Where to Stay in Dominica (Best Cities & Hotels)
Dominica has been named “the Nature Island of the Caribbean” due to its unspoiled terrain of tropical forests and mountains.
You’ve probably already done some research about the beautiful country of Dominica, so you should know this island is great for those seeking adventure!
This island is popular for whale watching, hiking, and scuba diving, and is home to the 2nd largest hot spring in the world.
So, deciding where to stay in Dominica depends on what type of vacation you are looking for and what activities you are most looking forward to.
Would you prefer to spend most of your vacation relaxing on a beach or chasing some of Dominica’s waterfalls? Or, if you’re anything like us, we like a mixture of relaxation and adventure!
Also, Dominica is a relatively small island where you can easily drive from one end of the island to the other in under two hours. So staying in one area doesn’t mean you can’t explore the rest of the island, but it may require a little more planning on your part.
So, where are the best places to stay in Dominica? Keep reading to find out!
The Best Places to Stay on Dominica (Ranked by Location)
Dominica is divided into ten parishes, the largest being Saint George, which is where the capital, Roseau, is located (one of our recommendations).
We’ll list the best places to stay in Dominica by city name.
1. Roseau & The West Coast
- Highlights: Most attractions and tour availabilities
- Distance to Airport: 70 minutes
Roseau is the capital and largest city in Dominica and is a fantastic place to stay due to its proximity to top attractions.
Not only that, but this is where you’ll find most restaurant choices on the island.
However, Roseau also has a negative aspect because of its touristy vibe due to the cruise port here.
If you’d like to time your stay around the busiest cruise port days, check out Dominica’s cruise port schedule. It also shows you the number of passengers on each cruise ship.
However, that being said, Roseau is one of the best places to stay on the island.
Although Roseau is located on the island’s west side and the airport is on the northeastern side, it will only take about 60 minutes by car.
Best place to stay in roseau
Fort Young Hotel
We stayed at the Fort Young Hotel during the first half of our vacation to Dominica and were so glad we did!
Although the cruise ship port was near the hotel, we only noticed the crowd of tourists if we were walking along the port during arrivals.
Fort Young Hotel is unique, as you would expect. It once was an actual fort guarding the city of Roseau. Walking through the entrance, you can begin to imagine what it looked like centuries ago.
Amenities include an on-site restaurant, bar, swimming pool, hot tub, and gym. They also offer all-inclusive packages. We opted-out of the all-inclusive service as we preferred to eat at local establishments in the area.
However, upon arriving at the resort, we had one meal at the on-site restaurant. The food and service were both decent.
And, if you need an airport transfer, they can provide that too!
Want to see more hotels in Roseau? The capital city has many different types of accommodations!
some things to do near roseau
- Go Whale-Watching and see the year-round sperm whales! 🐋
- Take a boat cruise to one of the French islands — Guadaloupe or Martinique! 🛥️
- Go rappelling on this fantastic Canyoning Tour — Extreme Dominica will pick you up from your hotel or cruise port!
- Visit famous waterfalls like Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls, or our favorite — Middleham Falls!
- Go on a half-day fishing tour 🎣
- Hike to Boiling Lake (about a 30-minute drive from Roseau and a 6-hour hike!)
- Walk to the top of Morne Bruce and view Roseau from above
2. Portsmouth & The North of Dominica
- Highlights: Has the most beaches, closest to Indian River
- Distance to Airport: 60 minutes
Portsmouth has a totally different vibe from Roseau. There are more locals and fewer tourists, which is what we love!
If you want to visit a few beaches while staying in Dominica, Portsmouth may be your go-to city, as most of the beaches in Dominica are located on the island’s Northern side.
Although we stayed in Portsmouth for half of our trip, we found we were still traveling down to Roseau for specific tours! (Remember to add travel time to tours, etc!)
Portsmouth is only a short drive to popular attractions such as Cabrits National Park, Fort Shirley, and the Indian River (where scenes of Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed!).
Portsmouth is also a short drive to Calibishie, where you’ll see cliffs overlooking the ocean, red rocks, and lush vegetation. Many think it is the most underrated and scenic part of the country.
Best Places to Stay in Portsmouth
1. Intercontinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa
We stayed at the Intercontinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa during half of our trip and were blown away by its luxuriousness.
This is a 5-star beachfront resort with multiple pools, bars, restaurants, tennis courts, and a fitness center.
There are three restaurants on-site, which is nice if you’d prefer to stay at the resort. However, the food wasn’t all that impressive, so we opted to eat at some local restaurants in the nearby town!
We stayed at the Intercontinental Cabrits Resort & Spa during the low season, which was relatively quiet. And to be honest, it was a bit eerie having the resort (primarily) to ourselves.
However, this resort does NOT provide all-inclusive services, which surprised us.
Also, the on-site Spa looked terrific. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time between our tours to book a spa day. We did find a few minutes to sit in the dry sauna, which was nice.
2. Secret Bay
Secret Bay is slightly different as this hotel sits on a clifftop with stunning views of the mountains and Caribbean Sea.
Although it’s not beachfront, the beautiful Tibay Bay and Batibou Beach are just a few minutes away.
If you’re looking for romance, book one of the villas with a private plunge pool. 😍
There are no on-site restaurants, but you can book a private chef for an additional charge. They also provide an organic breakfast basket for your stay that can be replenished if needed.
The price? We won’t lie. Secret Bay isn’t a cheap place to stay in Dominica. But if you decide to stay here, let us know if the price tag was worth it!
Looking for more places to stay? Check out these other accommodations in Portsmouth!
Some Things to Do NEAR Portsmouth
- Visit Batibou Beach — One of the best beaches in Dominica! Recommended to take a car with a higher clearance due to the rocky road down to the beach. You can also walk from the main road which is about a 15-minute walk. Entry fee is $5 per person. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across “the sisters” who come to this beach and will cook you a homemade meal!
- Take a boat tour along the Indian River — one of the locations where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed.
- Visit Cabrits National Park & Fort Shirley
- Take a day trip to Calibishie and see the red rocks
- Hike to Morne Daiblotin — Dominica’s tallest mountain! Approximately a 6-hour hike into one of the oldest cloud rainforests in the Caribbean. Go bird-watching and try to find Dominica’s two endemic parrots, the Jaco and Sisserou Parrots!
- Visit Syndicate Falls — This waterfall is over 100 feet tall and only takes about 20 minutes to hike (once you find the trail).
- See how chocolate is made at Pointe Baptiste Estate
3. Soufrière & Southern Dominica
- Highlights: Best location for diving and snorkeling
- Distance to Airport: 90 minutes
Southern Dominica is one of the best places to stay in Dominica and is for those who plan to spend most of their time in the water—either scuba diving or snorkeling!
Dominica is one of the best places in the world for diving, and most of the dives happen right here in Soufrière Bay. Champagne Reef is especially popular because of the bubbles created by the volcanic thermal springs on the ocean floor.
Soufrière and Scott’s Head are about an hour’s drive from Roseau if you’d like to opt for a day trip instead of staying in this part of the island.
However, staying in Sourfière may be your best option if you plan to spend multiple days either diving or snorkeling.
Best Places to Stay in Soufrière
1. Coulibri Ridge
Colibri Ridge is an eco-resort focused on self-sustainability, harvesting nature’s powers to minimize environmental impacts! 🌱
As you see in the photo, the resort is lined with solar panels, which is used as its primary energy source.
Coulibri Ridge has also founded two non-profit organizations in Dominica — REZDM and The Humane Society of Dominica.
We love to feature hotels and resorts working to help the environment—way to go!
This resort’s amenities and features include swimming pools, two on-site restaurants, a yoga pavilion, a spa, and over 200 acres of lush land, which includes tropical gardens, an orchard, and a farm.
Book your stay at Coulibri Ridge here! 🌿
Another great place to stay in Soufrière: Jungle Bay Dominica
SOME Things To Do Near soufrière
- Go Scuba Diving! 🤿
- Snorkel at Champagne Beach
- Visit Scott’s Head and see where the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea meet
- Learn how to Freedive!
- Soak in the hot springs at Soufrière Sulphur Springs National Park
- Hike to Victoria Falls — Located about an hour from Soufrière, this is a beautiful waterfall in Dominica!
- Hike one segment of the Waitikubuli National Trail — the longest trail in the Caribbean! Or, take a tour and hike the entire trail with this 17-day Waitikubuli hiking tour!
4. Rosalie & The SouthEast Coast
- Highlights: Beautiful scenery, location where sea turtles lay eggs
- Distance to Airport: 50 minutes
The area of Rasalie is in the Saint David Parish on the east side of Dominica.
This area of Dominica has few beaches; instead, it has tide pools and rough rock formations formed by volcanic activity.
Rosalie Bay is also where sea turtles come to lay their eggs yearly in Dominica!
There are also a few lesser-visited waterfalls in this area of Dominica, such as Victoria Falls, Sari Sari Falls, and Wavine Cyrique Falls.
Approximately an hour’s drive north on the East Coast, you’ll find the Kalinago Territory, home to the Indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles islands and descendants of the Carib Indians.
We visited the Kalinago Territory, took a tour of the grounds, watched a dancing ceremony, and learned about the people’s history and culture.
Best Places to Stay near Rosalie
1. Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa
If you’re visiting Dominica hoping to find sea turtles, you may want to stay at Rosalie Bay! 🐢
From March to October, Leatherback, Green, and Hawksbill sea turtles nest and hatch at Rosalie Bay.
Rosalie Bay Resort founded the first sea turtle conservation program in Dominica, called WIDECAST (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Network).
This resort is located on the east coast of Dominica, between the Morne Trois Pitons and the Rosalie River, and on the shores of black sand beaches.
This resort also focuses on sustainability. It is powered by wind and solar energy and is a major supporter of local businesses.
Some amenities and fun activities include daily breakfast, a swimming pool, kayaking, paddle boarding, yoga, tea ceremonies, and more. Airport shuttles are provided for guests (with a fee).
They also offer all-inclusive meal packages, which include three meals per day, one snack, and unlimited drinks.
A Few Things To Do Near Rosalie
- Watch a sea turtle lay her eggs! — Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa offers wake-up calls when a sea turtle is about to lay her eggs. Don’t worry. We checked, and they ensured that the turtles were not being disturbed! (Please pay the $20 donation for Turtle watches, which goes towards the conservation program).
- Visit Sari Sari Falls — Located about 20 minutes from Rosalie Bay Eco Resort & Spa, this challenging waterfall hike will take approximately 3-4 hours.
- Visit the Kalinago Territory — About an hour north of Rosalie Bay is the 3,700-acre territory of the Kalingo people, the Indigenous tribe of the Lesser Antilles.
- Hike down to Wavine Cyrique Falls — This waterfall is the only waterfall on the island that cascades directly onto the beach or sea (depending on tide levels). This hike is NOT easy. A tour guide is highly recommended!
- Visit Victoria Falls — One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Dominica. A guide is highly recommended. Consider taking this guided hike to Victoria Falls!
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve seen where to stay in Dominica, in which area or parish do you think you’d prefer?
We love all of these locations for different reasons!
If you want to relax for most of your vacation by staying at your resort, Portsmouth or Rosalie Bay may be your top choice!
If you’re going to take a lot of tours, then Roseau would be a good option.
Finally, if you want to spend most of your time in Dominica scuba diving or snorkeling, Soufrière is your best bet.
