Yes, There’s Still a Low-Key Side to St. Barths

A longtime St. Barths visitor returns four decades later in search of the serene Caribbean island she remembers — and discovers that beneath the yachts and designer boutiques, it’s still there.

My husband (then my boyfriend) and I used to go to a different Caribbean island every winter, and St. Barths was our first. The book Caribbean Hideaways by the wonderful travel writer Ian Keown was our guide, as he appreciated what we appreciated: smaller hotels, outdoor dining, local ambiance, authenticity.

In 1984, we found St. Barths to be a pretty but quiet island with a welcoming French flair, a handful of good restaurants in the capital city Gustavia, a few stylish boutiques, and lots of dreamy, virtually empty beaches. A small grocery store stocked fresh baguettes and imported French cheeses and wines: just what we wanted for a picnic or breakfast on the fly.

Today, St. Barths is the playground of celebrities and kingmakers. Gustavia’s harbor is filled with yachts, especially during the high season. There are more than 80 restaurants on the island and loads of luxury hotels. The shopkeepers are now Hermès, Rolex, Zimmermann, and their ilk.

Yes, it’s changed. A lot. But the appeal of this green, flower-filled island remains. We had no trouble finding a quieter scene — and even reasonably priced resort wear in the hamlet of St. Jean.

Much of the island has been tastefully rebuilt after 2017’s Hurricane Irma, and it’s as if everyone decided on the same appealing aesthetic: dark wooden slats, red and green roofs, and well-tended foliage at every turn. Good taste abounds. There’s virtually nothing unsightly anywhere in this curated world of tropical beauty. Even the rental cars are pretty — shiny Mini Coopers and Mokes in pink, blue, and green that match the flowers, sea, and sky.

The Warm, Wonderful Hotel Manapany

We weren’t interested in a hotel with a sceney beach club and high-end restaurants and were happy we chose Hotel Manapany. One of the island’s first hotels, originally built in the 1980s, it’s been beautifully reimagined and completely renovated as a five-star eco-resort a short drive from Gustavia.

The hotel sits on an enviable piece of beachfront property where always-available chaise lounges await. The staff is nicer than nice — from the concierges sharing island recommendations to the servers at breakfast overlooking the sea to the pool attendants bringing towels and cold drinks.

Guest rooms ramble up and down winding paths, giving each one a private feel. Ours had a colorful Caribbean vibe with a high yellow ceiling, matching armoires, and chic beachy furniture. Original artwork added warmth to the desk area, the huge bed had a colorful coverlet, and the luxurious bath and shower were well designed.

The water view was expansive — we spent early mornings and late afternoons admiring it from our balcony. A burlap beach bag with a pretty floral pattern was a useful in-room gift. The graphics throughout the hotel were particularly appealing. Large, artful tiles acted as signs for the spa, fitness center, beach, and more.

Bananaquits, little black-and-yellow birds, flit about Manapany’s lush grounds, and cute turtles amble around. Honored guests at the hotel, they even have a sweet little turtle crossing that allows them to safely venture beyond the property into the great beyond.

The breakfast buffet featured French pastries, smoked salmon, fruits, cereals, eggs, and more. On the à la carte menu was a sublime salted caramel banana porridge that tasted like a breakfast sundae. I ordered it repeatedly.

We lingered over lunches and dinners at the hotel’s open-air restaurant. Meals began with slightly spicy cod fritters. Classic Caesar salad and vitello tonnato were memorable, and I especially loved the cold pea soup. Ceviche with a surprising addition of peanuts was so good, we had it twice.

Manapany’s serene spa is adjacent to a quiet lap pool. I booked a massage with Lou, whose style reminded me of a saltwater taffy machine. After an hour of her twisty-turny technique, my muscles couldn’t have felt better.

Rambling Around

One afternoon, we walked through Gustavia to The Wall House Museum, housed in a picturesque stone building overlooking the harbor. The island was still fairly busy in April, but we were the only museumgoers viewing an excellent show featuring large, arresting portraits by Cooper & Gorfer.

We kept hearing about a glorified food truck without wheels called Ti’ Corail and happened upon it by accident one morning while looking for an uncrowded beach. We grabbed the counter seats still available at 11:30 before the reserved guests showed up.

Ti’ Corail is a small beach shack with a fairly sizable kitchen. Expert cocktails were being prepared, even at that early hour. Once seated and watching the chefs at work, we ordered a fish dip that was salty and superb and a tender goat and coconut stew with rice that I won’t soon forget. My husband had dorado, and we took our piña coladas to the beach for dessert. Ti’ Corail does a savory take on the usually too-sweet drink, letting the natural flavors of fresh coconut and pineapple rise to the top.

In our quest for authentic St. Barths, many pointed us to Eddie’s Ghetto on a side street in Gustavia. One of the few locally owned restaurants on the island, it’s been there since 1995. A lighted iguana marks the sidewalk entrance, and the candlelit courtyard inside feels like a magic garden. Mango salad, shrimp in coconut broth, and a raw tuna platter made for a delicious dinner.

Given our search for local experiences, it felt ironic to end up at Lucali St. Barth, Gustavia’s branch of the hard-to-get-into Brooklyn pizzeria. But the contrast was part of the appeal. Instead of a long wait and a crowded sidewalk, we pulled right up in our Mini Cooper and parked across the street under the host’s watchful eye.

When we arrived, the restaurant was quiet, but by the time we left, large groups had started showing up, many of them French. As for the pizza, it was every bit as good as we had hoped.

On our last night, we had dinner at Fish Corner, a small, unassuming spot hiding in plain sight in an alleyway in Gustavia. Owned by fishermen, it serves exceptionally fresh ceviches, carpaccios, and tartares, but we loved the chocolate lava cake even more.

No matter where we went or what we did, we were always happy returning to the haven of Hotel Manapany, where life around the pool was relaxing, a good drink was always waiting, and our beautiful room had everything we needed to relax, recharge, and dial way back.

But Wait, There's More

We love St. Barths. Here are a few more reasons why.