Soak up St Barths’ luxurious laissez-faire attitude with a stay at Le Barthélemy, an ultra-chic hotel with a certain je ne sais quoi
St Barths (short for Saint Barthelemy) is a small French-speaking Caribbean Island with a very big reputation. As a Daily Mail reader you’ve seen the articles of A-listers like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Pippa Middleton and Leonardo DiCaprio, emerging from the turquoise waters or chinking champagne glasses aboard luxury yachts.
Yet alongside all the celebrity ultra-glam (and outside of the two week Christmas and New Year high octane peak) is the real magic of St Barts, its laissez-faire attitude, shoes-off-feet-in-the-sand, peaceful and (expensive) low-key chic.
Colorful Moke jeeps meander along narrow winding roads, well-heeled women with six-figure rings browse boutiques, Sancerre is sipped and ceviche grazed upon over long lunches at exquisite beach front restaurants. Look out over the charming red-roofs of the capital Gustavia and you’ll see the moored super yachts of numerous high-profile billionaires, the good life is at every turn.
Small island with a BIG reputation: Saint Barthelemy has long been the playground for the rich and the famous
For those of us not in possession of a 500 foot mega yacht, luxury dwellings can be found dotted along the 22 pristine beaches over the island’s 9.26 miles. It’s hard to stand out in a place where everything has a certain je ne sais quoi but during my recent trip, hotel Le Barthélemy managed to do just that.
Le Barthélemy is a stunning five star hotel nestled along the white-sand, palm tree fringed cove within a secluded reef of Grand Cul de Sac. A beautiful resort with meticulously designed accommodations and impeccable service, it’s a little slice of the Côte d’Azur in the Caribbean.
The thrill of my vacation began before I had even stepped onto the island and into the care of the hotel as aside from a ferry (not recommended due to their reputation for delays, cancellations without warning, choppy waters), St Barts is only accessible via 8 seater charter flights that swoop down over a hill before landing on a 650 meter short runway.
Arrive in style: Start your vacation in safe hands, and with VIP treatment, thanks to Tradewind who are the go-to charter company for flights to St Barts
On previous trips I had flown into St Maarten and navigated their infamously chaotic airport, but this time I flew into San Juan so I could be in Tradewind’s trusted hands and experience an elevated VIP service. The San Juan airport itself is a lot calmer and the Tradewind lounge with snacks and WiFi makes passing time between connections much more comfortable.
After a thoroughly enjoyable 50 minute flight on a shiny Pilatus PC-12 plane at 16000ft over the breath-taking blue waters later, we glided into St Barts.
Le Barthélemy offers complimentary airport transfers to the hotel but we had decided to rent a car which we picked up upon landing. Renting a car is a must as there are only around 40 licensed taxi drivers on the island and they are notorious for being absurdly expensive and hotels aren’t allowed to offer transfers other than to the airport. Renting a car is a great way to explore St Barts anyway, from driving into the small port of Gustavia to check out the luxury stores, to exploring the remote beaches tucked away on the island.
Although as we soon found out when we checked into the hotel, we wouldn’t be wanting to spend too much time away from Le Barthélemy.
Le Barthélemy is a stunning five star hotel nestled along the white-sand, palm tree fringed cove within a secluded reef of Grand Cul de Sac
Beach or pool? Spend stress-free days soaking up the sun at the five star resort
The five star hotel embraces its stylish Parisian pedigree thanks to the acclaimed interior designer Sybille de Margerie. Sybille’s work is a masterclass in understated luxury, with muted tones and clean lines giving the last word in elegance. This can be felt throughout the property from the 44 rooms and suites featuring private terraces with garden or ocean views to the Le Spa to the Amis St Barth restaurant.
Dreamy design: The five star hotel embraces its stylish Parisian pedigree thanks to the acclaimed interior designer Sybille de Margerie
Postcard perfect: The suites face the calming waters of the crescent bay where guests snorkel with turtles
The suites face the calming waters of the crescent bay where guests snorkel with turtles, with perfect temperatures of 27c the refreshing breeze blowing into the rooms. Little touches like evening turn down service will leave you feeling thoroughly looked after with chocolate delights left by your bed, your clothes miraculously folded away, crisp white sheets on your four poster bed peeled back to invite you in.
It’s this eye for detail combined with an overarching sense of ensuring optimal wellbeing that makes Le Barthélemy a premier resort. Very quickly the five star amenities and comforts help you unwind and relax, and that’s before you’ve even stepped into the spa.
Ultimate stay: There is an overarching sense of ensuring optimal wellbeing that makes Le Barthelemy a premier resort
Le Spa is an oasis of serenity with it’s steam, sauna and cold plunge offerings, plus you can indulge in personalized treatments using the most luxurious skincare products on the market from Le Mer. The award-winning spa has also recently introduced two new wellbeing concepts to promote an even deeper sense of calm and connection to self; Janzu and Aquatic Tibetan Sound Healing.
Rejuvenate: Hot and cold plunges await you at the Le Spa
Don’t sweat it: Achieving optimal wellbeing is a core spa principle
Now you’re feeling pampered and rejuvenated, wander over to the hotel’s restaurant, Amis St Barth, for an evening of casual elegance; delicious food and carefully curated cocktails bought to you by warm and knowledgeable servers. We happened to dine on one lively evening where we ate dishes of Bellota chorizo rolled monkfish, mini zucchini stuffed with vegetables from Nice (€55) and Gratinated clams with lemon butter & fennel (€42), as a live band played in the background. A large group of friends began dancing as the night went on and the drinks flowed, while a honeymooning couple cuddled under the stars on the deck, a family with young children played animated games at their table.
Casual elegance: The hotel’s chic restaurant Amis St Barth seamlessly transforms from a chilled breakfast spot to a lively evening venue
Dining with a view: Delicious food and carefully curated cocktails bought to you by warm and knowledgeable servers at the resorts highly rated restaurant Amis St Barths
Unwind: Enjoy a lowkey yet lively ambiance come evening at the resort
For you see Le Barthélemy caters to many. Including those who don’t even want to stay in a hotel! The resort also has a sister company Le Barth Villa Rental which allows you to experience the impeccable hotel resort services, from within your own incredibly stylish home.
That means a continental breakfast is delivered to your doorstep every morning, you have access to a dedicated concierge 24/7 at your entire disposal, you can even use the hotel’s luxurious amenities whenever you wish.
Prefer a villa rental? Depending on your party size, opting for a Le Barth Villa might be a better choice and you still get to enjoy all the hotel’s amenities
Le Barthélemy’s two on-property villa rentals- Villas Aqua and Bleu- all mimic the luxurious décor of the hotel
The 200 villa rentals on offer are all quite different in size, style and pricing meaning there’s something for everyone whether you’re combining families and want something kid friendly or are hosting an extravagant adults-only week long celebration. The Le Barthelemy team will assist you every step of the way and place you with the property that will best suit your requirements.
Prices at the Le Barthélemy hotel start at €990 per night for a Le Barth Jardin room while the La Suite Plage comes in at €2330 per night. Rates vary depending on day of the week and time of year with the winter season being peak. The hotel closes in the off season from mid-August to October 28.
Or perhaps the villa rental is more suited to your requirements and your party size. Prices for Le Barthélemy’s two on-property villa rentals- Villas Aqua and Bleu, start at $6,429 per night and sleep up to 12 guests. Or you can check out the rest of the 200 Le Barth Villa Rentals here.
Five star hotel or five star villa is the only tough decision you’ll have to make during a vacation at Le Barthélemy.
Stay at Le Barthélemy
Many major airlines fly to San Juan where you can pick up a Tradewind charter flight to St Barthelemy.
Prices at the Le Barthélemy hotel start at €990 per night for a Le Barth Jardin room while the La Suite Plage starts at €2330 per night. Rates vary depending on day of the week and time of year with the winter season being peak. The hotel closes in the off season from mid-August to October 28.p
Prices for Le Barthélemy’s two on-property villa rentals; Villas Aqua and Bleu, start at $6,429 per night and sleep up to 12 guests. Or check out the rest of the 200 Le Barth Villa Rentals here.
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