24 Best Hotels in Guadeloupe

At this island classic, built around a historic sugar mill, everyone loves the initial welcome: a cool drink and citrus-scented towels. After a day at the beach it's back to your bi-level room, with its glass-enclosed bathroom, to watch the lighthouse begin its nightly blink (ask for rooms 85 to 90). The bedding throughout is luxurious, although other furnishings could stand an improvement. The wing closest to the lobby has smaller but more recently renovated rooms. The lounge is a trip back in time, as guests relax in planter chairs and listen to the piano man. The in-house restaurant is a gastronomic pleasure with affordable prices. And there's a snack bar at the beach.

This eco-chic boutique hotel at the marina is the buzz in St-François for its unique decor that combines recycled wood and driftwood with ultra-contemporary Euro furnishings; the lobby has become a gallery for local artists. The 43 guest rooms and 11 spacious duplexes appeal to both singles and couples—and golfers, who get a 10% discount at the revitalized Golf International de St-François across the road. Rooms with balconies overlooking the pool and the marina are the best options. All have clean, contemporary furnishings, terraces, and large, flat-screen TVs with international channels. The bartender mixes a perfect mojito. A breakfast buffet is served on the terrace and extension of the bar. The hotel also serves small plates for dinner during high season.

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.

Facing the island's best white-sand beaches, La Caravelle is one of the original clubs in the Caribbean—yet all the facilities, including the seafront restaurant and its deck, have a smashing, contemporary look. Known for its water sports, this Club Med also has land-based classes, including trapeze lessons. The stunning buffet restaurant has a separate air-conditioned section and much-better-than-average food. The best accommodations are in the oceanfront Marie-Galante wing and the generous suites in Grande-Terre, all of which are done in the club's color scheme: maroons, mauves, and reds. The children's programs are notably creative, including sports and mini-theater performances; there's even Club Med Baby Welcome Program. Special delights include an adults-only Zen Oasis and spa treatment rooms on the 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 former coffee plantation offers unique accommodations in its great house or in unique tree houses—ideal for a family that wants to play Swiss Family Robinson. The owners tastefully restored this 18th-century property, adding antiques, chandeliers, and other period furnishings. The hosts are welcoming and hospitable. Three tree houses—accessed by ladders—are comfortable and are equipped with electricity, hot showers, dry toilets, refrigerators, and Wi-Fi. The two guest rooms in the main house are elegant, with nice bathrooms, mini-fridges, and Wi-Fi. A beautiful pool is a welcome addition. Weekly rates offer a real value. (No children under 2 permitted in treehouses for safety reasons.)

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).

The seafront section of Bois Joli, which sits apart from the main hotel, houses Terre-de-Haut's best guest rooms—the architecture and design suggest a luxury yacht, including dark wood accents and portholes. Large rooms have quality bedding and contemporary baths and are just a bit more than regular rooms (and worth the upgrade); corner rooms have the best views. Seafront bungalows are a better choice for families, where bunk beds and the proximity to the pool and beach offer kid appeal. Breakfast is pleasant, and the restaurant turns out generous portions of French-Creole cuisine. The village is almost two miles (3 km, about 40 minutes by foot) down the hill; most guests learn that they do not want to walk back.

The magic of this 10-acre complex—with a contemporary, colorful lobby, cosmopolitan bar, and dual pools—lies in the fun atmosphere that the staff is able to create as they unite the disparate, mostly French clientele. All of the rooms have been renewed and boast new artwork by a painter known for his rendition of tropical fauna. The separate Mahogany section is the hotel's pride, holding the fully renovated, minimalist, standard rooms and one- and two-bedroom bi-level suites. Large terraces with kitchenettes have sea views. Expert, Parisian-trained technicians staff the spa, which also welcomes nonguests. So do the laudable, moderately priced restaurants: Le Zawag and the Route des Épices buffet. Whether you enjoy aqua aerobics, yoga stretch, playing pétanque (French boccie), or moving to a zouk band, there's always something to do. The bar serves the best rums from throughout the Caribbean.

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.

Few hotels on Guadeloupe command such a panoramic view of the sea—spanning four islands, no less—and all the suites offer full sea views, some breathtaking. The cliffside suite offers the most dramatic vistas, but a pair of two-bedroom suites have private pools. Many bungalows have some kind of view, even if it's only partial. But all accommodations have furnished balconies, and high-end bedding with colorful accents. Three sumptuously decorated luxury villas have four bedrooms and private pools, and have proven particularly popular with Americans. In front of the restaurant, with its own bar, swimmers in the infinity pool feel that they can almost touch the surf. A small cove, far below and dramatically lighted by night, offers swimming on a private beach. The pier, chaises, and beach restaurant all help draw sophisticated yachties and French expats, who make it wildly popular on weekends. All that plus a deluxe eco-spa, with a sauna and fitness room, makes this one of the island's in places.

This well-priced, friendly, and fun resort offers both simple beachfront bungalows and regular rooms in a mostly all-inclusive environment geared toward less fussy travelers. Contemporary Nordic style characterizes everything, including a complex with a big wooden deck, a restaurant, beach bar, a huge pool, and a whimsical kids' club. The decor in the bungalows mimics that of the larger hotel rooms—contemporary minimalist, with splashes of vivid color and red tile floors. The global staff is young and dynamic, and all speak English. The resort offers a wide range of excursions as well as a litany of water sports and even evening entertainment from November to August, with everything from karaoke to local bands. Although several meal plans are available, most guests go all-inclusive; nonguests can buy a day pass. However, this resort is probably not going to please older, sophisticated travelers.

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.

You'll feel like the king of the hill as you rock yourself to sleep in a hammock on the terrace of your apartment or gaze down on the sea below. The apartments (for four to six people) with terrace kitchens are appealing and well-maintained. Couples should ask for the newest studios, which have handcrafted stone and tile work. Tricolor bougainvillea surrounds the pool, and the beach is a 10-minute walk away. Guests share the barbecue grills and picnic table—the English-speaking manager has a fresh fish and lobster connection. Bicycles are rented out.

Low prices, gorgeous hilltop views, and nice dual pools keep this simple, family-owned complex filled. The real drawback for Americans is that little English is spoken, but that may be a reasonable trade-off for such a good deal. In front of the original hotel, with furnishings from decades past, is a large terrace with two pools and 360-degree views of the village and sea below. In addition to the newer building that houses the apartments, there are 10 bungalows, five with full kitchens. An open-air restaurant and bar serves an ample continental breakfast (for an extra fee) as well as basic dinners. More rooms were added and the new spa offers massages, facials, wraps, a sauna, Jacuzzi, and a sports hall.

Le Touloulou offers four simple stucco one-bedroom bungalows, two of which have kitchenettes, as well as a two-bedroom bungalow, also with a kitchenette; most importantly, you can roll out of your terrace hammock onto the beach. The restaurant here puts out exceptional seafood; overnight and weekly guests can also get breakfast here for an extra charge. The restaurant can be a happening place, with atmospheric music from the beach bar vying with the slapping of the waves. An adjacent disco gets busy Friday and Saturday nights.

The decades-old complex offers studios, bungalows, and apartments, some with sea views and a pool but no beach (though one is close by). You won't find a lot of style here, but the rooms do have private terraces. Many guests are Canadian—so, naturally, English is spoken. This complex is well-managed and a safe haven for families with children. Le Ballet, the largest cottage, has attractive woodwork on the walls and ceiling of the bedroom. Unfortunately, there's no restaurant on-site.

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. 

This small, cheerful beachfront hotel is painted sunset orange with marine-blue trim; dramatic nightlights illuminate the beach area, which is furnished with chaises. The waterfront terrace is an ideal place to be at sunset, with a tropical daiquiri or planter’s punch in hand. Imaginative artwork decorates the guest rooms, which evoke faraway places like India and Africa. Soundproof double windows block out the annoying drone of the motor scooters. Breakfast (not included) offers eggs, cheese, fresh breads, homemade jams, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

This rental complex is in a small market town in the heart of Basse-Terre—the mountainous, wild side of Guadeloupe, where eco-sports and scuba diving are the main draws. The architecture is meant to resemble a plantation great house (it’s a stretch, though) and deluxe apartments are connected by a water installation that is a modern take on a distillery’s aqueduct and water wheel. It's just 20 minutes from Guadeloupe’s international airport; but, alas, it's 30 minutes from any beach. The villas are named after rum punches (liqueurs). Villa Coco, which includes three bedrooms, has a terrace that overlooks a private pool. Weekly rentals are the norm.

This small, quiet apartment complex is perched on a hill right in the village, a five-minute walk from the ferry dock. The six apartments include studios and two- and three-bedroom flats; two studios and the larger apartments have private terraces. All are moderately priced, furnished simply but with good French taste, filling a niche for the budget traveler who does not mind self-catering. They are also comfortable enough to appeal to retirees, who stay for weeks. A wooden gazebo offers a respite for those units that do not have a terrace. Management is the same as for Les Hauts de Grand Anse.

This luxe hilltop, four-unit apartment building offers privacy and a seafront location, 15 minutes from the village. Well equipped with everything from hair dryers to high chairs, the units have kitchens outfitted for serious cooking, including dishwashers. Accommodations have terraces for admiring the views, and the garden has chaise longues for relaxing. Provisioning means a trip into town, so you'll need transportation, but a rental scooter will work, an electric car even better. The caring, bilingual French managers assist guests with the logistics, even transportation from the mainland.

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.