Eden Rock

Greta Garbo checked in as Suzy Schmidt for a 3-day holiday but ended up staying 3 weeks. That was long ago, but this legendary hotel still exerts a magnetic pull on the rich and fabulous. Eden Rock occupies the most spectacular site on St. Barts, a quartzite promontory cleaving St-Jean Bay into two perfect white-sand crescents. When the island's former mayor, Remy de Haenen, paid $200 for the land years ago from an old woman, she ridiculed him for paying too much. Today, the story is part of island lore.

In 1995, the new British and Zimbabwean owners David and Jane Spencer Matthews embarked on a continuing reinvention that transformed Eden Rock into one of the Caribbean's most glamorous addresses, where even celebrities people-watch. A $25-million renovation/expansion, completed in December 2006, absorbed the adjacent Filao Beach property without sacrificing intimacy or style. Individually decorated accommodations either climb the rock or are perched steps from the water on either side. The original "Rock" rooms are filled with antiques, family heirlooms, silver fixtures, steamer trunks, four-poster beds, and watercolors of local scenes by Jane (an accomplished artist herself) and her children. Larger suites might contrast lemon chairs with lavender throw pillows, or mauve walls with mahogany armoire and marble accents. The newer units include eight suites with decks opening onto the beach as well as five one- to three-bedroom beach houses with outdoor Jacuzzis and plunge pools (two have full swimming pools). The 450-sq.-m (1,500-sq.-ft.) Howard Hughes Loft Suite, atop the Main House on "the rock," features hardwood floors, three verandas offering 360-degree panoramas, and two bathrooms uniquely clad in welded copper. The newest luxury villa is Villa Nina, with two bedrooms and its very own art gallery, a private pool, and a beachside location. In the pipeline is the Rockstar villa, a stunner with four master suites, a screening room, a recording studio, a private pool, and a dedicated butler.

Getting plenty of buzz is the Eden Rock Art Gallery, opened by Jane Matthews to showcase local and international artists. She's delivered on the latter, big-time, with recent shows by such heralded artists as Richard Prince and Will Cotton.

The casual beachfront Sand Bar is a fabulous lunch spot with reliably delicious food. An equally incomparable dinner (and people-watching) is served at the swanky On-The-Rocks Restaurant.

Facilities:
2 restaurants; bar; snorkeling; windsurfing; room service; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Back to Top