Hotel Pasanggrahan Royal Guesthouse (Philipsburg, Sint Maarten)

"The Pasanggrahan Royal Guesthouse is St. Maarten's oldest and most charming inn. Formerly a rooster farm, Governor's home, V.I.P. guest house, and Dutch Royal Residence, it is ideally located in Philipsburg on a white sand beach amidst enchanting tropical gardens and enclosed within its original stone walls: a green oasis hidden on Front Street. A national landmark and one of the last bastions of West Indian culture, the Pasanggrahan is secluded and offbeat in the heart of St. Maarten’s capital, and it's a minute's stroll to shops, restaurants, casinos, banks and other institutions and activities. This authentic, colonial style inn has all the special features of a larger hotel including concierge service, the Sidney Greenstreet Bar, boardwalk beach bar, complementary chaise lounges, beach towels, and social hour. “A special place for special people” "This vintage West Indian-style guesthouse has a prime spot on the beach in Philipsburg, sandwiched between the busy, narrow main street of Philipsburg and the harbor. It's set back and shaded under tall trees, a charming relic from another time. In fact, this was once the summer home of the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, and the interior has a gracious, late-19th-century feel, with peacock bamboo chairs, Indian spool tables, and a gilt-framed oil portrait of the Dutch queen. The small- to medium-size accommodations have queen-size, double, or king-size beds with four-poster designs; some are in the main building and others are in an adjoining annex. The finest have genuine colonial flair, with antique secretaries and four-posters swaddled in mosquito netting, madras valances, hand-stitched quilts, beamed ceilings, and still life paintings. Set among lush palms is the harborfront Pasanggrahan Restaurant, which specializes in fresh fish caught by the hotel's own deep-sea charter fishing boat and family-style dinners.