north-east coast of the French side. Its villas look straight down over the two-kilometer sweep of Orient Beach and out to Green Cay, Pinel Island and Tintamarre, one of the best villa views on the island, while staying above the activity, with a cooler breeze and more privacy than a beachfront property.

The trade-off is ideal for many guests: you get the panorama and the calm of the hillside, but Orient Bay's beach clubs, water sports and the restaurants of Orient Village are only a few minutes' drive down the hill. Grand Case and its famous restaurant row are roughly 10 to 15 minutes away, Cul de Sac and the boats to Pinel Island are nearby, Marigot is around 15 to 20 minutes, and Princess Juliana International Airport is about 30 minutes south.

Mont Vernon suits travelers who want a big-view villa with a pool, the energy of Orient Bay close enough to dip into whenever they like, and a quiet, breezy base to come home to. See the Mont Vernon villas Coral Villas manages below.