Getting
There
Getting
to St. Barts—also known as Saint-Barthélemy
and St. Barths—was quite simple. Being more financially
modest than many who vacation on this ritzy island,
we took a ferry ride to St. Barts after flying into
St. Martin. Depending on your means, you have a few
of choices. You can take a ferry as we did or you can
take a super short flight. There are pros and cons to
both of these options. The waters were rough the day
we took the ferry and, to someone who gets motion sickness
easily, we wouldn’t recommend this form of travel
to St. Barts. If you do well on the high seas, on the
other hand, go for it. By talking to other travelers,
we also learned that the plane that commutes back and
forth between St. Martin and St. Barts is quite small,
so if you have any fear of planes or are claustrophobic,
you would be best to avoid it and take the ferry. If
you can afford it, private yachts and planes can also
be chartered from St. Martin, and this is probably the
easiest and most comfortable way to get to the island.
Where to Stay
Because
we traveled to St. Barts with a large group of friends
and friends of friends, we had the opportunity to see
and compare multiple villa rentals on the island. Here
are brief descriptions of our favorites (not including
our own, which was considerably more moderate than what
follows):
 Au Soleil
This four-bedroom home offers the highest view of all
villas on the island. Private and tastefully decorated,
Au
Soleil has an amazing Zen-inspired garden with a
beautiful sitting gazebo. Equally attractive, each of
four bedrooms feature a stunning ocean view and great
en suite bathrooms. The spacious layout offers maximum
privacy between guests. We loved the colors of this
villa and thought that the energy was great!
 Princess X
Princess
X is the coolest villa we had the chance to visit
during our time on the island. Very contemporary and
tasteful in décor, the two-bedroom home features
a light neon green and plum purple color scheme. A fully
equipped, well stocked modern kitchen and sliding walls
that hide the two bedrooms were among our favorite highlights
in this villa. The bedrooms are equal in size and amenities
and both have great en suite bathrooms. This villa also
offers a peaceful outdoor sitting area, perfect for
enjoying relaxing afternoons or moonlit evenings. Another
great thing about this villa is that it is within easy
walking distance from Petit Cul de Sac Beach.
 Amancaya
This villa has one of the most visually stunning gardens
that we’ve ever seen on a private property. Also
on the grounds is an absolutely beautiful with gorgeous
stonework. Inside Amancaya,
all five bedrooms—including one that would be
great for children or a nanny—are done very tastefully
and comfortably. Other villa features include captivating
celebrity photographs all over the villa and a kitchen
with a stunning view.
 Silver Rainbow
Silver Rainbow also offers a large, overflowing pool
overlooking the ocean and a direct walkway to Petit
Cul de Sac Beach. All five of the bedrooms of this brand
new villa feature unbelievably luxurious bathrooms!
From huge, built-in rain shower heads that pour right
out of the ceiling to great deep soaking tubs, these
bathrooms were a site to behold. Silver
Rainbow also offers a large, overflowing pool overlooking
the ocean and a direct walkway to Petit Cul de Sac Beach.
What
to Do
With not much room for exploring St. Barts by foot due to
the diminutive size and steep hills of the island, sailing,
snorkeling, windsurfing, and other watersports are the
activities of choice, so make sure you like the water
and the beach if you choose St. Barts for your vacation.
BEST
BETS:
BEACHES
We stayed at a villa right on St. Jean Beach,
home to the beach restaurant Le Plage, where we enjoyed
a few drinks and watched the French tourists and locals
have a great time dancing the day away! Le Plage also
offers a pool, beach towels, and chairs for rent. Eden
Rock is also located just a few hundred feet down the
beach. This well-known restaurant and bar has great
food, drinks, and an amazing view; the prices reflected
their high level of service.
Anse des Flamands is a great beach
for families because swimming is very safe here and
it offers many restaurants and watersports. Hotel Isle
de France is located on this beach.
Lorient Beach is an ideal beach for
swimming and body surfing; it is also very popular with
locals for surfing. Be advised, however, that this beach
is a bit dangerous for small children.
Shell Beach is a short walk from Gustavia,
St. Bart’s capital city. This is a fun beach for
families of all ages and especially teenagers because
of the watersports available.
RESTAURANTS
St. Barts is well known for its amazing food. While there
are so many wonderful restaurants scattered all over
this small island, here are a few that we personally
attended or were recommended to us by the locals:
Eden Rock on St. Jean Beach
Though we didn’t have the opportunity to eat a
meal here, we had some incredible cocktails and a cigar
at the bar. The staff was very kind and eager to please.
Tel: 0590-29-79-99
Toll Free: 1-877-563-7105
www.edenrockhotel.com
TRY: One of the ten different types
of mojitos they offer. All are delicious!
Le
Bouchon, Pizzeria
Located in L’Oasis shopping center, Lorient
While the atmosphere at this pizzeria is very laid back,
we still had some of the best service we encountered
on St. Barts—and some of the best food! We were
too early for pizza, but their salads, fries, burgers,
and warm sandwiches hit the spot after days of eating
fancier French foods.
Tel: 0590-27-79-39
TRY: The Pizza of the Day
Le Ti St. Barts, Caribbean Tavern
Located in Point Milou, this spot in known for its bar
and themed evenings like “White Go-Go Boots Night”
or “Buccaneer Night.” They specialize in
rum drinks, local fish, and meat cooked on charcoal
barbeque grills.
Tel: 0590-51-15-80
OR 0590-27-97-17
TRY: Anything BBQ!
Le
Gaiac, Cuisine Gastronomique
Located at the Le Toiny hotel, this restaurant overlooks
the beautiful bay of Toiny, and offers an amazing view
of the Atlantic Ocean.
Tel:0590-29-77-47
www.letoiny.com
TRY: While this restaurant is known
for its exotic French fusion cuisine, the Sunday “Toiny
Brunch” is not to be missed!
CHEFS
If you can afford it, arranging chef service is highly
recommended for at least a night or two of your stay
in St. Barts. We were lucky enough to be invited over
for dinner by one of our friends who had hired a personal
chef and the experience one of the most memorable of
our trip.
Well,
that’s it! We hope the information we’ve
provided here helps you plan—and enjoy—a
great trip to St. Barts.
AUTHOR
BIOS
Ashley Alejos
- Ashley began her career in the travel industry
in 2002. After spending two years as a reservations
agent, she left her home town of Petaluma, California
and moved to Los Angeles where she worked for the Esperanza
resort in the Reservations Department. One year later,
she began working out of Los Angeles as a part of the
Villas of Distinction sales team. Currently, Ashley
is living in Atlanta, Georgia and working out of her
home office for Villas of Distinction.
When Ashley isn’t taking reservations for Villas
of Distinction, you can find her planning her next vacation
with Alyssa Rumrill, the Villas of Distinction Concierge!
Alyssa Rumrill
- Prior to coming to Villas of Distinction,
Alyssa was the manager of a high-end stationery store
and printing company working with wedding and event
printing. Alyssa joined the Concierge Department of
Villas of Distinction in 2006 and has since traveled
to many remarkable destinations, such as Puerto Vallarta,
Italy, St. Martin, St. Barts, Anguilla, the South of
France, and Costa Rica.
When she is not working or traveling the world with
Ashley Alejos, Alyssa is a make-up designer and assistant
for local photographers.
If you are interested in any of the villas in St. Barts
we represent, please call any of our villa experts who
will be happy to help you book a luxury vacation.
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