Saline, honestly
Saline is on the south coast. You reach the beach by a track along the old salt ponds, then a few dozen metres on foot over a dune. Nothing is built on the sand: no bar, no loungers, no shade. It is open ocean, so there is real swell. Naturism is tolerated on part of the beach. There are no shops or services in the area either, so a car is not optional. The emptiness is the whole appeal, and it is also why this is a poor fit if you want to walk out for dinner.
What the house includes
The villa has a private pool and it is heated. Air conditioning, a kitchen, wifi with broadband internet, and a television. There is a fitness room, worth knowing about when nothing is within walking distance. An airport shuttle is part of what the villa offers. The villa is listed as suitable for children; if you are travelling with young kids, ask me and I will get the details confirmed by the agency rather than guess at them here.
Six bedrooms, twelve guests
Six bedrooms for twelve guests is a whole-house rental: you take the villa, not a room. Two per bedroom is the arithmetic, but I will not invent the sleeping plan for you. I do not know how the beds are split between doubles and twins, and that matters if you are two families rather than six couples. Ask me before you book and I will get the exact configuration from the agency.
Saline: Undeveloped South Coast
Saline sits on the south coast, and it is undeveloped. You reach the beach by a track running alongside the old salt ponds, then you cover the last few dozen metres on foot, over a dune. There is nothing on the other side. No buildings, no services, no shade at all. The sand is long and open to the ocean, so the swell is real. Nudity is tolerated on part of the beach. That is the thing to understand before booking: you take the car for everything here — groceries, dinner, a coffee. Nothing is walkable. If you want to walk out of the house onto a beach with chairs and someone bringing you a drink, or if anyone in the group struggles with sand, a dune and full sun, this is the wrong side of the island. If you want space and quiet, it is the right one.
What the villa has
- Fitness room
- Suitable for children
- Air conditioning
- Airport transfer
- Wi-Fi
- High-speed internet
- TV
- Private pool
- Heated pool
Common questions
Do we really need to rent cars?
Yes. Saline has no shops, no restaurants and no services, and the beach itself has nothing built on it. You will drive for groceries, for meals, for everything. With twelve people, plan for more than one vehicle. If nobody in the group wants to drive on the island, Saline is the wrong area for you.
Is Saline a good choice for a first stay in St Barth?
It depends what you want. If you came for quiet and an undeveloped stretch of coast, yes. If you want to step out for a drink or have the group split up easily during the day, no — the busier, better-served areas are elsewhere. I would rather tell you that now than have you discover it on day two.
How are the beds arranged across the six bedrooms?
I will not guess. Six bedrooms and twelve sleeping places suggests two per room, but that says nothing about doubles, twins or how the rooms compare. Tell me who is travelling and I will get the confirmed configuration from the agency before you commit.
Rates and availability
Rates depend on the season and the length of stay, so I quote them case by case rather than publishing a figure that would be wrong half the year. Tell me your dates and who is travelling, and I come back with the real number and what is still open.