Au Jardin Des Colibris Ecolodge&Spa

Au Jardin des Colibris is an eco-lodge and spa in Deshaies, set within a large natural garden in the tropical forest. You come here for space, greenery and a proper change of pace rather than a hotel corridor with identical doors; the accommodation ranges from bungalows and Creole huts to tree-top lodges and villas.

The mood suits couples who want privacy, families who need room to spread out, and divers who appreciate having somewhere calm to return to. English, Spanish and French are spoken by the team, so you can sort out the practicalities of your stay without resorting to mime or a phone translation app.

The property is built around independence. Most accommodation has an equipped kitchen and an outdoor area, while the garden, shared pool and spa give you places to sit when the day's plans are done. It is a small-scale address with 17 units, not a large resort trying to entertain you from breakfast until bedtime.

You are in Deshaies, Guadeloupe, at Lieu dit Villers, in the Basse-Terre part of the island. The lodge sits in the forest, close to the botanical garden and near the Guadeloupe National Park. The sea is 50 metres away, but the accommodation is not presented as a hotel directly on a sandy beach; your beach days involve a short drive.

Grande Anse, the local heavyweight, is about 1.6 miles away by car, with a drive of roughly three minutes. Ferry Beach is about 2.5 miles away, while Leroux Beach is about 2.7 miles away. A wider choice of fine-sand beaches, including Petite Anse and La Perle, is within ten minutes by car.

Deshaies gives you useful eating options close by. Restaurant Chez Ernest is around 0.8 miles away, and Paradise Kafe and La Kaz are both about 1.2 miles away, with a walk of roughly 20 minutes. Morne Mazeau, at 613 metres, is about 2.8 miles away; Bain de Souffre de Sofaïa is around 13 miles away by road.

The accommodation is the main reason to choose this place over a standard hotel. You can keep things simple in a bungalow with a terrace, choose a Creole hut for a more characterful stay, or go properly spacious with a villa. The tree-top hut and Jungle Lodge are for couples who want an unusual setting; villas with two bedrooms make more sense when you are travelling as a family or with friends.

For sea views, look towards the Apartment with Sea View or the Villa with Sea View. If a private swim matters more than a wide outlook, the Two-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool has its own pool, while the Villa Côté Jardin and Jungle Lodge also have private pools attached to those units. The family accommodation includes a double bed and bunk bed, which is a practical arrangement rather than a decorative gesture.

Inside, you have air conditioning and a fan, along with a mosquito net, private entrance and private bathroom. Garden views, a terrace or patio, a dining area and outdoor furniture let you move the evening outside. The kitchens include a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, kettle, coffee machine and kitchenware, so chilled water and a quick meal are within reach when you return tired and hungry. Free WiFi covers the property, and a drying rack is useful for ordinary holiday laundry without pretending it is a dive-centre facility.

This is a room-only stay, with self-catering built into much of the accommodation. Breakfast is not included, and there is no hotel restaurant, bar or room service to rely on for a late meal. That matters if your ideal post-dive routine involves walking downstairs to a buffet; here, you plan ahead or head into Deshaies.

The kitchens make that arrangement workable, with a dining table, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffee machine and kettle. A minibar and tea-and-coffee facilities are also available, while breakfast can be served in your room. For something effortless, the lodge can help you order catered dishes in the town.

Deshaies supplies the evening options. Restaurants and takeaway food are only a few minutes away by car, and two bakeries are close enough for pastries and fresh fruit juice in the morning. Fournil de la Côte is about 1.1 miles away by car. In other words, dinner is local and flexible, but it is not happening in the hotel itself.

Three outdoor pools give you different ways to come off the day's excursions. The shared pool measures 8 by 4 metres and is reserved for lodge guests, with a sun terrace and lighting around the clock. Private pools belong to selected villas and the Jungle Lodge, including a private solarium without overlooking neighbours.

The Spa du Jardin des Colibris is on site, tucked into the tropical setting. Treatments include relaxing or more invigorating massages, facial treatments, foot reflexology and Ayurvedic massage, with options for couples. A spa lounge and relaxation area keep the recovery programme straightforward: pool, treatment, food, sleep. Yoga classes are also available.

When you have more energy, the tour desk and concierge can help arrange days out. Options include hiking in Guadeloupe National Park, canyoning, kayaking in the mangrove, glass-bottom boat cruises, whale and dolphin outings from Deshaies, and visits to the botanical garden or Parc des Mamelles. Snorkelling, canoeing, horse riding and fishing are available off site, while board games and puzzles cover the less ambitious evenings.

Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet Airport is about 24 miles away by road, with a drive of roughly 44 minutes. Private parking is available on site without a reservation, and WiFi is free throughout the lodge. Luggage storage, concierge assistance, a tour desk and private or express check-in and check-out keep the arrival and departure mechanics reasonably tidy.

Check-in starts at 16:00 and check-out is by 10:00. You need to provide photo identification and a payment card at arrival, and the property needs your expected arrival time in advance. Quiet hours run from 22:00 to 08:00, so this is better suited to an early-rising dive schedule than to late-night noise.

Children of any age are welcome. A cot, high chair and small bath can be provided for younger children, and babysitting is available. The minimum age for check-in is 18, pets are not allowed, and smoking is not permitted. Laundry is available, and the accommodation accepts bank cards, cash, bank transfers and ANCV cheques.

The lodge carries the Esprit parc and Palme verte du tourisme labels. Its environmental work is tied directly to the Caribbean marine environment rather than left at the level of a sign asking you to reuse a towel.

Each night booked supports the protection or planting of one coral, through a programme run with Ocean Quest France to restore and enrich the seabed around Deshaies. The property also takes part in biodiversity-preservation efforts, with waste sorting for glass, metal and plastic and composting of green waste.

For a diver, the coral programme is the part that matters most. Your accommodation is linked to a practical restoration project in the same Caribbean environment where you spend your time underwater.