Villa Équinoxe

Red shutters are the first clue that Villa Équinoxe has some personality. The house sits on a rocky hillside just above Saint-Jean, looking out over the salt pond and its mangroves. Beyond them you see the red roofs of the village and green hills toward the airport. A strip of turquoise bay lies on the horizon, with islets offshore. As a villa in Saint-Jean, St Barts, it trades a beachfront address for an open, layered view and a bold design.

The house has two levels in light gray render with gray stone cladding. Stainless cable railings run along the terraces, and the main living room sits under a hip roof. Inside, the living area and kitchen share one bright space beneath a white vaulted ceiling with exposed beams. Gray tile floors keep things cool underfoot. White sofas and gray curtains set a calm base, while pop art prints and red accents add energy. The white kitchen has a long island with an induction hob and gray bar stools, lit by glass globe pendants.

The heated pool is rectangular and sits on a gray tiled terrace. Behind it, a natural rock outcrop forms a wall of its own. Four loungers line the water next to a lounge daybed, and small lights set into the deck mark the edges at night. A few steps down, a lower patio holds a shaded dining table flanked by tall red vases. You enter through a small courtyard.

Three bedrooms sleep up to 6 guests in two king beds and one queen bed. One room has a desk and a window over the pond. Another opens onto a patio. The third has glass doors to a terrace facing the hills. Each of the three bathrooms has a walk in shower with wave textured tiles, and one adds a red vessel basin under a round backlit mirror.

Saint-Jean is the lively center of the north coast. Its beach and bay are lined with beach clubs and boutiques, and restaurants are never far away. Guests comparing options in Saint-Jean can also consider Villa Escale, with 2 bedrooms for up to 4 guests and an infinity pool facing the Saint-Jean pond and hills.

Couples or a family of up to 6 who like modern design will find this villa in Saint-Jean, St Barts an easy base. It sits close to the action, just above it.