Miscellaneous Tips, Caribbean and Central America

There is no denying that hotel rooms carry high prices. You're paying for the privilege of staying on the island, and even at $500 a night the bedrooms tend to be small. Still, if you're flexible - in terms of timing and in your choice of lodgings - you can enjoy a holiday in St. Barths and still afford to send the kids to college.

The most expensive season falls during the holidays (mid-December to early January), and hotels are booked far in advance for this period. (Rates in listings here are for the second-highest period, early January through April, which is still in season but not the holiday peak.) Although more hotels and restaurants here have seasonal closings (from August to September or October) than on other islands, some places are still open in August. If you're on a budget, look into an off-season stay, when rates can drop by as much as 50%. Most top hotels are on four northern beaches: Anse des Flamands, Anse des Cayes, Baie de St-Jean, and Grand Cul de Sac. In the hills away from the beaches are a number of surprisingly reasonable small hotels, guest houses, rental villas, and bungalows that significantly broaden your options. And regardless of the lodgings you choose, you'll want a car to explore the island.

On St. Barths, the term villa is used to describe anything from a small cottage to a sprawling manor. Today almost half of St. Barths's visitor accommodations are in villas, and rentals make a lot of sense, especially for longer stays or if more than one or two people are traveling together. Most houses include a small private swimming pool and maid service daily except Sunday. Houses are well equipped with linens, kitchen tools, and such electronic playthings as CD players, TVs, and VCRs. In-season rates range from $700 to $25,000 a week. If you get a group of friends together, you can rent a villa for significantly less than it would cost for each person to stay in an expensive hotel. Peak periods are usually booked solid by the previous summer. Though cancellations do occur, it's best to reserve a villa as far in advance as possible.

Professionalism and congeniality are the hallmarks of ST. BARTH PROPERTIES, INC. (PHONE: 508/528-7727 or 800/421-3396, FAX: 508/528-7789, www.stbarth.com). American owner Peg Walsh has been a regular on St. Barths since 1986 and represents properties only here. With more than 100 properties, she and her staff can guide you to the perfect place to stay. Weekly peak-season rates range from $1,400 to $40,000 depending on the property's size, location, and amenities. Write for their Dream Portfolio booklet, which describes the villas they represent. The company also has an office in Gustavia, with their French affiliate St. Barth Dream Vacations (Residence La Source, Gustavia, PHONE: 590/29-72-03, www.stbarth.com).

SIBARTH REAL ESTATE oversees more than 200 properties on St. Barths. Bookings are arranged through the company's representative, WIMCO (PHONE: 800/932-3222, FAX: 401/847-6290, www.wimcovillas.com), which is based in Newport, Rhode Island. Properties can be previewed and reserved over the Internet, or you can obtain the Vendome Guide to St. Barthélemy by mail. Rents range from $1,000 to $3,500 per week for one-bedroom villas and $1,800 to $7,000 for two- and three-bedroom villas. Larger villas rent for $7,000 per week and up.

All prices are for a standard double room during the second-highest rate period: January through mid-April. Christmas through New Year rates are close to double, but summer rates are about half. In most cases prices include tax and service.

Caribbean and Central America Hotels