2 Best Hotels in Guadeloupe

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.

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.