Villa Iwami by Fantasia Villas

Near the very top of Gouverneur, Villa Iwami (IWA) is a newly constructed property offering splendid views over St. Barth’s wild island hillsides, St. Jean Bay and the Caribbean sea. This luxurious rental home was thoughtfully designed as a collection of individual structures connected by decks and the pool. In this way, the villa is fully integrated into the landscape while each bedroom enjoys a great degree of privacy. With the four bedrooms in separate bungalows behind the main house, Villa Iwami is an excellent choice for groups of friends who want to share their vacation together, but also sometimes apart, as the spaces are clearly delineated but everything is close to the heart of the action.
Villa Iwami offers a clean-lined, grandly scaled take on St. Barth style. Thick, square columns form colonnades where the pavilions end and the reflecting pools, koi ponds and swimming pools begin. The experience here can easily go beyond indoor-outdoor living: This is indoor-underwater living.

Between the columns, tropical and desert plants edge right up against the living spaces, creating a captivating interplay of shadows as the sun moves across the sky. Of course, the real showstopper views are the wide panoramas over the northern side of St. Barth and the sea down below, as well as the 18-meter-long infinity pool that stretches out along the deck. The white-on-white décor is elegant and understated, conceived to keep the focus on nature.

Upon arriving, you’ll discover an open living pavilion with plentiful seating for conversation, and gentle island breezes wafting through. To either side is an enclosed space, one containing an air-conditioned living room, and the other a stainless-steel chef’s kitchen and dining table. A second, covered dining terrace is outside.

Behind this main pavilion, are the private bedrooms, all with king beds, private terraces with gazebos, plunge pools and plenty of entertainment options. Two are a few steps from the living areas, while the last two are even more secluded, in their own little enclave down a hill, and share a pool and a patio with a gazebo.