Racoon Lodge

We wanted somewhere to stay for one night, on our way to St Martin, that wasn't in the centre of Pointe-a-Pitre. Although Raccoon Lodge is off a busy road only a 15/20 minute drive from the airport, it is also on the edge of the forest. It is owned by ex pat Angela, was very welcoming and keen to make us feel at home. She has worked hard to make this her home for over 30 years: and later her business. The building is down a short flight of steep steps and has been added to over time with a mix of materials. Our room was on the ground floor off the small communal lounge and had a floor level bed and a large bathroom/wet room. Other guest rooms, which we did not see, appeared to be in the body of the house. There is a further communal outdoor sitting area on a terrace, with an adjacent outdoor kitchen. A hot tub and a small tiled swimming pool are available for guest use and the latter was a joy after a couple of days of hot travelling. The furnishings and decor are unconventional by 'modern' hotel/apartment standards, and reflect Angela's travels and her artistic talent. Many of her paintings are hung around the lodge. We hadn't booked a meal, but Angela prepared us a very tasty impromptu fish dish and sharing our meal with the raccoons was a highlight for us. Aside from her painting skills, Angela also sings and we were treated to a few numbers later in the evening. Her cats, and the raccoons from the forest live happily side by side and area constant presence and we also saw green lizards, hummingbirds and soucrier birds. It would be a mistake to book the lodge if you are looking for an easy access, clean lines,modern furnishings and an animal free zone, but if you are happy with something more rustic, casual and animal friendly, this would be an ideal choice. It's also worth noting that we arrived and left by taxi, but had we been staying longer a car would have been essential for getting about.

So let me begin by saying Angela is sincerely nice, hardworking and very friendly. Now the property. So hard to write this review - Angela is trying so hard. The pool was empty/broke The hot tub was green The waterfalls didn’t work Overall cleanliness was horrible Cats were on the kitchen counter licking food…! Our room had cat urine on the floor Throw rugs in our room were crusty - hadn’t been washed in years? The room smelled like cats Angela told us upon arrival the toilet in our room didn’t work but we could use the toilet down the hall A/C worked well. Was the longest night of my life - I couldn’t wait to get to our next hotel so I could shower. I’ve traveled the world - honestly this was the nastiest place I’ve ever stayed. Angela and this property need considerable help.

Rien à dire de la literie, tout le reste est à nettoyer et frotter. Hygiène déplorable, plomberie mal faite. Beaucoup de chats quoi perdent leur poils dans les parties communes,les chats qui montent... sur la table du petit déjeuner. Suivant, selon l'humeur de la patronne vous n'aurait pas de petit de petit déj

Un parfait endroit pour s'acclimater à l'île. Situé assez haut au-dessus de la route pour qu'on ne l'entende pas du tout, le lieu est paisible. L’atmosphère d'une forêt. Tout est végétal. Plante et arbres. Mobiliers et objets. Aucune prise de tête de la part des tenanciers. Des racoons sont venus nous saluer le à notre arrivée. Malgré notre arrivée tardive (22h30), la tenancière n'a pas hésité à nous proposer de cuisiner un repas pour nous. Très sympa. On s'y sent bien. Le petit déjeuner est servi sur une table commune. Ce qui permet immédiatement de discuter avec les autres vacanciers. Nous avions la chambre papillon. Elle donne sur le lieu de vie. Pour nos 2 jours pas de soucis car il y a avait très peu de monde. Si on souhaite pouvoir dormir des jours de forte affluence, il faut certainement opter pour une autre chambre située en contre-haut. Petit point négatif: La douche sans cloison dans notre salle de bain. On détrempe toute la pièce à chaque douche.