If your idea of a vacation is an all-inclusive-type property providing countless activities (beach volleyball, water aerobics, fun contests, etc.); loads of water-sports (Seadoos*, waterskiing, bananaboats, parasailing); a vast choice of restaurants offering various international cuisine; amenities such as swimming pool(s) with swim-up bar, jacuzzi*, a gym, children's play area, beach loungers under palapas/parasols,in-room safe and telephone, satellite TV; night-time activities such as shows, discos and an overall party-type atmosphere, you will be greatly disappointed by Taïnos Cottages and ought to look to the south of Grande-Terre from Le Gosier through to Sainte-Anne then on to Saint-François. There you will find everything including the white-sand beaches and calm, clear Caribbean sea: breathtaking!
The Taïnos is located in Deshaies, "dans la campagne" (in the countryside) on the north-west side of Basse-Terre, the mountainous, volcanic, windy coast "wing of the butterfly" that is the shape of Guadeloupe. The waters of the gold-sand beaches can be at times rough and even dangerous. The town litterally shuts down at 9 PM.
There are no activities co-ordinators. There is no loud caribbean-type music playing constantly. There are no drinks delivered to the beach. There are no water-sports. There are no lounge chairs on the beach.
What you will find is a quiet, peaceful haven located on a public, natural reserve, where the locals respect the environment.
The rooms offer no air-conditioning -- they are not hermetically-sealed nor sound-proof: instead, there are vents open in the ceiling -- the air circulates through the louvered wood shutters. So there are mosquitos a-plenty and yes, despite the nets over beds and repellents, they still attack. The Taïnos is located in a protected nature reserve and therefore an array of small creatures sometimes frequent your room (albeit, not simultaneously!)
You're thinking, when do I get to my opinion? Here goes.
We loved every single mosquito-filled moment of our stay -- the Taïnos exceeded our expectations.
Because we live in downtown Montreal, in a home that has every amenity, surrounded by bars, discos, pubs, bistros, every type of restaurant, noise, activities that go on until the very early hours of the morning, we were looking for the opposite.That is exactly the type of place we'd been researching.
Boris and his father Charles-Henri are down-to-earth, warm, worldly and funny: they themselves were all the entertainment we needed! The gardens surrounding the property are breathtaking: Charles-Henri has done beautifully!
The rooms are not only delightful, but kept impeccably clean. (I'm really not quite sure why one visitor gave it a 2 star? Was the traveller unfairly comparing it to a 4 diamond, 5 star hotel? Not the same category and therefore, this is not the hotel for them).
The staff is courteous, smiling and professional.
The breakfast is delicious and plentiful.
The restaurant was temporarily closed, but it didn't bother us. It'll be open the next time we visit!
There is only one thing that I did not find fair or appealing and I hope that it can be addressed: it's about allowing children under a certain age. (Before you bite my head off, please read on).
Taking a vacation with our children is great fun! But other times, we want to vacation without children just to get some peace and quiet. I'm certain travellers reading this can appreciate.
One of the reasons we chose Taïnos, is exactly because it did not seem like the type of place that would be appealing for parents to take their children to: that is, quiet, with no play area and nothing to entertain the children.
I would never think of bringing my children to a place such as this one, simply because I respect my fellow travellers and know that they've chosen Taïnos for its tranquility.
I find it disrespectful of travellers who bring infants, toddlers and children under 11 or 12 to a place that is suppose to be tranquil. There are seven cottages in all, and even though you might not be in a cottage next to a child, you can still hear cries travelling because of the openness of the place.
Also, I found the parents' behaviour unacceptable: they would relax while their toddlers ran around unattended on the uneven paving of the pool (with all sorts of rocks, corals, rope to trip on), relying on other guests to "baby sit" their children for them! I don't care if you bring a nanny or two, children are children. It's not their fault! I'm sorry to say, it's the parents'.
With so many (in my opinion too many) places that allow children, why take them to a place, such as Taïnos? Unfortunately there are not many places where children are not allowed, and if there are, it is an "adults only" or "couples only" all inclusive-type place where a party-like atmosphere reigns, and what we DON'T want.
So where can we go to escape noise (be it from"partying" or the noise children make)?
And for you thinking "you're not being fair! My children and I are just as entitled as you to be in a tranquil place!" I understand, but please respect your fellow man. Perhaps you are unaware, but by bringing your child(en) you are disrupting the peace and tranquility so many are searching for.
Perhaps the Taïnos can think of changing their policy about accepting children under 12. (While we were there, there was a charming German family with an 11 and 13 yrs. old: both were well-behaved, respectful of their environment and never loud -- a real pleasure to have around!)
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
