# St Barts Forums > St Barts Island Main Forum >  >  High Season Dates

## Mrsm6-7-08

I have been looking for a villa and noticed that the prices have sky rocketed since last year. Compared to what we have been paying the past few years. One thing I also noticed is that most villas are considering December 15-22nd the holiday week. Which means a villa that rents for 7500-8000 is going for 20,000-25,000 for that week. 
In past years I dont recall those dates being the peak time, has anyone else noticed that?

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## kent1994

Yes. I believe some villas listings start the High Season even earlier than December 15th

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## PeterLynn

I've also noticed that some villas have dropped their one bedroom option, which for one couple raises the price by 50% or more.

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## davesmom

We have never stayed in a villa but I can tell you that the hotel prices have increased exponentially, sorry to say, even from February.  But it is true for all hotels that I have stayed in, in the past, including SBH, Italy, etc.  I guess they are trying to make up for lost time.  I am wondering, after the big post-Covid "break out" of travelers, if it will be sustainable.  I guess time will tell.  I hope you find a villa that works for you!

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## Dennis

Interesting. We are/were considering a late March/early April trip and I was researching villas including some weve stayed in before. Way higher rates and on some, no 1 bedroom option. 

Deal killer. 

St Barths may have out priced our threshold.

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## Mrsm6-7-08

I’m glad I’m not the only one seeing this. 
I went back to my records and in 2019 I stayed in a villa from December 16th to December 23rd and I paid the winter rate not the holiday rate 

My recent inquiry this year for a 3 bedroom villa which rents for 7500 for winter and 4500 for summer just gave me a quote for 21,000 for December 15-22nd

I told her I have never paid that since it is not the holiday week and she lowered it to 15,000
Sorry but I think it is taking advantage. The holiday is 2 weeks from Christmas and New Years. Most villas now have the holiday week listed at December 15-January 8th and some even until January 15th.

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## cassidain

> St Barth’s may have out priced our threshold.



that's one way for st-barth to solve their traffic problem  :Big Laugh:

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## bkeats

> that's one way for st-barth to solve their traffic problem



I have nothing to add about the holiday season as we havent been here during that time as we prefer the snow and skiing at Christmas but we are here now and the traffic is just crazy. Gustavia is basically a slow moving parking conga line in the afternoon or evening with no parking to be found and the traffic snaking through St Jean reminds me of LA.

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## KevinS

> Gustavia is basically a slow moving parking conga line in the afternoon or evening with no parking to be found and the traffic snaking through St Jean reminds me of LA.



And it’s not even Thanksgiving Week yet.

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## andynap

It’s not only holidays that are getting premiums. My villa in February is substantially more than last time. Maybe the euro dive is partially at fault or they are making up for what they lost during the pandemic.

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## amyb

Andy, I think your reasons are spot on. Add in the cost of supplies and keep in mind that the old supply and demand rule is in play too.

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## dadto6

A consideration is the radical increase in price for a hotel anywhere in America.  They have increased dramatically the past couple of years, shocking at times to see the price of a room in America compared to what it used to be in the past.  It requires some additional searching for St. Barth but value is still out there, just have to research more than the past.

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## Amery

> Interesting. We are/were considering a late March/early April trip and I was researching villas including some weve stayed in before. Way higher rates and on some, no 1 bedroom option. 
> 
> Deal killer. 
> 
> St Barths may have out priced our threshold.



Its getting there for suresadly the island is becoming more about money than ever. Very very disheartening. I have been trying to help a friend secure a villa for pre Christmas (or what we all thought of as pre holiday) and owners are upping prices at any chance.  Fortunately there are still fair owners who rely on dependable regulars but fewer and fewer it seems. 
Dinner at Zion last night was very enjoyable. Lovely servers working hard. Loved a few courses, the other 2 missed the mark for me but I appreciate how difficult it is to execute such an ambitious menu so no criticism! A  beautiful full house with great live music for the occasion. 
Anglican church service this morning sweet as always. Stopped by the marche in town. Yes, island is already crowded. Weather and views gorgeous. Happy to be back despite the traffic!

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## cec1

As a Villa owner, Id like to offer a point of view that hasnt been described  operational & maintenance expenses on the island have skyrocketed in the last three (especially last two) years. Im not sure of all the reasons, but some are pretty clear. #1, Id say, is the dramatic increase in the cost, & increasing lack of availability, of worker (a/k/a staff) housing. Workers, thus, are looking for higher wages, & Villa owners must pay in order to secure services as the cost of living on SBH is causing many staff people to leave. Finding a quality maid, e.g., is nearly impossible . . . even at very high hourly rates (&, BTW, if turnover of a Villa occurs on a Sunday or holiday (of which there are many holidays on SBH), the hourly rate for maids is 2x/regular rate  which owners do not pass-on to incoming or departing guests). Costs for pool services, gardeners, Villa managers, maintenance people (something doesnt work right in the Villa) have shot-up.  Same for water, electricity, & garbage.

We offer a computer & printer for use of guests . . . many guests unplug our connections to plug-in their devices, the result being that we have to engage (a couple of times a month, generally) an IT service to restore service. We also offer the islands new high speed fiber internet service . . . an amenity which nearly doubled the expense of prior high speed service, which we did not pass-on in the rental rate.

I can give other examples, but expect that the point is clear. In this regard, some rent increase examples given in this thread are pretty surprising, at least . . . but its a familiar story of what the market will bear. Our rate increases have been nominal over the life of our history in owning & renting the Villa . . . in part a product of having a number of regularly returning guests  people with whom a mutual sense of loyalty & fairness has developed (one family returns in the Holiday Season because, among other reasons, their young children think that the Villa has the best pool in the world! . . . another couple  NYC designers  come with their own elegant china, stemware, & silver for high profile, stylish entertaining).

There are very good, justifiable reasons for significant rental rate increases in the last few years. Other increases seem crazy . . . but such villas are rented, nonetheless. (What do you think about the new Club with an annual membership fee of 15K Euros for the privilege of dining there?)

When I started visiting SBH, 44 years ago, affordability was vital to enabling my return visits. In the interim, while the cost of being on the island has grown enormously, Ill say that there still are numerous places to stay & dine at affordable prices. What I find, however, is that the demographic of island visitors in the last 10 - 12 years has become one that has vastly greater resources  and aspirations & demands  than previously, & there is a large contingent of service providers willing to meet them. Witness the takeover of locally owned restaurants by a St. Tropez clique.

Perhaps the pendulum will swing back.

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## PeterLynn

Dennis - 

What are your thoughts about eliminating the 1br option? Is there that much more demand for 2br vs 1 br?

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## cec1

> Dennis - 
> 
> What are your thoughts about eliminating the 1br option?



I don’t know how many Owners have done that, Peter. It has been suggested to us by some Villa rental agencies to do so, but I haven’t because the bulk of our renters are 1 bd/ba, & I think those clients come to CEC because it’s “good value,” & they’re unlikely to benefit in any material way by paying more.  There’s a strong 1 bd/ba market, so why not serve it at a fair price.

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## Happycamper

I suppose things will settle in a new higher priced equilibrium eventually based on 'the invisible hand' and all that.  One does wonder if it will shift from families on their annual trips to one-off's of honeymooners and celebratory people (like yipee, my company just IPOed) who will make a one time splurge but then don't necessarily carry forward the existing vacationer culture and it will evolve to something else, for better or worse.  

Taylor Swift had a song last year, "The Last Great American Dynasty,” mocking the old money people who bemoaned new money people coming in and messing up their nice New England resort community of Watch Hill, RI in the 1950s. The new rich people spent lots of money, but not in the 'right way' as approved by the old rich people.  The song of course harkens to Taylor arriving to Watch Hill in 2013 with a similar response to her and her new money.

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## Luciano

I just returned from my first visit since Irma. While it's a given that prices go up, and considering staffing / housing issue etc, prices have really increased. Dinner at Les Bananiers cost as much as it did at Maya's pre-Irma, and that was for an appetizer and pizza. Even Ligne St Barth products have almost doubled. It's still a lovely place to visit, but I found myself thinking the only thing that goes on a diet in SBH is your wallet. Pack half the clothes and 3X the money.

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## Dennis

> A consideration is the radical increase in price for a hotel anywhere in America.  They have increased dramatically the past couple of years, shocking at times to see the price of a room in America compared to what it used to be in the past.  It requires some additional searching for St. Barth but value is still out there, just have to research more than the past.



As for hotels, we're finding that, at least as Bonvoy regulars, the holidays are blacked out for points.

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## bkeats

> Dinner at Les Bananiers cost as much as it did at Maya's pre-Irma, and that was for an appetizer and pizza.



@Luciano, I am really surprised by that observation. We went to Les Bananiers yesterday. For lunch not dinner but I don’t recall their prices changing much between meals especially for the pizza. It was one of the most reasonably priced meals we have had on the island. A split app, a main, pizza, bottle of water and a few beers for ~€75. We last went to Mayas in 2019 right before Covid shut everything down and that was a great but not inexpensive meal. At risk of inflaming old passions Maya was never a bargain and Les Bananiers in my mind is one of the great bargains on the island.

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## le_reve

As another villa owner, we did raise our rates this year, mostly because since we purchased the villa in 2019, we upgraded the pool and deck and deck furniture, purchased all new and much better bedding, repainted the inside and outside, and also checked out the prices of other similar villas in the area.  We do still do the 1, 2, 3 BR options, but we did notice that many others have eliminated those options.

That, coupled with all the things that cec1 mentioned, we felt it was time for a larger increase.  It may have bit us in the butt though, as we have noticed bookings are down for us for our open time (August - January.). I think we were a popular villa because we were much less expensive than other comparable villas in the area... we may revisit our rates again for next year and find the "sweet spot."  It is always a moving target with many different factors.

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