Villa Les Oliviers – Luxury Villa in Terres Basses, Sint Maarten

Villa Les Oliviers is a contemporary four-bedroom villa in Terres Basses, built around an infinity pool and a clean, minimalist look, with the ocean in view from most of the house. It suits a family or a small group who want something modern and low-key rather than grand, close to some of the best beaches on the French side.

The style is restrained and bright. Open-plan living rooms let the light run through, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors frame the sea and open onto a wide terrace. The kitchen is fully equipped for a week of proper meals, and the choice each evening is simply whether to eat in the lounge or outside under the stars.

The infinity pool reaches toward the horizon and gives the property its best seat, with a shaded outdoor lounge beside it for the hours out of the sun and an alfresco table for dinners as the light drops. It is an easy rhythm to fall into for a week.

All four bedrooms are treated the same way, each with a king bed, an en-suite bath, and its own access to the terrace, so no one is stuck with the lesser room. The villa sits inside a gated community and comes with housekeeping, which keeps a longer stay simple.

Baie Longue, the longest and one of the quietest beaches on the island, is a short drive away, with Marigot's markets and cafes in one direction and Grand Case's restaurants in the other. For dinner, Bistrot Caraibes in Grand Case does French-Caribbean seafood about twenty minutes north, and our concierge can book the table.

Low-season weeks start at $4,795 for three bedrooms and $4,900 for the full four. The appeal is in the restraint: the clean glass and white lines, the infinity pool aimed at the sea, and four equal rooms all opening onto the same terrace.