Marla Villas
A family-run villa concierge with 180 keys to the island's most private homes.
Why Go
Tucked into a modest storefront on Rue Oscar II a block from Gustavia's harbor, Marla Villas doesn't look like the gatekeeper to some of St Barth's most coveted addresses – but it is. Since 1998, founder Bertrand Labouerie and his team have quietly matched artists, honeymooners, families and the occasional impresario to the right house on the right hillside, with a discretion that has kept the client list loyal and the paparazzi guessing.
The Experience
Walking into Marla is closer to visiting a longtime family friend on the island than checking into a corporate rental desk. The office is small, the coffee is real, and someone who actually knows the difference between a clapboard cottage in Corossol and a cliffside estate above Gouverneur will sit down with you and talk through what your week should feel like. Because Marla owns the concierge relationship end-to-end – housekeeping, chef, boat day, airport pickup, that hard-to-find dinner reservation – the whole stay tends to run on one calm thread rather than four different WhatsApp chats.
What to Try
Ask to see the full portfolio, not just the featured villas: Marla's 180-home catalogue ranges from simple beach bungalows with shuttered clapboard to mountain-perched glass boxes with plunge pools, and the sweet spots are often the mid-tier houses that never make the homepage. First-time visitors should let them pair a Gustavia-adjacent villa with a private chef night and a half-day boat charter; repeat guests tend to book the same house year after year and let the concierge stitch together spa, yoga and beach-club days.
Insider Tip
Book the villa through Marla and you inherit their local rolodex – meaning the concierge can quietly land you a table at restaurants that are 'fully booked' to the general public, and arrange a discreet airport greet that skips the tarmac chaos on turnaround Saturdays. The agency is licensed (CPI 9771 2018 000 025 736) and SOCAF-guaranteed, which matters if you're weighing a longer stay or eventually buying on-island; they handle the legal and financial side of ownership in-house.
The Practical Stuff
Office at 18 Rue Oscar II, Gustavia 97133, a 3-minute walk from the harbor. Phone +590 590 27 62 02, email info@marlavillas.com, website marlavillas.com. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are smarter in high season (mid-December through mid-April and the August regatta window). Inquiries in English or French; payment in EUR or USD by wire. Villa minimum stays and rates vary widely by season – expect the biggest premium over Christmas/New Year and a real drop-off in September–October.
Pair It With
- 6e SENS Massage Wellness Beauty Saint Barth Guide — Book an in-villa massage through Marla's concierge for the first afternoon – jet lag disappears faster than a rum punch.
- Absolute Hot Yoga Guide — A five-minute walk from the office; slot a morning class between villa viewings or after a late boat day.
- 4 Sea Zone St Barth Guide — Marla can pair your villa week with a private day-charter to Colombier or Île Fourchue – ask when you book.
- Abyss Restaurant Guide — A reliable Gustavia dinner the concierge can secure last-minute when you'd rather not cook in the villa.
- A fleur de peau – St Barth — Detour to their Saint-Jean boutique for the linen and swimwear that actually make sense once you're living villa-side.
