Best hotels in St Barths: nine places to stay by the beaches and in Gustavia

Calm near Gustavia

GYP SEA sits close to the harbour in Gustavia, with a pool, a garden, a spa and a restaurant. Breakfast and airport transfers are included, and guests rate the hotel very highly.

This is our pick near Gustavia, if you want to walk to restaurants in the evening and have a quiet pool by day. Walk down to Shell Beach, right by the town, and watch the sunset from there.

Right on St-Jean beach

Pearl Beach sits right on the beach at St-Jean, with a beach club, a restaurant and rooms a few steps from the sand. It is lively by day, with music and people coming for lunch.

This is our pick in St-Jean, if you want the beach and the life around it. The airport is at the end of the beach, and it is fun to watch the small planes land. Snorkel along the reef in St-Jean bay in the morning.

A small hotel above St-Jean

Tropical Hotel is a small hotel on the hillside above St-Jean, with a pool overlooking the bay and rooms in a lush garden. It is one of the better value hotels on the island, and guests rate it very highly.

It suits you if you want a personal, quiet stay with the beach and restaurants a few minutes' walk away. Take a book to the pool and enjoy the view over the bay.

On Anse des Cayes

Manapany sits on the bay of Anse des Cayes on the north west coast, with small houses in the garden, a pool among the palms and a restaurant on the beach.

It suits couples and families who want a quiet beach with Gustavia and Flamands close by. Drive to Flamands for a long afternoon on one of the island's finest beaches. The hotel is a few minutes from the airport and Gustavia by car.

Right on the beach at Grand Cul-de-Sac

Le Sereno sits right on the beach by the lagoon at Grand Cul-de-Sac, with simple, elegant suites in white and natural tones and a restaurant by the water. The mood is calm and relaxed, and many guests return year after year.

This is our beach pick, if you want to walk straight from your room into calm water. It suits couples and families alike. Rent a paddleboard and paddle out on the lagoon in the morning, when the water is flat.

Elegant on the lagoon

Le Barthélemy sits on the beach at Grand Cul-de-Sac, with large rooms, a long pool facing the lagoon and a spa. It is modern and elegant, and guests give it one of the highest ratings on the island.

It suits couples who want full service with the beach right outside. Book a boat trip along the coast from the lagoon and see the island from the sea. The spa is a good alternative on a day of wind and waves.

Small and better value in Grand Cul-de-Sac

Amnios is a small hotel in Grand Cul-de-Sac, with a pool with a view, a garden, a bar and a restaurant. It is a short trip from the lagoon and the beach.

It suits you if you want a quiet stay on the east side at a lower price than the beachfront hotels. Rent a car to get around the island, and have lunch by the lagoon.

A pool above the sea at Pointe Milou

Christopher sits on Pointe Milou, high above the sea, with a large pool looking out to the horizon and rooms with terraces facing the water. It is one of the best places on the island for sunset. The hotel also has a spa and a restaurant with sea views.

This is our pick for the view, for couples who want the sea in front of them all day. There is no sandy beach at the hotel, but St-Jean and Grand Cul-de-Sac are a few minutes away by car. Stay by the pool until the sun goes down.

Villas with private pools

Le Toiny sits on the hillside of the Toiny coast in the south east, with suites and villas that have their own pool and sea views. The hotel has a beach club by the sea and a well known restaurant.

This is our pick for privacy, for a honeymoon or a special occasion. It is the island's most secluded corner, far from the traffic of St-Jean. Walk the coastal path at Toiny and watch the waves break on the rocks.