Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière: An Honest Review for Your Martinique Trip

Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière is not the kind of property I usually review. There’s no spa, not a single restaurant, and no welcome glass of prosecco at check-in. Instead, they have simple rooms, simple grounds, and a nightly rate under $200.

And we’d go back again tomorrow.

This is a full honest review of Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière on the southern coast of Martinique. The property, the rooms, the beach, and the people who run it. I’ve got everything you need to know to decide whether or not you should book.

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What to Know About Hotels in Martinique

Before we get started, you should know that Martinique doesn’t have a Marriott. There’s no Sandals, no Riu, no all-inclusive resort sitting on miles of beachfront.

What you’ll find instead are small locally owned properties, AirBnBs, VRBOs, and résidences hôtelières like Les Cayalines. Smaller, more personal, and yes, a little more rustic than what most American travelers are used to.

That’s exactly what we wanted. We weren’t there to sit by an “island-themed” resort pool. We were there to experience Martinique.

Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière Location

When we were figuring out where we wanted to stay in Martinique we looked at all of our options. But, in the end Jason wanted to be as close to the beach as possible. That meant the southern coast.

Martinique’s southern coast is famous for its miles of gorgeous beaches. From Diamant in the west all the way around to Sainte-Anne in the east, the coastline is dotted with white sand beaches and calm Caribbean water.

We picked Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière for its location and easy beach access. All the beaches in Martinique are public, but the beach behind Les Cayalines, Anse Désert, is only accessible through a couple of mangrove paths. So, they are sheltered from the public and feel very remote.

While the beach was the primary reason we picked this hotel, we also loved the area. Les Cayalines sits just outside Sainte-Luce, a sweet Caribbean fishing village with colorful houses, fishing boats bobbing in turquoise water, and restaurants with tables right on the sand.

Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière Grounds & Beach Access

The grounds at Les Cayalines are full of fruit trees, huge flower bushes, and coconut trees. A full time gardener tends the property and we saw him cutting fresh coconuts for guests every morning.

There’s a small pool at the center of the property, a BBQ area, and ping pong table. A few people were at the pool each day. But, most guests are off exploring the island by mid-morning and we rarely saw anyone on the property during the day.

At the back of the garden you’ll find a small gate that opens to a mangrove forest. A wooden boardwalk through the mangroves leads to Anse Désert. Walking that boardwalk to the beach was one of the highlights of staying at Les Cayalines. 

I don’t use the word magical. But, this walk truly was magical with the light filtering in through the mangroves above and then finally opening up onto a gorgeous (and basically private) beach.

It was like walking into a postcard. Leaning palm trees crossing over white sand and crystal blue water. It felt like a deserted island. There are no amenities or lifeguards, so bring your beach towels and sunscreen with you.

Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière Rooms

The rooms at Les Cayalines are simple, clean, and very European. You’ll find white tile floors, a queen bed with a twin in the corner made up in Caribbean blue linens. There’s also a small desk a storage hutch and two wooden chairs. When I say European, I mean that the furniture is not plush like you’d find in a hotel in the States. 

There was a TV, but every channel was in French. That honestly didn’t bother us since we were out exploring most of the day and it was kind of fun to test my French with the news each morning. Let’s just say I didn’t do well.

Les Cayalines is a self-catering hotel which means that there are no restaurants on site, but each unit comes with a kitchen or kitchenette. Standard rooms come with a kitchenette just inside the door. We booked a superior studio which had a full kitchen. What makes that kitchen is that it was outside on the balcony.

We had never had an outdoor kitchen at a hotel and it was fun to make coffee outside every morning with views of the garden. A metal awning pulls down at night to close off the balcony from any uninvited guests, whether on two legs or four.

The bathroom is large and also very European in style. Meaning, it’s simple and functional with a small corner shower. They give you fresh towels to start your stay, but do not have housekeeping. You can exchange them for new towels at the office.

Toiletries, however, are not provided, so you’ll want to bring your own. And fair warning, the shower curtain likes to cling to you while you shower. It’s a pretty tight fit in there.

The room’s air conditioning system works off your room key, so you can’t leave it running when you are out of the room. It helps to conserve energy, but just know that it takes a while for the room to cool down, especially when it’s hot outside. 

Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière Staff

We can’t say enough about the staff at Les Cayalines! From the first night we arrived, they treated us like family.

The first morning, we took our coffee over to the office and browsed brochures while Barbara filled us in on the island’s must see spots. She recommended amazing restaurants and her advice was always spot on. So, we returned the favor when we discovered Pam Snack, an amazing food truck we found on Diamant Beach.

Her best recommendation was the catamaran tour of the eastern shore onboard Les Ballades du Delphis. She called to make our reservation since my French was limited to the very basics and involved a lot of pointing and charades. Barbara went as far as to recommend we order take out after our day on the Delphis because we would likely be too tired to eat out.

And, she was absolutely right. We took her advice and ordered take out from a restaurant down the street. We were so thankful to have had that plan in place when we came dragging in that night – after the best damn day ever. To say the least we were exhausted, a little tipsy from all the Ti Punch, and starving.

Should You Book Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière?

I’ll be honest. Les Cayalines Résidence Hôtelière is not for everyone. If you are looking for a resort experience, Martinique probably isn’t your destination and that’s okay. There are plenty of gorgeous all-inclusive options in the Caribbean that will give you exactly that.

But if you want to actually see Martinique, Les Cayalines is exactly the right base. Simple, clean, affordable, and run by people who genuinely want your trip to be good.

Start Planning Your Trip to Martinique

Ready to start planning your time on the island? We have you covered.

Our complete guide to Martinique walks you through everything the island has to offer, from the volcanic north to the beaches of the south. For excursions, The 9 Best Martinique Tours covers the catamaran, the rhum distilleries, and everything worth booking in advance. And if Ti Punch is on your agenda (and it should be) our Ti Punch recipe will have you ready before you even land.

FAQs About Les Cayalines