Greetings, all, from beautiful St Barth.
We've been on-island for five days now, and since trip reports seem a little scarce these days, I thought I'd share a few observations.
1) Getting Here:
Is it as easy as usual? Probably not (but it's still worth it).
Got the COVID test. Finding a quick turnaround testing clinic in Michigan wasn't easy, but we managed it. We filled out SXM's EHAS form on-line and got approval back in less than an hour. Not bad for a Sunday night.
On travel day, we were up at 3 am and on the ATL flight by 6. So far, so good. Next flight from ATL to SXM not so much. A small mechanical problem snowballed into a bigger problem. After about 90 minutes of dissembling, Delta decided they needed a new aircraft. But with the late departure, we had no chance of making our SBC flight or a later Winair option. Reports of rough seas from the approaching Elsa made the ferry (aka, "Vomit Comet") a no-go.
Urgent phone calls to the travel agent resulted in being re-routed through San Juan and on to SBH the following day via Tradewind. But the required overnight stay in SJ meant that our COVID test results would expire (beyond the three day window), so we needed to find another rapid COVID test near the Atlanta airport. Luckily, Vision for Hope (678-705-3814) is located about 10 minutes from ATL, has shuttle service, and will get you antigen results in about 20 minutes.
Entry into PR was easy. They have a form which is quit similar the SXM's EHAS, on which you enter you vaccine documentation and (if you haven't been vaccinated) your COVID test results. Once you complete the form on-line, you receive approval and a QR code. On arrival in PR, they simply scanned the code and we breezed through the terminal.
Thankfully, the Tradewind flight the following day went smoothly. Evidently, we has used up all of our bad travel karma by then.
Like I said earlier, not as easy as usual. Now for the good stuff...
2) Villa
All I can say here is that the incomparable Rosita has once again provided a beautiful place to stay. It's a second home for us--one that we've missed for almost two years. It's great to be "home". Of note, she and Jean-Paul have just put the finishing touches on a fourth villa (3 BR), overlooking L'Orient. We got a tour earlier--It's just as spectacular as her other properties.
3) Restaurants
--Bagatelle: Yes, I know--The glitzy and (at times) over-the-top eatery/nightclub. But if you're not into nightlife (my bedtime these days is 10 pm at the latest), it's an excellent (and relatively quiet) restaurant if you go at 7-7:30. It also has a killer view of the harbor if you dine "a l'exterieur". This time around, it was great as usual, albeit with a scaled-down menu. I can particularly recommend the beef carpaccio and the veal. Sadly, my favorite, the cote de boeuf, is currently missing from the menu.
--Orega: The tuna/foie starter and quail breast special were spectacularly good, the staff gracious, and the ambiance casually elegant, as usual. As with Bagatelle, the menu has been scaled back, with the wonder sashimi plate missing. Enjoyable evening, in spite of a tab that came to 320 Euros plus tip for two, without dessert. And in all honesty, I did leave still a little hungry. Probably not a bad thing: Maybe I won't gain the usual five pounds this time around!
Francois Plantation: One of our perennial favorites, but unfortunately a bit of a disappointment on this visit. Gone from the menu is the sole meuniere, with the offerings limited to four starters, four mains and three desserts.
--La Langouste: Boudin, crab starter, grilled lobster, all great as usual. The place was slammed with customers, including several large tables, yet the kitchen and wait staff kept up remarkably well. Although I didn't recognize anyone from past years, they were pleasant and attentive, even while running (literally) between tables. Langouste seems to fly under the radar at times, but it's one of our perennial favorites.
--Next: Eddie's, Tamarin, Robuchon, and ???
4) Beaches
Saline and Gouverneur so far. Sargassum has been knee deep in places at Saline, likely due in part to the high winds from Elsa over the weekend. The poor tractor guy is struggling to keep up. By contrast, Gouverneur has been untouched. They're both on the same side of the island, so go figure.
5) Etc.
In some ways, the island seems busier than in past years, with traffic being particularly heavier. There's construction everywhere--hotels, villas, roads. The Camaruche detour is indeed a pain for those needing to travel past JoJo Burger.
With a few exceptions, the restaurants are busy, although reservations a day or two in advance have not been a problem. After the high winds of Elsa , the weather has been perfect.
For those needing to get COVID tested for the trip home, the Red Cross station in St Jean still seemed to be in operation as of late yesterday. Alternatively, as noted earlier, the pharmacy across from the airport also offers testing, albeit at a price.
So... Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to include as much detailed info as possible. In sum, St Barth is still a wonderous place to be (once you make it here!).
We've been on-island for five days now, and since trip reports seem a little scarce these days, I thought I'd share a few observations.
1) Getting Here:
Is it as easy as usual? Probably not (but it's still worth it).
Got the COVID test. Finding a quick turnaround testing clinic in Michigan wasn't easy, but we managed it. We filled out SXM's EHAS form on-line and got approval back in less than an hour. Not bad for a Sunday night.
On travel day, we were up at 3 am and on the ATL flight by 6. So far, so good. Next flight from ATL to SXM not so much. A small mechanical problem snowballed into a bigger problem. After about 90 minutes of dissembling, Delta decided they needed a new aircraft. But with the late departure, we had no chance of making our SBC flight or a later Winair option. Reports of rough seas from the approaching Elsa made the ferry (aka, "Vomit Comet") a no-go.
Urgent phone calls to the travel agent resulted in being re-routed through San Juan and on to SBH the following day via Tradewind. But the required overnight stay in SJ meant that our COVID test results would expire (beyond the three day window), so we needed to find another rapid COVID test near the Atlanta airport. Luckily, Vision for Hope (678-705-3814) is located about 10 minutes from ATL, has shuttle service, and will get you antigen results in about 20 minutes.
Entry into PR was easy. They have a form which is quit similar the SXM's EHAS, on which you enter you vaccine documentation and (if you haven't been vaccinated) your COVID test results. Once you complete the form on-line, you receive approval and a QR code. On arrival in PR, they simply scanned the code and we breezed through the terminal.
Thankfully, the Tradewind flight the following day went smoothly. Evidently, we has used up all of our bad travel karma by then.
Like I said earlier, not as easy as usual. Now for the good stuff...
2) Villa
All I can say here is that the incomparable Rosita has once again provided a beautiful place to stay. It's a second home for us--one that we've missed for almost two years. It's great to be "home". Of note, she and Jean-Paul have just put the finishing touches on a fourth villa (3 BR), overlooking L'Orient. We got a tour earlier--It's just as spectacular as her other properties.
3) Restaurants
--Bagatelle: Yes, I know--The glitzy and (at times) over-the-top eatery/nightclub. But if you're not into nightlife (my bedtime these days is 10 pm at the latest), it's an excellent (and relatively quiet) restaurant if you go at 7-7:30. It also has a killer view of the harbor if you dine "a l'exterieur". This time around, it was great as usual, albeit with a scaled-down menu. I can particularly recommend the beef carpaccio and the veal. Sadly, my favorite, the cote de boeuf, is currently missing from the menu.
--Orega: The tuna/foie starter and quail breast special were spectacularly good, the staff gracious, and the ambiance casually elegant, as usual. As with Bagatelle, the menu has been scaled back, with the wonder sashimi plate missing. Enjoyable evening, in spite of a tab that came to 320 Euros plus tip for two, without dessert. And in all honesty, I did leave still a little hungry. Probably not a bad thing: Maybe I won't gain the usual five pounds this time around!
Francois Plantation: One of our perennial favorites, but unfortunately a bit of a disappointment on this visit. Gone from the menu is the sole meuniere, with the offerings limited to four starters, four mains and three desserts.
--La Langouste: Boudin, crab starter, grilled lobster, all great as usual. The place was slammed with customers, including several large tables, yet the kitchen and wait staff kept up remarkably well. Although I didn't recognize anyone from past years, they were pleasant and attentive, even while running (literally) between tables. Langouste seems to fly under the radar at times, but it's one of our perennial favorites.
--Next: Eddie's, Tamarin, Robuchon, and ???
4) Beaches
Saline and Gouverneur so far. Sargassum has been knee deep in places at Saline, likely due in part to the high winds from Elsa over the weekend. The poor tractor guy is struggling to keep up. By contrast, Gouverneur has been untouched. They're both on the same side of the island, so go figure.
5) Etc.
In some ways, the island seems busier than in past years, with traffic being particularly heavier. There's construction everywhere--hotels, villas, roads. The Camaruche detour is indeed a pain for those needing to travel past JoJo Burger.
With a few exceptions, the restaurants are busy, although reservations a day or two in advance have not been a problem. After the high winds of Elsa , the weather has been perfect.
For those needing to get COVID tested for the trip home, the Red Cross station in St Jean still seemed to be in operation as of late yesterday. Alternatively, as noted earlier, the pharmacy across from the airport also offers testing, albeit at a price.
So... Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to include as much detailed info as possible. In sum, St Barth is still a wonderous place to be (once you make it here!).