Cheval Blanc, St Barth

In short… Cheval Blanc is an over-the-top hotel on this French island that has become synonymous with luxury

The surroundings… Cheval Blanc St Barth is on Flamands beach, one of my favorites as it is rarely crowded, with only private houses and the hotel lining the beach. It feels sleepy and caught in time, with one grocery store, Helene’s, which has been there since the early ‘80s, and one restaurant, La Langouste, which is very real-deal. I love that it’s a 30-minute walk to Colombier, one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to, which is accessible only by foot or sea. Still, you’re a 7-minute drive to the airport and the town of St Jean, and about the same to Gustavia. 

The vibe… The property sits between the beach and the hill behind it and is surrounded by gardens—fan palms that tower over the buildings, none of which are taller than two stories. The wooden boardwalk-type path that you walk on to get to your room is flanked by greenery, and you’ll often see turtles crossing it. At night, the garden comes alive with the sounds of frogs. 

The rooms… We were spoiled in room 39—a beachfront suite with a plunge pool, a large living room and dining area, huge bathroom, and an outdoor shower. But we toured some other rooms, and I have to say that the entry level garden rooms are really lovely, and you’re just a short walk to the beach anyway. While our room had the plunge pool, it was on the garden level, so it didn’t have a view of the sea from the bedroom, which I imagine the upstairs rooms have. Jacques Grange did the decor, and his direction was to bring in different influences from all over the world—a piece of Aboriginal art in the living room, woven leather poufs from Borneo, pottery from Colombia—to create a cabinet of curiosities effect, each item with a story reflecting travels. The overall effect is that it feels timeless—it may not be trendy, but it certainly won’t expire. 

The wellness… Their spa is being completely renovated and opening in October, so we were only able to have massages in a makeshift room. The treatments were great—I’d never experienced Guerlain products before, and the freesia oil the therapist used was really nice, as was the massage itself. The gym is quite small with a treadmill and bike and Technogym equipment, and an area where you could have two people doing yoga, but if there were more than 5 to 6 people in it, it would feel a bit cramped. I’d suggest doing the walk to Colombier, or walking the beach, and there are yoga mats in the room.

The food & drink… There are two restaurants, La Case, which is the more formal restaurant where dinner is served, and La Cabane, where breakfast and lunch are served, as well as an all-day menu. While we were only there for 3 days, we agreed that the menu was so good at La Cabane that we wouldn’t get tired of it even if we never left and stayed for a week. Highlights were the hummus, which was garnished with pomegranate seeds and came with the most elegantly cut crudité (I’m going to get that recipe and post it here!), the local fish for two (a bar, which was cooked perfectly), and the chicken for two, which was roasted in a clay pot. The bartender at La Case was excellent—she made great martinis. The sommeliers at both restaurants were so good—deeply opinionated and not pushy at all. The somm at La Cabane, who is from Burgundy, said that of course he was going to push the white Burgundy, but he suggested one of the least expensive on the menu. Given that there are such high taxes on alcohol, it’s a good thing here to find a server who thinks that way. And another somm there steered us towards the less expensive Saumur. All of the restaurant staff seemed to be having the best time while working, and really connecting with the guests. Between the quality of the food and the staff here, I’d say it was the best restaurant experience we’ve had in the Caribbean.

Extra tip goes to… So many hotels require the staff to wear a name tag, but I can still never remember anyone’s name. Here they don’t wear them, yet I did remember their names, because they are encouraged to be themselves. The GM, Christelle Hilpron, got her start here more than 20 years ago, when it was the Isle de France and she began as the assistant maitre d’. Over the years she has worked almost every job here, so she really knows the place deeply. When the hotel became the Cheval Blanc in 2014, she stayed with the property and became its general manager. As a guest, I could tell there was something very special about the staff—and when I learned her background, it all made sense. She cares about them, and they in turn care deeply about their jobs, and most importantly, that the guests are happy. From Ocean (on the butler team), who was so excited about the surprise balloon installation they did in the room for Matt’s birthday, to Tomas the waiter who was so warm and enthusiastic, to Guillaume the somm, to Constance the bartender—they all get 5 stars.

Be sure to… Walk from the hotel to Colombier Beach—you’ll thank me! Also, if you’re looking for the most seamless way to get here, we came through San Juan and took the direct Tradewinds flight from there—it was so much better than going through St. Maarten, as there are more frequent flights to Puerto Rico and then plenty of departures to St Barth. 

Date of stay… July 19-22, 2024