Hotel Manapany: A Soulful Retreat in St. Barth

Images courtesy of Hotel Manapany/B Signature Hotels & Resorts

Diana Bourel images courtesy of The Art of Self Care

 

What if luxury didn’t mean more, but less? Less noise. Less performance. Less distraction. At Hotel Manapany in St. Barth, luxury is not worn but felt. Here, on the quiet, rugged shore of Anse des Cayes, sustainability isn’t a trend. It’s an invitation: to return to yourself, to the earth, and to something beautifully simple.

For travelers seeking serenity beyond champagne-soaked scenes and branded hospitality, Hotel Manapany offers an alternative: barefoot elegance with a conscience. Owned by B Signature Hotels & Resorts, this eco-luxe property is less about polished perfection and more about soulful presence. As I experienced firsthand, it’s where you stop reaching for your phone and start reaching inward.

Welcome to the place where letting go makes room for something new.

A Place Rebuilt, A Mission Reimagined

After Hurricane Irma swept across the island in 2017, many properties were forced to rebuild. But Hotel Manapany didn’t just reconstruct—it redefined its mission. According to Agathe Jousse, Deputy Executive Director of B Signature Hotels & Resorts and part of the family behind the brand, “Hotel Manapany was born from a desire to find a peaceful sanctuary, far from the turmoil of large cities.” With that clarity, the team rebuilt stronger, more conscious, and fully self-sufficient.

This self-described “eco-village” produces its own water through an on-site desalination system, uses solar panels to heat guestroom water, and recycles wastewater for irrigation. All vehicles are electric. Plastic is banned. What might be highlighted with signage elsewhere is woven seamlessly into daily life. The result? Sustainability without spectacle.

Rooms That Whisper, Not Shout

Our suite overlooked the wild waters of Anse des Cayes. With no neighboring balconies in sight, it felt like a private cottage tucked into nature’s fold. The air in the open-style bathroom carried the salt of the sea. Espresso at sunrise, feet in the sand by morning’s end—this is how days begin at Manapany.

Each of the 43 villas, rooms, and suites has its own personality, but all share a view: the sea. Décor honors local craft—tropical woods, cheerful Caribbean fabrics, and artworks by island artists who once lived on-site during construction. It’s refined, yes—but also rooted.

For families, the Creole Villa includes a kitchen and private beach access, while some suites offer adjoining options for added flexibility. For honeymooners or those seeking a digital detox, ocean-view suites with private terraces provide serenity and sunrise views. The Wi-Fi is excellent, but you may forget you ever needed it.

Dining With the Sea as Your Host

You don’t just dine at Hotel Manapany. You connect—with flavors, with the island, and often with the people beside you. From the first accras de morue (a cod fritter with deep Caribbean roots) each bite speaks of culture, not just cuisine.

Food and Beverage Manager Sarah Klumpp blends French refinement with Mediterranean warmth and Caribbean soul. Seasonal ingredients, including yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi, are paired with French wines like a bright Provençal rosé or a chilled Côtes du Rhône red. Burrata from Puglia and Vitello Tonnato round out the Mediterranean inspiration.

But what elevates the experience isn’t just what’s on the plate—it’s who shares it. “Guests come for the food and wine, but return for the people,” Sarah told me.

Indeed, it’s not unusual to find guests lingering over dinner, then dancing under the stars during events like Captain’s Paella night or Caribbean Tasty Fridays with Nicolas and Paloma. It’s not about the menu—it’s about the moment.

Mornings of Stillness: The Yoga Experience

We joined Diana Bourel (The Art of Self Care) at sunrise for her “Mastering Mindfulness” class, part of the 17th edition of the St. Barth Summer Camp. As the waves crashed nearby and the scent of salt lingered in the breeze, Diana spoke of transformation—not as self-improvement, but self-remembering.

“Yoga isn’t about touching your toes,” she said. “It’s about peeling the onion.” Her layered approach to wellness combines hatha yoga, bioenergetics, and transpersonal work. The experience is less about performing poses and more about finding stillness.

The theme this year? Letting go and letting in. At Hotel Manapany, it’s easy to do both.

Even outside of summer camp, private sessions and morning classes continue through the season. As Diana reflected: “There’s a place inside. When you find it, it will change your life.”

The Beach Less Traveled

Anse des Cayes doesn’t promise calm seas or cocktail service. What it offers is far rarer: a raw, untamed embrace. The sounds of the waves, unapologetic and eternal, remind you that you are small, and that is sacred.

Hotel Manapany is the only hotel on this stretch of beach, nestled in a residential enclave. For me, it felt like the deserted island within the island. The place you come not to be seen, but to see clearly.

Surfers and nature lovers may find paradise here, but so will soul seekers. This is where you go to feel the ocean’s truth.

Where Luxury Means Connection

The heart of Hotel Manapany is not its design or location but its people. From the moment you arrive—greeted with cool hand towels, water and a smile—you feel it. This isn’t luxury as performance. It’s as Sarah Klumpp described: “Guests come for the food and wine, but return for the people.”

From the staff who remember your coffee order to the chefs who share their space with local culinary talents, Manapany cultivates community in every corner. And it’s not accidental. B Signature Hotels & Resorts is built on a family vision—elegance with soul.

In Agathe Jousse’s words: “We wanted to honor the soul of St. Barth—its nature, authenticity, and gentle pace.” They have succeeded.

A Sanctuary That Stays With You

Hotel Manapany is more than a destination. It’s a pause button. It’s a whisper that says you don’t need to keep performing, producing, pushing. That luxury might be the stillness between waves. That the most impactful wealth isn’t visible—it’s felt.

For travelers seeking meaning, not just a menu of amenities, Hotel Manapany offers something lasting. A soulful retreat. A return.

Plan Your Stay at Hotel Manapany

Anse des Cayes, 97133 Saint-Barthélemy
Website: www.hotelmanapany-stbarth.com
Email: reservation@hotelmanapany.com
Phone: +590 590 27 66 55
Instagram: @hotelmanapany

Rates: Rooms start at approximately $860 per night (around €790), with suites and villas from $1,370 (around €1,250) depending on category and season.

In the next article, meet Agathe Jousse and the team behind the experience—from wellness leader Diana Bourel to the hospitality professionals shaping Manapany’s unique sense of place.