8 Best Hotels in Guadeloupe

This complex of colorful duplex bungalows may not impress you at first, but its service and customer satisfaction have earned many kudos. The stone and wood wall around the expansive, tropical garden and pool blocks any street noise. Owners Catherine and Christophe Paulet truly care about making their guests happy and freely spend time communicating (in English, too), stressing ecotourism possibilities. The simple, playfully decorated bungalows, which sleep two to five people, are fun—but even more so are the hillside villas (for three to eight people), which are weekly rentals without breakfast. The hotel is down the road from a long, beautiful beach.

A decidedly special place, this stalwart, hurricane-proof mansion built in 1948—The County House—was the great house for the owner of a sugarcane plantation; rooms have artsy decor, luxurious bedding, and quality mattresses—maybe the best in Guadeloupe. Spend the extra euros for one of the huge rooms with access to the wrap-around terrace. All rooms have a mini-fridge; some have seating areas. The bungalow is a real value for a family or two couples, as it has two bathrooms and a small private pool. Vestiges of distillery machinery serve as outdoor sculpture; and although cane still sways in nearby fields, it's no longer the primary business. The restaurant features refined, French classics artfully presented, with views of the verdant landscape included. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and guests are granted access to the pool.

This hôtel de charme is now run by an English-speaking manager, who will provide any concierge service you might imagine. The white, two-story buildings are of a nouveau-colonial design and are pristine, as are the rooms and bathrooms—with white tiles a-gleaming. Although not wildly hip, spacious guest rooms are furnished with decidedly good taste—each with a different decor. A favorite is one with walls an appealing shade of purple with a pastel-yellow plaid chair. The ample terraces, furnished with teak, have splendid panoramic sea views that take in three islands, as does the inviting swimming pool. Breakfast is lovely, but it costs extra and can be served in your room (along with dinner, prepared by a Creole chef).

At this tiny boutique hotel, all of the suites have impressive kitchens—though proximity to its good in-hotel restaurant and others nearby may not be an incentive for cooking. That said, do check out the terrace with a BBQ grill and a garden lounge with a hammock. Niceties abound, including the draped, four-poster beds, nicely furnished terraces, kitchens, and space for lounging and eating. The dinner restaurant, Manman' Dlo La Sirene, overlooks the pool and, in addition to classic French dishes with Caribbean leanings, serves fresh lobster. Across the street is a superlative beach.

This inviting hillside inn is on a former coffee plantation, where trees laden with fruit are like the temptations of the Garden of Eden. Two atmospheric guest rooms and one suite are in the antiques-filled colonial house of dark hardwood, but the chic, creole-style cottages are more private and have patios with hammocks and contemporary Italian bathrooms. An infinity pool looks out to the mountains and the sea, but the nearest beach is 20 minutes away. You will need a car for a stay of more than a couple of days.

This charismatic landmark inn, which draws both couples and families, has simple, tile-floor rooms with enviable hillside views overlooking the bay. The main building has the charm of decades past, with dormers and gingerbread fretwork. The lobby is painted in whimsical colors—white, avocado, mango, and chocolate on the window trim. The pool and deck make up the hotel's center and have their own views of the beautiful bay. Dinner here is one of the best options on-island. 

The globe-trotting Frenchman who designed these seven Indonesian teak cottages resembling Guadeloupean cases from the 1920s that overlook a long unspoiled beach, Plage de Grande-Anse, has passed on; his son and daughter have now taken charge of this small paradise. The raised, open-air bungalows have wool and silk carpets and four-poster beds with mosquito netting (some have private outdoor hot tubs). You can lounge on elevated Indonesian beds, get a massage, or dip into the pool just steps from the sea. If you want to watch TV or go online, you will have to go to the reception area, where both are free. Dinner is available both for guests and for the public with 24-hour reservations. Flavorful Creole meals with French overtones are what to expect. In the summer, rates drop by half.

The result of a remarkable 10-year saga, this quirky and inventive rain-forest resort consists of both tree houses and ground-level bungalows, as well as a wonderful restaurant—Le Poisson Rouge—and a moderately priced spa. Owners Sylvie and George Carreyre built the tree houses first for their family and then for paying guests. The newer accommodations are more upscale, romantic, wildly colorful bungalows with gingerbread fretwork, but all of the bungalows and tree houses have a funky, rustic charm. The restaurant, which serves both lunch and dinner from Wednesday through Sunday, specializes in inventive preparations of the freshest seafood; the menu changes daily. The spa, like everything else here, has a magical, Zen quality and offers treatments in addition to yoga, tai chi, and some spiritual training.