Hotel Christopher is a new development for the island, an ongoing project that is the opus of the Langlades, a couple whose experience as hoteliers spans the Caribbeans (including a stint at Sandy Lane) and South America. As has happened to this writer over the space of a sunny afternoon, Sandrine and Christian fell in love with St Barthélemy and seized upon a renovation opportunity presented to them. 
The pre-existing building, an Italian squat which was by all accounts a veritable eyesore (the one place on St Barth’s that did employ a red carpet in its driveway), had fallen into disrepair. Whatever nightmare the former establishment was, they have restored Hotel Christopher to the happy realms of light. With an open purview, what they have crafted is a new kind of hospitality, a foray into the future of luxury hotels.
The Langlades will doubtless be unnerved by my use of ‘luxury’ – ‘we are tired of writers using these generic words and phrases to describe the hotel’, Christian tells me during our first meeting. B Beyond is all about the search for that which is ‘beyond luxury’ – a quality that is not about ostentation, extravagance or even the wealthy lifestyle but about having, in the immediate moment, the highest form of experience humanly possible. In this sense the Hotel Christopher offers the very best of St Barth’s.
Nothing at Hotel Christopher is simply there to say ‘look at me, this is luxury’ – rather, everything has a purpose in creating that B Beyond experience. Just the rooms themselves, in their minimalist style and contrast of black and white, exude from every line and feature an aesthetic power above the functional and the surface decor.
Both the interiors and exteriors are ingeniously designed to reflect on the sense of flow present in St Barth’s landscapes and seascapes. In effect, one is conveyed towards the hotel’s spectacular waterfront with its view of this perfect island’s coastline. It is here that one can enjoin in the synergistic physical experience, whether that is a massage by the swelling curves of the infinity pool or a delectable meal at the Mango Bar. There, I would recommend the Mango Lobster wrap, a surprisingly bittersweet interplay
for the true sophisticate, and a glass of the smooth, amber tinted Rosé wine (unrivalled in this writer’s opinion).
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