Saint Barthelemy is a tiny French-speaking Caribbean island also known as St Bart’s. The island only has 8,000 inhabitants, but the population swells every winter with A-listers seeking sun at the beach at Saline, high-end shopping in Gustavia, five-star meals, and a legendary nightlife scene. A-list celebrities, royal families, and mega-yacht-owning tycoons have all been descending on St. Barts forever.
Celebrities Spotted Vacationing in St. Bart’s
According to SaintBarth.com, “The biggest starts sometimes stay on yachts, but they do come to shore to party at places like Le Ti St Barth or have a drink at the Eden Rock.”
“Celebrity spotting is so common here no one makes a fuss about it. I have danced shoulder to shoulder with Pippa Middleton at Le Ti. Drove past Davis Letterman while he was jogging near his villa, saw the Kardashian sisters while they were at LaBanne, walked on Beyoncé’s towel while she was sunning at Saline.”
The most popular time to vacation on the island is around Christmas and New Year holidays. Bella Hadid posted sexy snaps of her soaking up rays at a pool and captioned the photo “Happiness.” Sir Paul McCartney with his wife Nancy Shevell, are regular fixtures on the island and can often be seen swimming in the ocean and taking romantic walks on the beach. Matt Damon and his brood spend some time onboard a luxury yacht anchored in the harbor.
Molly Sims and her husband were recently spotted enjoying a trip with other couples on the island. It was her first time away from her kids in over a year, and while swoon-worthy Instagram posts show her having an amazing time, she did post “Missing my kiddos already. Not gonna lie” at one point. She seemed to be in better spirits while at Nikki Beach for lunch. The menu featured fresh sushi and she ordered a glass of white wine while she relaxed and dined beachside.
Amy Schumer stunned the shores of St. Barts in a black one-piece while spending the holidays with hubby Chris Fischer and their son Gene. They all played on the beach and cooled off in the crystal blue waters.
Cindy Crawford is a regular and chose the island for a romantic getaway to celebrate her 50th with husband Rande Gerber and even posed topless on the beach for some sexy snaps.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have been spotted canoodling on a yacht in the area. Teigen was also spotted Jet Skiing with her daughter Luna. Chrissy even posted an adorable photo to Instagram of them enjoying a date night on their vacay.
Lionel and Sofia Richie recently visited and Sofia posted Instagram photos of her crew snorkeling. They packed in many activities during their stay there, including Sofia surfing with a super fancy Lift eFoil remote-controlled surfboard. The whole group also spent time being towed around on a huge red inflatable. Jay-Z and Beyonce are well known in the local hot spots and are often photographed enjoying a day on the beach. Not far from where Jennifer Lopez has been spotted. It’s rarer not to see an A-list celebrity here.
St. Barts MegaYachts
St. Barts is a hotspot for the world’s largest and most expensive superyachts, with dozens coming into the port every year. Yachts spotted by in the harbor this season by SaintBarth.com were:
M/Y Eclipse, the world’s second-longest private yacht at 533 ft.
The owner of M/Y Eclipse is Roman Abramovich.
Le Grand Bleu, a 371 ft. long superyacht
Fun fact: In June 2006, Abramovich lost Le Grand Bleu in a bet to his friend Eugene Shvidler.
Ulysses 380.5 ft long, Kaos 361 ft. long, IJE 358 ft. long, and Symphony 330 ft. long
These boats are huge! By comparison, an American football field is 360 ft when including the end zones. Celebrities like Salma Hayek, Leo Dicaprio, and Simon Cowell have been photographed on megayachts in the harbor. If you want to take it up a notch and spend your vacation like an A-lister, Yacht Charter Fleet can help you find a yacht that suits your needs.
Gustavia, the capital has three major shopping streets including the harborside Quai de la République, nicknamed “rue du Couturier” It rivals New York’s Madison Avenue and Paris’s Avenue Montaigne and features many luxury stores including Louis Vuitton, Tod’s, Bulgari, Psyched, Cartier, Chopard. There are also some really lovely boutiques where you can pick up some niche European brands that aren’t so common in the states. Pick up a bikini at Delfina or a dress at Le Toiny beach club’s beautiful Boho style shop.
A-list Celebrity Hot Spots
If St. Barts is where you want to go on your next vacation and spend it like an A-list celebrity, here are some tips.
Stay in one of these three trendy neighborhoods: Gustavia, St. Jean, or Saline
La Banane is an ultra-private chic boutique hotel that was transformed into a private luxury vacation rental merely two years ago. The Kardashians stay here.
The Hotel Isle de France on St. Barths is a well know celebrity hot spot that hosts a popular weekly fashion show on one of the island’s best beaches.
Legendary luxury beach club Nikki Beach features five-star food and DJ dance parties overlooking the warm white sands and crystal blue waters of the beach. Celebrities flock to Nikki Beach during the in-season.
Shopping in Gustavia is a must. Gustavia, the capital of St. Barts features luxury shops and high-end boutiques such as Hermes, Cartier, Gucci, La Perla, and more. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and her actor beau, Jason Statham, have been spotted shopping here.
Have breakfast at Bar de l’Oubli. This local favorite has been the scene of many celebrity spottings.
When not staying on yachts many celebrities chose to stay at these two luxurious hotels Hotel Le Toiny St. Barth and Eden Rock St. Barth’s
Safe Travels!
