Villa Émeraude

Villa Émeraude sits on open high ground at the east end of the island, where the garden rolls out toward a long line of ocean on the horizon. Ornamental grasses and big boulders shape the land around the house. That sense of space is what sets it apart. For a large group looking at a villa in Petit Cul-de-Sac, St Barts, this one puts lounging room and modern design first.

The house is a set of low contemporary pavilions. Gray metal hip roofs cap walls of stacked gray stone, and dark frames outline the windows. Inside, wood ceilings and wood floors warm up the white walls. Big white sectional sofas with orange cushions anchor the living areas. There are two separate media lounges, each with a large wood framed TV. The open kitchen pairs wood cabinets with a patterned tile splashback, and a covered dining room with a black ceiling opens straight onto the garden.

Outdoors, a long rectangular pool with a dark lining is edged in timber and stone. A timber pergola stands right at the water's edge and shelters a lounge that seems to float above the pool. Another pergola covers a dining table for about 12, set on crunchy gravel. Sofas fill the outdoor lounges too. Beyond them, the landscaped garden of grasses and boulders gives everyone room to wander, and a BBQ is ready for dinners at home.

Seven bedrooms sleep up to 14 guests, and each one has a king bed. Seven bathrooms mean nobody has to share. They are modern, finished in stone or tile, with walk in showers. One shower is walled in stone and has its own window onto the garden.

Petit Cul-de-Sac is a secluded bay on the east end of St Barts, right next to Grand Cul-de-Sac. Life here is quiet. The eastern coastline is close by, and the pace is slower than in the busier parts of the island. For a house with a stronger outdoor focus, Villa Clapotis brings a pool lined in glazed blue green lava stone and 2 bedrooms for up to 4 guests.

Villa Émeraude makes the most sense for a big group of up to 14 who care more about garden space and design than about a bay view. Expect long lunches under the pergola and movie nights in the media rooms, since this villa in Petit Cul-de-Sac, St Barts trades the waterfront for room to spread out.