Eden Rock, the exclusive hotel in St Barts owned by the parents of Pippa Middleton's husband James Matthews, has been left badly damaged by Hurricane Irma. The five-star hotel is a celebrity hotspot that counts Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez and the Middleton family among its former guests, but appears to have been wrecked by the category five hurricane.
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Photos shared by local graphic designer Kevin Barrallon show the surrounding hotel and beach partly submerged under water, with debris strewn around the property. Eden Rock is owned by Jane and David Matthews, the parents of Pippa's husband James and Made in Chelsea star Spencer, who bought the resort in 1995.
Eden Rock has been left damaged by Hurricane Irma
The five-star hotel – which has been dubbed one of the top 100 in the world – is situated on a rocky promontory and surrounded by white coral sandy beaches, clear blue sea and a lovely coral reef full of wild sea life. It was built in the 1950s when it quickly became established as the preferred bolthole for the likes of Greta Garbo and Howard Hughes.
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The glamorous resort's convenient location in the heart of the island allowed guests to easily stroll to the vibrant shops, designer boutiques, quaint bars and restaurants situated in the village of St Jean, and its own open-air restaurant, On The Rocks, dramatically perched atop a giant boulder, attracts islanders daily.
The hotel is owned by the parents of Pippa Middleton's husband James
Hurricane Irma is the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, and killed at least eight people as it tore through the Caribbean on Wednesday. It is believed to have destroyed nearly all buildings on the island of Barbuda, and caused serious damage on the island of St Martin.
Richard Branson's home on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands has also been destroyed in the hurricane, with the entrepreneur and his team said to have retreated to the wine cellar in a bid to escape the storm.
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