All good things come to an end?
This time is a Goodbye and not an Arrivederci.
- Thread starter dsrc
- Start date
Jeanette
Senior Insider
I read this to mean that he was forced to make reservations months in advance if he wanted to secure a reservation for his high season dates. This is accurate. We typically travel during Thanksgiving week. I always attempt to make reservations in July on the very day that certain restaurants opened the window for high season reservations, and I am often unable to secure the days and times we want. Prime weekend reservations for Bagatelle, Le Cafe, La Petite Plage, Bonito, Le Guerite and Nikki Beach are gone within hours (and often minutes) of reservations opening for the season. We traveled the first week of December this year to avoid the Thanksgiving craziness and encountered the same reservation insanity.I'm curious how you were forced to make a reservations 2 months in a advance at grossly overpriced restaurants? Was someone blackmailing you?
The term "grossly overpriced" is also accurate. The prices at most of the restaurants where we dined were offensively overpriced for mediocre food and we were asked for tips at 90% of the restaurants with several payment machines prompting for a minimum 18% tip with options up to 25-30%. Several waitstaff assured us that tips weren't included (Le Toiny, Bonito, Shellona among others) and one rude sommelier commented that we didn't want to spend much money for a bottle of wine since we chose a 150 euros/$178 bottle. Not to mention beach clubs are now charging 200 euros for their least expensive bottle of rose' on weekends, which would sell for under 20 euros in a wine shop.
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PeterLynn
Senior Insider
Was thinking of going "upscale", but I guess we'll avoid all that and stick to L'Esprit, La Langouste, Eddy's, Nyama, etc...
cassidain
Senior Insider
In my experience, L’Esprit is easily a 400€ dinner. For us. Fairly upscale imho
cassidain
Senior Insider
I suspect those particular spots are not particularly interested in attracting many (not all) of us who participate in this forum. Perhaps those are the grossly overpriced and impossible to reserve places poster referred to ??
PeterLynn
Senior Insider
shihadehs
Senior Insider
Been going to the island for over 40 years ,,, yes it has changed. But we know the island well and know where to go to still get that vibe that made us fall in love with the island …yes traffic is getting worse and restaurants have gone corporate but there is way around that
We spend time in our villa and visit local established restaurants and love being there
6 weeks and counting
We spend time in our villa and visit local established restaurants and love being there
6 weeks and counting
cassidain
Senior Insider
Right. Off season they do have a low priced menu option.
Jeanette
Senior Insider
I wouldn't describe high season as the New York socialite months, although I'm sure many are there. Think more Wall Street big earners, the tech bro and even biotech entrepreneur scene... Many of the people we've met during high season were well educated and very successful professionals who were on the island to party and let go of the intensity of their professional lives for a week.
My children (one married) have fallen in love with the island, so we now travel as a party of five. The St. Tropez offshoot restaurants appeal to their age, although my daughter has made comments about high prices for bad food. Our Nov/Dec trip was the first time I returned home to a 5-figure AMEX bill (rental car, MarcheU, wine and restaurants), even with my daughter and her husband generously picking up the tab for dinners at EdenRock and BeefBar. Most of our dinners were not memorable other than for the setting.
We were just there in Les Saintes..very charming and good food in the simpler way..and killer gelato
! Very low key in comparison. Of course, you are walking and using golf carts..no cars. I haven’t been to Guadeloupe and Martinique in awhile but I’m sure it would still have a lot of the créole culture you might appreciate. I know I went through the “done with SBH” after my trip a year ago but I fell back in love again when we were stopping for 2 days on a cruise because we really concentrated on how truly nice and caring the people were, as if you were in a “small town” . I also did not think it would happen but the flame came back, so I guess I will never say never
..it is always about the people for me, and I felt that the warmth and kindness from the local people I saw and spent a little time with; it was so worth being back. I wish you many happy places because everyone deserves to be happy as much as possible.
! Very low key in comparison. Of course, you are walking and using golf carts..no cars. I haven’t been to Guadeloupe and Martinique in awhile but I’m sure it would still have a lot of the créole culture you might appreciate. I know I went through the “done with SBH” after my trip a year ago but I fell back in love again when we were stopping for 2 days on a cruise because we really concentrated on how truly nice and caring the people were, as if you were in a “small town” . I also did not think it would happen but the flame came back, so I guess I will never say never..it is always about the people for me, and I felt that the warmth and kindness from the local people I saw and spent a little time with; it was so worth being back. I wish you many happy places because everyone deserves to be happy as much as possible.
cassidain
Senior Insider
Curious, was it meals in the places you mentioned (Bagatelle, Le Cafe, La Petite Plage, Bonito, Le Guerite and Nikki Beach) that were not particularly good or everywhere you dined? I agree almost every meal on the island is expensive. I guess "overpriced" is a subjective judgement call. If you want to play on Saint-Barth you definitely have to be prepared for whopping CC bills
Of the places mentioned, we've only been once for lunch at Nikki. It's not necessarily our cup of tea, but the cuisine was actually very nice. I recall consistent forum comments of the sort - we went for the fun, but the food was quite good.
le_reve
Senior Insider
I can attest that there is a major drop off in April for the crazy and July is peacefully quiet, although HOT. But, this January/February does seem crazier than it has been the last few years to me.
le_reve
Senior Insider
No one is "forced" to make reservations. You either want to go through the hoops of making the reservation, or not. And, yes, most of the beach clubs have gone way overboard in the "sucker board" territory of food, drinks and loungers (and tips!). I feel the Collectivité and the Tourist Board have really dropped the ball the last few seasons in regards to any sort of regulation - - and the clubs and restaurants are definitely taking advantage. Which is why I really don't go to those places, and if you don't appreciate being treated that way, then vote with your feet!
The local “flame” is so much of what made me return to SBH after our first visit 48 years ago. The beauty, gracious / fine dining, & purity in beaches & water were a big part of the attraction, of course. To this day, a personal familiarity (quickly-built on the island), in a small world of courtesy & easily-established, warmly-familiar acquaintances, distinguish SBH as a forever home for me. (In regard to acquaintances, it won’t be a surprise to readers to know that I’m familiar in many restaurants . . . by contrast, it’s also a community where I occasionally — infrequently — go to hardware stores, lighting shops, & lumber yards . . . and am usually greeted, “Oh! You’re Wendy’s husband!” Each of us has found a welcoming community!)We were just there in Les Saintes..very charming and good food in the simpler way..and killer gelato
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Outside of “Festive Season,” Tiffany, I never have seen so many people & cars on the island. Particularly this week! It’s quite amazing, imo! Knowing where I care about going, however . . . and where I don’t want to go — it’s an easier return to my “old St. Barths!”
