Most of the obvious traces of Irma are long gone. By the time that you return the new Eden Rock will have reopened, new in that they are making major changes, not just storm repairs. The Guanahani will have reopened as well. Cheval Blanc is partially open, but will be closing in May for additional repairs and improvements. Émeraude Plage will not reopen. The property has been leased by the owners of Le Barthelemy, and will become the site of a new hotel.
All of the restaurants have reopened, with the exception of Ocorail, Gloriette, and Hideaway. It’s unlikely that Ocorail will get permits to reopen. There are rumors that the Gloriette property has been leased for a new restaurant. Hideaway has changed hands, and is expected to reopen “soon”, probably with a different concept.
Vegetation has returned, but is stressed right now due to the current drought. There has been very little rain for the last two months.
As Amy notes, many utility lines have been buried. However, there are still small areas of the island without landline service.
Work has has been done to regrow vegetation on some of the beach dunes. Time will tell how successful that is.
The Pond in St Jean has been improved. It has been cleaned up, a boardwalk has been built around it, an island has been constructed in the middle, and hundreds of mangrove seedlings have been planted. It now has an underground pipeline that allows the pond to flush to the bay, which should help the ongoing water quality.
If you look closely, you can still find the occasional villa with no roof. Housing for workers, which was an issue long before Irma, is an even bigger issue now. Workers can’t compete with what the hotels are willing to pay in order to house their staff. I was talking with an acquaintance yesterday who has 3 months to find housing for his family or he will have to leave the island. He talks of returning to mainland France, or perhaps moving to Corsica.
All in all, the island is recovering well, and certainly better than some other islands. Still, all is not perfect, and some issues remain.