This is not the hotel for someone expecting luxury resort accomodations and service. But if you are in St. Barth because of its beautiful uncrowded beaches and not the ostentatious display of wealth, and if you would rather save your euros for delicious food and fine dining experiences, then this is the place for you.
We got rooms facing the harbor and were rewarded with nice sunsets every evening as well as interesting people watching. There is a small grocery store down the street with better prices than Match, the larger supermarket by the airport. There is a very well stocked pharmacy and a good bookstore/magazine stand down the street as well. At night you can stroll through town and try a wide variety of bars and restaurants. We found this convenient since we did not want to drive at night on the island's windy roads.
You can opt to eat breakfast in the hotel (8 euros), or you can keep yogurt and fruit in the mini fridge and then have coffee next door at Le Repaire.
The hotel staff is incredibly nice and friendly, they even helped us make restaurant reservations. The desk closes around 5 pm so you never have a feeling that someone is keeping track of all your comings and goings. We also rented our car directly with the hotel.
As another reviewer mentioned, the hotel is in a noisy location. I came prepared with earplugs, which really saved my trip, but I am a light sleeper. Traffic quiets down significantly at night but you can hear loud mopeds / vespas late at night.
Finally, I would like to warn fellow travelers not to use the "public" pay phones on the island. There is one right outside the hotel where you can insert your credit card to make international calls. A 3 minute call to the U.S. was $58!
- Sunset Hotel Gustavia
