SAINT BARTHS, FRENCH WEST INDIES-As our Winnair flight swooped down to land on this island’s 2,000-foot runway at the Gustave III airport, it became obvious to us that this exquisite island, merely 8 square miles with less than 7,000 inhabitants, was going to be a treasured experience.
The island prides itself on its “peacefulness and security.” That said, you can understand why travelers subject themselves to overcrowding at airports and on planes just to get here.
With some trepidation, I had asked myself, Would it be worth the arduous journey?
It turned out this trek took 20 hours from Palm Springs to get to the jewel of the French West Indies, legendary St. Barths.
The islands are like night and day. It was a relief to escape from St. Maarten after interminable lines, questioning, frisking and surly service at every turn.
Protected by natural barriers from mass tourism, St Barths is absent of mega resorts, chain restaurants and traffic. So un-tourist-like it was hard to locate their tourist office. Your best bet is by contacting their Web site, www.st-barths.com or e-mailing caraibes@saint-barths.com.
Once you’ve made the connection, a fascinating treasure trove of information will fall into your hands. Upcoming festivals include “Carnaval” with parades and parties, and the St. Barths Film Festival (Cinema Caraibe), where films other than French productions are shown in their original language and sub-titled in French. After all, this is a bastion of French culture and a haven for fine French restaurants and cafes. Most everything is imported-from strawberries to sushi-and that means residing and dining here can be expensive. Dinner for two is easily $100 at many of the restaurants. Casual dining is easy to find in Gustavia and a rental car is recommended for a few days of exploration.
On the edge of the Caribbean, St. Barths zealously guards its customs, traditions, and its unique blend of Swedish and French heritage. Today, a mix of bungalows, villas, guesthouses and luxury resorts appeal to the independent-minded traveler. The off-season, from mid-April to mid-December offers lower rates.
We bypassed seasonal rentals and found a terrific package at the Guanahani, a romantic resort covering 16 acres on two beaches, located at the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. For those planning a spring vacation, consider The “Spree” package, valid between April 15 and October. The cost of $2,525 (double occupancy) includes accommodations for five nights, breakfast daily or a gourmet dinner for two, a five-day car rental, and during the stay, a choice of a Clarins facial in the resort’s petite spa, tennis lessons, windsurfing lessons, jet skiing or a scuba diver’s beginning course (take your pick) plus a welcome gift.
During this same time period there is an eight-night “Honeymoon Package” that includes four spa treatments, two Guanahani bathrobes, a lobster lunch for two and a candle-lit room-service gourmet dinner for two, not to mention the French champagne on arrival and a gift certificate for the bride at the resort’s chic boutique. The cost: $4,504.
The Guanahani has the distinction of being the only hotel on the island located on two beaches. In addition, there are two floodlit tennis courts, aerobics classes, a weight-training room and a variety of accommodations, from ocean cove rooms (323 square feet) to a charming garden three-bedroom pool suite (1,120 square feet), ideal for a family or group of friends. The choices would please the fussiest traveler, right down to the CD and DVD players in the suites.
Guanahani is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. Contact information: 800.223.6800; direct line, 590 590 27 66 60; fax, 590 590 27 7070;
e-mail, guanahani@saint-barths.com; Web site, www.leguanahani.com.
Pamela Price is the co-author of “100 Best Spas of the World,” published by the Globe-Pequot Press ( www.globe-pequot.com).
Gourmet Festival at the Guanahani in St. Barths
By Bernard Bubman
Special to The Malibu Times
Continuing in what has become a trademark of gastronomic excellence, Hotel Guanahani in St. Barths has offered a Gourmet Festival for the fourth year running.
For a period of six weeks beginning Nov. 1, the hotel joined forces with culinary dynamo Harry Cipriani to offer guests classic Venetian epicurean food while surrounded by the beautiful Caribbean.
Cipriani’s executive chef, Denis Franceschini, collaborated with Guanahani’s own Philippe Masseglia. While at the Guanahani, Franceschini created a menu at the Bartolemeo Restaurant to reflect Cipriani’s trademark dishes and train the Guanahani’s staff to serve the menus in accordance with classic Cipriani style.
For a limited time, dinner at Bartolemeo is included in the price of one night’s room.
The menu consisted of a secret recipe for Risotto Primavera, a delicate risotto dish filled with succulent fresh vegetables. The vegetables included celery, onions, red peppers, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes and fennel. One of the secrets is to get it to the table only seconds after preparing it. It was delicious, of course! Fish dishes were also prepared with a Mediterranean balance of vegetables and flavors of lemon, capers and tomatoes.
The deserts were classic Italian, like Terramisu, but also had some other “secret” Cipriani cake recipes with an Italian twist. For example, there was a multi-layered sponge cake baked with fresh almond powder and egg whites layered with pastry cream and then covered with an Italian meringue on all sides. Then it was toasted with a flame. It melted in the mouth!
In addition to the Bartolemeo Restaurant, there is an informal restaurant at the pool, facing the ocean, called Indigo. It serves breakfast complete with French pastries and also serves a delicious lunch. Service is incomparable although very casual.