caribbean · December — April
The Caribbean island we send the smallest number of guests to — and the one they return to most reliably. Cheval Blanc on the Flamands, Eden Rock on Saint-Jean Bay, the long Saline beach south of the airport. Addresses landing here over the coming weeks.
Hotels
Book the room — handled personally.
Palace · 5★LVMH's Caribbean Maison on Flamands beach — the most consistently executed luxury on the island.
Oetker Collection · 5★The Matthews family hotel on the volcanic rock at the centre of Saint-Jean bay — the social hub of the island since 1953.
Boutique · 5★Christian Liaigre's beach hotel on Grand Cul-de-Sac — the quietest of the serious addresses, with the calmest swimming on the island.
Resort · 5★The 16-acre Grand Cul-de-Sac resort, fully rebuilt by Rosewood in 2020 — the largest plot of any hotel on the island.
Authentic · the quiet rooms
Reserve the quiet dinner — handled personally.
Italian · Eden RockEdgar Bosquez's Italian room on the Eden Rock terrace — the table that has rebalanced the island's dining scene in 2025.
South American · Saint-JeanThe hilltop room above Saint-Jean with the view across the harbour to Gustavia — the long lunch turned long evening.
Hotel kitchen · ToinyThe kitchen at Hotel Le Toiny on the wild eastern coast — the island's quietest serious dinner.
Beaches & beach clubs
Reserve the cabana — handled personally.
Wild beachThe undeveloped salt-flats beach on the south coast — no buildings, no loungers, the swim that resets the holiday.
Town beachThe shell-strewn cove at the edge of Gustavia harbour — the sunset apéritif and the easiest swim in town.
Boats · charters & day trips
Charter the boat — handled personally.
Colombier · Île FourchueThe day charter to Colombier and Île Fourchue — the swim that is only accessible by boat, the lunch that the captain prepares on the rocks.
Half-day · Full-dayThe round-island day from Gustavia — Colombier in the morning, Île Fourchue for lunch on the rocks, the final swim at Petite Anse.
4-7 nights · catamaranFour to seven nights south through the Grenadines — Bequia, Mustique, the Tobago Cays for the snorkel on the reef.
Helicopter transfers
Book the transfer · airport, peak, port — handled personally.
10 min · St Barth Commuter / Heli SXMThe ten-minute hop from St Maarten to Saint-Barth — the only civilised way to arrive when the long-haul lands at SXM.