Where to Stay on St. Barths
There are a couple of key questions a visitor to St. Barts should ask themselves when trying to decide where to stay on the island. Unlike most Caribbean destinations, the answers are not always what you might expect.
• On the beach or hillside?
Many Caribbean travelers look to be directly on the beach when making a lodging decision. St. Barts, however, is very different than most Caribbean destinations and being "on the beach" is not nearly as important as on other islands. Why? First, the "best" beaches (generally considered to be Saline and Gouveneur) are isolated and there are no hotels or villas on these beaches. As such, even if you are beachfront, you will in all likelihood want to explore other beaches. Second - the view. St. Barts is very mountainous and the hotels and villas that are not on the beaches are generally perched on top of one incredible vista or another. The view from these locations can be truly spectacular. That said, there are some terrific properties directly on the water for those that like the ocean to be mere steps away.• Private, quiet location or walking distance to shops and restaurants?
You will need a car on St. Barts. This is not the type of place where you will hole up in your resort for a week venturing out by cab once or twice. You'll drive to the beaches, you'll drive to the restaurants and you'll drive to the shops. It is part of the St. Barths experience. You can get anywhere on the island in about fifteen minutes. If having shops and restaurants within walking distance is important to you, look for lodging in Gustavia or St. Jean where some of the restaurants, shops and beaches are within walking distance.• Hotels and Villas
The primary types of accommodations on St. Barts are hotels and private villas. The island has dozens of hotels that range from full service establishments complete with gourmet restaurants and spa services to budget accommodations. There are also hundreds of private villas and cottages available to rent in all price ranges and all degrees of luxury.• How to Decide?
The forums are a great place to get more information on your lodging decision. Tell people what criteria is important to you and how much you want to spend and you'll in all likelihood get some great suggestions.• Resources:
Featured St. Barts Hotels - a listing of featured hotels on the island
Villa & Hotel Rental Agencies - these companies specialize in renting villas and hotels on SBH
Villas for Rent Directly From Owners - a listing of villas available for rent directly from the owners
Travel Planning Specialists- Travel planning specialists will help you arrange every aspect (or a special detail) of your St. Barths vacation, including hotel and villa arrangements
Discussions Forums - search for information about the hotel or villa you are interested in or post what you are looking for in an ideal accommodation and get input from the insiders
Map of SBH - a very simple map to give you an idea where everything is located. A more detailed map is coming soon so be sure to check back.
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