The Guanahani, purchased by businessman Stéphane Courbit

When it reopens on November 1, Le Guanahani will have a new name. Rosewood, which has operated the island’s largest hotel for the past six years, is handing over the reins to Airelles. The hotel’s new owner is French businessman Stéphane Courbit, who acquired it through his holding company, LOV Group. Le Guanahani will join the Airelles Collection, which already includes several luxury properties, primarily in France and, more recently, in Venice, Italy.
The amount of the transaction has not been officially disclosed. However, various real estate sources in Saint Barthélemy suggest a figure that could exceed 200 million euros—a record sum for the purchase of a hotel on the island. Nevertheless, the sale includes a site covering approximately 7.3 hectares, a hotel with 66 guest rooms—including standard rooms, suites, and signature suites—two swimming pools, a spa, a restaurant, and, of course, employee housing.

A Few Million for the Territorial Collectivity
For the Territorial Collectivity, a real estate transaction of this magnitude is a windfall. In fact, in the form of registration fees, it will pocket 5% of the sale price. This will add a few million euros to its already well-stocked coffers.
For several years now—as early as 2019, according to various articles in the French and U.S. press—Stéphane Courbit has been looking to invest in Saint Barthélemy. According to a local real estate source, the heirs of the former owner (David Bonderman, a U.S. financier who died in December 2024) had to choose from “seven to eight” purchase offers. The one submitted by LOV Group and Airelles was the most compelling.
To put the property up for sale, David Bonderman’s heirs invoked a clause allowing them to terminate the management contract that bound them to Rosewood. On the Rosewood Global website, the group announced: “Effective October 1, 2026, Rosewood will cease managing Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth as part of the property’s transition to a new owner and operator.” ” The group specifies that existing reservations remain “confirmed” and that rates will remain unchanged for the time being.

No Changes to Staff
Stéphane Courbit’s acquisition of the Guanahani will not result in any changes to the staff, according to a source at the property. “The teams are staying on,” a JSB source states. “There will be no structural changes, but when people arrive on November 1, they’ll notice some cosmetic changes.” This is because the announced opening of the Airelles Guanahani is scheduled for Sunday, November 1. Although the Airelles Group has not yet issued a press release announcing the takeover of the Guanahani or its plans for the resort’s future, its official website already features a real-time countdown. Just above the scrolling numbers, it reads: “Saint-Barthélemy is calling. Opening November 1, 2026.”

A “move upmarket”
The few weeks between the purchase and the Guanahani’s reopening do not allow the new owner to undertake major changes. The question now is whether renovations will begin during the upcoming off-season. “We’re going to move upmarket,” officials at the resort assure us. “But Saint-Barthélemy is already an exclusive destination in its own right. What we’re seeing is a commitment to invest and continue to enhance the destination.”
The Guanahani becomes the first seaside property in the Airelles Collection, founded in 2017. The collection already includes luxury properties in Val d’Isère and Courchevel, as well as Le Grand Contrôle in Versailles, La Messardière and the Pan Deï Palais in Saint-Tropez, the Bastide de Gordes, and the Palladio in Venice.
At the same time, Rosewood’s departure after six years of operation coincides, as noted by *La Tribune de l’hôtellerie*, with international recognition. In fact, the group has four of its properties ranked among the world’s 50 best hotels, including the Rosewood Hong Kong, which holds the top spot globally for the second consecutive year.
For the record, the Guanahani opened its doors in 1986. Devastated by Hurricane Irma in September 2017, it took more than three years of renovation work before it could reopen at the start of the 2021 tourist season.