Gyp Sea Saint Barth

Style

The Riviera relocated

Setting

Tropic wonder

Like the Fleetwood Mac song, Gyp Sea Saint Barth lights up the nights (and days) in its prime position on the Colombier hillside. This Caribbean retreat is a short drive away from the island’s most glamorous bars and restaurants, crystal-clear seas and white-sand beaches – one of which is home to the hotel’s barefoot beach club. Back at the hotel, spend your days relaxing in the tropical gardens, getting coconut scrubs in the spa, sipping rum and dining on French fare. Saint Barths’ classic colonial style gets an injection of Côte d’Azur colour; this exotic boutique stay is more colourful than the resident parrots: pack your sunglasses for this one, it’s not only the sun that shines brightly here…

Facilities

Rooms

24, including three two-bedroom villas and four beach houses.

Checkout

Noon. Earliest check-in, 4pm, although flexible subject to availability. For the beach houses, check-out is 11am, check-in is 5pm.

More Details

Rates include transfers to the airport or dock, à la carte breakfast. Hotel guests (excluding those in a beach house) can use sunloungers for free at Gyp Sea beach club, too (located a 10-minute drive from the hotel).

Also

All public areas are wheelchair-accessible and some of the Plantation and Tropics bungalows are designed for those with mobility issues.

Hotel Closed

The hotel is closed from August to early November each year.

Free Internet Access

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Spa, fitness room, and free WiFi. In rooms: TV, Nespresso machine, Pure Altitude toiletries and free bottled water.

Our Favourite Rooms

All Gyp Sea’s rooms have beautiful views of either the gardens or ocean, but none compare to the paradisiacal panoramas of the Master Villas. The two double bedrooms, indoor lounge area and ensuite bathrooms have the same bohemian take on colonial style as the rest of the hotel; brightly-patterned cushions lie on white wicker chairs, handmade Indonesian seashell mirrors hang opposite a classically elegant roll-top bath tub and artisanal furnishings stand next to upscale upholstery. Outside, there’s a private 10-meter swimming pool, deck with a dining area and ample sunloungers with sun-kissed views.

Poolside

Cacti, mango trees and blooming bougainvillea surround the outdoor pool area that’s more vivid than a Pantone colour guide. Take a refreshing dip in the heated turquoise pool, then let the sun shine down on you as you recline below a lemon-yellow parasol, gazing up at clear-blue skies and lush green foliage; set beneath towering palm and banana trees, there’s always a shaded spot for some sunbathing.

Spa

The Pure Altitude Spa has two treatment rooms, a fitness room and a variety of personalised rituals. Add the finishing touches to your beach-body with the toxin-draining Perfect Body package or Slimming massage. If you’ve spent too long in the Saint Barths sun, try their signature Pure Coconut Ritual which includes a vigorous, all-natural scrub, soothing wrap and massage to repair sunburnt skin.

Packing Tips

Skimpy bikinis by big-name designers with colourful kaftans for Mrs Smith and a couple of Vilebrequin’s vibrantly-patterned trunks for Mr Smith.

Also

Interiors were designed by design doyenne Jocelyne Sibuet and her daughter, Marie; the furnishings and fabrics come from destinations near and far, with chests of drawers from Jaipur, tables from Indonesia and fabrics from Peru, Pakistan and Tunisia.

Children

Children of all ages are welcome at the hotel, although it’s more suited to older children. Baby cots, changing mats, baby monitors and highchairs are available on request, and the chef is happy to adapt his French fare for children.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Take a table on the edge of the terrace for views of the tropical gardens and Flamands Bay below.

Dress Code

More tutti frutti than Carmen Miranda’s hat in The Gang's All Here.

Hotel Restaurant

Grab a bite to eat by the pool, in the garden or in one of the lounges with light bites, such as ceasar salads, cajun grilled prawns and halloumi fries at your disposal. The laid-back beach club serves under the dim light of blue hues and hand-woven hanging lights. Playful prints, beamed ceilings and dark wood tables add a Caribbean-spin to the otherwise Amalfi-esque design. Classico Mediterranean fare – think fresh truffle pasta and zucchini carpaccio – is served alongside grilled fresh fish, spicy prawn skewers and delectable desserts. Come evening, opt for a more private dining experience at the Chef’s Table at the Hotel, where bespoke menus showcase Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisine.

Hotel Bar

Sample some of the Caribbean’s signature exports at the hotel’s rums and cigars bar. Take a seat at the dark-wood bar or sink into one of the wicker armchairs or sumptuous sofas on the terrace, Cuban cigar in hand and a glass of one of their 120 golden-hued rums on the table. They also serve classic cocktails like mojitos and piña coladas, and a variety of powerful punches – all laced with a hefty slug of you know what.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 7.30am to 10am, lunch is from noon to 7pm and the beach club closes at 10pm. The bar is open from 11am to 10pm.

Room Service

Available during restaurant opening hours.

Planes

Fly to Princess Juliana International Airport on Saint Maarten and get a quick 15-minute flight to Saint Barths’ Gustaf III airport (www.st-barths.com). From the UK, get a flight to Antigua’s V. C. Bird International Airport and then catch a 40-minute flight to Saint Barths. Our helpful Smith24 team are on hand at all times to help book flights – give them a call on 03331 222 485

Automobiles

Although it’s only a small island, you’ll need a car to get around Saint Barths. You can drive the length of the island in under half an hour; the hotel is less than a 10-minute drive from Gustaf III airport and 15 minutes from the capital of Gustavia. Smith24 can help you secure a set of wheels from one of the many car-hire booths at the airport or dock.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Saint Barths has a beach for every occasion, but your first port of call must be Pelican Beach, a 10-minute drive away and home to the hotel's own boho off-site beach club, Gyp Sea. Elsewhere, catch a wave at Lorient or Toiny beaches, swim with the fishes, go snorkelling or scuba diving in Colombier Bay, or for seashells on the seashore, go to Shell Beach just outside Gustavia. For less-crowded coves, head to Gouverneur or Colombier beach. They’re a hike to get to, but the uphill struggle is worth it for the breathtaking views and secluded sunbathing; the only other creatures you’ll see at Colombier are tortoises, rays and the occasional dolphin. Shopping in Saint Barths is duty-free, and lined with luxury labels like Hermès, Cartier, Chopard and Louis Vuitton, Gustavia’s Quai de la République rivals London’s Bond Street and Madison Avenue in New York for cash-splashing potential. There’s even a Dolce & Gabbana store with a Martini bar inside – because shopping is thirsty work…

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .