Experience the Other Side of St. Barth This Summer

Experience the Other Side of St. Barth This Summer
Summer is the time when St. Barth locals and privileged insiders shift from the VIP shuffle to a quieter, more intimate pace, what the real St. Barth is all about. Low season (July and August) is when visiting St. Barth means relaxing at deserted beaches, getting ad-hoc reservations at the best restaurants, experiencing a range of superb cultural events and ultimately enjoying affordable luxury at the Caribbean’s most sought after destination.

With lower, off-season rates and the fifth edition of Diana Bourel’s signature yoga summer camp challenge just around the corner, July is the perfect time to visit the island, channel your inner yogi, get strong and lean, make new friends and fall in love with your life in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The St. Barth Summer Camp is a 5-week yoga and fitness program (from July 15 – August 18) that is, above all, a powerful tool for personal growth and wellness that combines the yoga tradition with the challenge of community practice and the natural splendor of the island.

The camp is structured as an a-la-carte experience : single pass, week long modules , class packs, and a comprehensive class pass are all options that allow participants to dedicate as much time and intensity to their practice as they choose, while keeping costs summer-friendly. The camp schedule has a class menu of over 30 classes per week, from dynamic flow to static holds, evening restorative, as well as yoga nidra, pranayama, kriya work and meditation. Challenging outdoor hikes and water work classes to get your cardiovascular system primed round out the mix. Classroom techniques and yogic themes are developed and practiced both indoors and out. St. Barth’s 27 beaches and rugged, hilly landscape are both ally and teacher, strengthening our resolve, testing our balance to both stay on the saddle and find right action.

St. Barth is one of the most varied and upscale islands in the Caribbean; with villas, hotels, spas, some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, a wide choice of leisure activities and nautical sports, prestigious sailing regattas, a full calendar of cultural events, and the irresistible allure of great shopping. In the past two decades, St. Barth has emerged as one of the world's most elegant and fashionable destinations. Frequented primarily by an upscale clientele, this French Caribbean island attracts discriminating travelers who favor an exclusive vacation spot.

Highlights on this summer’s schedule include:

• July 14: Bastille Day - Fireworks and dancing on the dock, Quai Général de Gaulle in Gustavia.
• July 26 - Aug 17: St Barth Family Festival.
• August 3 -4: Windward Fete - Fishing tournament, regattas, various games, music, volleyball, raffle, and dancing: Village of Lorient.
• Aug 3-15: St Barth Tennis Open - The sports event of the summer is the islands’ largest tennis tournament. For men, women and children, on the tennis courts.
• August 24: St. Barthélemy Saint’s Day Commemoration of the island’s patron saint. Official ceremonies, regattas, various games, fireworks and dancing on the dock : Quai Général de Gaulle– Gustavia.

On June 22, St. Barth will host a "Shop til You Drop" day for attendees of the Women with Purpose Global Summit, created and produced by Amethyst Entertainment, taking place on June 18-22 in St. Martin. Guests will enjoy a shopping spree fit for the rich and famous and an afternoon Ultimate Girlfriends Luncheon Party at various luxurious hotels of St. Barth. St. Barth is the ideal island to go shopping with total serenity. In Gustavia, the most prestigious luxury brands rub shoulders with young designers whose collections are inspired by life on the island, with informal receptions, memorable parties and elegant relaxation. Interior designer boutiques are filled with objects that range from classic to unusual, often found on expeditions to the four corners of the world. Most of the boutiques are located in Gustavia or St. Jean, and offer duty-free prices.

Fashionistas will find a truly memorable shopping experience at the Cour Vendome, which houses all of the high-end designer brands on the island under one roof: Louis Vuitton, Edgar, Bvlgari, 100% Capri, Renato Nucci, De Grisogono, You and Me , Vibrequin and Excellence des Sens. The latest in haute couture is available at the chicest boutique on the island, Stephane and Bernard. Summer sales on the island take place between August 5-17, during the St. Barth Shopping Festival where promotions, sales and fairs are held in various shops on the island.

St. Barth also has a strong artistic and cultural heritage, which is celebrated in the island’s many festivals. This summer, tourists will experience 10 days of live music with St. Barth Summer Sessions from August 5-15; and concerts of Caribbean music with St. Barth JAM Music Festival from July 12-14.

In hotel news…..

The Hotel Carl Gustaf, located on a hilltop overlooking the harbor and just steps from Gustavia's shops, restaurants and nightlife, is offering a new value-add package for summer called the Summer Delight Package. Available from May 1 - August 30, the package includes:

- Three nights in a Superior One-Bedroom, with upgrade to a Deluxe One-Bedroom based on availability
- Daily breakfast
- Three-day car rental (excluding gas and insurance)
- Dinner for two at the hotel's Victoria's restaurant
- One cocktail per person at the Carl Gustaf Lounge

Villa Polaroid is a brand-new hideaway with its own private garden within the terraced gardens of the Hotel LeVillage Saint-Barth, one of the best values on the charmed island of St.Barthelemy. This maison extraordinaire takes it design cues from the upstart era of Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground, conjuring up the brashness and drama of Pop Art and Polaroid photography. The original hilltop villa, built 30 years ago, now transcends today’s ideas of interior design to become a unique vacation environment of function and whimsy, luxury and romance.

Villa Polaroid at Hotel Le Village is the culmination of a three-year program to restyle and upgrade the all 28 rooms and cottages, enhancing the hotel’s 44-year-old reputation for gracious surroundings but making the hotel even more appealing with surround-sound, hydro-jet Jacuzzis, indoor/outdoor showers and Italian fittings.

Hôtel Le Toiny invites couples to get swept up in the romance of St. Barth with the hotel’s Island Breeze package, which includes:

-Three-, five- or seven-night stay in a One-Bedroom Villa Suite with private pool and terrace
-One three-course dinner at the hotel’s renowned and recently renovated Restaurant Le Gaiac
- Two 60-minute spa treatments of choice with Ligne St. Barth
- Smart rental car to explore the island at leisure
- Daily full American breakfast
-Private round trip airport transfers
- A bottle of chilled Rosé and gourmet refreshments upon arrival.

Eden Rock is offering the ‘Eden Temptation’ package, which includes:

• 5 night’s luxury accommodations
• V.I.P airport transfers in a spacious air conditioned chauffeur driven vehicle
• A personal and very warm welcome followed by a look around the Eden Rock property arriving at your own house,suite, room or cabin
• Chilled wine and appetising welcome snacks delivered to your own private terrace
• A really splendid breakfast buffet served daily in the Sand Bar Restaurant where tables overlook the blue Caribbean sea just paces away
• Your own nifty car to explore the island
• Soft white coral sandy beaches of St Jean where serviced sun-loungers and shady umbrellas are watched over by our amiable ER Beach Team
• Kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment for diving on the coral reef nearby
• Access to a well-equipped gym
• Use of office facilities in the Guest Business Centre where computers, stationery, printers/ scanners are provided
• Wi Fi throughout the property
• Lunch for 2 at the ‘Sand Bar with Jean-Georges’ or Dinner at ‘On The Rocks with Jean-Georges’ on your day of
choice**
• A cocktail at sunset on your evening of choice

The Hotel Christopher is offering the “premium Luxury Silver’ package, which includes:

-Roundtrip airport or harbour transfer
-Accommodation and buffet breakfast
_ Welcome drink and minibar on arrival
_ 150 € resort credit per day for Food & Beverage at Taïno and mango / Bar / Spa (from 9am to 3pm)

No matter what you desire this summer, St. Barth has something to offer every visitor. St. Barth Tourism invites you to experience the other side of St. Barth this summer.

St. Barth is one of the world’s most glamorous destinations and a frequent getaway for both the rich and famous, and well-heeled travelers, offering style and sophistication in a friendly and laid back environment. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and put on the map for high-end tourism by the Rockefellers in the late 1950s, St Barth remains distinctly French in feel and has charmed countless visitors with its innate beauty, unique character and authentic charm. This casual but chic hideaway offers watersports, wining and dining in the island’s superb restaurants, shopping in Gustavia’s trendy boutiques, and a variety of fantastic cultural events throughout the year. For more information, visit https://www.saintbarth-tourisme.com.