With wedding season upon us, L’OFFICIEL explores beautiful St. Barth through the lens of newlywed honeymooners.
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Discovering the Villa Marie Saint Barth through a very well-informed colleague changed my perception. The beautiful appointed 5-star hotel is set into the Colombier hillside, giving each of its 21 villas and bungalows a dreamy Flamands Bay view. Villa Marie’s aesthetic sets it apart from the other luxurious accommodations on the island, and I soon realized that my perception of the island was quite narrow—hedonistic Saint Barth’s, whose glamourous notoriety is even larger than the island itself, has a magically rejuvenating side.
Hand-crafted rattan furnishings and exquisite vintage finds dot the hotel’s charming entrance, and the mix of tangy citrus hues throughout give the property a warm bohemian spirit. While each room has its own charm, drawing inspiration from colonial-era design, eclectic Caribbean flair, and French chic, the bungalows—with their secluded outdoor claw-foot tubs, and roof-deck swings—are spacious and gorgeous. Honeymooners may wish to spring for one of the property’s villas, which enjoy the same dedication to welcoming design, but feature either a plunge pool or jacuzzi.
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Do dinner at Villa Marie’s François Plantation, at least once. An expressive foray into gastronomic creativity, who knew a simple salad could amaze with such richness?
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A car is very necessary on the island, the rental of which I had neglected to plan in advance, given the craziness leading up to our wedding. Thankfully, the staff at the Villa Marie were able to miraculously procure an automatic rental car for us, apparently the last available automatic on the island. Happily ensconced behind the wheel, we took it upon ourselves to explore some other parts of the island. As we curved around the cliff-hugging roads on the south-east side of the island, we noticed that the muscular waves had attracted their own small surf community. After taking in the sweeping views, we climbed into a Land Rover and descended down a rolicking hill towards the beach.
That surfer’s paradise of a beach did not always exist, and Le Toiny in no way planned to offer their guests a beachside dining experience. However, Hurricane Irma had other plans. While it wrought extensive damage upon the island in 2017, it also reshaped the island in more ways than one. While Le Toiny’s villas are tony to be sure, upon disembarking at the Beach Club, a sign stuck in the sand set another tone—no shoes allowed.
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Time seemed to melt away under the trees, as the surfers paddled out and we dined on refreshing gazpacho and grilled salmon paired with mussels, farfalle, shitake and seaweed. Sea grape trees provided just the right amount of relief from the afternoon sun, and we felt far far away and finally, fully relaxed.
Night time in St. Barths offers up almost too many exquisite dining experiences. Sunset cocktails at Shellona and a game of Backgammon are a must as the sun darts across the cove and magnificent Shell Beach. For a more indulgent experience, head to Eden Rock, which juts out on the cliffside like a Bondian liar. Eden Rock’s welcome cocktail is worthy of Bond himself, a delightful pink bubble floating on a tulip glass that explodes into thin air when gently tapped with a finger. Order the Pina Colada, even if that’s decidedly not your thing, as it comes in a kitsch-meets-cool cut crystal pineapple vessel. Dinner there is a delight as well, with one of the chefs (also, recently married!) telling us that the fish is so fresh it’s almost too fresh. One can’t go wrong with the culinary delights and fresh seafood at Orega, Kinugawa, Le Tamarin, and Bonito, other favorites on the island.
These mini-mooners found themselves up late at the cigar bar at Villa Marie, sipping on rum, delighting in failing miserably to learn to play backgammon. You can too. VillaMarie.Fr
