My husband and I stayed here in November 2006 and were really concerned about the bad reviews. Imagine our surprise when we arrived to find that this hotel was in the process of a complete transformation. In November about half of the rooms had been completely upgraded, and I believe this renovation has been completed. La Toubana is now a boutique hotel. Our room was brand new and had a wonderful sea view overlooking the neighboring islands. Breakfast was included in the room rate and served outside on the edge of the pool. Our only complaint was the lack of umbrellas at the pool. Also, they allowed nonguests entry to the pool so it tended to get crowded. The small beach area was not available at the time, but this may have changed. Overall, we had a very nice experience, and would certainly recommend this hotel. I'm sure it has only gotten better now that the construction has been completed.

On a previous trip to Guadalope we had stayed in Gosier and were contemplating whether to stay there again. We are so glad we didn't as that part of the island has greatly deteriorated.

We stayed there in 1985 and again in 1989; Really downhill in 4 years. Looking at taking our anniversary there in May 2007, but reading the reviews, I can see that unfortunately, it is not the place that it was 22 years ago. There is so much potential there; a wonderful location with a private little beach. There used to be aquariums lining the walls of the restaurant -- worth the trip alone.
I am sad. Things do change, but sorry that this did not change
for the better.

We just returned from La Toubana yesterday and were so disappointed that we felt the need to warn others of our experience. We had read some of the mixed reviews on tripadvisor but the hotel web site and other guide books we read made it sound interesting (great view, private beach, etc) so we wanted to give it a try. But once we arrived we immediately realized that all the negative comments made in previous reviews were sadly true.

First of all the room had a fishy, mildew smell when we first entered which never really went away. Secondly, there was no shower curtain so all of the water would run onto the floor while you showered. As a result, the side of the tub by the floor had begun to rot away and expose some the plumbing below. Additionally, when you used the sink to shave or brush your teeth, the tub drain made a LOUD, gurgling sound as the water passed through. Overall the bathroom was really substandard for a hotel of this level.

The bungelow itself was a bit "shop worn" and not particularly clean (we found a large "waterbug" crawling on the floor next to the bed). At night, there were more than the usual amount frogs and lizards right outside the windows - they made so much noise it was impossible to sleep (we didn't expect the hotel to fix that, but anyone staying there should know about it).

The service was mixed - check in was easy and friendly and most of the staff was cheerful and upbeat. But dinner was not so easy. We made a reservation for Easter Sunday and were told that the restaurant was completely booked but they would get us a table. We were so happy until we arrived to find that our table was on the walk-way by the entrance from the parking lot, next to the lobster pool. By french standards we had arrived a bit early for dinner (7:30pm) but the restaurant was hardly full and we felt a bit odd sitting all by ourselves in the entrance.

We love kids, however, it became difficult when all of the children who were staying at La Toubana (and we do mean ALL) decided to come and play in the lobster pool next to our table. We asked to be moved somewhere more quiet but were reminded that they were totally booked.

To be fair they did, in fact, get busier through the evening but by 9:30pm there were still MANY tables left vacant and when we left at 10:00pm no other customers had arrived. We mentioned this to the staff but were told that the customers may still be on their way so they were still holding the tables (restaurant closes at 11:00pm)!

Breakfast was also interesting - although the food was relatively good the tables were never cleared from the previous diners. As a result, birds would come and eat the leftovers off of the plates at the tables next to us. The clincher was a feral cat that was going from table to table begging for food. If the cat had been a pet it MIGHT have been cute - but in this case it was just scary!

We travel to the caribbean at least once a year and try new places on each trip so we know that few hotels are 100% perfect. We normally overlook small inconveniences when the overall setting is nice or the staff or amenities are good but in this case everything just seemd to go poorly and it was hard to dismiss all of the bad points we encountered. Frankly speaking, we weren't interested in a hotel that would have to "grow on us". (Also, we were very suprised to note that all of the negative comments posted on tripadvisor.com from as far back as Feb of 2002 are still true today - none had been addressed.)

In our opinion this hotel seemed to cater to French families on extended holiday package trips - perhaps they get a special price which includes flights or food, or some other amenities. But for Americans on a short vacation in the caribbean it just is not an acceptable choice.

We just returned (March 22-31, 2005) from a trip to Guadeloupe. What a beautiful island(s). We stayed at the Rayon Vert on Basse Terre for all but 3 days of our vacation. We loved the Rayon Vert (location and staff were wonderful).

We checked into our room at La Toubana on Easter Sunday. When we entered the bungalow there was a very strong old fish smell. Obviously the previous occupants had cooked fish and with the combination of the heat and the room being shut for most of the day the smell was strong and nauseating. We had pre-paid for the room so leaving was not an option. The bungalow was clean with new towels and sheets. The patio was lovely with a stunning view of the ocean. The bathroom is a problem. It has not been updated in the past several decades. We have also traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe and the Carribbean. La Toubana is an expensive hotel but the bathroom does not fit in with the rest of the hotel I hate rating a hotel because of the bathroom but it truly is sub par. Maybe if we had not been greeted with that horrible smell we would not mind the bathroom so much!

I did not find the staff friendly at all. In fact I am not sure I had any interaction with anyone except upon our arrival and departure. The breakfast was good. On one morning they ran out of bread and the wonderful chocolate croissants We waited at least ten minutes after the staff removed the basket for refilling. We finally had to go into the kitchen and ask for more. They were never brought out. There were several guests waiting for bread besides us.

The site of the hotel is truly spectacular. It is really a ravine with the bungalows set on both sides of the ravine. If you have difficulty climbing stairs do not even consider this hotel. We did not bring our suitcases down from our car. We just took out what we needed and used a beach bag to haul things from the car.

There is a lovely private beach at the bottom of the ravine but it is used as parking lot for the 10 wave runners the hotel rents out. The peace and beauty of the beach is distrupted several times an hour to put in and take out the wave runners from the ocean. The noise is horrendous - not to mention the fumes.

I hope this helps - somewhat. I am not sure that when I return to Grande Terre where we will stay. It is hard to find suitable lodging on the ocean. Ste Anne and St Francois are two very lovely areas.