Sun Beach House: Your Personal Key to a Villa on St Barth
A hand-curated villa collection in Gustavia — with a real person, not a booking portal
Why Go
Tucked on Rue de la Paix a few minutes' stroll from Gustavia harbor, Sun Beach House is the boutique agency St Barth regulars quietly pass around like a phone number. Founded by Valérie Kerckhofs, who has called the island home since 1996, it trades the impersonal villa-portal experience for a single, warm point of contact who has actually walked every property before she offers it to you.
The Experience
Walking into the small Gustavia office feels less like checking in and more like meeting a friend who happens to have the keys to the island's most beautiful houses. Valérie and her team run a tightly-edited portfolio — think panoramic-view retreats like Floating Garden above town, or the tucked-away Corossol hideaway La Bulle — and everything comes with concierge support baked in: airport transfers, private chefs, boat charters, sunset reservations, in-villa massages, whatever the week calls for. Because the roster is small and hand-selected, the conversation quickly moves from 'how many bedrooms' to 'do you want to wake up over the sea or under the frangipani.' It is the closest thing on the island to having a well-connected local aunt with excellent taste.
What to Try
Ask Valérie to walk you through the current off-market list before you look at anything public — the best houses on St Barth rarely appear on aggregator sites and the agency keeps a discreet selection for returning guests and qualified buyers. First-timers should request a Gustavia-side villa for their opening night (walkable to dinner, no rental-car headache after the flight into Rémy de Haenen), then move to a north-shore or Corossol property for the second half of the stay. Bundle the concierge add-ons at booking rather than à la carte: pre-arrival provisioning, a chef for one 'welcome' dinner, and a Zodiac day to Colombier reliably become the trip's highlight moments.
Insider Tip
High-season villas on St Barth (Christmas / New Year, February, Easter) are typically locked in 9–12 months out, and the best inventory moves under the radar. Email or WhatsApp Valérie directly rather than filling out a generic form — mention your dates and party size and she will often surface a house that never made it to the website. If you are flexible in shoulder months (May–June, early November), ask about long-stay rates; the same villas can drop meaningfully and the island is at its quietest and greenest.
The Practical Stuff
Address: 65 Rue de la Paix, Gustavia 97133, Saint-Barthélemy. Phone / WhatsApp: +590 690 63 47 25. Website: sun-beach-house.com. The office is a short walk from the Gustavia harbor and about a 10-minute drive from Rémy de Haenen Airport (SBH). Best contacted by appointment; concierge service continues 24/7 throughout your stay. Payments handled in EUR; most villas require a deposit at booking with the balance due before arrival.
Pair It With
- Abyss Restaurant Guide — An easy first-night dinner within walking distance of a Gustavia villa — ask the concierge to book the terrace.
- 6e SENS Massage Wellness Beauty — Sun Beach House can arrange the therapists to come to your villa for a poolside massage the morning after arrival.
- Absolute Hot Yoga Gustavia — A grounding early-morning class two minutes from the office — perfect for guests staying in-town before the boat day.
- 4 Sea Zone St Barth Guide — The team's go-to for private boat charters to Colombier and Île Fourchue, coordinated as part of your stay.
