by WIMCO Villa Specialist Kate Olerio
It’s always nice to see a friendly face on arrival, and I’m sure our clients feel the same way when they see their concierge waiting for them outside of the arrivals hall after a long day of travel. This year we were greeted by David. We had the pleasure of staying in Villa CBA for the first four nights on the island. I had toured the villa on a previous trip, but came away with a new appreciation for it by staying there. The sea view of kite surfers on the Grand Cul de Sac lagoon from the villa’s terrace is unbeatable. The villa has perfectly equal bedrooms which is great for couples traveling together.
After a long day of traveling we were happy to see our Maya’s To-Go order waiting for us in the refrigerator. We used the kitchen to prepare our food and were happy to see it was fully equipped with everything we needed.
The next day we began our villa and hotel tours. We had a packed schedule for the week, and planned to visit a mix of old favorites, new, and renovated properties. In total we toured thirty-five villas and three hotels while on the island.
For the second half of our stay on the island we moved to Villa ABR in Anse des Lezards, which turned out to be one of my favorite villas of the trip because of the expansive views. This four-bedroom home is brand new, with two bedrooms on the main pool and living room level, and two bedrooms just below the upper bedrooms. The villa gets sun all day long, and you can hear the sound of the surf from the terrace which is lined with plenty of comfortable loungers and sun beds. This house will work perfectly for all different types of parties!
Another favorite that we saw was Villa MER, a three-bedroom in Gouverneur. I really enjoyed this area of the island because it was peaceful, had perfect sunset views, and was close in proximity to town and two fantastic beaches. Location aside, I loved how dark blue ocean views are the focal point throughout the main rooms in the villa. The outdoor terrace and pool were private and larger than I expected. The mature gardens surrounding the villa enhanced the relaxing atmosphere, as well as the friendly turtles all around. To me, the villa felt like a true island escape.
As always, the food on St. Barths was inventive, authentic, and had some of the most unique presentations I have ever seen. It was so nice that Charlotte and I were able to be on the island for the WIMCO team dinner at Maya’s. We were happy to see some familiar faces from our Newport office as well as catch up after a long winter with our island team.
Because I had only been to the island in the fall and summer, it was nice to travel to the island in the spring. By the end of our time on the island, I am happy to say that Charlotte, as the fearless driver, and myself, as the cautious navigator, were a successful team on our own. We came away with a lot of new insight for this beautiful little paradise.
VSC Chill, 3BR beach retreat on Lorient bay. There is plenty of beach front space that is fully equipped with loungers and hammocks. The home is a perfectly maintained example of a St. Barths home.
LIL This adorable, 1BR, has been updated to modern standards. This home is perfect for a small getaway because of its proximity to the beach and small plunge pool!
EDU Brand new to our inventory, this 4BR just across from the road to Villa LGB in Lurin. The home comes equipped with expansive ocean views, dark wood interiors, and wheelchair accessible lower level.
APN This is the perfect 1BR. It is peaceful, private, and has a constant ocean breeze. This home is a lovely getaway because of its large pool and lovely lounge chairs on the wooden outdoor deck.
BLR This 2BR in Colombier was home to my favorite views of the entire week! Watch the planes landing, views into the mouth of Gustavia’s harbor & sunset views. Each bedroom was equal in size and the home is very private.
LKJ This 1BR villa is located in the Colony Club in Gustavia. With an old Caribbean charm, shared pool space, and the sweet sounds of school children playing nearby, this home is great for guests who want to be close to town!
KNG This new 2BR villa, is the perfect combination of privacy and a great location in-town in Gustavia. The villa has stunning sunset views along with views of St. Jean from the villa’s entrance. This home is modern, fully air conditioned, and has a simple and fresh atmosphere.
APE This brand new, 2BR home in St. Jean has lovely décor and a relaxed style. This home is perfect for a small family or couples traveling together because of it’s modern gazebo, outdoor seating, and minute drive to the beach.
JUN This massive, new 6BR is located just in Corossol. There is an elevator from the parking area, and all bedrooms are nearly equal in size. The home is furnished with all the bells and whistles, including, but not limited to, a fitness room, heated pool, home theater, and a wine fridge.
ACI This home is a beautiful 3BR overlooking the Cheval Blanc hotel. Because of the sliding doors connecting this home to Villa ART, these two villas can be rented together for a total of six-bedrooms. This villa is also a short five minute walk to Flamands beach.
PAG This villa is beautiful and spacious for a 1BR. The home has lovely white linens with pops of blue to match the ocean. Because of the comfortable lounge chairs and lovely plunge pool, this home is the perfect oasis for a couple!
CMA I was really impressed by this expansive piece of land and dramatic, cliffside views that came along with this 6BR villa in Petit Cul de Sac. The villa had a lovely interior, and the outdoor areas had a nice breeze.
Additional villas toured: ECO (Gouverneur) 4BR, ECG (Gouverneur) 4BR (min of 6 nights for xmas, min of 7 nights for NYE), NIR (Lurin) 4BR, VRN (St. Jean) 4BR, BST (Lurin) 3BR, ING (Pointe Milou) 4BR, FLC (Lurin) 3BR, ARK (Pointe Milou) 3BR, TIG (Vitet) 4BR, BEA (Marigot) 3BR, LAO (Corossol) 3BR, CAS2 (Colombier) 3BR, WAY (Colombier) 5BR
Hotel Christopher – This hotel is my favorite on the island as they are so hospitable and courteous. Their Sisley Spa is a can’t miss experience and I highly suggest it to anyone who is looking to get a spa treatment while on-island. There is something so special about their cliff side treatment rooms where you can listen to real sounds of the surf while having a massage- it’s like a dream!
Le Sereno – The hotel restored everything to the same style as it was before the hurricane. They now have a lovely new beach-side, lounge area that will be great for pre or post dinner cocktails.
Le Barthélemy – This hotel has done an impressive job restoring and adding on their new beach side restaurant, Aux Amis Plage. Samantha was our tour guide at Le Barthélemy which was fantastic because she was so knowledgeable about the property. This was by far the most insightful tour that we had. The restaurant staff is also very attentive and help provide guests with a lovely dining experience.
La Langouste – We dined here on our last day of villa tours and it was my favorite meal of the trip. Everything we ate was perfectly prepared, simple, and delicious. This restaurant was perfect for a mid day meal because of the casual atmosphere, nice breezes, and prompt service. I ordered the lobster bisque as a starter, and it was the best I have ever had! A bold statement, because I am originally from New England.
Bonito – This was my favorite dinner on our trip. I chose the sautéed sea scallops with artichoke & chorizo tortellini’s, in asparagus chorizo cream. I ate every bite of this dish because it was so flavorful. This is the perfect place to people watch because of the lively location near the harbor!
Lil Rock – I really loved the casual beachside setting, and we ate here twice. It is feet in the sand dining, and I saw both locals and tourists alike. It is a perfect spot to take your children because you can enjoy a long leisurely lunch, and the kids can play just steps away on the beach or in the surf.
-Hotel Christopher for lunch. The starter we shared was ‘thin slices of yellowfin tuna on Sardinian bread with mascarpone, wasabi and spring onions’ – amazing!
-Orega for dinner. I had the “Smoking Duck Roll” which was duck confit over a beautiful sushi roll of mango, asparagus, foie gras, and tempura bits. The food was rich and to die for!
