Editors' Picks

Eden Rock–St Barths

Hip, hot spot, nautical chic

1 Baie De St Jean., St Barthelemy 97133

+590 590-297-999

See Website

Indagare Adored

At a Glance

This legendary one-of-a-kind resort, an Oetker Collection property, was fully rebuilt after Hurricane Irma by its owners, David and Jane Matthews (aka Pippa Middleton’s in-laws). And since then, it has quickly reestablished itself as the 21st-century place to be for a particular kind of St. Barth’s scene. (It’s a chic Eden with its very own breed of glamour.) With a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant and British Colonial–style Rémy Bar—plus a spot for drinks on the beach—you’re unlikely to lack food (or drink) for long. The hotel has 37 rooms and suites, and a spa with cabin-like treatment areas and Dr. Barbara Sturm treatments, plus a fitness center focused on well-being, yoga and meditation for adults and kids. Eden Rock villas on and off the property come with VIP butlers in their signature bright-red pants, who will attend to all your needs and provide access to many of the resort’s amenities and beachside services. Eden Rock has also been helping to restore the reef in the bay that was impacted by Irma, and to re-wild the 12-acre freshwater lagoon of St. Jean with 12,000 mangroves.

The Standout: Villa Rockstar—the ultimate 16,000-square-foot, multi-suite beach house, with its own 20-meter pool on the beach, and Villa Nina, also right on the beach, with a lovely private pool Don’t Miss: A leisurely lunch (and epic people-watching) at Sand Bar or a longer sailing or boat tour around the island

Indagare Loves

  • The resort’s prime location on St. Jean Beach
  • Shopping at the hotel’s own Eden Being and other très chic boutiques a short walk away
  • People-watching at Jean- Georges Vongerichten’s Sand Bar on St. Jean Beach after ordering truffle pizza and crispy salmon sushi

Review

In 1951, Rémy de Haenen, who is considered the father of St. Barth’s, and was its first mayor, bought this hilly point. He was the first person to land a plane on the island in 1945, and legend has it that he was greeted by a herd of goats. He paid only $200 for the prime real estate that pokes into the sea off St. Jean Beach, and the day after he bought it, the seller tried to give him some of his money back, as they worried that he had overpaid. De Haenen built his home on the highest point of the outcropping, and it later became the island’s first hotel, hosting people like Baron Rothschild, David Rockefeller, Brigitte Bardot, Howard Hughes and Greta Garbo.

In 1995, the hotel was sold to David and Jane Matthews. The British couple (now Pippa Middleton's in-laws) was traveling on a friend’s boat, stopped on the island and, like de Haenen, immediately felt that they must live there. Rather than keep the house to themselves, they decided to transform the neglected property from a quirky guesthouse into a 21st-century resort to rival the best in the world. The Matthews added new cottages on the cliffs, bringing the total to 15. In 2003, they acquired the Filao Beach hotel next door. A year later, they razed all the rooms and built one- and two-bedroom split-level villas. When the most palatial accommodations, Villa Nina and Villa Rockstar, debuted a few years ago, a new level of plush was ushered in. All of the villas have since been completely overhauled in the top-to-bottom renovation and a new one added, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which destroyed the property in 2017.

The hotel has been re-envisioned with storms in mind, and several parts of the hotel have been relocated and expanded. It now features 37 rooms, suites and villas, many designed by Jane Matthews, with art from local and international artists, Ligne St. Barth's amenities and Nespresso machines. Villa Nina and the hotel's restaurant, Sand Bar, have been reimagined by Swedish interior designer Martin Brudnizki. Villa Rockstar now incorporates six suites. Eden Rock also has one of the island's best restaurants, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Sand Bar, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and cocktails, along with the new British Colonial-style Rémy Bar, named in honor of the hotel's original owner, and a beach bar. Like many of the popular neighboring restaurants along St. Jean beach, the menu at Sand Bar emphasizes an array of appealing options: fresh local fish (including sashimi and ceviche, tuna tartare, mahi-mahi and  lobster), plus pizzas, salads and a drinks menu with everything from Moscow Mules to ginger margaritas and turmeric tonics.

Given its location, many activities at Eden Rock revolve around the beach and the sea and the scene along this particular stretch of shoreline, but the hotel has a brand-new spa and fitness center, as well as programming (private and group) around well-being, yoga and meditation for both adults and children. Personalized fitness and wellness coaching, electro-stimulation, flexibility stretching, modern jazz classes as well as hikes and Stand Up Paddleboard yoga are also available. Children of all ages are welcome on-property, and there are an abundance of art lesson offerings as well as a pastry workshop to keep kids four and up busy. The spa is located inside the top of the rock and has been designed to feel like a "yacht on land," with cabin-like treatment rooms. Treatments incorporate three all-natural brands, including local favorite Ligne St. Barth's, Esthederm and Hydrafacial.

The expanded Eden Being Boutique has a nautical vibe and offers an extensive curated collection of beachwear and chic brands (Etro, Missoni, Chloé, local favorite Lolita Jaca) for men, women and children. Stella McCartney has designed an exclusive line of clothing for kids.

Indagare has intel on all the room, suite and villa options and can help you determine the best ones for you. Eden Rock's villas on- and off-property come with VIP butler services and access to many Eden Rock amenities and beachside services.

Who Should Stay

Couples, families and friends who want to be in the island’s epicenter, near the party scenes and shopping.

Written by Melissa Biggs Bradley

What's Nearby

More Inspiration

Indagare employees walking up stiars

Enjoy 30 Days On Us!

Start your Self Planner
membership trial today.

Unlock access to 2,000+ first-hand hotel reviews, 300+ Destination Guides and the most up-to-date travel news and inspiration.

Already a member?

Welcome back,
log in to Indagare

Not a member?

Forgot Password

Enter your email and we’ll send you a link to reset your password.

Type the first 3 letters to begin