The Best New Hotels in the World: 2019 Hot List

"Unique on an island well known for profligate excess, Parisian Anne Jousse, owner of a portfolio of small hotels in France, sought to introduce more than a modicum of eco-responsibility to St. Bart’s. The glamorous hotelier had fallen for Manapany, a once-upon-a-time chic spot on the sleepy north shore, on family trips. She bought the place in 2016 and initiated a top-to-bottom reconstruction of its 4.2-acre beachfront on Anse des Cayes. Several years and one major hurricane later, it’s been reborn. Water is heated by solar panels, no chemicals are used in cleaning or maintenance, towels are made of woven bamboo, and only electric cars are permitted beyond reception. Yet Jousse’s endeavor isn’t lacking a lick of luxe. All 43 sea-view rooms and villas—eight directly on the sand, others a mighty but rewarding 80 steps above and with enormous terraces—are gracefully decorated by Parisian designer François Champsaur, with walls painted peppery red, turmeric orange, mint green, or ultramarine blue. Impossibly attractive staff serve artfully crafted rhum agricoles at barefoot dinners, and a Dr. Hauschka–supplied beachside spa has raised St. Bart’s wellness game. With its design ethos and ecological focus, Manapany represents the next wave of Caribbean hotels." - CNT Editors