There's nowhere quite like St Barts. Eight square miles of green hills tumbling into turquoise, a little Swedish-then-French history in the harbour, and a rhythm that's equal parts glamour and flip-flops. We spent our days chasing the best beaches, our lunches lingering at beach clubs with our feet in the sand, and our evenings in Gustavia's harbour restaurants. This is where we stayed, where we ate, and the corners of the island worth seeking out.
Where to stay
The Botanist · Gustavia
Our home on the island, and the reason we never needed a car for dinner. A beautifully considered jewel-box studio — old wood, wicker and velvet, checkered tile floors and botanical prints — set within a lush garden compound, a short stroll from the boutiques, bakeries and best restaurants of Gustavia, with a private garden sitting area and outdoor shower for slow mornings.
Where to eat & drink
Bonito · Gustavia
Perched over Gustavia Harbour with a chic beach-house feel and knockout views. An elegant French-South American kitchen — sea bass, tuna tataki, lobster risotto — with cocktails and buzz that make it a proper occasion.
L'Isola · Gustavia
One of Gustavia's most loved tables and a magnet for locals and celebrities. Authentically Italian cooking with the finest imported produce, in a warm, elegant room in the heart of town.
Tamarin · Saline
Luxury garden dining under a fairy-lit tamarind tree. Contemporary French cooking with Mediterranean and Caribbean touches — seafood, tartares, foie gras. Go for a long, lazy lunch.
Black Ginger · Gustavia
The island's only Thai — precise, fragrant cooking from Bangkok-trained chefs in a dramatic red-and-black courtyard open to the sky. Try the black-pepper mahi-mahi.
Eddy's · Gustavia
A beloved, always-busy local favourite. A happy mash of French, Asian and Creole flavours served in a lantern-lit tropical garden. Go early — some sittings don't take reservations.
Sella · Gustavia
A lively room of mezze-style Middle-Eastern plates with a soundtrack that builds through the night. Good for a group and a few shared plates.
Fish Corner · Gustavia
A no-fuss spot for the day's catch, done well and without ceremony. Exactly what you want after a beach day.
Le Cafe · Gustavia
Classic French cooking in a room that turns musical as the evening goes on, with piano and live sets. (Exact venue to be confirmed.)
Kiki-e Mo · St Jean
An all-day Italian deli-cafe for breakfast, salads, panini and good coffee, with plenty of healthy and organic options. A reliable stop between beach and boutique.
Le Papillon Ivre · St Jean
An essential St Jean wine bar and restaurant — premium wines and French tapas-style plates of foie gras, cheese and charcuterie. Intimate, buzzy and made for a long grazing evening.
Le Select · Gustavia
The island's oldest bar (est. 1949) and the supposed spiritual home of the cheeseburger in paradise. Plastic chairs, cold beers, a garden and a mix of yacht crews and locals — pure, unpretentious St Barts.
Bar de L'Oubli · Gustavia (port)
A classic harbour-side cafe at the corner of the port — simple food and drinks, and a front-row seat to the island going by.
Le Ti St Barth · Pointe Milou
An institution since 1995: refined French and international cooking, charcoal-grilled meats, and a theatrical late-night cabaret that turns dinner into a night out.
Shellona (beach club) · Shell Beach, Gustavia
Greek-island glamour on the seashell sand of Shell Beach, the only beach club inside Gustavia. Mediterranean-meets-Caribbean cooking, rose all afternoon and a music-filled crowd.
Nikki Beach (beach club) · St Jean
The island's most famous beach club, on the sand at St Jean since 2002. Long lunches on white daybeds that tip into a lively, music-driven afternoon.
Gyp Sea (beach club) · St Jean
A more laid-back, boho-chic club at the eastern end of St Jean — nearly everything hits the grill, with rare rums and feet-in-the-sand dining.
Hotel Le Toiny Beach Club · Toiny
The beach club of Hotel Le Toiny, out on the wild south-east coast — refined, unhurried and worth the scenic drive for a long lunch by the water.
Ti' Corail (beach club) · Grand Cul de Sac
Relaxed, colourful creole and street food right on the Grand Cul de Sac lagoon — the easy, feet-in-sand lunch spot for a beach day.
What to see & do
Gustavia Harbour & town
The pretty red-roofed capital — superyachts in the harbour, designer boutiques and lanes worth wandering. Base your evenings here.
Shell Beach · Gustavia
A cove of tiny seashells rather than sand, a short walk from Gustavia and perfect for a swim before dinner. Home to Shellona.
Gouverneur Beach
Untouched and breathtaking — a crescent of sand framed by green hills on the south shore, with great snorkelling off the rocks. Wild and quiet.
Anse de Grande Saline
The island's most famous stretch — endless pale sand, no development, once named among the world's most beautiful beaches. Bring everything you need.
St Jean Beach & Eden Rock · St Jean
Aquamarine water, reef-calm swimming and the iconic Eden Rock hotel on its outcrop — the heart of the island's beach-club scene.
Grand Cul de Sac
A shallow, turquoise lagoon protected by reef — ideal for snorkelling, watersports and spotting turtles.
Marigot Beach
A quiet, calm little cove that stays happily off the radar — for when you want no one around.
The St Barts landing · St Jean
The famously dramatic approach into St Jean, planes skimming the hillside onto a tiny runway. Watch it from the beach at the end of the strip.
Gustavia landmarks · Gustavia
The Gustavia Cross memorial, the Anglican church and the old Swedish streetscape reward a slow morning walk before the shops open.
Know before you go
Getting there: No direct long-haul — fly into St Maarten (SXM) and connect via a short, scenic light-aircraft hop, or take the ferry across to St Barts.
Getting around: Hire a small car (a Mini Moke is the local classic). Roads are steep and narrow but the island is tiny — nowhere is more than 20 minutes away.
Best time to visit: December to April for peak sun and scene; May to June and November are quieter and lovelier value. Many places close September to October.
Book restaurants ahead: The good tables fill fast in high season — reserve beach-club lunches and Gustavia dinners well in advance.
Where to base yourself: Gustavia for walk-to-dinner convenience and the harbour buzz; St Jean for the beach-club life.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay in St Barts?
We loved The Botanist, a garden studio in the heart of Gustavia — walkable to Shell Beach, the boutiques and the island's best restaurants, so you barely need the car for dinner. Gustavia suits food and harbour life; St Jean puts you on the beach-club strip.
What are the best restaurants in St Barts?
Our favourites were Bonito for a fine-dining night above the harbour, L'Isola for Italian, and Tamarin for a long garden lunch. Black Ginger is the island's only Thai, Eddy's is the beloved local table, and Le Select is the unmissable, unpretentious classic.
What are the best beach clubs in St Barts?
Shellona on Shell Beach is the most glamorous and the only one inside Gustavia. Nikki Beach on St Jean is the party, Gyp Sea the boho, laid-back alternative, and Hotel Le Toiny's beach club the serene, worth-the-drive choice out east.
What's the best beach in St Barts?
Anse de Grande Saline and Gouverneur are the two most beautiful — wild, undeveloped and breathtaking. St Jean is the liveliest for beach clubs and swimming, while Grand Cul de Sac is best for calm, shallow water and snorkelling.
How do you get to St Barts?
There's no long-haul airport, so most travellers fly into St Maarten (SXM) and connect on a short light-aircraft flight — the dramatic landing at St Jean is famous — or take the ferry across. It's part of the adventure.
What's the best time to visit St Barts?
December to April is peak season — reliable sun and the full social scene. May to June and November are quieter, warmer-value and still lovely. Many restaurants and hotels close in September and October during the low season.