6/10 Okay
John L., Kingston, Ontario
6 Mar 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
Super location, private and secure
The superb view and stunning sunsets, the large grounds, the privacy and the clean, virtually private pool are all worth 5+ stars. The location, high, away from intense seaside heat and congestion, but convenient (within 3.5 km) to all necessities is excellent. Also, it is not much more than an hour or so drive to any point on either Basse-Terre or Grand-Terre.
Birders will love the property. Several endemics and specialties routinely visit either daily or in the course of a week. Bannanaquits and finches are almost tame.
The owners are genuine, welcoming people: We were given a bottle of home-made “shrub” on arrival, gifts of fruit during our stay and (completely unexpected) souvenir gifts on our departure.
So why only three stars? Though among the best I found in Guadeloupe, and providing all we thought critical for a six week stay and value for money, I felt I had to judge this property against our experiences over many years in other parts of the world.
Some considerations:
Parking on this property is private and very secure behind gates which can be locked.
This is comfortable accommodation, really, only for two people and conducive mainly to outdoor living either on the porch or at the pool.
The layout is very idiosyncratic and rooms are small by NA or European standards. The kitchen is tiny, with minimal cupboard space. The refrigerator and dish cupboard are located on the opposite side of the unit. The bedroom requires one person to crawl over the other for night time bathroom visits.
Air conditioning, though in the bedroom only, is efficient, quiet and easily adjustable for day/night comfort.
For light sleepers, bear in mind that neighbouring properties are close and many have barking dogs. Music rises from way down at seaside, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
Wifi and Internet service work mostly reliably, but do not expect fast.
Cold (mains) water normally comes at good pressure. Hot (solar tank) water comes more at a trickle: With some experimentation, a good flow of hot water in the shower or sink will result. The shower drain is slow.
No socket in the outdoor area and not enough multiple sockets inside make plugging in a laptop, charging phones and evening reading (inside or out) all problematic. Except for one small table lamp in the bedroom, all fixtures are high, wall-mounted (biting insect-attracting) fluorescents.
Clothes washer and standing fan both work perfectly and efficiently.
John L.
Stayed 42 nights in Jan 2020