Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth

"After renovations following 2017’s Hurricane Irma, the iconic Le Guanahani returned with a new name—Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth—and new levels of luxury. The hotel is framed by a pretty lagoon and two beaches: Maréchal Bay (a sandy stretch) and Grand Cul de Sac (known for snorkeling and spotting sea turtles)." - Jennifer Flowers

"After renovations following 2017’s Hurricane Irma, the iconic Le Guanahani returned with a new name—Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth—and new levels of luxury." - Laura Dannen Redman

"Following four years of extensive renovations, this all-time island favorite on St Barths reopened in 2021 under the Rosewood banner. While its charming clapboard cottages, spa and restaurants have been given a makeover, the vibe remains the same: it’s still wonderfully laid-back."

"Travelers can expect a slew of family-friendly amenities — including two pools, placid beaches, snorkeling, the Rosewood Explorers club for kids ages four to 11, babysitting services, and a world-class spa — in a plush, private setting." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"Why book   St. Barts isn’t short of hotels attuned to guests’ glitzy nightlife needs, but if you’re a family looking for a resort that will cater to your every whim or a wellness-minded couple craving some privacy and a total reset, this is the place for you. Spend a few hours here and you’ll start to forget the past couple of years ever happened. Set the scene   The newly-reopened Rosewood Le Guanahani is located along an 18-acre peninsula on Marigot Bay, the so-called “other side” of the island, meaning it’s about a 20-minute drive along zigzagging roads to the capital of Gustavia—home of the super-yachts, St. Tropez–imported cocktail bars, and buzzing mopeds one usually associates with St. Barts. The resort feels considerably more secluded than some of its competitors because of this, with each of its discreet 66 cottages (all with private entrances; suites have private pools) enveloped by lazily drooping palm trees and other local fauna. Another perk of its location along this quiet north east coast peninsula: The endless breeze wafting across the beachside infinity pool and into Beach House, an airy breakfast-lunch-dinner spot that feels more like a chic friend’s home in the Mediterranean than a resort restaurant in the Caribbean. The backstory   Le Guanahani is practically in the DNA of St. Barts—the only full-service resort on the island, it’s been here for 35 years—which is why the destruction reaped upon it by Hurricane Irma in 2017 felt like such a wrenching loss for the island. That, paired with the gargantuan impact of the pandemic, has meant its reopening is not only a long time coming but a highly-anticipated symbol of recovery for the island. The resort’s new status as a Rosewood property also means it is drawing two distinct kinds of guests: Le Guanahani faithfuls who were always going to book, eager to return after four years without their St. Barts hotel of choice, and Rosewood loyalists who pick a destination based on wherever the brand has hoisted its flag. Better still, this dichotomy is reflected in every detail throughout the resort: the clapboard yellow and blue cottages still channel the spirit of the original Le Guanahani, as does the laid-back beach bar and numerous water sports available, while the seamless service, thoughtfully curated interiors, and brand new Sense Spa never let you forget that this is now a Rosewood. The rooms   Before I had ever visited St. Barts, these are the types of rooms I pictured in my fantasy of it. Lofty white-washed wooden ceilings accommodate the requisite ceiling fans while light, breezy curtains open up onto views of the ocean, neighboring lagoon, or palm tree-populated gardens. I was in an Ocean View Pool Suite, which meant a covetable private pool and sun deck, but every cottage (regardless of size) shares the same well-considered decor and attention to detail; if you’re lucky, you might even discover you have an outdoor shower. Walls are painted a muted grey that allow smaller touches to pop, like the wooden yellow paneling behind the couch in my suite, a nod to the exterior, the navy blue cushions casually thrown upon wicker armchairs, or the framed botanical prints that hang on the walls—and in my case, a cheeky French illustration of women cavorting in the sea, titled La Rire, a reminder of the island’s French culture (as if you could forget). The king-size four-poster bed would be impossible to leave if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s so idyllic outside, and the bathrooms are simple yet luxe, with walk-in showers and top-quality gowns and slippers hanging at the ready. Another plus point? The mini bar, which has Rosewood’s fingerprints all over it: Designed to look like a vintage steamer trunk, it stores, among other treats, pre-mixed bottles of martini and negroni cocktails to meet any post-swim happy hour needs. Food and drink   All meals are served at Beach House, meaning you can trot back and forth from the pool or beach with ease if you don’t feel inclined to stray too far throughout the day. I have to admit, the breakfast buffet aired on the side of sparse—for a Caribbean resort there was a surprising lack of fresh fruit—but in its place was a lovely selection of French pastries to indulge in as well as pots of yogurt to add to granola and thin slices of salty charcuterie. And what the buffet lacked was more than made up for by what you could order from one of the exceptionally warm and attentive servers: the perfectly-cooked French rolled omelet I ate on multiple mornings could have easily been whipped up at a brasserie in Paris . The lunch menu, meanwhile, is packed with Mediterranean-style small plates including baba ganoush with crispy rice chips to dip into it, vinegary sardines sprinkled with dill, and tender charred octopus with potatoes and parsley. Other items make an appearance during both the day and evening, like a plate of ceviche that I’m still thinking about, and the pinzimonio, an unexpected hit of poached vegetables. For dinner, order the spiny lobster—caught just that day—or the braised beef cheeks; don’t make the mistake I did and sleep on the rack of lamb, it’s supposed to be a highlight. The spa   One of the major upsides of Le Guanahani becoming a Rosewood property is the arrival of the brand’s Sense Spa, which is just as upscale and luxurious as you would expect. When I arrived for my 60-minute massage, I was handed a refreshing towel and cup of chilled kombucha before being presented with an array of signature, house-blended oils to choose from—little touches that elevated the experience right from the start. Treatment rooms feel private but are still filled with natural light, done up in soft shades of cream and wood, and products include French-Japanese brand EviDens de Beauté and natural skincare brand Soleil Toujour. The massage itself, meanwhile, achieved what I had assumed was impossible: By the end of the hour, my therapist had eased my work-from-home-induced shoulder tension so greatly that I walked out feeling several inches taller. The rest of the spa area—complete with a pool, gently bubbling water feature, and shaded loungers—was the perfect place to continue decompressing throughout the afternoon; it also hosts yoga sessions and other wellness activities. If you’re an early riser, make sure to sign up for a therapist-led wellness hike around the “morne,” a craggy rock formation at the edge of the peninsula that takes you along a short, gentle trail lined with all manner of cacti, and affords wonderful views of the island once you reach the top. The neighborhood/area   If it wasn’t for the lure of St. Barts’ numerous restaurants, it would be very easy to never leave the resort—especially as there is little to explore in the immediate vicinity (the flip side of what makes it feel so secluded). The concierge, however, will happily organize a car to take you into town or to one of the other hotels on the island ( Eden Rock and Nikki Beach are a very short drive away) and it’s easy to call a cab back in the evening, too. Although if you do want free rein to explore everything on offer beyond the resort, I’d recommend renting a car. Set aside at least one afternoon for an obligatory stroll around the cobblestoned streets of Gustavia, where you’ll find boutiques packed with French homewares and clothing, as well as local beauty brand Ligne St Barth. Come sundown, you’ll find plenty of cocktail bars thrumming with French pop music to dip into. The service   Everyone working at the resort seems to be French and beautiful, clad in loose blue- and- sand-colored linens—sourced from Atelier CBB, a boutique in St. Maarten—that I would happily purchase for myself. As for the service? Impeccable. Each staff member I interacted with had the distinct ability to anticipate what I needed before I had realized it myself—from the driver to who picked me up from the airport and presented me with a fresh towel and a bottle of Evian facial spray to help me cool off after a long travel day, to the bartender at the tiki-style cocktail bar, Melangé, who bought me salty olives (cured in-house) to nibble on with my Gin Blossom, to the server on the beach who spontaneously bought a small cup of watermelon juice over to my sun bed. Most importantly, though, it never felt overbearing. For families   The phrase “family-friendly resort” is not one I would immediately associate with “chic St. Barts retreat” and yet Rosewood La Guanahani somehow manages to dance the delicate line between being a discreet property for the one percent and welcoming families who need to keep their kids entertained. For the under 11 age group, there’s the Rosewood Explorers club, which offers daily indoor and outdoor activities (counselors speak French and English), and for teens there’s a slew of water activities available to take advantage of on the beach, from paddle boarding to kite surfing. There is, of course, a large pool as well, but it was hard to picture some of the Champagne-sipping guests tolerating cannonballs. Accessibility   All of the cottages are bungalows and therefore accessible, and almost all pathways feature a wheelchair-friendly option—although there are some stairs weaving throughout the resort. Anything left to mention?   The experience here is so polished, it’s hard to think of a single detail that has gone overlooked. So much so that some of my favorite moments were the smallest ones, like when I returned to my suite after dinner to discover that turndown service had slipped an illustrated bookmark into the novel I’d left carelessly open on its side. Or the first time I flopped down on a beachside sun bed, and my server revealed to me a secret cooler beneath my table to keep my water and facial spray perfectly chilled. Or the fact that my beach towel would never go more than a few minutes unattended before it was neatly refolded, the sand shaken out by a pair of seemingly invisible hands. One other thing to look out for? The numerous turtles who roam the property. A daily joy was passing a particularly large one lumbering along the path on the way back to my cottage—looking as equally sun soaked and serene as I felt." - Lale Arikoglu