The 33-room Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France on Flamands Beach epitomizes the island’s laid-back style. Here's our review.

Eden Rock–St Barths is the address for those who want to be in the island’s epicenter, near the party scenes and shopping. Here's our review.

Back in full swing after Hurricane Irma and then a small fire that took out the restaurant and part of the pool deck, the Hotel Christopher offers travelers without an Eden Rock budget a stylish alternative on St. Barth’s. The 42 rooms have a modern, beach-chic look: platform beds, dressed in crisp white linens, get an Hermès-orange pop of color from bold blankets and floor-to-ceiling curtains. Bathrooms are equally chic, with lava stone sinks, rain shower heads and high ceilings to match the loft-like feel of the bedroom. Outdoor patios have a view of the ocean and pool area and a comfortable oversize day bed for lounging. The best rooms are on the second floor, giving guests unobstructed ocean views and more privacy. Attached suites with connecting terraces will work well for families or friends traveling together.

While the resort lacks a sandy beach, its sexy pool is ideal for passing a sunny morning or afternoon, and fantastic beaches such as Saline are a short drive away (a rental car is a must on St. Barth’s). There’s also a smart boutique with cool surfer tees, coverups and adorable beachwear for tiny tots; a small fitness room with a view of the pool and the sea beyond; and a full-service Sisley Spa. Treatment rooms look out to the ocean and have private outdoor showers, and massages can be done al fresco. Michelin two-star chef Arnaud Faye joins the team and melds Mediterranean flavors with local seafood at Rivyera Plage. There are also three 2,600-square-foot villas with private pools.

Following a restoration after Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hôtel Le Toiny has added eight new villa suites, for a total of 22, along with one two-bedroom Villa Suite, all strategically located across the hillside along one of the most rugged and beautiful coastlines on St. Barth's. Its private location (and prime views) have helped earned the property—which has just celebrated its 25th year—a reputation as the perfect romantic hideaway. Seven new Spirit Suites feature well-appointed living areas, mini-kitchens and separate bedrooms, terraces and private pools. Three of these villas are spread over two floors. There are also four one-bedroom villas and a two-story, 2,000-square-foot two-bedroom option. All 13 Signature suites have new decks, pools and larger bathrooms with bathtub and shower, and there’s even a fantastic four-bedroom villa overlooking the ocean. The Reverend Charlie and Mandie Vere Nicoll, the British visionaries behind Isle de France (now LVMH's Cheval Blanc) who bought Le Toiny with several investors in 2015, have ensured that the hotel is even more polished than before and retains its distinctive clubhouse atmosphere. (You may spot Mandie at the beach with her long-haired dachshund Gladys.)

Renovations in 2016 and recent refurbishments, following Irma, by English interior designer Bee Osborn, have incorporated flawless white and taupe upholstery, sun-bleached woods and pale blue pops of color. Bathrooms have dual Duravit sinks and deep Victoria & Albert soaking tubs. Floor-to-ceiling white linen curtains add to the drama and allow guests to truly escape the world if they choose. The main attraction for most couples is the incredible privacy of the villas, which face the sea and sky, so you feel sufficiently secluded. Each villa has a private terrace with a pool and stunning views down the hill to the sea. A petit déjeuner (or anything you desire), along with an abridged version of the New York Times, is delivered daily, whenever you like.

And while the main house has an infinity pool area, a spa and an appealing eponymous restaurant and bar, overlooking Toiny Bay, most guests prefer to hide out in their villas, where everything from masseuses, trainers and chefs can be arranged so you don’t have to leave your hillside haven—and many honeymooners don’t, for up to a week. This is where George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth spent their honeymoon, and where celebrities including Brad Pitt and Kate Moss (not together) have been rumored to hide out. It may be one of the best places in the Caribbean for a lost weekend,  but if you aren’t wild about who you are with, you may feel that the island’s other distractions (restaurants and shopping) are a little too far away. You can also opt for a hike among the pathways around the property. One such walk takes you to the "Washing Machine," named after the foaming effect of the sea after it crashes into the rocks, or walk to where the natural water pools are deep enough for a dip.

Among the best additions to the property are the sophisticated Le Toiny Restaurant, overlooking the infinity pool and Le Toiny Beach Club down below. The ride down to the beach takes five to 10 minutes and feels like a beach safari, as you bounce along the rocky road and watch your progress from the open Land Rover Defender. The vibe may remind you a little of St. Tropez. Taking full advantage of its rugged southeast coast location, Le Toiny also has a new Surf Shack boutique and surfing school directly on-property, with lessons available for all levels—from beginner to experts—with a pro surf champion.

Contact your Trip Designer for more details or assistance with booking the island villa that best suits your needs.

Le Toiny is also the perfect spot for a wedding, and the property is often taken over for private events. On Indagare's recent visit, a wedding and reception were being set up in the main building and down at the beach. Musicians were slated to perform from a platform in the middle of the infinity pool off the terrace, with synchronized swimmers on either side. A firepit and torches were being readied to light up the night all around the pool's exterior. It is not hard to imagine wedding guests filling the terrace or enjoying the seaside view from the platform, down below, on the beach, installed just for the event. For hotel guests, music often sets the mood here. A DJ plays a chill background soundtrack at dinner and laidback tunes (a slow version of "Message in a Bottle," "Girl from Ipanema") are flowing all day long at the beach, by the pool—island life, encapsulated.

This five-star luxury resort opened in mid-2016, just months before Hurricane Irma devastated the island, and has been up and running since late October 2018. Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa is situated on a quiet cove on the Grand Cul de Sac, on the island’s northeastern side, just down the beach from Le Sereno and a 15 to 20-minute drive from Gustavia. The vibe, like the staff, is youthful and busy. Most of the property’s 44 rooms and suites (plus two villas) offer sea views, and some have easy beach access through a low gate to the pool and beach beyond. Room choices will depend on where guests want to be—away from the pool and the beach bar scene or in the thick of it. Ground-level ocean suites have private gardens, terraces and plunge pools, but while convenient to the beach and pool, are not especially private. The nicest rooms are the suites at the opposite end from Le Sereno. Suites on the first floor, further from the pool and the WTF Rooftop Bar are preferable. The resort is an appealing choice for families with kids eight and up and those looking for a true beach resort experience. Connecting suites are an option for families.

The décor at Le Barthélemy is contemporary but classic, with a crisp white-on-white design scheme and hints of sea tones in the throw pillows and hanging French glass sculptures. Dark wood louvered shutters can be opened from the bathroom so you can enjoy the view from there as well. There are ample Hermes products to use in the oversize shower. The infinity pool is right on the water next to the narrow crescent beach, and there is lots of kite- and windsurfing and boating going on (though swimmers beware: the water in the cove is only waist deep).

Le Barthélemy's restaurant, Amis St. Barth, is helmed by French chef Vincent Gomis and his wife, sous chef Marie Cécile Gomis-Alexandre, and they've upped the anti with a Chef's table and special Experiences Tables, for foodie guests looking for an elevated food experience. WTF (Whiskey Foxtrot Tango), the rooftop bar, promises a scene on weekends, so rooms nearby are likely to be noisier. Amis Plage serves lunch and drinks on the beach. The spa has a hammam and a sauna and offers hydrotherapy. The subterranean waiting area gets its natural light from a glass sunroof and has a unique French glass installation that incorporates a water feature; treatment rooms have constellation-like ceiling lights that fluctuate during a treatment. A small 24-hour fitness center and beach yoga are available for those looking to keep up their exercise regimen. Rest assured, a beach boutique is coming soon to satisfy your caftan and beach accessories fix. The staff is well turned out in chic French dresses and sporty uniforms and are generally helpful and attentive. Valet parking can get congested as the resort fills up. There are definitely weddings happening here. On Indagare’s recent visit, you could watch the vacation transformation of wedding guests arriving for the long weekend and settling in at tables for lunch by the beach, as they shed their winter layers and began to soak up the warm sun—and the rum punch.

The minimalist suites, renovated in 2019, at this intimate hotel are a favorite with design aficionados and beach lovers.

This classic island retreat tucked on its own private peninsula has (at long last) reopened, having been fully rebuilt by Rosewood.

Although a hotel is the best choice for first-time visitors to St. Barth’s, regulars usually rent villas, and the island has an impressive range of options. From charming two-bedroom cottages to expansive villas fit for royalty, there’s a house to suit most tastes, and many also offer the services and amenities of a top resort, such as butler services or a cook or catering. Your Trip Designer can help secure some of the island's best houses and match you with the property that's right for you.