Nirvana

In Buddhist teachings, Nirvana is the ultimate peace of mind. In Hinduism, it is the union with the divine and the experience of bliss. In St. Barth, Villa Nirvana is a serene temple of design, where bliss and peace are easily realized. In the uniquely 21st-century rental property, unusual architecture and contemporary art set the stage for a visual audacity unprecedented in St. Barth and probably in all the Caribbean. An almost monochromatic universe creates an air of contemplation, until splashes and touches of color interrupt like the unexpected sound of laughter. Chic and yet comfortable, Villa Nirvana is a level above.

One of the largest and most luxurious vacation homes on the island, Villa Nirvana is very well suited to large groups of friends or families, each of the bedrooms is quite private, with its own entrance; particularly those who like to host small gatherings or celebrate an intimate event in high style. The professional kitchen would allow a private chef, perhaps one hand-chosen by the concierge, to flaunt his skills.

Villa Nirvana also swaddles you in divine comforts and frees you from domestic cares, as it has hotel-quality linens and other amenities, and professional housekeeping. There's also a good fitness room in the back. Daily breakfast and turn-down service every night except Sundays and holidays are included for guests in the rates year-round, making the villa a choice for anyone who wants the star treatment and convenience found in a hotel, but wants to have it all to themselves.

And when you enter your private hideaway, you'll discover a spacious living area with an LED-lit Ingo Maurer coffee table and Corbusier chairs. Larger mirrors enhance the feeling of space, sending your gaze back to the sea, visible through the open air where the fourth wall should be. A terrace stretches out along the side, capped by a 22-meter-long heated pool, which is ideal for swimming laps, and edged by a dining table that comfortably seats ten. The bedrooms, all in separate cottages with photographs by Elisabeth Montagnier, are no less stylish and serene.

There's more than enough in Villa Nirvana to delight the senses, and for guests who book for a week or longer, two massages are included; but should you choose to leave this otherworldly sanctuary, the buzzing worldiness of Gustavia is just a five-minute drive away.