Recommend September 2017 - 11

Where to Stay
The range of lodgings on Martinique goes from low-key, familyowned small hotels to Small Luxury Hotels of the World
properties, and from simple but modern tourist apartments such
as Village de la Pointe, to luxury villas. To book full-service villas
in Martinique, contact local companies specializing in tailored
services offering a large villa selection, such as Exclusive Villas
(exclusive-villas.com), Prestige Villa Rental (prestigevillarental.
com), and Archipel Evasion (archipelevasion.com). You can also
look for the "Clevacances" label, a French system indicating that a
property has submitted to inspections and met strict standards of
safety and quality. Self-catering cottages in the countryside (gîtes
ruraux) offer yet another option, as do a score or so of farms that
provide agritourism stays. What Martinique does not have much
of is all-inclusives, chain hotels, or mega-resorts, but for first-time
visitors to the island and fans of the all-inclusive hotel experience,
Martinique does have the family-friendly, all-inclusive, 4-trident
Club Med Buccaneer's Creek, located in Sainte-Anne.
In fact, one of the things seasoned travelers love about this
island is that its lodgings are characterized by a FrenchCaribbean identity and authenticity rather than an I-could-beanywhere vibe. Boutique hotels such as the five-star La Suite
Villa, named the No. 2 "Top Trendiest Hotels in the Caribbean"
by TripAdvisor, and the newly opened exquisite French Coco
property, where the chef benefits from his own herbs and
vegetable gaden, offer contemporary Caribbean cuisine inspired
by homemade recipes.
Most of Martinique's white-sand beaches are in the south,
so, not surprisingly, that's where most of the hotels, resorts and
condos are found: properties such as the four-star Bakoua Hotel,

the four-star and fully renovated La Pagerie Hotel, the charming,
fully renovated, and family-owned three-star Le Panoramic Hotel,
the two-star, bungalow-style Le Bambou Hotel, and its brandnew extension, Culture Creole, and three-star family resorts like
Pierre & Vacances Sainte-Luce Resort and Karibea SainteLuce Resort, located in the south. Another beach getaway can be
found at Hotel La Batelière, near Fort-de-France.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. The
world-famous, four-star Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa, for
example, occupies a spot on the east (Atlantic) coast where the
beach is protected from heavy surf by offshore reefs. Nearby
in François is three-star Plein Soleil Hotel, a chic hideaway
boutique property with 16 Creole-style rooms. To experience
the city life of Martinique or for a convenient centrally located
accommodation-in style-consider the downtown Fort-deFrance landmark, the three-star I'Impèratrice Hotel. Facing La
Savane Park and just a few steps from majestic Fort-de-France
bay, the hotel offers modern comfort in a historic setting. The
newest addition to business-oriented hotels in Fort-de-France is
the four-star Le Simon Hotel.
As is typical of both French and indigenous Caribbean cultures,
children are welcome virtually everywhere. What's more, many
accommodations in hotels as well as apartments and villas have
kitchen facilities that make traveling with children convenient
and affordable. That said, why anyone wouldn't go out to eat
in Martinique's restaurants three, if not six, times a day is a
bit baffling. It's also worth noting that many tourism spots in
Martinique cater to the handicapped and disabled, from its
restaurants to hotels and tourism sites; simply look for the official
Tourism and Handicapped label. For details on specific
hotel, apartment, and villa accommodations, as well
as ground operators, see the Martinique Specialist
Program at edu.recommend.com/martinique. g

All photos,
clockwise from top
left: French Coco; Le Simon Hotel
and Le Domaine des Bulles.

http://www.exclusive-villas.com http://www.archipelevasion.com http://edu.recommend.com/martinique

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2017