Evaluate: Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth

Wednesday newsletters all the time function a resort or flight assessment.

Just a few weeks in the past, I loved a vacation in St Barths, the Caribbean’s most unique island. You may learn my journey experiences right here:

Right this moment: Evaluate of Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth

Dealing with a peaceable lagoon and the glowing Caribbean, Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth is a imaginative and prescient of bougainvillea, coconut groves, and vibrantly coloured cottages. Consistent with its unique St Barts’ location, this enclave feels extra like an intimate retreat than a full-service resort. Every of the 66 air-conditioned, Creole-style cottages options accents of uncommon wooden, a large terrace, and a personal backyard with practically all rooms and suites providing ocean views, and plenty of function swimming pools. Be as energetic as you would like; select between the world-class spa and the various water sports activities, from kayaking and snorkeling to an unique climbing path on the Morne.

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth options in my prime 10 listing of the finest luxurious lodges in St Barts.

Have you ever ever stayed at Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth? In that case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.

On this assessment (extra information and photographs under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The place French class meets Caribbean exuberance, the island of St Barts – also referred to as St Barth or Saint Barthelemy – has lengthy been thought of probably the most coveted trip locations among the many world’s most stylish and prosperous vacationers. Influenced by its deeply layered historical past, St Barts’ predominantly French tradition informs each element of the island expertise, from the native language, to its world-class eating places and retailers, to the subtle but vibrant power that runs by way of all of it. Whether or not in quest of unique surroundings or searching for unique journey, this prestigious Caribbean jewel is rather more than a secret island of a temple of laid again refinement; it presents a luxurious way of life past examine. The primary strategy to journey to St Barts is to fly to close by St Maarten Island, adopted by a 15-min flight to St Barth’s airstrip, which is positioned a brief 10-minute drive away from the Rosewood Lodge.

Named in tribute to the island’s tradition – “guanahani” means “welcome” within the vacation spot’s native Arawak language – the beloved Le Guanahani Lodge has been a mainstay of native hospitality because it opened in 1986. Its enviable setting throughout 18 lush and secluded acres on a personal peninsula overlooking the gorgeous seashores of Maréchal Bay and Grand Cul-de-Sac Lagoon, complemented by its cosmopolitan design, made the resort immediately interesting to artists, designers and different discerning vacationers worldwide. Le Guanahani remained one of many world’s most iconic island escapes and was rebranded in 2021 as a Rosewood property following a 4 12 months in depth renovation and refurbishment. The excellent reimagination preserved the distinctive spirit of the fabled resort whereas infusing up to date facilities and design particulars, in addition to Rosewood’s illustrious type of service and guiding.

Drawing inspiration from its pristine setting, wealthy with French aptitude and the festive spirit of the Caribbean, the structure and design of Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth have been performed by David M Schwartz Architects and Luis Pons Design Lab. From the lodging to the eating areas to the spa, every area has been rigorously conceived to immerse visitors within the native tradition and magnificence. The pure great thing about St Barts is highlighted by way of sensible design particulars that incorporate indigenous crafts and artisanship. Vibrant design hues of turquoise, impressed by the island’s waters; yellow, reflecting the tropical solar; and, lavender as a nod to the South of France, add pops of coloration and character all through the property. The palette is complemented by refined and fashionable interiors stuffed with pure daylight and boasting unique furnishings designed by Luis Pons.

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth presents 66 lovely lodging which replicate the distinctive historical past, heritage and magnificence of the French Caribbean. Designed as residential, freestanding areas showcasing colourful exteriors and both ocean or backyard views, the 29 guestrooms, 27 suites and 9 signature suites present the utmost in privateness to facilitate whole leisure. Interiors are characterised by a contemporary and clear sense of favor that’s differentiated by way of playful design particulars and pops of coloration, creating an surroundings that’s without delay calming and invigorating. Pure gentle floods every room by way of floor-to-ceiling French home windows, contrasting with the darkish picket flooring and travel-inspired furnishings by Luis Pons. Guestrooms, for instance, function items paying homage to the classic baggage chests utilized by explorers on their journeys.

Throughout my vacation, I used to be upgraded to an Ocean View Suite with Personal Pool, one of many resort’s highest room classes, positioned on the higher degree of the hillside (going through east). The gorgeous villa, whose exterior was painted in a pastel inexperienced coloration, featured a spacious and opulent bed room with a four-poster kingsize mattress – dressed within the best linens – in addition to a separate front room with a convertible couch mattress. The villa’s ensuite rest room was outfitted with double sinks, a walk-in rain bathe, and a bathroom. A lined terrace (with plush lounge seats and a eating desk) and an prolonged sundeck (with non-public plunge pool and two snug solar beds) provided a view of the Caribbean Sea & Grand Cul-de-Sac Lagoon, and was the proper place to look at the dawn early within the morning and to calm down in the course of the day.

Serving because the social hub of the resort and coronary heart of Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth is the Seashore Home, which is positioned on the small land-strip between Maréchal Bay and Grand Cul-de-Sac Lagoon. Occupying a newly constructed, Caribbean-style pavilion, the Seashore Home is residence to the resort’s solely restaurant, which is comprised of separate areas that welcome visitors for the completely different mealtimes, depending on the time of day. Additionally housing a boutique and high- finish bar (Bar Mélangé), the Seashore Home emanates the brand new luxurious resort’s French-Caribbean spirit by way of considerate design particulars equivalent to hand-painted wall coverings, woven panels, sheer draperies, mahogany wooden and marbled stone. Set alongside the Seashore Home is an open-air bar in addition to magnificent infinity pool, which overlooks the seaside of Grand Cul-de-Sac Lagoon.

A sanctuary of simplicity and purity, and the most important wellness facility on the island, Rosewood Le Guanahani’s Sense, A Rosewood Spa invitations visitors on a holistic journey. An in depth menu of remedies and therapies is on provide, every fusing age-old practices distinctive to St Barth’s area people with cutting-edge applied sciences and sustainable facilities. Highlights embrace The Ouanalao Ritual, inviting visitors to realize deep leisure by way of a heat foot tub and exfoliation adopted by a soothing facial cleanse and full physique therapeutic massage. Situated between the seaside and the hillside, the spa additional incorporates the island ethos and pure environment in its design for a uniquely immersive journey from begin to end. The ability options 4 remedy rooms, two {couples}’ suites, hydrotherapy space, an adults-only pool, a state-of-the-art health club, blow-dry bar, nail salon and full-service tennis facility.

Because of the resort’s distinctive location on a personal peninsula, Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barths has the benefit of providing its visitor not one however two lovely seashores. Separated by a small land strip lush with palm bushes, each seashores are completely lovely. The primary seaside – under the infinity pool and the Seashore Home – overlooks the dawn and the turquoise waters of Grand Cul-de-Sac Lagoon, whereas the opposite seaside faces Maréchal Bay, providing a view of the sundown. Company might spend the day swimming or sunbathing on the resort’s foremost pool or the totally serviced seashores, which come full with meals and beverage choices from the Seashore Home. Complimentary non-motorized watersports on property embrace kayaking, paddle-boarding and snorkeling. Additionally extremely beneficial is to hike up the rocky promontory on the far finish of the seaside, which presents top-of-the-line views in St Barths.

For beyond-the-resort island exploration, Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth’s devoted Clefs d’Or Concierge is on provide to supply professional help in planning significant and immersive adventures. From climbing the island’s rolling hills, rocky reefs and pure swimming pools, to procuring St Barts’ designer boutiques in seek for bespoke clothes and crafts, to discovering the works of native and worldwide artists, the island’s strong array of actions caters to all sorts of vacationers. For these trying to maximize their time on the sand by way of sunbathing, crusing, sportfishing or scuba diving, St. Barts’ 14 seashores present ample alternative, every radiating with its personal character and attraction.

Youthful visitors are invited to embark on their very own adventures at Rosewood Explorers, the resort’s forward-thinking kids’s membership idea that mixes leisure with schooling for an impactful expertise. Helmed out of an indoor-outdoor area set immediately adjoining to the seaside, and that includes a customized mosaic mural by iconic native artist Veronique Vandernoot, this system presents a wide range of regionally impressed actions that goal to domesticate kids’s creativity, cultural appreciation and social accountability by way of journey. Highlights embrace cooking and gardening courses, arts and crafts classes and classes on the native wildlife.

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth is managed by Rosewood Inns & Resorts, one of many world’s most unique resort manufacturers. The Rosewood story started in 1979 when a historic mansion in Dallas, Texas was remodeled into an acclaimed world-class resort – The Mansion on Turtle Creek – whose success was the blueprint for all subsequent Rosewood properties. Right this moment, the group manages a particular assortment of residential-style lodges throughout the globe, together with well-known properties equivalent to The Carlyle (New York) and Las Ventanas al Paraíso (Mexico). Every property delivers a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and magnificence, through which location, tradition, historical past and geography are a part of the material of the resort, reflecting the corporate’s “Sense of Place” philosophy. I’ve beforehand reviewed the next Rosewood Inns & Resorts:

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth’s lovely swimming pool is positioned at The Seashore Home. Sadly, the pool space will not be completely reserved to resort visitors as non-guests may also purchase a day go to get entry to the resort’s seaside amenities (this go features a lunch, day mattress, and towel). It is a frequent practise in St Barts the place vacationers can purchase a day go to spend their leisure time on the pool of a luxurious resort. As a consequence, issues can get a bit crowded on the pool – particularly within the excessive season – and it might be tough to discover a lounger on the pool deck by late morning.

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth’s foremost pool is open to each adults and kids, and this will likely pose an issue in case you are in the hunt for blissful moments alongside the pool. For instance, throughout my keep, a big household with younger (and never so properly behaved) kids took over your entire pool space, and since they made a lot noise, most different visitors left the pool space after some time, hoping to discover a quieter spot on the seaside. In fact, there’s all the time the adults-only spa pool the place visitors can retreat to, however that pool is positioned up the hill and never alongside the seaside. IMHO, whereas Rosewood Le Guanahani – and by extension St Barts Island – is family-friendly, it’s undoubtedly extra tailor-made towards {couples} or adults on the lookout for a soothing, romantic getaway.

The meals at Rosewood Le Guanahani is top-tier, however the property options just one restaurant (though a second pop-up eating places is typically open as properly). So, in case you are planning on staying on the resort on your dinners throughout your vacation, you might end up returning to the identical spot each night time, and for foodies who love selection, this might really feel a bit repetitive. However in St Barts, issues are a bit completely different, since most lodges – together with the Rosewood – truly encourage visitors to enterprise off-property to discover the island’s thrilling eating scene (the island is residence to a number of high-end eating places, so it could be a disgrace for those who would keep on the resort on your dinners).

The format of the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, set throughout a hilly panorama, might be fairly difficult for visitors with mobility points or those that merely don’t need to exert an excessive amount of effort. Lots of the rooms, eating places, and facilities are scattered throughout the property, and a few require a major quantity of strolling or utilizing shuttles to get round.

The seaside might be tough for swimming as a result of sturdy winds and currents, making it much less perfect for households with younger kids. Additionally, a notable problem at instances, significantly within the hotter months, is the presence of seaweed (particularly sargassum) that may wash up on the seashores. This could have an effect on the great thing about the seaside and your total seaside expertise. Whereas the resort workers works laborious to clear it away, there are occasions when the buildup might be important, affecting the standard of the water and the aesthetic of the seaside.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 9/10
Meals: 9/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Wow issue: 8/10
Worth for cash: 8/10
Total expertise: superb 8.7/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Get monetary savings: get complimentary VIP perks at Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth when reserving through Virtuoso:
- Improve on arrival, topic to availability
- Each day Buffet breakfast for as much as two visitors per bed room, served within the restaurant
- $100 USD equal resort credit score to be utilized throughout keep (not combinable, not legitimate on room fee, no money worth if not redeemed in full)
- Bookings in Signature Suites (2 and three bedrooms) will obtain a further $100 Lodge credit score (for a complete of $200 throughout keep)
- Early check-in and late check-out, topic to availability
- Complimentary Wi-F

Get monetary savings: learn right here my suggestions for getting the perfect deal at a luxurious resort like Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth (and/or obtain many free perks).

Learn my suggestions for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

St Barts has a pleasing tropical local weather with common highs that hover within the 80s °F (round 28 °C), often tempered by cooling commerce winds. December to March are the most well-liked months to go to, characterised by heat, usually dry but additionally windy days, while the summer time months between June and November are typically extra humid, with common showers and the potential of tropical storms and hurricanes. The most effective time to go to the island is April and Might, a candy spot that includes decrease costs and fewer crowds.

HOW TO GET THERE

The primary strategy to journey to St Barts is to fly to close by St Maarten Island, adopted by a 15-min flight to St Barts’ airstrip, which is positioned a brief 10-minute drive away from Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth. The resort gives complimentary highway transfers to and from the airport.

PHOTOS

Right here’s a choice of my photographs of Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth. To view extra photographs (together with breakfast and dinner), click on right here.