All the paparazzi images of celebs frolicking in the surf has got me thinking about St. Barts. Ah the pangs of separation after a brief jaunt a year ago. If I could have it my way, and winter the entire long, insufferable, light-less winter at this Caribbean hotspot, life would be so grand. I think I would choose Le Toiny as my camp, earning top honors on Conde Nast's 2006 Gold List (93.3 overall isn't a half-bad score, considering the rooms, service and cuisine all score perfect points). The self-contained villa-suites, influenced by the old French plantation houses, are loaded with high-tech amenities: two satellite TVs, stereo, DVD player, Bang and Olufsen telephones, CD player and fax, and fully-equipped kitchenette. From your own private plunge pool, gaze over the hilltop at the rolling green of the island and the sea beyond. Or watch a DVD from your Jacuzzi, before dining at the most magnificent restaurant on the island, Le Gaïac.

Le Toiny, Official Site

Le Toiny, Five Star Alliance