Villa Lama is the best of both worlds: only a barefooted, 500-metre stroll from sandy Flamands Beach and yet totally private, thanks to its swathe of thick palm fronds and pink, perfumed hibiscus.

The villa has also been cleverly landscaped to allow ample opportunities for seclusion or socialising. That’s particularly true along its main terrace, which faces rolling green hills sloping down to the bright blue sea. Here, along with a handsome pool and teak deck, there’s a lounge with oversized banquettes and a dining table in an Asian-style pavilion – but also more private nooks and elevated verandas to enable some quiet time. Those might be ideal after trips to the beach, or days in the charming capital of Gustavia.

Inside, amid a roomy, open-air layout, awaits another lounge and a chef’s kitchen complete with every mod-con you’ll possibly need. The use of blonde woods and whitewashed walls, together with mahogany shutters, stone surfaces and plants, lends a classic, vibrant Caribbean villa feel, one where indoor and outdoor life naturally blur.

Villa Lama’s extravagant master bedroom is also on that same main floor, with its other two chambers cocooned upstairs inside attached wood-and-stone bungalows. Terraced into the hillside, these are ideal for teenagers, grandparents or couples. Each has an ensuite and a king or queen-size canopied bed and, exotically, an outdoor shower.