One week in Saint Barthélemy
Where we stayed, what we ate, and why we're already plotting our return
St. Barth’s has been on my list for a while now and visiting early in the low season was, in my opinion, ideal. The weather was still fantastic, there were fewer people, and reservations were a bit more flexible.
For anyone who may be planning a visit, I figured I would put together a (somewhat) brief list of favorites from our week in paradise!
Monday
Travel | There are many ways to get to St. Barth’s but we flew into Puerto Rico (SJU) and chartered a one-hour flight to St. Barth’s. It was a breeze - less than 10 hours door to door and we were in paradise.
Stay | We stayed at Hotel Le Toiny - a scenic fifteen minute drive from the island’s beating heart, Gustavia. With twenty-two idyllic suites (and a few larger villas) it was our perfect escape - private, serene, and spacious. Although there are plenty of beautiful hotels closer to Gustavia, we enjoyed the more remote nature of Le Toiny because we were shielded from rowdy crowds that we weren’t particularly interested in hanging around.
Dine | After checking in, we enjoyed some champagne (courtesy of our travel planner, Lauren) and a quick dip in our pool before we freshened up for our dinner reservation at Kinugawa. I’d highly recommend this spot! Fantastic service, cocktails, and food!
Indulge | We ended the night at a little crepe shop that we found online and made friends with the owner (and returned every night!).
Tuesday
Beach Clubs | Spending the day at a beach club is *the* thing to do in St. Barth’s. From what we gathered, you should make a lunch reservation and arrive early to snag a nice spot on the beach. I’ll add that you should call ahead to make sure that the club offers beach spots to non-guests! There were a few clubs that didn’t allow us to enjoy their beach despite having a lunch reservation (the Sand Bar at Eden Rock and Shellona were the only ones we encountered). Would have been nice to know in advance because we would have made other plans sooner!
For our first full day, we opted to take it easy at our Le Toiny’s beach club. It was stunning and quiet but the beach was a bit rockier than we typically like. After my foot got cut up pretty bad while taking a swim in the ocean, we opted to stick to the beachside pool. When we felt ready for same shade, we made our way to lunch where we devoured fresh fish and the most delicious greek salad I’ve ever had.
Shop | We popped into town a before dinner to poke around some of the shops but ended up spending most of our time at Baya. I brought home so many goodies - including these mother of pearl spoons and the matching butter knives!
Dine | For dinner, we enjoyed sophisticated Italian recipes at L’Isola. The restaurant is on the smaller side and much simpler than others that we visited. But it was the perfect spot for a romantic date-night!
Wednesday
Beach Clubs | We ended up making a last minute* reservation at Gyp Sea on Little St. Jean beach - where the water is warm, the sand is like sugar, and the waves are nonexistent. This was my hubby’s favorite club. It was also the perfect spot for some adventure - snorkeling, seabobs, all the fun stuff!
*I wanted to note that one of the many perks of visiting during the early low season is the flexibility you can enjoy while planning your day! We moved reservations around, cancelled, and booked new spots all without any issues (or fees).
Shopping | Each beach club has their own boutique that very much matches the vibe of the club. Gyp Sea’s was definitely my favorite!
Dinner | Le Tamarin is a must if you’re visiting St. Barth’s! Such a gorgeous setting.
Thursday
Relaxation | We reserved one day for total relaxation and we’re so glad we did! The spa at Le Toiny was fantastic. The massages were so luxurious that we immediately booked another session for Saturday!
Dine | This was the one night we stayed out later to experience the infamous St. Barth’s night life (not for us). But we enjoyed our experience at Bonito nonetheless. The creative cocktails were the highlight!
Friday
Beach Clubs | We swapped our reservation at the Sand Bar for a day at NAO Beach. Situated a few hundred yards down from Gyp Sea, we were excited for another day at Little St. Jean beach. The food was yummy but the service and beach spots were not up to the standard we’d experienced elsewhere. For that reason, we wouldn’t go back!
Dine | La Petite Plage offered a cozy view of the harbor and fresh Mediterranean fare. I’d suggest selecting an earlier seating so you can enjoy the sunset colors.
Saturday
Beach Club | La Guérite was my personal favorite. From the design to the food, everything was just spectacular! Artichoke salad, homemade (sparkling) lemonade, and gnocchi were the highlights.
Dine | We enjoyed our final dinner right on the harbor at Bagatelle. A delicious, romantic meal to finish off this extraordinary vacation.
Sunday
We left early in the afternoon on Sunday filled with gratitude for an incredible week together on this stunning island. St. Barth’s is unlike any place we’ve ever been. Offering a friendly, unique, and elevated small-town feel, we can’t wait to return!