It’s one of the most iconic beach bars in all of the Caribbean: Karibuni, the legendary bar and restaurant on the sandy sliver of Pinel Island, just off the coast of French St Martin. 

Accessed only by a short ride on a mini ferry, it’s the sort of dreamy beach club you never want to leave. 

While Pinel is eminently popular, not many travelers realize that Karibuni is not just a beach bar: it’s also a hotel. 

And it’s one of our favorite small hotels anywhere the Caribbean: the Karibuni Boutique Hotel, a tiny beach lodge that’s still one of the most closely-guarded secrets in St Martin.

Where is it? Set on the “mainland” right near the ferry dock, the Karibuni Boutique Hotel has just six rooms and a pair of villas in a hillside perch in St Martin’s serene neighborhood of Cul de Sac. Depending on the time of day, it’s between 30 and 45 minutes from St Maarten’s airport (and about eight minutes from Grand Case’s Esperance Airport).

What to Know? The family-run Karibuni Boutique Hotel is, in a word, sublime. All of the bungalow-style rooms have stunning views of Cul de Sac and Pinel, some with their own private plunge pools, all with rustic-chic design, Nespresso machines and fully-equipped kitchens. That’s along with hammocks, Wi-Fi and TVs. In a very cool touch, you order breakfast by placing a colorful wooden bird on the side of your patio; that’s a signal for the hotel to bring your daily fresh breakfast or freshly-baked French pastries, fruit and tropical juice. 

Which room to choose? We’d recommend one of the suites with their own private plunge pools. The more you travel in the Caribbean, the more you realize just how marvelous it is to have your own private pool, especially at the end of the day. The nearby villas are the next level, and certainly worth the splurge if you’re game. 

What do we like best? The greatest amenity here is still, without question, the automatically reserved beach chairs on Pinel Island (and private ferry service). If you’re doing it right, Pinel will be the place where you spend almost every single morning and afternoon during your stay here. Pinel may seem like a novelty, but it’s absolutely magical – there’s an exotic quality to the beach here, and the design and endlessly friendly staff at the beach (make sure you get a cocktail served inside of a pineapple) will make you feel like you’ve discovered your own private fantasy island for the day. 

For more, visit Karibuni Boutique Hotel.