St. Barths Testimonials
In the month of November, some of the first visitors of the season arrived on St. Barths just two months after hurricane Irma passed over the island. These are stories about their time on the island, the experiences they had, and commentary on how quickly the island is recovering.
St Barths was Wonderful
“It was wonderful!! We tried some great new restaurants given some of our typical go-to’s were closed. We LOVED Tamarin and L’Espirit!
Also the Villa was fantastic. We would love to take it for next year. The locals were very nice and friendly. We made some great new friends and had a French “Friendsgiving”, including the owners of bar French Quarter.
Thank you and your team so much for your attention to detail. It has made St Barths our favorite vacation spot in the world!”
The Island is Beautiful
“Arrived through a crazy SXM airport- be sure you do carry on! Sad moment upon arrival driving by Jasmin House at Eden Rock with it bare and the windows open.
Our Villa Skrutten is gorgeous and full of amenities! Dinner at Tamarin was lovely and fun – Everyone was excited to have us back too. Croissants at Le Choisy..on to the beach. Then cocktailing by the pool! Then dinner with Friends at Eddy’s where his son and daughter both came by along with EDDY! The garden is still full of palm trees! Had lunch today at Le Select where the sign went back up!”
So Glad to Be on St Barths
“Thoughts After two days: I am so glad to be here. Connections went well. Tired for sure, but here!
The skies at night show more stars than I have seen here in a good twenty years! Breathtaking would not be adequate, so let’s add glorious. Less electrical lighting on the ground made the night sky new again. The views that were lost to us over the years due to dense foliage and higher fences and building construction are back. What stunning vistas have opened up. That said, the foliage grows greener and longer and healthier by the day.
Our first day to get around was a Sunday so traffic was at a minimum. Still many workers were at it and could be observed practicing their crafts. The roads are clear. There is no litter. Yes there are designated zones for collecting island debris, but they will be cleared in a timely way. There is a big difference between dirt, litter, and organized debris collection sites such as cars, boats, planes, tires, appliances, and electronics.
There is food on the supermarket shelves though Oasis is still closed. The restaurants keep opening are those happenings are eagerly watched for and cheered. The same for shops. The St Barths people are strong, hard working, kind and generous. They are so very warm and welcoming that I am delighted to be here among them on this side of ARRIVALS in order to welcome you back. True, the island is different, but it is still wonderful. So I suggest, plan that next trip for as soon as you will be comfortable with the changes…they will not all last for long.
Life is good! and what I often write is true…..Ahh, St Barths.”
Relaxing on the Beaches
“It’s a lazy morning. I was up early, venturing out to pick up little bits of trash down by Saline, and I’m just relaxing now. I have no ambition to do much of anything else.
The sun has lit the hillside across the bay in Anse des Cayes and Anse des Lezard. The beach seems wider there than it has in recent years.
There’s a hint of wood smoke on the air, most likely somebody upwind burning hurricane debris. I hear the tap-tap-tap of a lone hammer from somewhere deeper into Lorient. There’s a roof repair being done just down the road. That, the crashing of the waves, and the cooing of the doves are my soundtrack this morning.
Today’s schedule calls for some morning shopping, perhaps at Pati de St Barth, perhaps at the cigar store. After that, Lunch. Tonight, dinner with local friends and with friends who who are en route from NY. Somewhere in there is a big block of doing nothing, which is something that I excel at here. For now, it may be Mimosa time…”
Breathtaking
“St Barts has become our tradition for Thanksgiving with our girls. Aren’t we lucky? When we heard about the damage cause by Irma our initial reaction was if there is a St Barts to go to we want to go even if it won’t be the same. We still had questions about what it would be like but we took a leap of faith and we were not disappointed! It was a different year for sure but special nonetheless and we are very glad we went.
The biggest takeaway we had was the people of St Barts are hard working, positive, and this experience bonded them in a way they had not seen before. They were truly appreciative of our being there and were so welcoming and cheerful. It is breathtaking to see how much work everyone on the island has done in a short time.
If you didn’t walk on the beaches you might not realize the severity of the storm’s impact.
We found new places to enjoy while some of our favorite restaurants were not open. One of the miracles of the storm seemed to be La Longouste. We enjoyed two lunches there. Lovely setting, happy and attentive service (which as you know is not always a given!) and good food.”
What about the season?
These testimonials from the first people venturing back to St Barths for vacation paint a picture of hope and recovery. Each week the island creeps back closer to what it was, while still retaining evidence of the impact that Irma had on the island, and its people. A vacation to St Barths is one way to celebrate the spirit of the locals, and contribute to the island’s recovery. Together we say #StBarthStrong!
Book your St Barths villa here
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