For more than half a century, St. Barts has provided an isolated escape for the ultra-rich—and with pent-up travel demand extending the French-Caribbean island’s busy season, the hunt is on for its most secluded hideout. Enter the waterfront Hotel Le Toiny, on the unspoiled côte sauvage (wild side). Last year the Relais & Châteaux property unveiled a meticulous renovation of its 22 suites, along with two new villas and a new pool. Here are four reasons to check in now.
Private Property
Each of Le Toiny’s pastel-hued suites feels like its own individual beach house, complete with a heated plunge pool and an expansive waterfront terrace boasting views of the rugged coast. The 13 Signature Suites offer peak levels of privacy, as all of their living rooms and bedrooms have direct access to their outdoor decks, with sliding partitions that can keep things even more clandestine. Make your space fully bespoke by playing your vacation soundtrack on the Sonos multi-room speaker system.
In the Club
The hotel’s metal keychains depict miniature Land Rover Defenders emblazoned with the property’s logo; they mirror the customized open-air shuttles that carry guests down to the Beach Club, which is home to the new pool, a high-end boutique, and alfresco lunch service. The club also includes a private beach—a rarity on St. Barts, where most of the shore is open to the public.
Dance the Nights Away
Traveling with the whole gang? Book one of the two new four-bedroom villas. Particularly enticing is Villa Nureyev, which was once the home of ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, one of St. Barts’ original celebrity devotees. (Legend has it that he wished to dance on water; the villa’s floating deck was the closest he ever got.) Now owned and managed by Le Toiny, the 4,000-square-foot space retains Nureyev’s artful style, along with some vintage elements: A lighted, plexiglass-protected section of one of the bedrooms’ floors reveals the original tile.
Where the Wild Things Are
The resort’s location keeps it cloistered from the bustling nightlife and luxury shops of Gustavia, so take advantage with an adventure on the island’s wild side. The property can arrange half- or full-day catamaran tours to sub-lime Colombier, a protected white-sand beach accessible only by boat or on foot. Bring snorkeling gear to get an up-close look at endangered green sea turtles, or stay on the deck and simply watch the enchanting creatures poke their heads up from the marble-blue water of the yacht-dotted Anse de Colombier.
