What color is. Paradise?

Transcription

1 What color is Paradise? La Salamandre The WFG Villa on St. Martin

2

3 Paradise is painted in colors in St. Martin. Rows of umbrellas in bright primary shades of yellow, red, blue line its popular Orient Beach. Clusters of cottages and colonial homes painted in soft sherbet hues of pink, peach and lemon dot its verdant hillsides. Jewel-toned waves of lapis, aquamarine and turquoise shimmer and glisten in the sunlight before gently caressing the island s shoreline. But St. Martin s paint box is filled with more than simply the colors obvious to the eye. Its palette also features the warm golden hues of hospitality exuded by its citizens, the cool, calming tones of relaxation experienced strolling one of its 37 beaches, and the red-hot excitement of its nightlife. St. Martin welcomes WFG s top leaders to paradise and encourages them and their families and teammates to experience all this colorful island has to offer. And there is no better place to experience St. Martin s various hues than WFG s exclusive villa, La Salamandre. 5

4 Blue. From one vantage point on the expansive terrace of WFG s La Salamandre villa, the cool iridescent blue waters of the 460-sq.-ft. pool seem to flow seamlessly into the tranquil waters of Simpson Bay, one of the island s largest lagoons. Take a few steps, and you can catch a glimpse of the sugar sand beach that runs the length of the property. Reminiscent of villas found along the coasts of France and Italy, La Salamandre s terrace serves as a focal point for this luxurious property. Many of the home s rooms open up onto the terrace, where there are several spots perfect for soaking up the sun or sinking into the latest bestseller. Take a moment to reflect on your team s success and strategies for the future at the nearby Japanese reflection pool.

5 Located on 2.5 acres, the estate s grounds, including the terrace and pool area, are tastefully landscaped with lush palms, native plants and flowers, such as oleander, bougainvillea and hibiscus, and outcroppings of rocks. In addition to the private beach, the property boasts a deep-water dock ready to welcome sailboats or yachts. WFG s La Salamandre is situated within a prestigious gated community in an area known as the French lowlands. Behind a set of impressive iron gates, a curved, paved road leads to the villa s massive, hardwood front doors. The Mediterranean-inspired estate is painted a soft butter color and features many impressive architectural details including the aforementioned doors, as well as its stately columns and antique terracotta roof tiles. Once you step across La Salamandre s threshold, the formality ends, replaced instead with a casual elegance that will make you feel right home. 5

6

7

8 Chocolate Brown. The overstuffed couch in La Salamandre s great room, with its soft, cozy pillows in shades of soft browns, is a welcoming sight after a day spent hitting the exclusive shops and boutiques of nearby Marigot. The villa s well-appointed interior successfully marries luxury with comfort. La Salamandre features an open floor plan. Nowhere is this more evident than the estate s foyer. The unobstructed view from the front door through the great and dining rooms through terrace and pool area to Simpson Bay is nothing short of spectacular. There are six spacious bedrooms where guests can unwind in privacy and style. The rich earth tones that are featured throughout the villa s common areas have been carried through to the elegant bed linens and furnishings of each bedroom. The bathrooms offer the height of luxury natural hand-cut Italian travertine wall and floor tile, classic European porcelain and chrome fixtures, and custom cabinetry. While most bathrooms feature oversized showers, off one of the bedrooms is a true Caribbean original an outdoor shower.

9 One of the most elegant and practical décor decisions was the use of Italian travertine tile throughout the estate for flooring. Each room features distinctive floor coverings that add to the overall casually elegant ambience of La Salamandre. No detail was spared in the outfitting of the gourmet s dream-come-true of a kitchen. A certain harmony has been achieved by pairing the old with the new aged wood beams overhead and the travertine tile below with contemporary lighting fixtures and the latest in appliances and gadgets. Gather round the granite-topped island to discuss the day s adventures while preparing a delectable dish. With WFG s La Salamandre villa serving as an elegant base of operations, you may be tempted to stay put and not venture out to explore St. Martin. But get out and explore you should. There is much to experience in this colorful island paradise.

10 From the air, the hillsides and shoreline seem to be dotted with lovely, large bouquets of roses. But on closer inspection, those roses are really the distinctive red-tiled roofs of many of St. Martin s cottages, estates and homes. Located toward the middle of a chain of islands that curves through the Caribbean like a string of pearls, St. Martin is an island of colorful contrasts. It s called St. Martin on the French side of the island and St. Maarten on the Dutch side. Whether you interested in hunting for seashells or the latest fashions from Paris, you re sure to find it here. You can move with ease between the French and Dutch sides of the island. No border crossing stops here a simple sign that s easy to miss is the only indication that you ve traveled from St. Martin to St. Maarten and back again. This tiny island paradise is said to be the smallest partitioned between two nations. While they share a common Caribbean spirit, the two sides of the island could not be more different. The pace on the French side of the island is relaxed and easy, with its elegant boutiques and bistros. Dutch St. Maarten is more bustling, with a busy commercial district, a dozen casinos and an active cruise ship port. Differences aside, there is much to love about this colorful island where the charms of the Continent have been set to a calypso beat.

11

12

13

14 The weather here is very hospitable, rarely varying from its usual warm and sunny forecast. Cooling trade winds keep the island s temperatures, which average around 83 degrees F., in check. So, grab the sunscreen and plan a day enjoying one of the islands 37 beaches. Before you head out decide what you re looking for in a beach a secluded spot to relax and catch the rays, a family-oriented beach where the kids can have fun, great snorkeling, or one with plenty of water sports activities and rentals. Visibility in the waters surrounding the islands often goes as deep as 100 feet in spots, making for great opportunities for snorkeling or scuba diving.

15 If you prefer your activities on dry land, you also have many choices. The island has one 18-hole golf course, located near Mullet Bay in St. Maarten. There are more opportunities for tennis with more than 70 courts located throughout the island. Horseback riding and hiking are also available. And there are several museums, art galleries, an exotic butterfly farm and an historic fort to explore. For those who would rather spend the afternoon shopping, St. Martin/ St. Maarten offers a variety of retail options, including duty-free shopping. The retail district on the Dutch side of the island is found mainly on Front Street in Phillipsburg, where shops offer jewelry, electronics and Danish porcelain. But it is in the Marigot, on the French side, where shopping reigns supreme. Tucked along its narrow streets are tony designer boutiques, trendy shops, and at the Marina Port La Royale, an elegant shopping center, where the latest fashions from Europe can be found. Not far from Marigot is the charming fishing village of Grand Case, which boasts some of the finest restaurants in the Caribbean. Housed in quaint wooden cottages, painted in pastel colors and adorned with gingerbread carvings, are a myriad of restaurants, bistros, cafes and lolos (shacks where local barbecue is served). Here, you can sample French, Creole, Italian, West Indian, Brazilian, Chinese and Moroccan cuisine. And after a fabulous feast, head to one of St. Martin s nightspots, where you can dance the night away to live bands playing the music of the islands calypso, zouk, reggae and soca. Or, if you re feeling lucky, travel to the Dutch side of the island and visit one of the dozen casinos that can be found there.

16 Pink. Orange. Dusky Purple. An explosion of color streaks across the evening sky as the sun sets on beautiful St. Martin, closing its paint box for another day. But as you gaze across Simpson Bay, you know that the memories you take home with you from this island paradise and WFG s La Salamandre Villa will be painted in the colors of St. Martin.

17

18 2005 World Financial Group, Inc. Printed in the USA 1325/7.05