St. Barths, from Flamands to Saint-Jean
St.
St. Barths is the French island the Caribbean keeps for itself – a small island of hills, coves and red roofs, French in its kitchens and its currency, reached by a short hop from St. Maarten onto a runway that stops at the beach. Its hotels have taken the best of the sand: the long white beach at Flamands and the rock in the middle of Baie de Saint-Jean. Both hold five-star standing. We looked at every serious address on the island and kept only those whose service holds up to the view. Two made the cut.
The collection
2 hotels
“Because it holds five-star standing and Three MICHELIN Keys, the island's only ones in the 2025 selection – 61 rooms along Flamands' long beach, a Guerlain spa and Jean Imbert in the kitchens, from the house LVMH built for itself.”
From our editors · Cheval Blanc St-Barth
The neighborhoods
Cheval Blanc St-Barth · Flamands & Anse des CayesFlamands & Anse des Cayes
The northwest of the island – Flamands' long white beach, the smaller cove of Anse des Cayes over the headland to the east, and the walk-in beach at Colombier beyond, a few minutes over the hill from Gustavia – with one of the two hotels.
Eden Rock - St Barths · Baie de Saint-JeanBaie de Saint-Jean
The bay in the middle of the north coast, split in two by the rock that holds the island's first hotel – the airport at its western end, where the planes come in low over the hill, and the shops and beach clubs of Saint-Jean behind the sand – with one of the two hotels.
Good to know
Which part of St. Barths should I stay in?
Flamands and Anse des Cayes hold one of the two – Cheval Blanc on Flamands' long white beach. Baie de Saint-Jean holds Eden Rock on the rock in the middle of the bay, with the airport at one end and the beach clubs behind the sand. Gustavia, the capital and harbour, is a few minutes over the hill from either, and the reef-sheltered lagoon of Grand Cul-de-Sac a short drive further along the northeast coast. Choose Flamands for the open beach; Saint-Jean to be in the middle of things.
When is the best season for St. Barths – and when do the hotels close?
December through April is the season – dry, breezy days, the yachts in Gustavia harbour, the regattas of March and April, and the island's calendar at its fullest around Christmas and New Year, when rooms go earliest. May through July is warm, quieter and softer. August through October is the hurricane season in this part of the Caribbean, and most of the island's hotels close for several weeks of it: Cheval Blanc from the end of August to mid-October and Eden Rock from mid-August to mid-October. The island reopens in the autumn; the concierge will confirm each hotel's dates for the year before you book.
How do you get to St. Barths?
The island has no runway for large jets. You fly into St. Maarten and take a short hop – around fifteen minutes on a small aircraft – to Gustaf III airport at Saint-Jean, where the planes come in low over the hill and stop short of the beach; there are also connections from San Juan, Antigua and Guadeloupe, and a ferry from St. Maarten that takes under an hour. St. Barths is French: the euro is the currency, the kitchens are French, and the roads are narrow and steep, so most guests rent a small car or let the hotel drive them. The concierge will arrange the connecting flight or the boat with your booking.
How do I reserve a stay?
Search your dates on any hotel's page to see rates and what is available, then book the room, suite, bungalow or villa you want. A concierge is on hand throughout – to weigh the lagoon against Flamands or the harbour before you book, and to arrange the flight from St. Maarten, a table in Gustavia, a boat to Colombier and a spa day once you have.
