It's impossible to overstate the impact of the 2017 hurricane season on
the Caribbean, but an even bigger crisis looms on the horizon as
tourists begin to cancel their yearly visits and rethink their
wintertime getaways. But while repair efforts are still frantically
underway on many of the Caribbean islands like St. Maarten and Anguilla,
St. Barths got a head start in reconstruction following Hurricane Irma
that struck much earlier in the season. The effort to rebuild St. Barths
is frantic, with attempts to get as much of the island's restaurant and
nightlife infrastructure up and running before high-season that begins
in late December as possible. Here's our take on what to expect of St.
Barths this season - you’ll probably be as surprised as we were.
First the bad news... Almost all of the island's hotels suffered
significant damage in the hurricane. This means glittery addresses like
Eden Rock, Cheval Blanc, Le Barthelemy, Le Toiny and Villa Marie won't
reopen until mid-2018. Air service, however, is back in place with
Winair's 3-4 daily St. Maarten to St. Barth flights and Tradewinds
service from San Juan and Antigua earlier this month. The first cruise
ships are expected this weekend, which will be a much welcomed sight.
Visitors should also expect some changes at the beach with Lorient,
Shell Beach, and the western part of St. Jean Bay still closed. La
Plage, Shellona and Toiny Beach Club should open in time for the
holidays, but Nikki Beach, Mango and Bonito won’t be back until March.
To the surprise of many, including us, most of the islands are back in
business with Le Select, Le Ti, Esprit de Jean Claude and beloved Isola
already open and Black Ginger, Tamarin, and Maya's to Go a few weeks
away.
“The vibe on St Barths will be different this year, that is
certain,” says Stiles Bennet, President & CMO of JetSetReport
favorite, Wimco Villas that is the leader in villa vacations in St.
Barths and the Caribbean. With only 10% of the island’s hotel rooms on
line for this season, the island will have a residents feel not
encountered in years. “While most top restaurants and local businesses
will be open,” says Bennet, “many of the larger hotels on the island
will not be open for the holidays, so renting private villas will be the
primary option for most vacationers who want to be on the island for
the holidays.” And as for anyone visiting for the holidays this year?
“The recovery is well underway, the island is cleaning up and greening
up, restaurants and businesses are opening, and everyone is gearing up
for a smaller, and perhaps more intimate New Years.” St. Barths might be
down, but don’t count them out.
