Fort Young Hotel

Fort Young began life in 1770 as the British fort guarding Roseau's harbour, and the hotel that grew within its walls has been the capital's principal address for decades. Cannons still line the ramparts, thick volcanic-stone walls anchor the public spaces, and the property steps down the waterfront so that its pool deck, bars and many rooms sit directly above the Caribbean, with sunsets performing nightly off the veranda.

Rooms range from garden-view standards in the historic core to oceanfront rooms and suites in newer wings, comfortable and Caribbean-classic in style; the fort's role as Roseau's social and business hub means conference groups, visiting officials and cruise-day energy mix with leisure guests. Dining moves between the open-air Palisades restaurant on the water and casual bars, with Creole night a fixture.

The hotel's ace is position: Dominica's famed dive sites at Champagne Reef and Soufriere-Scotts Head are minutes away and served by the on-site dive operation, while the Roseau Valley's waterfalls, hot springs and the Boiling Lake trailheads rise directly behind town. Those seeking resort isolation should look elsewhere on the island, but as a comfortable, characterful base for diving and exploring the Nature Island's south, the old fort earns its keep.