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Gîtes, which are found across much of the French-speaking part of the Caribbean (Guadeloupe, Guyane, and Martinique), are a budget traveler’s dream. There are several different types of gîte, most of which are very inexpensive.

Often, a gîte consists of a spare room or two in an owner-occupied house. In other cases, gîtes are well-outfitted properties, more or less like hotels with almost the same number of facilities as resorts. One shared feature is that the owners live on-site or nearby.

Here are the five main gîte types.

1. Gîtes ruraux, or rural gîtes.
2. Chambre d’hôtes, best likened to a bed and breakfast.
3. The gîtes d'étape et de séjour, or “stopover gîtes.”
4. Children’s gîtes, which place children between four and 15 years of age with families.
5. Camping gîtes, which include campgrounds and "rural accommodations" alike.

On the French mainland, gîtes are associated more with rural sites than cities. In the French Caribbean this distinction holds as well, though perhaps less completely. Gîtes in the French Caribbean can be found in cities and the countryside alike. 

Broady speaking, gîtes feature limited amenities and facilities for self-catering. They’re perfect for groups of friends or families who require little in the way of amenities, and who enjoy having the opportunity to cook and enjoy being by themselves.

Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is studded with gîtes, most very affordable. 271 gîtes are listed on Gîtes de France's Guadeloupe directory. This tally includes Guadeloupe's offshore islands of La Désirade, Les Saintes, and Marie-Galante.

French Guiana

French Guiana is technically outside of the region, on the northern coast of South America, sharing borders with Suriname and Brazil. According to the territory’s tourist board, there are 41 gîtes in French Guiana (8 chambre d’hôtes; 26 gîtes d'étape; and seven gîtes d’Amazonie).

Martinique

Martinique has a long list of good gîtes. According to the tourist board, there are over 200 gîtes across the island. See Gîtes de France for information about gîtes in Martinique. There are also rooms in private homes on offer. For information, telephone Logis Vacances Antilles at (596) 596 63 12 91.




Note: Not all gîtes are created equally. We are not responsible for quality control. Our goal with this listing is to be as thorough as possible. Let us know if you deem any particular gîtes in these territories to be especially wonderful or especially terrible. We’ll update our listings to take your feedback into account.