Two self-contained, two-bedroom luxury villas within the gardens add an extra dimension are avaiable next to the hotel – again, at more moderate prices than most of the villas on the island but with the advantage of hotel services.
Villa Iguana has two air-conditioned master bedrooms (identical except for the snappy color schemes), separated by an airy living room with a white-raftered ceiling and gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a central prepping/dining console. They all open directly via louvered doors to a covered terrace and open deck that incorporate a full-length lap pool and attendant loungers, armchairs and hammocks, all with king-of-the-hill views over the bay and offshore islands. Iguana lies at the end of a private lane with reserved parking and offers exceptional privacy for two couples or a family of four (small children will not be accepted in this villa).
Villa Catherine features so many original artworks it’s almost an art gallery set in an oasis of luxury. Most of the paintings and sculptures are by former artists-in-residence at the villa (like France’s acclaimed designer/aristocrat, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac). Even some of the furnishings are worthy of a design museum, like the brand-new deck-hugging but supremely soignee sofa and loungers by Italy’s visionary Paolo Lenti. The indoor/outdoor kitchen (a minimalist masterpiece of Corian, chrome and Italian flair) opens directly on to a landscaped garden with plunge pool, pergolas, photovoltaic lighting and a meditation platform in a 100-year-old locust tree. Two bedrooms, three bathrooms and two separate terraces make Villa Catherine ideal for a small family (perhaps with nanny) — but for privacy-craving twosomes, it’s sheer bliss.
Unlike many villas on the island, both Iguana and Catherine can also be rented at a one-bedroom-only.
Colline de St. Jean,
97133 St Barthelemy
reservations@levillagestbarth.com