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Sibarth/Wimco is a villa rental agency and complete reservation service that centres on the island St Barths in the French Caribbean. Created in 1975, it is the largest villa rental agency in St Barths, with some 250 houses available for rent in all locations on the island, in sizes ranging from one up to six bedrooms. As the name implies, the company has two arms, Sibarth, which undertakes all operations on island in St Barths itself, including real estate sales (see below), and a sister company, Wimco, which is based in the States. Wimco provides reservation, travel and liaison services for those arranging their villa vacation in St Barts (as well as some other islands in the Caribbean).
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KEY FEATURES...
| The largest villa rental company on St Barths. Based in Gustavia, Sibarth offers around 250 villas for rent (1-6 bedrooms, all over the island) and has about 80 villas under management. Full guest services and Special Requests team for concierge services, eg baby-sitting, massage, boat trips, personal trainers, chefs, special events. French and English speaking staff. Wimco, based in the Newport, Rhode Island, USA, handles reservations, travel arrangements, payments and liaison with Sibarth staff on island. |
CLIENT PROFILE...
| Mainly American, well heeled, families and groups of friends, honeymooners in the summer |
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Sibarth is based in Gustavia and looks after the ground arrangements of holidaymakers once they have reached the island. You can expect to come across them at the moment you arrive St Barts - they meet and greet you at the airport and then escort you to your villa. Thereafter they are in the background for all the things you might need. They organise the housekeeping at the villa and general maintenance where needed, in addition to general requests such as baby-sitting or the arrangement of baby or fitness equipment. And they are also on hand to offer advice and help with more particular requests through their dedicated Special Requests team. Your request could be (almost) anything - a dinner reservation, a massage, car rental or the private charter of a motorboat for instance. Or it might be the delivery of flowers or a bottle of champagne, even catering for a private dinner party. The Special Requests team, who are on call daily except Sundays, know the island extremely well and can help you get the best out of to the island during your visit.
Where most villa rental companies in the Caribbean islands also manage the actual booking of villas for their visiting clients, things work rather differently with Sibarth. This side of the business is passed to Wimco, the West Indies Management Company, which is based in the United States. Wimco was started in 1984, initially as a point of contact to help US clients destined for St Barths (and for ease of payment), but now it has outgrown its original brief. It handles travel arrangements and also bookings for villas in other Caribbean islands, even to other destinations around the world (they also offer villas in the UK, France and Italy, for example). Wimco also handles the marketing for the two companies and of course the payments for the villas on St Barts.
The staff at Wimco (which is based in Newport, Rhode Island) are in extremely close contact with the staff on the ground in St Barths and so if you would like to arrange any of the concierge services before you travel to the island, Wimco is happy to give advice, take the order and pass it on to Sibarth to put it into action for you.
The villas in St Barths are generally of a very high standard and they come in a grand variety of styles. Only a few are on the beach. Instead, they tend to be judged by their view. The higher the location and the prettier the view, the more prestigious, by and large. Villas are located all over the island, but the most popular areas are above St Jean, the island’s most popular beach, and in Mont Jean, which is further east, on a point beyond Lorient. This was the first area in which the building of private holiday homes was permitted.
In all Sibarth/Wimco can offer about 250 villas for rent in St Barts. They come in all styles, price ranges and locations on the island, and with all possible numbers of bedrooms (up to six, as many as there are in St Barths). In the summer (or at least out of the winter season), Wimco is often able to offer a lower rate for a reduced number of bedrooms.
All villas rented by Sibarth/Wimco go by a three-letter code. This is often a contraction of their formal name (though some villas go simply by the three letters and have no name). Please note that when linking through to the Wimco website from one of our villa review pages you will need to search by the exact term at the head of the page.
In addition to its villa services, Sibarth also has a real estate sales office. Sibarth Real Estate is obviously ideally positioned to help villa rental clients who wish to buy property on the island, and of course it can refer you as a new purchaser to the villa management side, so that your villa is managed while you are not on island. Please read our review of Sibarth Real Estate.
Sibarth/Wimco was set up by Brook and Roger Lacour in 1975 and now has around seventy staff in all, across the two sections of the company. On island many of them are involved with villa management, in which Sibarth looks after houses on behalf of home owners, overseeing staff and the maintenance of the house including any general repairs as well as the usual work on the pool and garden. The company has around 80 villas under management, which are of course for rent through Wimco. Sibarth’s offices (for both the villa rental agency and the real estate company) are in the very pretty Maison Suédoise, a brick-clad house in Gustavia on the rue Samuel Fahlberg just across from the waterfront. |
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Services
Reservations
Reservations for Sibarth villas in St Barths are made through the Wimco office in the States. Wimco offers a full service which includes general advice about the island and the villas. Staff know many of the villas personally and they can help to match you to the right one for your needs. They can take your booking and will make sure that everything that you have arranged (eg food for your arrival, baby equipment or car hire) will be in place in advance of your arrival.
Wimco will take payment for the booking in the States (for their terms and conditions, please see below).
Wimco can arrange flights to the Caribbean on behalf of its guests from the USA. This covers both the flight into the region (usually either to Puerto Rico or to St Maarten) and then the inter-island connection. They are in close touch with the inter-island airlines that will carry you across to St Barts.
You villa will have a telephone number which you can give to people in advance of your arrival.
Concierge Service
In addition to the normal service that is offered to every guest arriving at one of their villas on St Barths (meet and greet, orientation, cleaning etc), Sibarth also offers a concierge service through their Special Requests team. Two people are on hand daily in the office (except Sundays) to assist you with requirements that you have during your visit. This can be any number of things, but examples might be to help you with restaurant reservations, a boat-trip reservation, or the services of a personal trainer. They can also arrange fitness and baby equipment, provisioning or they can book a car for you. If you wish to hold a private dinner then they can arrange a chef. They can even arrange a party for you by bringing in caterers or a party organiser. The on-island contact number for the Special Requests team is 0590 29 88 90.
Please note that Wimco is happy to arrange these things for you in advance if you wish to make requests and other bookings before you leave for the island. They are in constant touch with the Sibarth staff on the ground in St Barths itself.
Grocery Services
Sibarth/Wimco is happy to arrange provisioning, so that your villa is stocked with food for your arrival. The service is as flexible as you wish. Their standard arrival pack provides enough for your first evening and then breakfast the next morning. It will include a roast chicken, ham, cheese, pastries, juices and fruit, plus drinks. However, if you have specific requirements then they would be happy to find them for you (pretty much anything is available in St Barts).
They can also help by providing a chef who can cook for you.
Villa Management
Sibarth offers a villa management service for house-owners in St Barts, many of whom bought their houses through Sibarth Real Estate in the first place. It manages around 80 villas in all on the island, looking after all aspects of the running of the house. This will include overseeing the instruction and payment of staff (cleaners, gardeners, pool men etc) and undertaking any general maintenance that is needed. They will also make sure it is ready for the arrival of incoming guests of course. The marketing for the villa is undertaken by Wimco. |
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Staff
Housekeeping staff will come each day, usually in the morning, except on Sundays and on public holidays. They will make the beds, clean the kitchen and generally clean around the house. They will change the bed linen at least twice a week and towels normally every other day. A personal laundry service is not provided. There is a laundrette and a dry cleaning service in St Jean. It is possible to arrange for more service (for instance a turndown service), which will be at extra expense.
The housekeeper will visit on the morning after your arrival (except on a Sunday or a public holiday) to arrange with you what time you would like your villa to be cleaned each day. |
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Meet & Greet
Sibarth has a booth at the airport where you will be met on arrival. As you leave the Immigration area of the airport you should (turn right and) make your way to the Sibarth counter, which is among the car hire stands. Almost all guests hire a car anyway. After you have collected it, you will be led by a member of the Sibarth staff to your villa. If not they will transport you. It is all very relaxed, so if you want to collect groceries at the Match supermarket opposite the airport you can do so before you set off.
The Sibarth staff will settle you in at your villa, explain how everything works and give advice about the island if you want it. This can be anything from the best supermarkets in which to buy groceries and which beaches to visit to which restaurants to visit. Ask away, they all know the island extremely well and can give good advice.
Next morning another member of staff will come to visit you and explain the staff situation and answer any other questions that you may have. |
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Check-In/Check-Out
Check-out time is 12 noon. Check-in is at 2.30pm. This may not be a problem because you are likely to arrive in the mid to late afternoon. If you do arrive before this, or if you are already on island, Sibarth will do its best to accommodate you. They may be able to let you in early if the house has been empty for a day or two beforehand, but if there are guests leaving the villa on the same day you probably will not be able to gain access until 2.30pm. To avoid confusion it is best to let them know your arrival plans at the time of booking. |
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Departures
Assuming you have hired a car, the easiest thing is probably to return it at the airport as you leave. You are asked to leave the keys to your villa at the Sibarth booth at the airport. If you have no transport, then Sibarth would be happy to collect you at your villa and take you back to the airport for your flight. |
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Booking Conditions
Deposits and Payments
If you wish to book direct, reservations should be made through Wimco. You will need to send a deposit of 30% of the total rental fee to confirm a reservation. Payment of the remaining amount is required 60 days prior to your arrival. If you are booking within 60 days of arrival, full payment must be made within 5 days to secure the booking. You may contact Wimco by using the WEB LINK or DIRECT EMAIL ENQUIRIES facility at the top of this page, or if you wish to telephone them, please click on TELEPHONE CONTACT to reveal the number.
Cancellation Policy
There are penalties for cancellations. If your cancellation is received 61 days prior to arrival, a fee equivalent to 20% of the total rental price will be charged. If the cancellation is within 60 and 15 days of arrival, the fee increases to 30% of the total rental price. For cancellations received within 14 days of arrival, the fee charged will be 100%, ie total rental cost.
Travel Insurance
Since accidents can happen, we recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy that gives you full protection for damage to Third Party property. For further advice, please see here. |
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Late/Special Offers
5 St Barths Villas with Exclusive Summer Specials
Five of Wimco’s most outstanding private villas on the island of St Barthelemy are offering to add more value to your low season vacation – 4 bedroom Villa SIB REV, 1 bedroom Villa SIB TOR, 4 bedroom Villa SIB CEL, 2 bedroom Villa SIB CAR and 4 bedroom Villa SIB SEL, all with private pools - book by 30 June 2009 for stays during July 2009 and receive a complimentary Jimny or Getz rental car for your entire stay. Book to stay after July and these five villas are also offering free nights for all stays until November 22, 2009. For more details please contact Sibarth/Wimco directly by using the links from the top of this review page. |
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Restaurant Savings Card
Wimco's Exclusive St Barths Restaurant Card - 10% off at Select Island Establishments
Book your St Barthelemy villa vacation with Wimco for travel between 05 Jan-14 Dec, 2009 and receive a complimentary "Friend of the Island" Restaurant Card. Present this card at participating restaurants on St Barths and 10% will be taken off your bill! The list of participating restaurants is subject to change and currently includes:
Le Ti St Barth
La Marine
Tamarin
Indigo at Guanahani
Nikki Beach
The Sand Bar at Eden Rock(lunch only)
The Rock at Eden Rock (dinner only)
Le Gaiac at Le Toiny (dinner only)
Victoria's at Carl Gustaf
Bartolomeo at Guanahani |
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Portfolio Listing
DefinitiveCaribbean features a representative selection of the properties that are available for rent through Sibarth/Wimco, which you may book directly, or through tour operators/travel organisers that have an agreement with the company.
See here for a complete listing of the Sibarth/Wimco villas that we feature
| Eden House, St Barths
A striking, sleek and extremely stylish three-bedroom villa set on Marigot Bay in St Barths. Eden House is ultra modern, with clean and minimal lines, painted largely in dove grey, with splashes of fuschia and electric lime green. A very impressive and liveable villa. | | Villa LED (SIB LED), St Barths
A relatively simple but comfortable two-bedroom villa set on a ridgeline in Colombier in St Barths. Villa LED is a modern St Barths house with bright Caribbean décor and good outside space, including a pool and gazebo in the garden. | | Villa DKD (SIB DKD), St Barths
A two-bedroom villa with strong contemporary style set on the hilltop in Pointe Milou in St Barths, with views to the Atlantic one side and along the north coast to St Jean the other. Set on two levels, Villa DKD is an open, very comfortable and liveable St Barths rental ideal for couples. | | Villa Coco, St Barths
A modern, very stylish three bedroom villa with excellent covered living space set on a hillside overlooking Lorient and the north coast of St Barths. Villa Coco has an elegant, mainly minimal style, a subdued colour scheme and a very open layout, with open-sided sitting and dining areas giving onto a deck and cliffside pool. | | Villa BOR (SIB BOR), St Barths
A very friendly-feeling holiday home with three bedrooms (4th bedroom available) set above St Jean on the north coast of St Barths. Villa BOR has a ‘seaside’ feel, with some weatherboard (interior) walls and ‘distressed’ furniture, but also some classic antique pieces in the master bedroom. Delightful St Barts villa for family and friends. Ideal honeymoon spot in summer (one bedroom rate). | | Meli Melo (SIB MMO), St Barths
An exceptionally stylish three-bedroom villa with excellent views from on high, north over St Jean Bay and south over Salines and the islands south of St Barths. Meli Melo is sleek and ultra-modern, with clean and minimal lines, but also a pleasure to live in. It is a spectacular house in a spectacular ridge-top setting. | | Bayugita, St Barths
A striking, very open two-bedroom villa made of natural wood, set on the hillside in Pointe Milou on the north coast of St Barths. Villa Bayugita is a symphony of tropical woods with a living space that opens up almost completely to get the best of the view. Stylish, comfortable and original in design. | | Mandarine Bleue, St Barths
A large, very comfortable and friendly-feeling two-bedroom villa set in Pointe Milou on the north coast of St Barths. Mandarine Bleue has a strong West Indian and seaside style with excellent indoor/outdoor living space. Lovely setting for a carefree getaway for couples or a family. | | Beverly, St Barths
A four bedroom villa in Mont Jean on St Barths that uses the best of classic Caribbean style to create a very comfortable and friendly holiday home. Beverly has an original layout off a corridor that leads to a magnificent cliff-top drawing room with dramatic views over the Atlantic. | | Villa JAD (SIB JAD), St Barths
A bright, cosy two-bedroom villa tucked away on the hillside in Pointe Milou in St Barths. Villa JAD has some classic Caribbean style, with antique furniture and louvered windows, but it is also easy and liveable. It looks onto a secluded pool deck and the view. | | La Fleur Sur La Mer, St Barths
A large and extremely elegant five-bedroom villa in excellent Caribbean style, with 360 degree views from a hilltop in Colombier in the west of St Barths. La Fleur Sur La Mer is laid out in a series of white clapboard cottages with the living area and the master bedroom ranged in one line looking south-west, and the other four bedrooms set around a courtyard looking the other way. | |
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