Cheval Blanc St Barths
Hotel Name: Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France
Number of Rooms: 40
Location: Overlooking the rolling waves on the wide, white-sand Flamands Beach (one of the longest on the island.)
Set on ten acres, with gorgeous Flamands beach on one side and a grove of palm trees on the other, Cheval Blanc is quintessential St. Barth’s. The newly-renovated and expanded property is dressed in its island best, in Provençal-style white and blue fabrics that make it feel like a friend’s private home (provided you have friends with endless wine cellars and a perfectly-calibrated trademark scent subtly infusing the air.) The refined beach setting still offers plenty of St. Barth’s action, like Tuesday night fashion shows featuring local beauties and young guests decked out in the resort’s beach shop merch, all of which is just as well considered as the rest of the details – check out your footsteps in the sand while sporting a pair of the signature flip flops and you’ll see you’ve trod a perfect CB logo.
What We Loved: The post-renovation décor is truly swoon-worthy effortlessness executed at the highest level, breezy and pristine as a bespoke linen suit.
What We Didn’t Love: The lunch-time crowd at the beach club is so starry, it made us sad that we don’t own a mega yacht.
Right For: Travelers looking for discretion and taste at the highest level; those who want access to the scene around Gustavia, but also need a place to retreat and relax.
Wrong For: Families are welcome here (and there are even activities available just for little pirates and mermaids), but let’s be real – we’re not taking our kids anywhere with all white interiors.
Best Time to Visit: Like the rest of the Caribbean, Christmas, New Years, and Presidents Day are peak season, when the scene is pumping and the rose is flowing (and you know half the crowd from Sagaponack.) Visit in April and May for a more laid-back vibe.
TLF Tip: Pack a caftan one size up – the fries at La Cabane, the property’s beach restaurant – are some of the best we have ever had.