I've been to St. Barths before but surprisingly had overlooked this gem of a hotel. It's right on St. Jean beach, near Eden Rock and La Plage, so right in the thick of things, yet it's surprisingly serene. I made my plans for this pre-Thanksgiving quick trip just 2 days before leaving (!) so i had to find rooms fast, yet the Emeraude Plage was a bit out of my price range. So i decided to splurge and spend just 2 nights there and then move to the much-less-expensive and very different Salines Garden Cottages for the rest of my trip (see other review).
Emeraude Plage is just a few minutes from the airport and from the moment you go through the hotel gates off the busy road, the vibe is all hip and cool yet friendly, and the staff is exceptionally helpful. I wish i had taken a picture of the little reception area: it's funky and hip with all-white decor, but it's somehow cozy as well. You can get wifi reception there (but not in the rooms) and there's also a guest computer there (for a fee, i think).
It was not very busy when i was there so even though i had booked a garden view room, i was upgraded to one right next to the beach, which was so nice (i could hear the waves as i slept). The rooms are all-white with minimalist decor but there was no pretension ... just simple, well-appointed and a clean style. You can tell that they've just been renovated, ie. new and unobtrusive light fixtures, flat screen tv's, quiet A/C's, nice and simple bathrooms with a spacious shower, hair dryer, and large cool tiles. Before i left i read some reviews where someone/people complained about the beds and i have no idea what they were talking about .... i had a really comfortable king bed with large feather pillows and a duvet matching in comfort. I mean, come on people ... how do you knit-pick with paradise??!
One of the things i liked most about my room was the outdoor (and fully equipped) kitchenette, which other people also rave about. Since St. Barths is so expensive now for Americans (more then ever) because of the dollar vs. euro, my friends and i went shopping at the local grocery store and made dinner in my kitchen on the terrace (one or two less expensive dinners out!). One of us would cook while the others had cocktails and cheese and bread on the terrace, and then eat at the glass table -- all in the lovely evening breeze next to the ocean. Ok, the mosquitos kept us company too, but they provide bug spray and you should bring extra for yourself.
They have a beach bar there with unbelievably beautiful views ... it's open for breakfast and cocktail hour (around 4-6 pm). My continental breakfast was perfect (look at the picture!) but i wish it was included in the room price, and i also wish that the bar was open during the day. (maybe it is in high season?) But i guess that's why it's so great to have your kitchenettes nearby.
Last but not least of course -- the beach. As i stated above, the location is ideal and the views are stunning. The lounge chairs were, fittingly, all white, minimalist rattan, with plenty of umbrellas and little tables, and you walk down a rock staircase and your feet are instantly in the soft sand. The chairs were not, however, ON or IN the sand, as a recent storm had taken away a good deal of their beach. But they were working to fix that (in a quiet and unobtrusive way) and i really appreciated the fact that hotel management informed me of this before making my reservation. It really was no big deal for me, but it was good to be told and spoke volumes of their integrity. It was also lovely to sit at the beach chairs at night, where the tables are lit, facing the ocean and totally decompressing ... (until the mosquitos get to be too much!)
Overall, it's obvious that i loved this hotel and would definitely return. If i came back with someone, i'd probably splurge on one of the ocean view villas -- i peeked inside (!) and they seem to have the same kind of decor, but they're bigger and more separate. A few of them were absolutely stunning -- one perched right over the sea and another spread out like a "mod" James Bond-style villa. But very $$$.
There didn't seem to be a lot of people there when i was there, and that was fine by me! Or perhaps the couples in the villas kept to themselves tucked away in the gardens and their private patios. But i would definitely recommend the Emeraude Plage over the nearby Eden Rock (glitzy and crowded) or Tom Beach (no privacy, family-oriented) ... you can walk to La Plage for lunch, drive just minutes to Nikki Beach for dinner and shop at the nearby St. Jean village stores. This is one fantastic hotel, not to be overlooked again.