Aaaahhh, St Barths, how do I love thee!

by Bethany Ludwick

It’s hard to imagine that St. Barths can generate such good emotions and frame of mine, especially when you think that I’ve been traveling there steadily since 1985. I could drop what I’m doing right now, happily wind my way to Logan airport, and jump on a flight tomorrow.

I continually ask myself, “Why do I love this island so much?” It could be the food, or the seemingly endless flow of rosé, (blue bottle preferred), or the powdery white sand beaches with the crystal clear water. Shopping is always fun, even the grocery store has an allure in finding items not available at home. The harbor is picture perfect and it’s never tiring admiring the beautiful yachts, sail or motor. Gorgeous sunsets, breath taking views, rolling green hillsides –all good. Bakeries with warm bread, croissants, and desserts worthy of the cover of Gourmet Magazine, so unlike the offerings in our local store in Maine. Crisp blue skies with a soft breeze, rustling the beautiful green palm leaves, surrounded by colorful bougainvillea instead of dreary, baron trees and gardens full of snow – that could be it, especially in winter. Tie all this together and of course it’s a recipe for sheer delight.

Villa WV DIA Situated on the edge of the nature reserve, this 2 bedroom villa offers maximum privacy with sweeping views of the entire St. Jean area. The large living area can be opened up entirely to the outside and has all the modern amenities you would expect. The outdoor area is spacious with a tanning area and a large, solar heated pool. This villa is ideal for couples traveling together. Starting at $7,500/week

This trip, however, the above was not the answer to the question. It occurred to me, more than ever, I love St. Barths because of the people!

The opportunity to spend time with so many wonderful people is a treat. I love all “the boys” from Tradewind Aviation, who handle their guests with first class treatment.

WIMCOsbh is a hard working team that continues to receive compliment after compliment on their service, handling client’s requests seamlessly. Our office is welcoming in providing the NY Times digest every morning, free wifi, a computer, and a printer for boarding passes.

	Villa WV LUZ Perfect for families and large groups, this 3 bedroom villa has large common areas and gorgeous tropical plantings. This is a tastefully decorated villa built on three different levels with views over beautiful Lorient Bay. Starting at $6,600/week

Meeting clients and finally putting a face with a name is something I particularly enjoy. I also like asking them face to face, “Is there anything I can help you with?”, “are you enjoying your villa”, “please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you”. It’s so much more meaningful when it’s with a smile and a hug or a handshake.

The list of people I spent time with is too long for one report. One amusing tale worth telling though: Andy from Andy’s Hideaway stopped at our table as we were having dinner one night. We were talking about celebrities and he told the story about Wendy, who was living on the island at the time. (Andy said he never knows who any of the “A Lister’s” are when they come in.) Wendy asked, “Has David Letterman ever been here?” and Andy said “No, I know who he is but he’s never been in”. She said, “I’ll bet you $100 he has”, to which Andy agreed. Wendy smiles and said, “Well, he’s sitting right next to you so pay up!” No one on St. Barths bothers the celebrities and when we saw Lorne Michaels and Caroline Kennedy with her family at the same table, they were enjoying dinner, just like everyone else.