Auberge de la Petite Anse
A rare pocket of unpretentious calm on St Barth's northwest cliff — 16 bungalow-style rooms with only the surf and the sunset for company.
Why Go
On an island where three-figure lunch tabs are the norm, Auberge de la Petite Anse is the quietly-kept exception: a family-run cluster of sea-facing bungalows perched above its own scrap of turquoise cove, five minutes' walk from Flamands beach and worlds away from the Gustavia yacht scene.
The Experience
You drive to the very end of the Flamands road, past the last big-name resort, and the pavement dips down toward a low-slung stretch of white-and-blue bungalows built into the cliff. Rooms are simple and airy — tiled floors, kitchenette, a private terrace — but the trick is the view: every unit faces straight out to sea, framing Île Chevreau, St Martin and, on clear afternoons, the smudged silhouette of Anguilla on the horizon. There's no restaurant, no pool, no spa, no lobby music. Just the hush of trade winds, iguanas sunning on the wall, and steps down to a rocky little swimming inlet where you'll rarely see another guest. It's the closest thing St Barth has to a Greek-island pension, and locals send friends here when they want the island without the invoice.
What to Try
Book one of the upper-tier sea-view bungalows rather than a garden room — the price gap is small and the difference is the entire point of staying here. Use the kitchenette: the Maya's-to-Go and Ma Ptite Épicerie in Saint-Jean will provision you for a fraction of restaurant prices, and eating dinner on your terrace as the sun drops behind Colombier is the definitive Petite Anse moment. Do at least one sunrise swim from the property's private cove before the trades pick up.
Insider Tip
Walk out the auberge's back gate and you're already on the trailhead to Anse de Colombier — a 25-30 minute cliff path to one of the last beaches on the island reachable only by foot or boat. Go before 9am with water and reef shoes; you'll often have the whole crescent to yourself, and you can wave down a passing yacht tender back if you don't feel like the return climb.
The Practical Stuff
16 rooms and studios, all with kitchenette, A/C, fridge and private terrace; free Wi-Fi. Rates run roughly €80–€180 low season, higher over Christmas/New Year and around the Bucket Regatta. No on-site restaurant or bar — bring supplies or drive 4 minutes to Chez Rolande, Case an Bo or La Case de l'Isle at Cheval Blanc. Address: 1 Petite Anse, Anse des Flamands 97133. Tel: +590 590 27 64 89. Rental car essential — the road is steep and taxi rides from Gustavia add up quickly.
Pair It With
- Anse de Colombier — The auberge is quite literally at the trailhead — the 30-minute cliff walk to this boat-or-foot-only beach is the single best half-day on this side of the island.
- La Case de l'Isle at Cheval Blanc — When you want one splurgy meal, this beachfront restaurant is a 5-minute drive along the same Flamands strip — book lunch and stroll straight onto the sand after.
- Chez Rolande — The neighbourhood Creole shack a few doors down — accras, grilled lobster, cold Carib — is the perfect low-key dinner counterpoint to your terrace picnics.
- Absolute Hot Yoga (Gustavia) — A 15-minute drive into town balances the auberge's solitude with a morning class and a wander through the harbour before returning to your cove.
