Le Village Pomme Cannelle

We stayed one night and were expected to sweep and clean our room ourselves, which felt odd. The village in northern Martinique is quiet, and our room was comfortable, practical, and well equipped. Breakfast was a nice buffet with some local fruit juices, though it cost an extra €10 per person. We’d hoped for a peaceful morning by the pool, but construction on an annex was extremely noisy. Staff didn’t respond to the disturbance. Even so, it’s a very nice place to spend a few days, and I’d recommend it.

The setting and the view are beautiful, but be prepared for a frustrating dinner. We were told to sit and order drinks, without anyone mentioning that the buffet cost €29 per person. When we arrived at 8 pm, most of the food was gone and they weren’t planning to refill it. Other tables kept checking the empty trays, and the staff didn’t seem concerned. We had to ask for bread and more food, then waited ages. Instead of a buffet, they seemed set on serving us a plate of meat. They eventually fried some accra, which the other tables also went for. We complained and left. All I heard were excuses: that more food was being made, that only one person was helping the kitchen, and that a large table with lots of young people had eaten a lot. It felt like they were trying to rob us blind.

The view is lovely, the garden is very nice, the houses are clean, and breakfast was good. But the place is so poorly managed that I can’t give it more than three stars. The pool table was a mess, the kitchen was short on spoons, and the receptionist wasn’t there during the stated hours. The cleaning instructions were vague too. It badly needs active, serious hotel management to earn a better rating.

You’ll need a car, and Mount Pelée is quite close by car. The staff are very nice, and the accommodation is decent, clean, and has air conditioning. But don’t count on a sea view, the two-bedroom apartment has none, and not every apartment has a great view. There are quite a lot of mosquitoes and no nets. The kitchen is very basic. There’s a barbecue area, but it can get quite noisy when it’s busy. If you’re coming from overseas, I wouldn’t call it a great holiday spot.