Hôtel du Palais

Getting a room was the strangest part. Booking requests went unanswered, so I ended up having to go in person to secure one. That seemed especially odd during the jazz festival, when the city was booked out but this place still had openings. Once there, I liked the old-school feel. The hotel may have seen better days, but that suited the character of this lovely city. My room was simple and clean. I had to go downstairs and ask for a towel and toilet paper, since neither was there. The ceiling fan was ridiculously loud, though I somehow found it soothing at night.

The location made it easy to get around, and the rooms were basic but fairly clean and spacious, with balconies good for watching people. During Jazz fest week, when hotels everywhere were booked, we felt lucky to find a room here. Dudu, the manager, was really helpful and arranged an introductory island tour by horse cart. Having shade over the cart was a great idea. Our first meal on the island was at the hotel restaurant, and its thieboudienne ended up being our favorite. There was also amazing live music at the restaurant at least on Thursday and Friday during Jazz week. It went on until midnight and was loud, so bear that in mind if you want to sleep earlier on weekends.

The old building is beautiful, and the balcony is lovely. The location is perfect and the room had air conditioning. But the bedding was absolutely filthy, there was no running water, and the toilet was broken. The breakfast was very simple, and it was incredibly noisy, with the downstairs turning into a nightclub at night. The doors don't lock, and they don't provide drinking water.

I only stopped for a couple of beers and a sandwich, but loved the place. The atmosphere, the owner, and the characters coming and going make it great for people-watching. It's in a great spot, and the building is beautiful.