Just back from St. Barths: A Late Summer Trip
My husband and I spent 3 days in St. Barths the first week of August. Three days isn’t enough, but still, I’d never complain about three days. It just always makes sense. You drop the American mentality, admin, structure and you get into that French island feeling and you feel younger and happier already.
I’m very pro-villa as you can imagine, but there’s certainly a time and place for a fabulous hotel, and 3 nights sans kids is definitely that. We stayed at, and I highly recommend, The Carl Gustaf in Gustavia. It is not cheap (I was lucky that I both had a credit and that I have some sort of persuasive power to attract upgrades). The view of the harbor, no matter how many times I see it, continues to captivate me—the red roofs, the sailboat masts, and the sense of stillness from afar even though the town is bustling. My husband and I loved being the first ones to breakfast, a beautiful spread of fresh fruits, muesli and mini croissants. Then we hit the tennis courts in Colombier for some proper ass-whooping by Greg, an amazing French pro who delivered when I said I wanted to work off said croissant.
Breakfast at Carl Gustaf
The sprawling lawn at Camp David
And then honestly it was off to three days of villa visits—what I do for WarburtonCo and truly love doing. Even more than beach walks or long lunches, I’d rather be driving on crazy hills, navigating to the next villa. My first day I went down to Camp David on St Jean beach. Camp David is a really interesting property – it sits beachfront (next to Gypsea) and has a wild amount of space. Although it will likely go under a substantial renovation, this is an amazing house if you happen to be an event planner who happens to be planning a big bash – a sprawling lawn, two pools, and tennis court. I was dreaming of welcome dinners and canapés and tiki torches and remembering that St. Barths was a fun, very fun, place to get married.
Villa Kreola is a real gem and was one of my favorites from the trip. It’s directly in town, but still feels totally serene. As someone who lives a vaguely suburban life in a sprawling city, the ability to walk on vacation is huge for me. Walk to dinner. Walk for croissants. Walk to Shell Beach. Don’t worry about denting your Terios rental on a few hairpin turns after dinner—just walk home. I love this house for a family with grown children (being 18 is pretty fun in St. Barths, especially if you can walk to town). I think this house is well-priced at $50,000 weekly for the winter. When I look at other five bedrooms with this level of quality and access, this is hard to beat.
Villa Kreola, just steps from the harbor
Villa Firefly, with incredible views over Anse de Cayes
Villa Firefly is a villa I get asked about a lot by clients – probably because the pictures are stunning, the price is fair, and it’s a seven bedroom which seems to appeal to both large families and big groups alike. If you can handle the steep hill (not for the faint of heart) then this is a great house. The living room was built exceptionally smartly – all floor to ceiling windows, maximizing the view of Anse de Cayes beach, and the type of couch that makes you want to binge-watch a show on vacation – it’s comfy, folks. The downstairs bedrooms are all on one corridor – so not a ton of privacy between each—best for a group of girlfriends or a close family. I’d suggest kids be at least 6 or 7 as the stairs to the bedrooms are a bit steep.
As much as I love seeing beautiful houses, it’s just as important to see ones that I don’t love. And boy did I see some duds. It’s remarkable how many houses have been built lately that lack any real character – no distinctive view or thoughtful design, just generic rental properties. The most successful villas tend to be ones that were built for owners who envisioned using them themselves. You can only tell the difference by seeing properties in person, which is why I rarely book villas unless I’ve personally visited them.
Next up was Villa Jasmine, one of three sister villas in Gouverneur, which is now independently owned. The new owner has updated the décor (including some lovely St. Barths artwork) and I think this villa will still really appeal to so many clients. But Villa Olive is still my favorite of the three. (I have no problem picking favorites).
Indoor/outdoor living at Villa Jasmine
One of the bedrooms at Villa Bonnie in St. Jean
Villas Bonnie & Clyde were two newer properties that caught my eye in St. Jean. These villas are directly next door to each other, so they’re perfect if you’ve got two families traveling together (Perhaps one sister who lives in LA, one in London, whose natural meeting point is in the French West Indies?). When traveling with extended family, we like being close but play nicer having our own kitchen setup. The décor is both neutral and whimsical – soft sage green walls, antiqued tiles, and vintage maps for art. Bonnie and Clyde are great 3 bedrooms and I like the rate ($26,000 for winter).
On a longer trip I like to explore new restaurants, but for three nights, I’m opting for greatest hits. We started with dinner at Isola—always sexy and usually good. We always go to La Cabane for lunch; I love sitting with my feet in the sand, their grilled mahi, and the massive dessert tray they parade (though I try, sometimes successfully, to resist at lunch). Interestingly, Flamands beach was nearly eroded during our August visit – though I’m told it should be fully restored by November. And our last night we spent at Bonito, which I go to because of the music. (If you see me with my arm in the air – I am shamelessly Shazam-ing a song). I also love all the extras they give – amuse bouche to start and petit fours to finish. The staff brings a certain graciousness to dining there and always makes us feel taken care of.
If you’re thinking about an upcoming trip, I would be bullish on February – I am surprised at how quickly it is booking up with President’s Day Weekend and school breaks. Thanksgiving has become busier each year, but there are still some gems left, and most at low-season rates, which is a real win. For Christmas and New Years, a lot of the minimum night requirements have relaxed. Plus...it’s just so fun. If I can be helpful in any way, let me know...
All best,
Me! With all my essentials, except apparently a beach bag.
