Villa Belvédère

Villa Belvédère sits high on the hillside above Saint-Jean, and the view is the reason to choose it. From the pool deck you look straight down over Saint-Jean bay to the hotel on its rocky point. Green hills frame the bay on both sides. Out past the water, small islets sit offshore. If you are comparing options for a villa in Saint-Jean, St Barts, this is the classic bay view, seen from above.

The house is low and contemporary. Its white walls sit under gray roofs, and dark louvered shutters close over the windows. Inside, the rooms are bright and white beneath painted vaulted timber ceilings, with pale wood and stone look floors. Living and dining share one open space. White sofas fill one side, while a white dining table with cross back chairs stands under two large gold pendant lamps on the other. The long kitchen has a separate island. In all, the interior covers 2,347 square feet.

Much of the day happens outside. A long heated infinity pool runs along the edge of the deck, finished in dark mosaic tiles. One post of the timber pavilion stands right in the water. Open on all sides and framed in dark beams, the pavilion shelters a lounge of woven armchairs and a long dining table for about 12. The open deck holds a second dining table and loungers in the sun, along with outdoor sofas. Glass and cable railings keep the view clear. A garden wraps around the house for privacy, and a BBQ covers dinners at home.

There are four bedrooms for up to 8 guests, with three king beds and two single beds. Several open through sliding doors onto balconies that face the bay. One bathroom has a tub set under a picture window looking out to sea. Another pairs a double vanity with a sea view window. A walk in shower opens onto a stone walled garden shower under palms. Every bedroom has air conditioning. The house also has a safe and satellite TV, and a private gym with a treadmill and a multi gym.

Saint-Jean lies near the middle of Saint-Barthélemy, on a lively and convenient stretch of the north coast. Below the villa are Saint-Jean beach and bay. Beach clubs and boutiques line this part of the coast, and so do restaurants. If you need more room, Villa Mirage nearby has 5 bedrooms for up to 10 guests and a sunken fire pit lounge facing St Jean bay.

Villa Belvédère suits families or two couples traveling together, up to 8 guests, who want plenty of shaded outdoor living and a home gym. For a villa in Saint-Jean, St Barts with the whole bay in view, it is an easy place to settle in.