St. Barts - The Jewel of the Caribbean
Located in the French West Indies, the jewel of the Caribbean, St. Barts encourages travelers to unwind and take a break from reality as they dip their toes in the luminous cerulean waters and sunbathe on the white sand beaches. At eight square miles, the island is adorned with beautiful inlets and bays that provide a breathtaking backdrop for travelers from all over the world.
As the Caribbean’s most lavish and upscale destination, St. Barts attracts refined travelers to experience the elevated culinary scene, luxe accommodations and designer boutiques. St. Barts also features a wide choice of leisure activities including nautical sports and a full calendar of cultural events, including its signature Gourmet Festival which celebrates the long-standing tradition of culinary excellence on the island while paying tribute to French gastronomy.
St. Barts, features nine, five-star resorts and a collection of villas and smaller bed & breakfasts inns for secluded getaways. The esteemed Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf reopened to the public fall 2020 and offers guests an elevated experience through its 23 rooms, including 13 cottages and two junior suites, designed by the famed Gilles & Boissier. For a more relaxed and intimate stay, four-star hotel, Le Village’s offers comfortable rooms that are just steps away from St. Jean Bay. The island also has an array of smaller inns that offer a slightly more affordable option to the signature five-star resort offerings. For a private and secluded experience, Wimco Villas and St. Barth Properties each represent a large selection of villas to accommodate any crowd.
St. Barts features 15 diverse beaches and scores of coves and inlets ready to be explored. Guests can revel in the beauty of Shell Beach, known for the millions of unique shells scattered throughout the sand, and even dive into the crystal water from nearby cliffs.
St. Jean Beach, the most sought-after beach day spot, is conveniently located near the airport with easily accessible hotels, bars and restaurants nearby. Visitors can watch the serene waters and listen to the slight waves gently brush the shoreline. St. Jean beach is two separate beaches, separated by the coveted Eden Rock resort.
The most famous beach in St. Barts, Colombier Beach, offers visitors a breathtaking sunset view, that alone is worth the short hiking trip. Another option for a sandy seclusion is Saline, which also requires a short hike over a sand dune to access the unspoiled beach. With no resorts directly on the beach, tranquility is guaranteed.
A favorite of both locals and guests is Gouverneur Beach, where parking is plentiful and the natural tidal pools by the water are perfect for children.
St. Barts has a long history of boating and today the island is filled with vessels of all shapes and sizes ready to show visitors everything the island and its surrounding areas have to offer. Private yacht charters, jet-ski rentals and seabob excursions, to name a few, await. Guests can even explore the countless coral reefs and sub-marine ecosystems with scuba and snorkeling tour operators available to guide visitors on their undersea excursions.
St. Barts offers a unique, local-made shopping experience, with chic concept stores like Clic and Baya, one-of-a-kind boutiques like Bijoux de la Mer and the top international luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Dior. Embrace the French West Indies spirit through thoughtful selections made by locals on the Island. Browsing through the Island’s shopping central, Gustavia, shoppers can be pleasantly surprised by intricate clothing, personal gifts, home goods, jewelry and so much more. While on the island, be sure to visit Pati De St. Barth for keepsake clothing and accessories and Linge St. Barth for natural beauty and self-care products or the new new concept store is Artoyz where an array of fun figurines are at your fingertips.
After sampling all of St. Barts treasured beaches and browsing Gustavia’s esteemed shops and boutiques, visitors can indulge their senses with St. Barts most noteworthy restaurants. Nikki Beach is a classic yet sophisticated beach club restaurant that makes for a delectable Sunday Brunch experience.
Visitors can grab a fresh Caribbean lunch from Maya’s To Go for an on-the-go picnic lunch. The everchanging menu is set daily and typically features a variety of freshly baked pastries, salads and sandwiches. For guests with an appetite for high end seafood with a view will find themselves satiated with delicate courses, prepared with the freshest ingredients at Bonito.
Orega is a highly coveted spot in St. Barts. Markets from around the world, including Tokyo, New York, and Paris have been sending their best ingredients so that the Chef at Orega can create his authentic Japanese dishes.
For 30 years, local favorite Eddy’s has been serving delicious food, drinks and fun times. The owner, Eddy, and his son run the bar and make sure that each patron has a good time. This affordable gem has a lightly strewn garden in downtown Gustavia.
In an enchanting garden setting, Chef Jean-Claude Dufour (formally of Eden Rock) has been serving fine-dining masterpieces at L’Esprit since 2011. Guests dine in a palm-shaded courtyard deck with views of the old salt pond of Salines and enjoy beautifully presented dishes featuring fresh ingredients.
While there are no direct flights to St. Barts, visitors can choose from two, easy to navigate, travel options: Getting to St. Barts via St. Maarten is the most common route. Travelers can fly to St. Maarten where they will take either a 10-minute shuttle flight or an Island ferry. Princess Juliana International Airport, on St. Maarten has daily flights to/from: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Paris, San Juan, Toronto, Washington (Dulles), and many more U.S. cities. The most common flights from St. Maarten to St. Barts are via Win-Air, St. Barth Commuter, Air SXM, and a helicopter service.
The second option to land travelers at their luxury getaway is via San Juan, Puerto Rico. Travelers can fly to San Juan, and then take a one-hour flight directly to St. Barts. San Juan has daily flights to/from: New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Baltimore, Hartford, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Washington DC. Transportation to and from St. Barts by Tradewind Aviation.