Assessment: Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth

May 21, 2025

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Wednesday newsletters at all times characteristic a lodge or flight evaluation.

A number of weeks in the past, I loved a vacation in St Barths, the Caribbean’s most unique island. You possibly can learn my journey stories right here:

Right this moment: Assessment 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. In step with its unique St Barts’ location, this enclave feels extra like an intimate retreat than a full-service lodge. Every of the 66 air-conditioned, Creole-style cottages options accents of uncommon wooden, a large terrace, and a personal backyard with almost all rooms and suites providing ocean views, and lots of characteristic swimming pools. Be as energetic as you would like; select between the world-class spa and the numerous water sports activities, from kayaking and snorkeling to an unique mountaineering path on the Morne.

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

Have you ever ever stayed at Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth? If that’s the case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

On this evaluation (extra data and images under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The place French class meets Caribbean exuberance, the island of St Barts – often known as St Barth or Saint Barthelemy – has lengthy been thought-about some of the 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 delicate but vibrant vitality 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 way more than a secret island of a temple of laid again refinement; it presents a luxurious life-style past examine. The primary method 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 situated 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 intensive renovation and refurbishment. The excellent reimagination preserved the distinctive spirit of the fabled resort whereas infusing modern 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 fastidiously conceived to immerse friends within the native tradition and magnificence. The pure fantastic 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 shade 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 stunning lodging which mirror 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 rest. Interiors are characterised by a contemporary and clear sense of favor that’s differentiated by way of playful design particulars and pops of shade, creating an setting that’s directly 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, characteristic 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, situated on the higher degree of the hillside (dealing with east). The gorgeous villa, whose exterior was painted in a pastel inexperienced shade, 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 lavatory was outfitted with double sinks, a walk-in rain bathe, and a rest room. A lined terrace (with plush lounge seats and a eating desk) and an prolonged sundeck (with personal 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 chill out throughout 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 situated 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 dwelling to the resort’s solely restaurant, which is comprised of separate areas that welcome friends for the totally 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 akin 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 biggest wellness facility on the island, Rosewood Le Guanahani’s Sense, A Rosewood Spa invitations friends on a holistic journey. An in depth menu of remedies and therapies is on supply, 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 friends to realize deep rest by way of a heat foot bathtub 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 power options 4 therapy rooms, two {couples}’ suites, hydrotherapy space, an adults-only pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, blow-dry bar, nail salon and full-service tennis facility.

As a result of resort’s distinctive location on a personal peninsula, Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barths has the benefit of providing its visitor not one however two stunning seashores. Separated by a small land strip lush with palm timber, each seashores are completely stunning. 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. Visitors could spend the day swimming or sunbathing on the resort’s fundamental 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 probably the greatest views in St Barths.

For beyond-the-resort island exploration, Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth’s devoted Clefs d’Or Concierge is on supply to offer skilled help in planning significant and immersive adventures. From mountaineering the island’s rolling hills, rocky reefs and pure swimming pools, to buying St Barts’ designer boutiques in seek for bespoke clothes and crafts, to discovering the works of native and worldwide artists, the island’s sturdy array of actions caters to all forms 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 friends 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 training 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 quite a lot of domestically impressed actions that intention to domesticate kids’s creativity, cultural appreciation and social duty by way of journey. Highlights embrace cooking and gardening lessons, arts and crafts classes and classes on the native wildlife.

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth is managed by Rosewood Motels & Resorts, one of many world’s most unique lodge manufacturers. The Rosewood story started in 1979 when a historic mansion in Dallas, Texas was remodeled into an acclaimed world-class lodge – 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 accommodations throughout the globe, together with well-known properties akin to The Carlyle (New York) and Las Ventanas al Paraíso (Mexico). Every property delivers a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and magnificence, wherein location, tradition, historical past and geography are a part of the material of the lodge, reflecting the corporate’s “Sense of Place” philosophy. I’ve beforehand reviewed the next Rosewood Motels & Resorts:

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth’s stunning swimming pool is situated at The Seashore Home. Sadly, the pool space shouldn’t be completely reserved to lodge friends as non-guests also can purchase a day cross to get entry to the lodge’s seaside amenities (this cross features a lunch, day mattress, and towel). This can be a widespread practise in St Barts the place vacationers can purchase a day cross to spend their leisure time on the pool of a luxurious lodge. 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 fundamental pool is open to each adults and youngsters, and this may occasionally pose an issue if you’re searching for blissful moments alongside the pool. For instance, throughout my keep, a big household with younger (and never so effectively behaved) kids took over your complete pool space, and since they made a lot noise, most different friends left the pool space after some time, hoping to discover a quieter spot on the seaside. After all, there’s at all times the adults-only spa pool the place friends can retreat to, however that pool is situated 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 restaurant is usually open as effectively). So, if you’re planning on staying on the resort in your dinners throughout your vacation, you could end up returning to the identical spot each evening, and for foodies who love selection, this might really feel somewhat repetitive. However in St Barts, issues are a bit totally different, since most accommodations – together with the Rosewood – truly encourage friends to enterprise off-property to discover the island’s thrilling eating scene (the island is dwelling to a number of high-end eating places, so it could be a disgrace when you would keep on the lodge in your dinners).

The format of the Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, set throughout a hilly panorama, may be fairly difficult for friends with mobility points or those that merely don’t wish 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 big quantity of strolling or utilizing shuttles to get round.

The seaside may be tough for swimming as a consequence of sturdy winds and currents, making it much less best for households with younger kids. Additionally, a notable challenge at instances, notably within the hotter months, is the presence of seaweed (particularly sargassum) that may wash up on the seashores. This will have an effect on the fantastic thing about the seaside and your general seaside expertise. Whereas the resort workers works arduous to clear it away, there are occasions when the buildup may 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: excellent 8.7/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Lower your expenses: get complimentary VIP perks at Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth when reserving by way of Virtuoso:
- Improve on arrival, topic to availability
- Day by day Buffet breakfast for as much as two friends per bed room, served within the restaurant
- $100 USD equal lodge credit score to be utilized throughout keep (not combinable, not legitimate on room price, no money worth if not redeemed in full)
- Bookings in Signature Suites (2 and three bedrooms) will obtain an extra $100 Lodge credit score (for a complete of $200 throughout keep)
- Early check-in and late check-out, topic to availability
- Complimentary Wi-F

Lower your expenses: learn right here my ideas for getting one of the best deal at a luxurious lodge like Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth (and/or obtain many free perks).

Learn my ideas for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

St Barts has a nice tropical local weather with common highs that hover within the 80s °F (round 28 °C), normally tempered by cooling commerce winds. December to March are the preferred months to go to, characterised by heat, typically dry but in addition windy days, while the summer time months between June and November are typically extra humid, with common showers and the opportunity of tropical storms and hurricanes. One of the best time to go to the island is April and Could, a candy spot that includes decrease costs and fewer crowds.

HOW TO GET THERE

The primary method 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 situated a brief 10-minute drive away from Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth. The lodge gives complimentary highway transfers to and from the airport.