- 🏝️ Where · Anse de Grand Cul-de-Sac, Saint-Barthélemy, on a 7-hectare private peninsula between Marigot Bay and the lagoon
- 🤝 The deal · Stéphane Courbit (LOV Group) acquires Le Guanahani and adds it to his Airelles collection, undisclosed amount
- 🗓️ Timeline · Rosewood management ends on 1 October 2026, reopening under the name Airelles Le Guanahani on 1 November
- 🛏️ Keys · 66 rooms, suites and villas in Creole cottages, the island’s largest hotel
- 📜 History · Opened in 1986, devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017, rebuilt and reopened in late 2021 under Rosewood
- 🌍 For Airelles · First Caribbean address, following Courchevel, Val d’Isère, Gordes, Saint-Tropez, Versailles and Venice
The largest hotel in Saint-Barthélemy is changing hands. Stéphane Courbit is acquiring Le Guanahani and bringing it into his Airelles collection, which will reopen the property on 1 November 2026, one month after Rosewood’s departure. This marks the French brand’s first venture into the Caribbean, and its very first beach resort.
Contents
A seven-hectare peninsula, two beaches
Le Guanahani occupies a setting unmatched anywhere else on the island: a seven-hectare private peninsula bordered by Marigot Bay on one side and the Grand Cul-de-Sac lagoon on the other. Two beaches·one exposed to the waves, the other sheltered by the coral reef·along with 66 rooms, suites and villas set within Creole cottages featuring pastel shutters, scattered across a tropical garden.
Opened in 1986, the hotel has long been Saint-Barth’s premier family address, standing apart from the more glamorous micro-palaces of St. Jean and Flamands Bay. Hurricane Irma flattened it in September 2017; it remained closed for four years during a complete reconstruction, before reopening in late 2021 under the Rosewood banner, featuring the Beach House, Bar Mélangé and Sense spa.
Rosewood departs on 1 October
Rosewood’s management contract included an exit clause in 2026, and the death of the owner, American investor David Bonderman, accelerated the sale: his heirs did not wish to retain the hotel. Rosewood leaves the property on 1 October, and Airelles reopens it on 1 November, just in time for the Caribbean high season starting at Thanksgiving.
A four-week transition window indicates that no heavy renovation work is planned in the short term, as the hotel was entirely rebuilt five years ago. Efforts will focus on service, gastronomy and guest experiences, carrying the Airelles signature, rather than structural changes. The transaction amount was not disclosed.
| Opening | 1986 |
| Area | 7 hectares, on a private peninsula |
| Keys | 66 rooms, suites and villas |
| Closure following Irma | September 2017 to late 2021 |
| End of Rosewood management | 1 October 2026 |
| Airelles Le Guanahani reopening | 1 November 2026 |
| Airelles hotels after the acquisition | Around ten |
Airelles, from Courchevel to Saint-Barth
Stéphane Courbit built the Airelles brand starting with Les Airelles in Courchevel, acquired in 2007. The collection now includes Mademoiselle in Val d’Isère, La Bastide de Gordes, Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez, Le Grand Contrôle on the Palace of Versailles estate and, as of this year, Palladio in Venice, its first address outside France. All share a common model: character-filled properties, consummate French service, butlers, signature restaurants and complimentary activities for families.
Saint-Barth opens a new chapter. This is the collection’s first beach hotel, and its first property outside Europe. The brand finds here what it was missing: a sunny winter destination for its Alpine clientele, a large portion of whom are American and already frequent the island. Anne-Laure Ollagnon, Managing Director of Airelles, takes over a fully operational hotel along with its teams.
Alongside Cheval Blanc and Eden Rock
Saint-Barth is a market of micro-palaces: LVMH’s Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France, Oetker Collection’s Eden Rock, Le Sereno, Le Toiny, and recently Fouquet’s which replaced the Carl Gustaf. Le Guanahani is the only one to offer the scale of a true resort, featuring two beaches, a full-service spa and children’s facilities. This is precisely what Airelles’ family clientele expects.
The question on regulars’ minds is style. Airelles champions grand decor, multiple dining venues and theatrical flair; Guanahani under Rosewood cultivated discreet elegance and a single restaurant. The specialized American press has already expressed concern about a potential mismatch. The answer will come on 1 November, when the first guests discover what changes the house has made in four weeks.
Our perspective
Following Venice, Saint-Barth: Airelles expands outside France twice in a single year, shifting its register each time. The acquisition of Le Guanahani is less a real estate gamble than a brand wager: proving that Airelles service can be successfully exported to the tropics, beyond the châteaux and chalets that built its reputation. The hotel boasts the location, scale and history; the collection brings a loyal clientele and a reputation for generosity.
The risk is well known and goes by one name: Irma. Owning the walls of a Caribbean beach resort means accepting the hurricane cycle·something Rosewood, as a mere operator, did not have to bear. Stéphane Courbit knows this well, having tracked this property since 2019. In Saint-Barth, the season begins in six weeks.
Practical information
- Le Guanahani, Anse de Grand Cul-de-Sac, 97133 Saint-Barthélemy
- Reopening under the name Airelles Le Guanahani on 1 November 2026 · airelles.com
- Access: flight from Saint-Martin (Grand Case or Juliana), or boat crossing from Saint-Martin
Photo credit Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth
