Fodor's Expert Review Hôtel La Pagerie

Ideally located in Pointe du Bout, this affordable hotel with a palm-lined swimming pool and lots of local art is one of the area's best. Its lobby is inviting, with its gray Euro-furnishings, vases of fresh, and flowers, and the lively Palm Bar churning out tropical cocktails has become a local gathering place. (Martinique's folkloric ballet, Tifermasc, performs there weekly.) Among the happenings are flower arranging classes. Breakfast offers plenty of protein choices; fresh breads and pastries; and dried, preserved, and fresh fruit for an extra fee. The stunning pool has been creatively designed with a palm-studded island and dramatic colored lighting. The poolside restaurant serves award-winning "bistronomic" cuisine for dinner.