Fodor's Expert Review Hôtel La Pagerie

For many years the keystone hotel in Pointe du Bout cried out for a metamorphosis, and a major renovation has finally raised it back to a level that U.S. travelers will want to experience. Its lobby is inviting, with its gray Euro-furnishings, vases of fresh, and exotic flowers, and the lively Palm Bar churning out tropical cocktails has become a local gathering place. (Martinique's folkloric ballet, Tifermasc, performs there weekly.) Breakfast offers plenty of protein choices, fresh breads and pastries, dried, preserved, and fresh fruit for an extra fee; marauding birds that have dive-bombed breakfast for years have been thwarted by a new pergola. The stunning pool has been creatively designed with a palm-studded island and dramatic colored lighting. The poolside restaurant serves delicious "semi-gastronomic" cuisine for dinner. This is now one of the area’s best—and it’s affordable, but it also attracts international tour groups.