Guest Blog – Kathy Schlitzer Trip Report

I am in transit to St. Barth and am delighted to share Kathy Schlitzer’s trip report with you in this Guest Blog. Kathy is one of our very experienced and talented St. Barth Specialists. Rest assured that Kathy will be pleased to lend her expertise when helping you plan your trip so that you, too can Live Your Dream® in beautiful St. Barth.

St. Barth
November 9 – 16, 2012 Trip Report

Kathy Schlitzer
St Barth Specialist

Our November trips to St Barth are always exciting. The island is coming alive for the season, and there are new shops, restaurants, villas, and newly refurbished hotels to experience. Not to mention the annual St Barth Properties November BASH, held this year on November 10, and our Beaujolais Nouveau party on November 14. A great week to be in St Barth!

For this trip I decided to try the new Tradewind Aviation flight from St Thomas to St Barth. I flew direct from Boston to St Thomas on JetBlue then easily made the connection on Tradewind to St Barth. It worked perfectly and because the St Thomas airport is so small I breezed through the airport with time for a stop in the bar for a snack. Tradewind flies directly to St Barth from San Juan, Antigua, and St Thomas.

On arrival in St Barth my Gumbs car was waiting and I headed to my first accommodation, two nights at the Hotel Christopher. After settling in a was off to La Plage at the Tom Beach Hotel to join my colleagues for great food, music, and entertainment (pole dancing and fire juggling!) Always a nice way to spend a first night in St Barth.

The Christopher hotel’s new manager Sebastien Maingourd was pleased to show me further room refurbishment that had taken place since my last visit. My Ocean Terrace room was very comfortable and I slept well. At breakfast the next morning I watched an aqua biking class in the pool, had I not had appointments I would have joined in, it looked like fun. The manager joined me for coffee and I learned that the restaurant is featuring a new chef from Brazil who promises to shake up the menu with a Brazilian twist. Later I toured the new Sisley brand spa and the gym, no time for a treatment or workout today. C’est dommage. All in all I was pleased with the Christopher and look forward to recommending it to clients for the coming season. HINT: If you’re looking for a great place to have a cocktail and watch the sunset, the Christopher is the place to go. Stay for dinner at their restaurant Taïno then go up to Le Ti St Barth for the cabaret!

I spent the rest of the day looking at villas, notably Lys Blanc in Lurin. All I can say is what a view! This villa is newly renovated, comfortable, and very convenient to Gustavia, St Jean, and both Gouverneur and Saline beaches. The layout is good for kids too.

Villa Blue Diamond is under construction but even looking over an empty pool I was blown away by the view. Blue Diamond will be ready in mid January and will be spectacular. We have preliminary pictures on the website with more to come.

Villa Lilu is a two bedroom in Petite Saline. The view is beautiful with lush greenery and ocean views in a wide arc. The owner has designed the house for comfort and style. She mixed old and new successfully and result is brilliant.

Casa del Mar is a villa we represented in the past but a new owner has shaken it up – a lot! Massive work indoors and out has resulted in a truly spectacular result. While I was there the workers were everywhere, as well as piles of material and tons of shrubbery waiting to be planted. The owner showed me multiple new outdoor spaces for drinks and dining, as well as large Jacuzzi overlooking spectacular views. We’ll have pictures of the end product soon. Watch for them.

I don’t have space to mention all the villas I saw but special mention must be made of my other accommodations.

Two nights in Villa Nirvana was a treat. I’ve stayed at this villa in the past and I’ve never been disappointed. Clean and comfortable with an amazing sunset view, the owner has added everything to make her guests feel like home away from home. Two nights wasn’t enough.

Two nights in a Garden Bungalow at the Hotel Isle de France was a treat. After a great sleep I was treated to a massage at the spa by one of their highly trained therapists and it made for a wonderful start to my day. Later I had drinks by the beach and watched the weekly fashion show. Even if you aren’t staying at the Isle de France, don’t miss eating at their restaurant La Case de l’Isle right on Flamands Beach – dinner, or a long lunch on the beach, I opted for both!

My last night was spent in one of the newly renovated suites at the Hotel Carl Gustaf. Over the summer everything was refreshed and renewed with new furniture, linens and accessories to complete the transformation. By that time I needed a good sleep to get ready for a day of travel and that’s just what I got. A lovely breakfast overlooking the harbor and I was off the airport after another successful working (wink,wink) trip to paradise.