Bethenny Frankel disclosed that she returned from a St. Barts vacation with a severe bacterial infection, posting a TikTok video displaying a prominent facial rash. “POV: You left St. Barths 3 days early and brought home a bacterial infection,” she wrote, captioning the clip with, “Allergic to St. Barths #bye.”
In an earlier TikTok, the former “Real Housewives of New York” star expressed frustration over the island’s luxury-obsessed atmosphere, describing it as a “Hunger Games of fashion and money.” She criticized the pressure to dress extravagantly for beach outings, joking about being photographed looking “like a drowned rat” while swimming. Frankel, who traveled with her 15-year-old daughter Bryn, lamented St. Barts’ exorbitant costs—citing lunches priced “like a Bar Mitzvah”—and disapproved of the environment’s influence on teens.
Feeling uneasy from the trip’s start, Frankel admitted, “I felt like a bad parent.” She opted to cut the vacation short on New Year’s Day after learning of a friend’s death, later advising followers, “Don’t believe everything on social media #yourewelcome #stbarths”—a nod to the glamorous celebrity posts from the island.
St. Barts drew numerous stars during the holidays, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Heidi Klum, Natalie Portman, Camila Cabello, Tom Brady, and Alix Earle, who reportedly bonded at a yacht party. Glen Powell and Michelle Randolph also reportedly extended their vacation there after visiting Miami.