As indecisive as we are, we elected to stay in three different places in Guadeloupe over the course of about 8 nights in early April. In summary, I’d say
• Rent a car (try ProRent – off the airport premises, so it requires a pick-up and drop-off, but quite a bit cheaper)
• The ferry ride to Les Petites Saintes is WELL worth it
• Basse Terre in general is a better package than Grande Terre – we didn’t stay in Deshaies but would the next time around
• Food is good almost anywhere you go; it is VERY difficult to go wrong. That said, my fish was almost always overcooked.
• Incredible sauces and dressings (weird comment to make but so true)
• This island is one of the cleanest in the Caribbean I’ve ever seen (and others concur)
• This entire review? Centers on food … what can I say? I love to eat, and it rained almost the whole time!

SAN JUAN
Due to a canceled flight, we wound up spending one night (and on the return, nearly a full day) in San Juan. Ironically, this is perhaps where we had the best weather (at least most consistently) of the entire trip. On a cruise with my family about 10 years ago we had started/ended in San Juan, so I had fun memories of the area and was anxious to return anyhow, especially to Old San Juan, full of character, food and, well, characters. A place to see and be seen at night.

We went directly from the airport to check in at our hotel, the Hilton Conrad in the Condado Plaza. We had Pricelined a 4-star luxury or resort hotel and wound up in the Conrad for $99/night + tax (including the resort tax). The hotel is contemporarily decorated and does not lack in activities. There’s a pool out back by the ocean, some hammocks, a 24-hour casino, several dining establishments, a gym, etc. Much more, I’m sure. Although we left the area to head to Old San Juan for dinner, the strip itself has quite a few places to eat and fairly easy access to the beach.

In OSJ we dined at Marmalade. While this is the only fine dining establishment we frequented while we were there, so we cannot compare it to others, we were quite pleased with the experience. Because I had made reservations in advance and mentioned that we were on our honeymoon, they set us up in a little corner so that we were seated beside one another on a couch with copious pillows and with flower petals sprinkled all over the table. Our server was attentive but not overbearing and was easily able to answer questions and make recommendations. We opted for the tasting menu, one of us going with five courses and one with four (there was one extra dish we both wanted to try, so we split it.)

Their famous white bean truffle soup comes with every tasting course combination (you choose everything else) – phenomenal. We both absolutely needed our own bowl. The restaurant graciously provides you the recipe, though I’m skeptical that we could recreate the deliciousness that this soup was. We also tried the homemade gnocchi (superb) and the ahi tuna appetizer. For the main course, I opted for the red snapper but was not impressed – the dish was not as flavorful as I’d expected, and the fish was moist but still a bit chewy. My husband’s dish was much better, though sadly, neither of us can remember what it was! A fish.
For dessert we elected the coffee and donuts, which was good, but the chocolate mousse we had was just so much better!

On the return trip we ate for brunch at Pinky’s – highly recommend. Some outdoor seating, offers both breakfast and lunch, whips up fresh juice, and just generally very good. Later in the day we grabbed sandwiches from Pure and Natural to-go for dinner on the plane and both raved to each other about how delicious our respective sandwich was! (veggie burger with eggplant on bun and chicken breast on multigrain)

ST. FRANCOIS
Ugh! It rained the ENTIRE time we were here, no joke, so this section of my review is certain to be far from enthusiastic. With that, I would also note that if we were to come again, I do not think I’d spend my time on this side of the island – simply not as beautiful as Basse Terre.

What can you do on an island when it’s raining? We drove up to Moule just to see what we could see, but in my opinion, the answer is nothing much. Cute little town center and a few clothing shops, but otherwise, nothing stuck out as particularly memorable. Another day we drove up to Anse a l’Eau for what we were told was the best snorkeling in the area, but it was overcast and a bit rainy, so I don’t think the sea world picked up quite the color it could have were it sunny out. For these several days, our trip consisted almost solely of eating and sleeping.

Our first night was the best as far as food goes. We ate at Le Poivrier. Started with a mixed appetizer salad of smoked duck breast, pate, etc. We ordered a fish dish and the scallops as entrees, both delicious (though in general on this island I felt my fish was always overcooked). Dessert was the highlight: passion fruit crème brulee and a raspberry mousse. At Restaurant Le Zagaya I’d recommend the lobster fricassee above all else. Down by the marina we opted for the pizza joint (packed, but it was the only place open during lunch on a Monday or whatever day it was). The salmon pizza was tasty but salty, and the vegetarian salad was exactly what I was looking for after days of bread and butter. Another evening we ventured into Café Wango, which served an incredible duck liver pate. The fish dish was good but, as usual for my taste, overcooked, and the scallops were much better. The mashed plantains were gone in seconds. And last but not least, Zig Zag. At the end of a long strip of stores and restaurants, Zig Zag is small and a bit hidden – I think we’d driven by several times before I really took notice (it seemed to frequently we closed at night). My husband had a wonderful court bouillon that he still raves about; my crab stuffing was equally memorable.

We stayed at Hotel Amaudo. The owners were fabulous and did everything they could to make our stay worthwhile. They have a small bar by the pool where they serve breakfast. Best coffee all trip, and perhaps same could be said for the pain au chocolat, but a bit pricey. Definitely do it once but you may want to venture out on other days.

LES PETITES SAINTES
First and foremost, if and when I return to Guadeloupe, I WILL be coming to Les Petites Saintes. It’s quaint but with plenty to offer – quality dining, gorgeous beaches, history, snorkeling, hiking (more or less – at least up to the fort!), cute homes, friendly people, etc. etc. I was turned off by the fact that we needed to figure out the logistics of getting a ferry but it’s really not all that difficult and well worth the “hassle.”

We stayed in Le Hotel Bleu. Getting the room “with a view” was worth its weight in gold, especially since it rained often – we could sit on our balcony, read and enjoy the view with some cocktails in hand while the rain came down. The staff were incredibly helpful, providing us with maps and recommendations from the moment we stepped foot in the hotel and offering to store our bags while the room was reading upon our arrival and after our check-out while we waited for the ferry. We had initially hoped to stay in Auberge and were told by some others that both the accommodations and dinner were good, so I think that either spot is satisfactory. Le Hotel Bleu, however, is on the water, while I think Auberge is further inland.

We ate at our hotel the first evening there since it was raining and we didn’t feel particularly adventurous – plus, it had a good reputation. We asked about the fish fritters, just trying to figure out what they were, and wound up with an order. We hadn’t actually ordered them so we thought they were on the house and accepted gratefully but they later appeared on our bill. Oh well. Miscommunication. Here I mostly remember the asparagus mousse – not something I’d ever had a chance to enjoy before, and I found it extremely light and refreshing.

Tikaz’la was quite good, but after all the hype and all the good food we’d already inhaled on the trip, it didn’t seem like anything special – plus they were out of the pig’s foot we’d come to try. The hit here was the lobster ravioli, not too heavy, absolutely scrumptious. My husband’s duck was also well cooked and in a very tasty roux = huge hit. My assortment of fish and meat that came served on two skewers was only mediocre. It was served with some christophine au gratin that was fine but not nearly as good as some of the other variations of this side we had while on the island. The chocolate dessert (some sort of chocolate gateau) was also a disappointment, as it was much too dry.

Another surprise hit was the Triangle Café, located only a couple spots down from the hotel. The fish fritters were to die for and even a side salad was huge. We split some fish here that may have been the best of the whole trip – moist and tasty. On the other side of town, we tried out the Saladerie, which allows you to concoct your own salads. It was a little bit pricey but fresh and with a great view – my lentil salad with fish was perfections. We also enjoyed juice from the juice bar just off the dock almost daily.

Our hotel recommended which beaches are best for what, but they’re all good. We snorkeled at the Plage Sucre I think, and that was the highlight of my trip. Tons of fish, cuttle fish, sea slugs, and more. I would highly recommend just walking the island and exploring them all. We opted not to get the scooters, which allowed us to take in the small details and get our exercise! There is a beautiful little church on the island if you would like to attend a service, and the hike to the fort also made for a good morning (go when it opens at 9AM or just before it closes in order to miss the crowds).

TROIS RIVIERES
Upon our return from the small island, we stayed in Jardin Malanga. Absolutely beautiful and well-run, but we quickly realized it was more than we needed. We never once used the pool or viewed the vast garden grounds, as we traversed the island during the day and it was dark and cool by night. For the most part it was peaceful, but there were definitely a number of families with children in tow who made great use of the pool from breakfast onward. We were given the option of staying in the suite in the main house by the pool but passed and instead stayed in one of the smaller cabins up the hill. I thought we’d have our own, but we split ours with another couple (obviously, they’re separated); not a big deal, though we were definitely more cognizant of the volume of our music, our conversations on the porch, etc.

There don’t seem to be too many places to eat in town, plus you would definitely need to drive, so we found ourselves eating in two of three nights at the hotel. In my mind it is a bit on the expensive side when you bring U.S. dollars and they’re on the euro, but we appreciated not having to go anywhere. The two nights we ate there they served all varieties of fish. The first night was my favorite – we had a ratatouille and grilled thazard (fish). A decent wine selection, and they’re happy to cork it for you if you don’t finish a bottle in one night and want to drink the remainder another night.

One night we drove ALLLLL the way to Rocher Malandeur, which was a bad idea, at least for dinner. It. Is. FAR. If you are staying nearby it’s worth it but if not? Maybe it’d be a good stop for lunch. The camembert appetizer is a HUGE amount of cheese, so be prepared. I had the wahoo with a bleu cheese sauce that I’d love the recipe for.

We took a day trip to hike the volcano and check out the waterfalls, which would have been extraordinary if sunny but even was worthwhile in a bit of rain. When you get to the top of the volcano, you can hear the roaring from inside and simply cannot avoid the stench of sulfur!

DESHAIES
We didn’t actually stay here, but I wanted to mention it as next time I think we would. The botanical garden located up here is a must-see, and Grande Anse is beautiful, with all sorts of beach diners lining the parking area. Seems like a little bit more happening place but still not overly touristy.