Ever since French Caribbean aviator and adventurer Rémy de Haenen first welcomed guests to his Eden Rock home on the ocean in the 1950s, Eden Rock – St Barths has been the byword for one-of-a-kind hospitality. It was quickly established as the preferred private and discreet destination of many glamorous Hollywood characters and today continues welcoming similarly brilliant celebrity guests and friends of modern times. Reopening for the season in October 2023, the iconic Caribbean property will celebrate its milestone 70th anniversary, inviting returning and new guests to come experience the legacy of Eden Rock.
Pages from Paradise
In celebration of the anniversary, Eden Rock has partnered with luxury publisher Assouline to mark their 70-year milestone with the creation a bespoke coffee table book chronicling the property’s seven decades of celebs, hospitality, luxury services and cherished memories. New and archival imagery are combined with storytelling narrated by St Barths connoisseur and award-winning British journalist, Vassi Chamberlain to offer the most comprehensive version available of the history of the island icon that is Eden Rock – St Barths. Launching in October 2023, the 160 page book will feature over 140 illustrations, including exclusive imagery, and will be available for purchase in the Eden Rock boutique and select Assouline retail stores.
Rémy de Haenen: The Founding
Founder Rémy de Haenen was a celebrated and eccentric adventurer. Born in London, the pioneer aviator landed the first ever plane in St Barths in 1946 into a field full of livestock that would later become the island’s efficient airport now named “Rémy de Haenen.” The island’s magnetic allure and high-brow visitors, including David and Peggy Rockefeller and part of the Rothschild family, inspired him to purchase land including the rocky promontory that jutted out into St Jean Bay. In 1953, Rémy set about transforming his home into what would become the islands’ first bed and breakfast to welcome his friends and family. In the 1960’s and 70’s his glamorous guests included the likes of Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes, Gore Vidal and Robert Mitchum, with a number of them and their friends also buying houses locally and accelerating the lively property market which exists to this day.
The Matthews Family: Preserving the Legacy
After Rémy de Haenen retired from the project, David and Jane Matthews decided to purchase the property after viewing it from a sailboat in St Jean Bay and falling in love with it, despite having no hospitality experience. The Matthews family agreed to keep most of the original Rémy objects and heirlooms - including examples of Mr. de Haenen’s Father’s artwork - while mixing it with modernity and contents from their home. In 2014 the Matthews family invited Oetker Collection and the Oetker family to co-invest and partner. Ushering in a new era, the hotel underwent a complete renovation in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017. In 2019, Eden Rock – St Barths reopened its doors to guests following a multi-million-dollar renovation that unveiled new and redesigned suites and rooms, gym, spa and pools. Today, Eden Rock – St Barths continues to nurture the freedoms and the fun, continuously seeking new ideas and then investing in the delivery of the best of them. Whether it be Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s gastronomic creations, the commissioning of new works by established and emerging artists, innovative exclusive capsule collaborations or the expansion of Eden Spa and Eden Rock Boutique, the hotel continues to evolve for its ever-loyal guests and friends.
Rates for Eden Rock – St Barths start from €1,450 (currently approx. $1,554) per night on a B&B basis. For more information, visit https://www.oetkercollection.com/hotels/eden-rock-st-barths/
