Above: an ocean-view room at Auberge de la Vieille Tour in Guadeloupe (all photos by CJ)

It isn’t easy to do.

To take a hotel more than a half century old, to keep it fresh while retaining a certain timeless quality.

At Guadeloupe’s Auberge de la Vieille Tour hotel, that’s precisely what happens.

This gem of a small hotel in the tourist-friendly Gosier section of the island of Grande-Terre is one full of charm, history and a great pathway to discover the things that make Guadeloupe unique.

Above: the lobby at the property

And there’s nowhere better to discover the place than in one of the hotel’s ocean view rooms.

Above: the wonderful lobby bar (don’t miss the piano on Friday nights)

They’re spacious, airy and blessed with show-stopping views of the turquoise waters of Grand-Terre, along with some of tiny, nearby Ilet du Gosier, if you’re lucky.

But the best part of this hotel is the service — warm, friendly and perhaps the best of any hotel in Guadeloupe.

In other words, a great way to see Guadeloupe.

— CJ