St. Barthelemy (also referred to as St. Barts and St. Barth), is a territory of France, and part of the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. French is the official language spoken, although most residents also speak English. The Euro is the currency used, but U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere.

How do I get to St. Barts?

There are several options for arrivals in St. Barts. Most visitors arrive at Princess Juliana Airport in neighboring Dutch St. Maarten, and from there either fly to St. Barts or take a ferry boat from one of several locations. The airport in St. Barts is quite small and can only handle small aircraft.

Airlines that serve St. Barts from St. Maarten/St. Martin include WinAir, Air Caraïbes, and St-Barth Commuter. Winair and St. Barth Commuter also offer private charter flights to St. Barts from St. Maarten and other islands in the Caribbean. If you are traveling with more than 4 people to St. Barts, chartering a flight could be an economical and convenient way to travel to the island.

Regular passenger ferry service between St. Maarten/St. Martin and St. Barts is available from the Rapid Explorer and from the Voyager. Both ferry companies have ports in St. Maarten/St. Martin at the Marigot waterfront and Captain Oliver's Marina in Oyster Pond. The St. Barts destination is the main harbor in Gustavia.

Whether you travel to St. Barts by plane or ferry, be sure to schedule enough time for your connections after your arrival in St. Maarten. At least 1 hour connection time is needed for flights to St. Barts leaving from Juliana Airport, and 2 hours is needed for ferry service from Oyster Pond.

What is required to go through immigration and customs on St. Barts?

Please check with your local immigration office for the most recent requirements. Here is a general summary of immigration policies:

U.S. citizens or residents require the following:

Canadian citizens require one of the following:

European Community citizens require:

Will someone be there to meet us?

A representative from the villa management company will meet you outside at the airport terminal or the ferry dock and will be holding a sign with your name on it. Please let them know you have arrived before taking possession of your rental car.

How do we travel to the villa?

If you have arranged a car through Heart of the Caribbean, your villa representative will help you find the rental car representative and introduce you. You will then complete your paperwork and take possession of your rental car. If you have arranged your own car, please let your villa representative know you have arrived first, and they will wait for you while you get your rental car. Once you have your car, your villa rep will lead you to the villa. If you have not rented a car or will have the car delivered to your villa, your villa representative will drive you to your villa.

Heart of the Caribbean Ltd. recommends that all guests reserve a rental car for their visit to St. Barts, as most villas are not within walking distance of shops, beaches, and restaurants. Rental cars can be delivered to your villa ahead of time, or can be waiting for you at the airport or ferry dock on arrival.

How do we get into the villa?

The villa management representative will give you the keys to the villa when you arrive at the villa. They will help you get inside, show you around the villa, and answer any questions that you might have.

How many people are allowed in the villa?

The capacity of the villa is defined by the number of bedrooms the villa has. Only two people are allowed per bedroom. I.E. for a 5 bedroom villa, 10 people are allowed. Generally, one extra person can usually be accommodated with a rollaway bed or crib that is available for rental but each villa is different and the question should be asked prior to committing to the rental.

Is there any maintenance support while we are in the villa?

Each villa management company has a staff of maintenance people on hand to handle any difficulties or breakdowns you might have while in the villa. It is important that you contact them while you are on the island when the problem occurs. They will make every effort to fix the problem within a reasonable amount of time. We will provide you with the phone numbers of people to contact should a problem arise. Your villa will also have a renters manual that will give you important information and phone numbers.

What type of electricity is available at the villa?

Generally, most villas on the island have 220 volts/ 50 HZ, although some villas may have both 110 and 220 volts. Before you leave for your trip we will tell you what type of electricity your particular villa has. Transformers are available for persons who need to use small American style appliances and phone chargers, but you will need to provide your own plug adaptors. Most villas have portable hair dryers for guests' use.

What kind of staff support do we get with the villa?

The villas on St. Barts all come with daily housekeeping service, 6 days per week. Generally, the maids have Sunday and public holidays off. The housekeeper will sweep the floors, clean the bathrooms, make the beds and tidy up the kitchen. They will also wash bath and beach towels and bed linens. Guests laundry can be arranged with the housekeeper if there is time, and at additional cost. Some villas have washer and dryers that the guests can use on their own upon request. (Check with your maid first.) For kitchen clean up, the maid is not expected to wash all of your pots and pans and dishes. Guests are expected to clean up after meal preparations. Each villa has it's own caretaker that maintains the gardens and outside area. Sometimes the caretaker also takes care of the pool, but if he doesn't, a pool man will come in about twice per week.

Are we required to tip the staff for their efforts?

The villa staff receives a small wage from the owners of the villas, but the bulk of their yearly wage is generated by tips. Generally a tip of between 3-5% of the villa rental rate is recommended for good service, to be split among all staff members. Your tips are greatly appreciated.

What are the staff's working hours?

Generally, the maid works from about 9:00 am to about 3:00 pm. The caretakers usually work early in the morning or late afternoon to escape the heat and sun of mid-day.

Do all the villas have live in caretakers?

Some some St. Barts villas have a live-in caretaker, but the majority of them do not. Caretaker quarters are usually in a separate cottage away from the villa, or in an apartment below the villa on a hillside, where guests are hardly aware anyone is there. In either case, your privacy is assured.

Do the villas have kitchens?

All the villas that we represent have at minimum a family style kitchen with cooking utensils and table service for at least the maximum capacity of the villa. The kitchens at some of the most upscale villas are very elaborate and fit for gourmet chefs.

Are there retail food stores on the island?

St. Barts has wonderful retail grocery stores and bakeries that are stocked with items from the USA, Europe and local traditional food. We enjoy the island for the wonderful selection of foods that are available. There are many types of coffee, chocolate, cheese, meats, wines, liquor, vegetables, fruits and other staples. The French baguettes and croissants available there are the same type that they serve in France. Let Heart of the Caribbean Ltd. arrange to have some groceries pre-stocked at your villa for your arrival, its a wonderful option after a long travel day.

What other types of shopping is found on St. Barts?

St. Barts is a duty free island and has many high-end luxury goods and designer stores. The island has everything from shoes to fine watches, home goods, hardware, and souvenirs. Most of the shops are found in Gustavia, but you can also find a fine selection of items in the popular beach communities of St. Jean, Grand Cul de Sac, and L'Oreint.

Where do the cruise ships harbor in St. Barts?

Large and small cruise ships anchor in Gustavia. Because it is a small harbor, the largest ships cannot dock close to shore. Passengers enter St. Barts on smaller tender boats.

Are there mosquitoes on the island?

Please remember you are in the tropics, and yes, there are mosquitoes. The driest season is from January to April, and with less rain, there are fewer mosquitoes. During the rainy season, the little pests are more plentiful. The most active time for mosquitoes is at dawn and dusk, so its good idea to wear long pants at that time and use a mosquito repellent. Ceiling fans can also help disperse the little pests, and an air conditioned bedroom can slow them down as well. Keep your bedroom doors closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering the room from the outdoors or from an open living area.

Are there activities on the island?

St. Barts is a very quiet and laid back island. The usual evening activity is dining out, cocktails on the waterfront, and maybe catching a local band at a cafe. During the daytime, all manner of watersports are available, including swimming, boating, deep sea fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, board sailing, water skiing, wind kites, and even the Yellow Submarine! St. Barts also has several hiking trails, and there are a couple of beaches that can only be accessed on foot. Bicycles and motor bikes are also available for rent.

Where are the best beaches on the island?

There are at least 16 beaches in St. Barts, and all are public beaches. Most of the beaches are protected from the sea by a coral barrier reef, but the beaches on the south-east coast, Grand Fond and Anse du Toiny, are rough and not recommended for swimming. Visit St. Barts Beaches for more information and locations.

Is it necessary to rent a car while on the island?

If you are staying in a villa, you will probably want to rent a car to get around. There are many rental car agencies available on the island including Hertz and Budget car rentals as well as many local companies. Heart of the Caribbean can also make a reservation for you through the local land management companies.

Is driving on the right hand or left hand side of the road?

Driving is on the right hand side of the road.

Is it necessary to take the car insurance while on the island?

This is always a big question. Local CDW (collision damage waiver) is available when you rent your car from the local agency. Some people don't need it depending on the type of credit card used to pay for the rental. We recommend that you call your credit card company to see what your coverage is. It is important to be covered because if something does go wrong, you will be expected to settle before you leave the island.

Are telephones available in the villas?

All the villas have telephones for local calls, but they are blocked for long distance service. Before your trip, Heart of the Caribbean will provide you with 800 numbers you can call to charge to your phone card or credit card. Please be aware that the phone calls back to the states are very expensive and the bills add up very, very fast. (One of the best ways to use the phones is to have someone call you during specific times of the day when you are at the villa.) We will give you the local phone number at the villa prior to the start of your trip.

International phone cards can be purchased on the island and used for calls made from your villa phone. The rates are reasonable and the cards are easy to use. Cell phones are widely used in St. Barts with good reception. Check with your cell phone carrier to see if you can use your phone in St. Barts. You will need a phone that is built to be used abroad, and an international calling package from your cell phone service provider in order to make and receive calls on your cell phone.

Are towels and linens provided for us at the villas?

Yes, all bath and beach towels and bed linens are provided at the villa. Bed linens are usually changed once during a 7 night rental.