St. Barts is a destination that always has style. The glamorous set – celebrities, business tycoons, and the sleuths in general – have drawn to the Caribbean island and the French community for decades. Roman Abramovich is one of the high profile names to own a home here, and mega yachts with the likes of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are a mainstay in Gustavia Harbor, especially in the week leading up to New Years. Regulars come with hardly a cruise ship in sight because of the pristine setting, deserted beaches, and a scene that includes lively beach clubs during the day and difficult to get to restaurants at night.
And we can’t skip the hotels, all of which are small hotels and attractions that see guests checking in year after year (or even more frequently). Her longstanding clientele includes everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio and Paul McCartney to Beyoncé and Miranda Kerr.
It may have enduring appeal, but St. Barts’ popularity appears to have reached unprecedented levels in recent months: according to Nils Dufau, president of the island’s tourism committee and vice president of local government, the 500 hotel rooms in St Barts will be up by President’s Day is almost 100% fully booked, and has been since the end of October. “Usually high season starts on Thanksgiving weekend, but this year it started a month earlier. We’re also seeing a drop in visitors in early January, but that’s not happening this season, ”he says.
One of the new suites in Le Sereno with a fantastic view and furniture by Christian Liagre.
Photo: Courtesy of Le Sereno
Another sign of demand: Trade winds, a boutique airline offering both scheduled and private charter flights that has been operating in St. Barts for 15 years and is one of the top destinations, posted record business last year. According to co-founder David Zipkin, demand in 2021 is up 40% year over year and is well above 2019 levels (one-way flights averaged $ 500 per person). “This is a destination that people love to visit, partly because it’s so glamorous and beautiful, and partly because COVID-19 cases are very rare on the island,” he says. “It feels safe.”
The pandemic did not stand in the way of development on St. Barts, especially in the luxury hotel space, where travelers have new and exciting reasons to book a stay.
