How you arrive and depart St. Barts is as much a conversation starter as where you’ll stay. The single airstrip into this Caribbean gem is as famous as the island’s rosé-all-day mantra and swanky beach clubs. And while discerning travelers know the best places to experience are often the hardest to get to, when discovering remote St. Barts, your effort will be handsomely, deliciously, and oh-so-fabulously rewarded.

DAY ONE

The French-speaking Saint Barthelemy has long been famous for its white-sand beaches, red-roofed colonial villas, and yachts-a-plenty. If arriving by private yacht charter, take it all in as you approach Gustavia, a high-end harbor peppered with head-turning boats, European restaurants, and plenty of high-end boutiques.

Spend the afternoon unwinding at your residence of choice. The Club offers three distinct abodes on the island — Villa Apache, Villa Hemingway, and Villa Javacanou. Just a short drive to Nikki Beach or Gypsea on Saint Jean Beach, you'll also be a 10-minute drive to Cheval Blanc on Flamands Beach. If a hotel stay is desired, the Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barts — a gem of The Club’s new Rosewood Collection — frames sweeping beaches and a reef-protected lagoon. This charming boutique resort offers two pools, Sense, A Rosewood Spa®, watersports, a fitness center, a tennis court, and the Rosewood Explorers children’s club. 

DAY TWO

After a dip in the sea, explore the island via a Moke rental. You’ll whiz by plenty of these bright British classics turned Caribbean cars — symbolic of fun in the sun. Your first stop: Gustavia shopping. Peruse Free In St. Bart for a non-touristy tee that matches the spirit of the island while getting tips from the shop’s surfing staff. Clic is a chic outpost by Christiane Celle (founder of beachwear label Calypso) and lined with home goods, books, and black-and-white photos of the island. If cigars are more your speed, don’t miss La Casa del Habano. Located in Saint Jean, it’s considered the best cigar shop on the island also selling (men, take note) hip Panama hats sourced from Ecuador. And the Eden Rock’s Eden Being is a global edit of hip clothes and accessories by style siren and hotel co-owner Jane Matthews.

All this shopping will kick up an appetite, so remove your sandals and feel the tickle of the ocean as you walk five minutes from the Eden Rock to dine at GypSea Beach. On the menu? French rosé (St. Bart’s “pink water,” servers joke) and the catch of the day, grilled and served with fresh veggies. Afterward, spend the afternoon paddleboarding before heading to dinner. Tonight, your table of choice is Bonito, a buzzy hillside restaurant with incredible sunset views and decadent flavors. Originally built as a private beach home and now helmed by Chef Owner Laurent Cantineaux, the outpost is an island mainstay thanks to such dishes as lobster ceviche and tamarind and honey glazed grouper. Start your eve with the tableside Smoked Manhattan — as sultry and sophisticated as St. Barts itself.

DAY THREE

Your daily wake-up call remains the sea. Kickstart your day with a snorkel. Adventurists will find brilliant reef fish swimming near healthy coral, and if lucky, may also spy a sea turtle or two. After exploring underwater, take a private surf lesson and navigate the rugged coast of your next stop: Le Toiny St. Barth. This hip hotel and it’s tucked away Beach Club restaurant is an island must. During a toes-in-the-sand lunch, order the burrata topped with shaved truffle and the red snapper. Afterward, your Moke awaits, as does a handcrafted cocktail at the famous Nikki Beach, with plenty of table dancing à la buzzworthy international DJs. After a sunset walk to cap the day, your evening revs up (again!) with dinner at Tamarin. Dine al fresco among the lush tropical garden and a century-old tamarin tree while savoring a bottle of vino from one of the island’s most applauded wine cellars. Lastly, if the dance floor is calling, hit the infamous Le Ti (known for a nightly cabaret show and pirate-inspired costume room) for music and revelry.

DAY FOUR

No one welcomes their final day on St. Barts, or any island with this much personality for that matter, yet as the saying goes, you can’t come back if you never leave. Say goodbye in serene style via a customized massage or facial at Sense, A Rosewood Spa®.  Alas, the time has come to visit the famous airstrip, and whether you choose to leave by private charter or helicopter, the departing views of this magical island will tease a return trip. Au revoir, St. Barts. Until next time!