I had always fantasized of going to St. Barts since I was basically a pre-teen, but always considered it the unattainable island of my dreams. When I was 12 years old, I broke my leg, don’t worry this is the norm for me. What wasn’t normal for me was reading until I realized I was going to be on crutches during a week-long cruise with very limited activities. So, I bought my first YA book; Gossip Girl. I became obsessed very quickly. I know you’re thinking, “what does this have to do with St. Barts?” Well, everything. The entire third book takes place there, the descriptions of the beautiful sun kissed people, crystal blue beaches, and the way they described the forever flowing alcohol and French food… Everything made me want to go there. It all made me want to live like the rich and famous, but I thought they were the only ones that could afford it. I was wrong.
The hotels are not as expensive as I had thought. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing cheap about it, you won’t find anything for under $300 a night, but that is far from what I had pictured in my jaded mind. Each hotel is more impressive than the next, so you better be ready for luxury. A lot of the suites and rooms have private plunge pools for the perfect romantic getaway. (Favorite hotels: Le Toiny, and Manapany), but if you just got your trust fund and want to say what the hell you can do it here.
Hands down, the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The way that the glowing sun reflected off the blue-green saltwater, in contrast with the stark white sand, could bring a grown man to tears. Although the downside is that a ton of the beaches there are not swimmable, because of all the rocks.
So. Many. Villas. Whether they are in hotels or stand alone, they are everywhere. This makes it a great destination for a ton of occasions, multi-generational, couples, bachelorette parties. You can do it all there. The only thing to consider is that the island is built on hills and not everywhere is directly on the beach, but sometimes the view is worth a 10 minute drive.
The French know how to have fun!
You can spend your nights dancing on tables at Bagatelle, and your days partying by the water at Nikki Beach, there is no lack of things to do and opportunities to bring out your chicest outfit and take down as much rose’ as your body can handle.
It is actually pretty easy to get to:
They have a ton of non-stop flights from many destinations to St. Maarten, and from there it is just a 10-minute ride in a small plane. If you hate small planes, no need to fear, we have options for you, like flying into Puerto Rico and taking a short almost private plane over.
Everyone looks like a model, or thinks they do and has the attire to match, so dress the part.
With all of these things, I have to admit that St. Barths was much more laid back than I expected, it didn’t have the stuffy, pretentious feel. It was the best combination of French culture and beauty with Island vibes.
Comments