Fort Young Hotel and Dive Resort
Fort Young Hotel and Dive Resort sits inside the walls of the old colonial fort on the Roseau waterfront, a five-minute walk from the center of Dominica's capital, and it has built its identity around access to an island that is about as far from the sun-and-sand Caribbean as you can get. Dominica is volcanic and rainforest-covered, with rivers, hot springs and a seafloor that drops away fast off the west coast. The hotel runs its own dive operation from its dock, takes guests out twice a week to look for the island's resident sperm whales, and sends hikers to Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge and the Boiling Lake trailhead, all within about 15 minutes' drive.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +A full dive operation on the property: the dive shop is in the hotel and the boats leave from the Fort Young dock, so a morning two-tank trip means walking downstairs rather than arranging pickups with a shop across town
- +The house reef is a five-minute boat ride from the dock (Lonely Planet ranked it third on its list of the best Caribbean dive sites in October 2024), and shore diving, snorkeling and kayaking go straight off the dock
- +Dominica's volcanic underwater terrain is the draw: pinnacles, walls that drop away from the surface, Scott's Head and Champagne Reef, where volcanic vents send streams of bubbles up through the water; the best sites are about 15 minutes by boat
- +Whale encounters most Caribbean hotels cannot offer: whale-watching trips leave the dock twice a week for the island's resident sperm whales, and the hotel also runs licensed in-water swim-with-whales expeditions
- +The Island-Included package bundles a daily scheduled land or water adventure, national park fees, a one-hour snorkel tour off the dock, a 30-minute massage per person and airport transfers, so non-divers get a full itinerary too
- +Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge, the Freshwater Lake and the Boiling Lake trailhead are all within about 15 minutes' drive, which makes this the most practical base for the island's big hikes
- +The 2023 expansion took the hotel to 100 rooms (the 60 new ones opened November 2023) and added an art gallery, a rum-and-wine cellar with ocean-aged rum, and an infinity pool with a jacuzzi and Jacko's Pool Bar overlooking the sea
- +Wellness is better than a dive hotel needs: the waterfront Zemi Spa, a 24/7 Compass Gym with ocean views, and yoga and Pilates on the Sun Terrace
Cons
- −One restaurant does the heavy lifting: Palisades (Creole and international) handles package meals, which guests describe as served buffet style, so a week repeats; the Museum Café covers coffee and pastries, and Palisades skips lunch on Saturdays
- −No beach at the hotel: it sits on the Roseau city waterfront, and the nearest sandy beach is about 20 minutes away, which disappoints anyone picturing a classic Caribbean strip of sand
- −Package fine print adds up: alcohol is house-level beers, wines by the glass and spirits, yoga and Pilates are weekly and cost a supplement, room service is charged, festive dinners cost extra and children under 12 are $100 a night
- −Base rates are room only, so make sure you actually book one of the all-inclusive packages; they carry 4- or 5-night minimums and cannot be modified once booked
- −Front desk service is uneven; one guest who arrived a day late during carnival season found the pre-booked room given away and the hotel full, so confirm a late arrival in writing
- −Evenings are quiet: the scheduled entertainment is a Monday manager's cocktail and a Friday happy hour with live music, and the bars close at 10pm
An $18 million expansion finished in late 2023 took the hotel to 100 rooms, opened 60 new ones on 1 November 2023 and added an art gallery, a rum-and-wine cellar and new public spaces around the infinity pool, Zemi Spa and Compass Gym. The rates themselves are room only, and the all-inclusive comes as packages: Fort All-Inclusive (meals, house drinks, gym, transfers and taxes, 4-night minimum) and the flagship Island-Included (all of that plus a daily scheduled adventure, park fees, a snorkel tour and a massage, 5-night minimum), with a Dive Included add-on for five days of two-tank dives. Dining is the weak spot: Palisades is the one full restaurant, package meals are served buffet style, and the Marquis Bar in the old barracks, Warner's Bar and Jacko's Pool Bar cover drinks. The dive team and activities desk get the warmest reviews; the front desk is less consistent.
This is a hotel for divers, hikers and anyone who wants Dominica's nature without assembling a trip piece by piece. Families do best with tweens and teens who will enjoy the excursions, since the property is compact and children under 12 are priced at $100 a night on the packages. Getting there is easier than it used to be, with non-stop flights to Douglas-Charles from Newark on United and Miami on American, and transfers are included on the packages. Guests who need a beach, a big dining lineup or nightly shows should look at Saint Lucia or Antigua instead; guests who come for Champagne Reef, the sperm whales and the interior trails rarely regret it.
Common Questions
Do I need to be a certified diver to enjoy Fort Young?
What is included in the all-inclusive packages?
How do I get to Dominica?
Can you swim with whales from the hotel?
How is the food at Fort Young?
Restaurants (1)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Caribbean & local | Palisades |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Roseau8 min walk · 0.4 mi
Dominica Botanic Gardens11 min walk · 0.6 mi
Trafalgar Falls14 min drive · 4.8 mi
Scotts Head20 min drive · 8.5 mi
More things to do (17)
- Dominica Museum · museum3 min walk · 0.1 mi
- Whale and dolphin watching trip · excursion6 min walk · 0.3 mi
- Morne Bruce · viewpoint3 min drive · 0.9 mi
- Champagne Reef · beach8 min drive · 3.8 mi
- Champagne Reef snorkel trip · excursion8 min drive · 3.8 mi
- Old Mill Cultural Centre · museum10 min drive · 4.2 mi
- Bubble Beach · beach14 min drive · 6.9 mi
- Middleham Falls trail (Laudat) · nature20 min drive · 6.0 mi
- Soufriere Sulphur Springs · nature20 min drive · 7.6 mi
- Scotts Head Marine Reserve dive and snorkel · excursion20 min drive · 8.5 mi
- Mero Beach · beach20 min drive · 12 mi
- Titou Gorge · nature20 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Boiling Lake hike (from Titou Gorge) · nature20 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Macoucherie Beach · beach25 min drive · 13 mi
- Freshwater Lake · nature25 min drive · 8.0 mi
- Boeri Lake · nature35 min drive · 8.8 mi
- Emerald Pool · nature40 min drive · 17 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Google Reviews★ 4.3 · 704 reviews
“The hotel has recently undergone a major renovation that brings a fresh and modern feel to its historic setting, blending the charm of the old fort with updated rooms and amenities and I truly enjoyed the improvements. My room was clean, comfortable...”
“Really nice hotel with friendly and always smiling staff. The dive shop is perfect. Rooms are big, comfortable, and well maintained. I stayed in an ocean-front room with a balcony — the view was absolutely amazing. My stay was exactly what I needed:...”
“I’m going to first start off by saying this is my first time in Dominica and I chose the Fort Young hotel and let me tell you the staff is what makes this hotel great!!!. I have never had such a good experience in my life in a hotel setting. From the...”
