COVID has shifted our sense of place. No better place has experience in reinstating and building a sense of place than Villa Marie St. Barth, a Maisons & Hotels Sibuet property.
From an idyllic getaway in St. Barth to a cozy chalet in Megève, the team at Maisons & Hotels Sibuet shrouds its guests in a myriad of exceptional services and beautiful design in highly coveted destinations. Patrick and I caught up with Sonia Morel, Director of Maisons & Hotels Sibuet, to learn more about Villa Marie St. Barth and the unique experience Maisons & Hotels Sibuet offer. Our meeting place? The ananas lounge, or pineapple lounge (named for it’s pineapple-themed décor), at François Plantation at Villa Marie St. Barth. “What attracted me to Maisons & Hotels Sibuet was the atmosphere. When you step into their properties you have a sense of place. This is not a hotel you can find anywhere else. When you close your eyes you know that you can only be in St. Barth, St. Tropez, Megève, or Ménerbes.”
Raised in Bretagne, Sonia shared that she started working for the Sibuet family back at their first property in Megève and has since, in her 15 years working with them, hopped around throughout their properties.
Chocolate Thirst cocktail by Anaes 
Anaes, the bartender, came over with cod fish fried appetizers and cocktail sauce and asked us for our orders. I asked if there was a boissons de la maison, a signature house cocktail. Anaes recommended her own creation called the Chocolate Thirst cocktail. It’s made with rum, homemade maple syrup, fresh grapefruit, lemon, and lime. But what makes it unique is that it comes with a small piece of dark chocolate. Between each sip you’re supposed to take a bite of the bitter dark chocolate to complement the sweetness of the cocktail. The result is a heavenly flavor that makes your taste buds tingle. Superbe! As they would say in France. I would definitely call it a unique and personal culinary innovation only available at Villa Marie. St. Barth.
Patrick ordered le zombie. A cocktail made of pineapple juice, guava juice, white rum, and dark rum among other things, which he found just as delightful. Over the next hour and a half, Pat and I chatted and cracked jokes with Sonia Morel. The warm conversation, a pure reflection of the Villa Marie St. Barth atmosphere, took us across all walks of life–life, COVID, and of course, Villa Marie St. Barth.
What makes Villa Marie St. Barth unique from other hotels aside from it’s sense of place?
The intimate, personal touch. The Sibuet family’s personality comes to life through the design, personal touches, Pure Altitude product lines, wine selection, and more. You truly feel like you’ve become a part of their family. It sets the property apart from any other. All the furniture you see at Villa Marie St. Barth was chosen and selected by Ms. Jocelyne Sibuet herself from her travels across the world. The product lines in each room are Pure Altitude, Maisons & Hotels Sibuet own personal body and skincare line created in their Alpine garden in Megève (which I later experienced at the Pure Altitude spa as well). They even go as far as making their own wine from their vineyard in Ménerbes (which Pat and I had during dinner).
What’s your favorite Maisons & Hotels Sibuet property?
It’s impossible to choose a favorite because each is unique and beautiful in it’s own way. But a specific instance that stands out in my mind more than others is my time at their property in Ménerbes. I only visited once. The countryside property is an hour away from the sea and 2 hours away from mountains. They make their own wine at the property. So you’re able to have breakfast on the terrace overlooking the vineyard. Mr. Jean Louis Sibuet is a fan of roses, so has them all over the vineyard. It’s truly a sight unlike any other.
Tell us about where we are: François Plantation.
Villa Marie St. Barth used to be a restaurant called François Plantation. Françoise and François were a couple that ran the restaurant and made it a very well-known and highly regarded staple on the island. It had its glorious years, but overtime leadership changed and the restaurant wasn’t maintained. It eventually closed down. When the Sibuet’s took over in 2016, they chose to keep the name of the restaurant and breathe life back into it. Locals and long time visitors of the island couldn’t be happier to see François Plantation come back to life.
What’s available to non-hotel guests at Villa Marie St. Barth?
Almost everything you see is available to non-hotel guests by reservation. We offer breakfast from 7:30AM – 10AM by the pool, lunch, and of course, dinner. However, weekends are very busy, so reservations are required if you want to save yourself a table. In addition, we offer guests the opportunity to enjoy the swimming pool by reservation. Our latest offering is a day spa package of sorts that has the best of the best. It includes access to our pool, lunch at François Plantation, and a treatment at Pure Altitude spa.
Is there a particular dish that guests should try when dining at François Plantation in Villa Marie St. Barth?
You should try all of them! You should try to eat as many dishes as possible to get a well-round taste of Chef Emmanuel Motte’s cuisine. One thing you can’t pass on is the soufflé of course, but real soufflé, eaten the right way. One thing I learned at Villa Marie St. Tropez is that the ice cream should not go on the side, which is how it’s usually served. The ice cream scoop should be dropped into the middle of the soufflé. It’s delicious! It’s one of my favorite tips that I’ve learned over the years. That’s how Villa Marie St. Barth serves it as well.
>> Next: I Traveled to St. Barth During COVID-19–Here’s What the Trip Was Like
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