by Edwina Simpson | Feb 8, 2020 | Hiking, Waterfall
This will take up the majority of your day, so after a delicious breakfast at Hotel the Champs you can drive southbound following the coast past Coulbistrie and Mero and Layou. On the approach to Mahaut, not long after the Rubis petrol station you can turn uphill onto the Warner Road towards Pont Casse .
You will find Salton Waterfalls entrance on your right. If you get to the Pont Casse roundabout you’ve gone too far. This is a privately owned area and the entrance fee is $5EXD per person. You park at the car park at the top then follow a paved road downhill. You can hear the waterfalls from the first turning and the trail soon becomes unpaved and increasingly wild and ‘jungley’.
You will see an array of beautiful plants and flowers of course, and the path gets increasingly steep and sometimes a little slippery – you’ll need more than just flip flops.
The first falls you come to (lower down) is a double set….
Lower falls at Salton
You go back on yourself then up a much steeper path to your right (left when coming downhill)to reach the other waterfall which is much bigger and fall into a great pool for swimming in. Take great care when climbing in as there are slippery rocks
.
Upper waterfall at Salton
a little cold after a swim
Enjoy and relax ahead of the steep climb back up the hill towards the most delicious French Creole restaurant for lunch…. detailed in the next blog next week along with a few other tips!
Steep climb (the part shown is not rocky) but you should bring better shoes than flip flops
by Edwina Simpson | Feb 2, 2020 | Environs
Many of our guests who stay on a Friday night enjoy an early morning walk to the Saturday market in Portsmouth.
You see rainbows regularly in Dominica
We wanted to illustrate what the journey is like. It was a slightly overcast day which made it cool at 7am and more chance for rainbows. There is lots to see en route.
We start with a short walk down the hill through Picard, then round the bend past a local supermarket called LA Enterprise. One can find more than just the essentials here as well as some fresh items – but better to wait to see all that at the market.
Cabrits National Park behind Caribbean sea to your left as you walk to the market
The road then bends around sharply to the right when you meet the Caribbean Sea.
From here you can see the Cabrits National Park in the distance, to your left while you continue to walk along the road adjacent to the Caribbean Sea.
You will cross the Indian River, looking up it your right (Caribbean sea to your left) . Tours up this river to see wildlife are very popular, often ending with a drink at a rum bar. Speak to us for how to book when you’re here.
The bridge crossing the Indian River
Flowers on the roadside
The Indian River
As you proceed further you will pass the bus stop to your left from where you can catch rides south and also Dee’s, a small shop where you will find souvenirs and groceries. You will no doubt find many people to talk to along he way.
Minibuses at Portsmouth T-Junction
Dee’s Mini Mart – Groceries and curios can be found here
You will have passed the NBD bank on your way (to your right) if you need cash, as early in the morning the one next to Dee’s is locked (see left photo green building)
You will soon arrive at the market… you definitely can’t miss it!
Approaching the heart of the market
Pineapples
The market is busy early in the morning, as farmers from all over the north come to sell their wares. Make sure to go to the back of the market by the waterfront to see the undercover area also (you may also see meat and fish available)
You will find it’s better to ask people before taking their photo.
Our kitchen uses fresh produce grown and caught locally from this market and other local sources. You will find that our menu changes daily in accordance with what is fresh and available.
the market is busy from early mornings
a variety of fresh produce locally grown
If there is anything particular you’re interested in trying do feel free to talk to us about it. We will make every effort to incorporate it into the menu during your stay. We hope that you will feel absorbed in island life and culture and take amazing memories home with you, and possibly even a few new recipes!
fresh fish
Bananas, plantain, avocado and pumpkin
The under cover part of the market
by Monique Jacob | Jan 31, 2020 | Dining, Restaurant
Perched in the hills of Picard, Restaurant the Champs is the ‘perfect’ blend of Chef Kevin’s mouthwatering meals, five-star service with a smile, and relaxing panoramic views of the best Dominica’s North West Coasts have to offer.
The Champs caters to a wide range of discerning tastes and our restaurant aims to please, from Pizza Nights to Fine Dining, everything is made fresh, balancing a delicious fusion of international and island cuisine. Choose from a variety of in-house dining options: in our top-floor restaurant, on your guest room balcony or inside your room, or poolside. Every option offers some of The Champs’ signature views. What else could guests want when visiting the Nature Island?
The town of Portsmouth has a growing variety of options for foodies, be it lunch, dinner, cocktails and whatever the palette desires we can find it, even if it takes you off-property. At Hotel the Champs, we are here to satisfy the varying tastes of our guests, our friendly concierge team can recommend and make reservations for guests who want to go sample the local and international fare around the town. One option which we recommend is Zing Zing Restaurant at the luxurious Secret Bay Resort (Lise actually dined there for her 60th Birthday — Check out our earlier blog post).
Zing Zing is Secret Bay’s centrally-located, sit-down restaurant, which offers locally-sourced fare with a “no menu” dining experience set to jaw-dropping views of Tibay Beach. Zing Zing sets a romantic scene with a canopy-style roof, display kitchen and private dining room. The restaurant opens for dinner service on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:00 until 9:00pm, by reservation only. Source: SecretBay.dm
Dining around Portsmouth does not end at Secret Bay, guests can select from the 5-Star restaurants of the Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski to fresh-caught local seafood at Keepin It Real in Toucari. Just let us know what you’d like and we’ll get it done.
by Monique Jacob | Jan 22, 2020 | Restaurant
Chef Kevin is a graduate of the New York Restaurant School. He is also a Red Cross volunteer and conducts disaster management training for the Dominica National Red Cross.
Join Hotel The Champs as we welcome a new member to our restaurant team. With many years of experience in local, regional, and international cuisine, Chef Kevin Gregoire is a refreshing addition at The Champs.
Our themed nights are back, so we invite you for Pizza Night on Fridays and Fine Dining on Saturdays or join us on another night to enjoy freshly prepared daily specials with island flavors and Chef Kevin’s twists on delightful international dishes.
As Chef Kevin infuses his unique blends to some of your favorites, we also expect him to introduce new dishes to the menu which complement the atmosphere of The Champs dining experience.
Call us at 1 (767) 616-3002 or email [email protected] to make your reservations and come dine with one of the best views in Dominica. Or check out the Restaurant page on our website.
by Monique Jacob | Dec 22, 2019 | Restaurant, Special event
Pictured Above: Chef Ainsley Harriot’s Sorrel Cocktail Drink
It’s not Christmas in Dominica, and throughout the Caribbean, without Sorrel Drink.
Traditionally served during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, Sorrel Drink is a beverage made from the flower of the ‘Roselle’ plant in the hibiscus family (locally called Sorrel, the scientific name is Hibiscus sabdariffa). The bright red petals are steeped with various spices including cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, lemon or orange peel, and ginger according to your taste. Some versions of Sorrel include white or dark rum, but this is optional. The resulting beverage is tangy and a bit acidic similar to lemonade and is served over ice.
At Hotel the Champs and restaurants and bars across Dominica, one is sure to find a version of Sorrel drink during the holiday season.
Chef Ainsley Harriot
In 2018, famed British Chef, Ainsley Harriot filmed an episode of Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen in Dominica. The episode aired on ITV in the United Kingdom on Sunday, March 10, 2019, and featured a variety of traditional Dominican delicacies and highlighted elements that truly showcase why Dominica is the Nature Island and a must-visit. The signature cocktail during this episode was Sorrel Drink, which he prepared right here at Hotel the Champs. View the episode’s trailer here: Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen Episode 8 – Dominica
Photo Credits: AINSLEY’S CARIBBEAN KITCHEN by Blue Marlin Productions
by Monique Jacob | Dec 19, 2019 | Travel Tips
Traveling internationally brings multiple questions, so we at The Champs have created this segment in our blog to offer our guests (booked and potential) some travel tips and guidelines which will help you when visiting Dominica and for travel in general. Our first topic in this segment is “Credit Card Payments“.
When it comes to payments there is little worry because International Credit & Debit Cards are widely accepted at businesses and ATMs across Dominica. However, travelers may still need to make preparations with your banks before departing for Dominica. While the main thing would be to ensure your card issuer is aware that you are in a foreign destination, here is another tip you may not have considered.
The National Bank of Dominica (NBD) is Dominica’s local bank with credit/debit card point-of-sale machines and ATMs across most businesses and popular locations on the island. This makes the island experience very convenient for most, however, NBD’s ATMs and Point-of-Sale machines aren’t currently equipped to process chip only cards (that is those Credit and Debit Cards without the active magnetic stripe). This can make payments in many places very inconvenient as most local businesses may not have a secondary machine that is chip-enabled.
While we at Hotel the Champs do have an alternate option, please contact your bank(s) or card issuer before traveling to get the magnetic stripe activated so you are not faced with any inconveniences when making payments.
We’re all about ensuring your travel convenience and we look forward to welcoming you to Dominica and Hotel the Champs very soon.
by Lise van de Kamp | Dec 12, 2019 | Hotel, Pool, Rooms, Yoga
Enjoying Yoga on The Deck
Create your personalized stay at Hotel The Champs by booking things that you would like to do and places that you would like to go. Enjoy the relaxation that you’ve been yearning for.
Yoga lovers, email direct with Lise to get the best Discounted Rate when you book direct. Escape for an exciting moment by Joining The Champs Wednesday Yoga Sunset Crew on the Deck.
What to expect at The Champs
Super-sized and comfortable King and Queen Beds, with elegantly designed head boards with extra lighting, each with a balcony overlooking the ocean. Enjoy excellent comfort and service at an Exceptional Hotel – The Champs
Book a Stay at Dominica’s Best Hotel
Innovative designed packages of horseback riding in the sea, bird watching, diving, island touring, whale watching and lots more. Come book and experience the most noteworthy comforts of Dominica’s Top Hotel The Champs.
Visit with the intention to relax or explore, rejuvenate or hike. Whatever you wish to do we will design your special package to fit your needs. Discover the exclusive experiences that lie in Dominica – the Caribbeans Nature Isle.
by Monique Jacob | Dec 8, 2019 | Construction, Hotel, Pool, Tour Operators
If you visit today, everything may not be in its expected place and we apologize for any mess.
Following the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Hotel the Champs needed to regroup, so we created a plan to come back better (and bigger). We relocated the restaurant and bar and rebuilt our jacuzzi and pool deck. These changes left us with open spaces and a new vision for the future of The Champs was born.
The Champs Green Makeover: The Green Resilience Project
Future Location of Rooms #6 & #7
Earlier in 2019, as part of our “green makeover”, we installed our solar panels and work began on reinforcing the foundations where the jacuzzi and bar were previously.
We intend to add two new Superior XL rooms on the middle level and build an extended stay apartment at the roadside level. The Superior XL rooms should be completed by Winter 2020.
Currently, we have halted all construction work through the 2019/20 high season to ensure there is no discomfort for our guests. And rest assured nothing affects our five-star rated customer service.
Finishing the details for the Poolside Bar
A new addition that guests will get to experience this season at the renovated pool deck is a mini poolside bar, which will be stocked with beers, sodas, and other canned or bottled beverages to enjoy while lounging at the pool.
We continue to welcome our guests and look forward to offering that signature Champs service to larger groups when these new rooms open in 2020.
Follow our blogs and subscribe to our newsletters for construction updates.
by Monique Jacob | Dec 8, 2019 | Hotel, Tour Operators
MORE FLIGHTS TO THE NATURE ISLAND DURING WINTER 2019
The idyllic charm of Hotel the Champs awaits our guests as increased flights are expected into Dominica during the high season. According to a release from Dominica’s tourism officials, airlines serving the island began adding flights in October and the increases are expected to remain in place into 2020. These new flights and schedule changes will make traveling to Dominica and Hotel the Champs much easier over the coming months.
Connecting from North America
Passengers connecting via San Juan, Puerto Rico can now take advantage of Silver Airways’ (formerly Seaborne Airlines) increase to daily flights into Dominica’s main airport, Douglas Charles Airport. The scheduled flights depart San Juan for Dominica at 3:15 pm and overnights in Dominica, departing for San Juan at 7:15 am. Silver Airways has codeshare/interline arrangements with American Airlines, Delta, United, and JetBlue, among others.
The French West Indies & Europe
French airline, Air Antilles added new routes and flights into both of Dominica’s airports effective October 25, 2019. The airline’s Twin Otter service will offer flights into Canefield Airport four-times-weekly from Guadeloupe. These flights depart Pointe-A-Pitre for Canefield at 4:25 pm allowing passengers from Air France, Air Caraibes, Corsair and JetBlue to conveniently connect into the island. Air Antilles’ ATR service from Pointe-A-Pitre operates daily with a morning arrival into Douglas Charles with onward connections to St. Maarten (Princess Juliana International) and San Juan, Puerto Rico. This flight returns in the evening connecting back to Point-A-Pitre. A new route on the ATR service is a three-times-weekly flight from Fort-de-France, Martinique into Douglas Charles Airport. This new service operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and also continues to St. Maarten and San Juan. Air Antilles has codeshare/ interline agreements with Air Caraibes, Air France, Corsair and Winair.
Regional Connections
In October, Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT), added three flights to its service to Douglas Charles Airport, bringing the airline’s weekly total to twenty-eight flights primarily from hubs in Antigua and Barbados, connecting Dominica to the region and beyond. LIAT has interline agreements with JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways.
For More Information
In addition to these airlines, travelers to Dominica can connect into the island on interCaribbean Airways, Windward Island Airways (WINAIR), and Air Sunshine, as well as via the fast ferry services offered by L’Express des Iles and Val Ferry. More information about air and sea connections into Dominica can be found on our How to get to Dominica page and from Discover Dominica Authority.
by Hans Schilders | Oct 26, 2019 | Hiking
Hans and I love to walk in the early mornings. On Sunday mornings we try to explore a different area if time and weather permits.
In the week we go out no later than 6am but on Sunday’s we sleep a bit later, and start around 7am.
Today we drove up to the little village of Clifton in the North of Dominica which is about
25-30 minutes driving from Hotel The Champs.
We parked the car near a small river and started walking.
On Sunday mornings you don’t find much traffic so it is safe and relaxed to walk on the beautiful road surrounded by nature.
It is amazing to see all those different colors of green. See the ocean, we could even see Ies Saints.
Feel the early morning sun warming your skin and then the little breeze to keep you cool at the same time.
While walking we came across some breadfruit trees.
Great to see it’s breadfruit season again.
Breadfruit: Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor.
Breadfruit is most commonly used as a vegetable. The starch-rich breadfruit tastes similar to potatoes.
Breadfruit trees are one of the most common trees seen across the island. A good bit of breadfruit trees survived the wrath of hurricane Maria.
We just bought some fresh breadfruit at the market on Saturday morning and the cook turned it into a great breadfruit salad. They first roast the breadfruit so it gets black on the outside. Then they peel it and chop in pieces. Fry them and add some (secret) ingredients to get a tasty salad.
Other than salad, breadfruit can be used to make alot of other foods such as fries, and even a beverage called breadfruit shake, which tastes very delicous and satisfying.
Breadfruits can be found at the market almost during the entire year as there are trees which bear year round. When you visit Hotel The Champs ask for the famous breadfruit salad, our cook will be honored treat you to the very best.
One of the most common ways to prepare breadfruit is by roasting. First of all you must wash your breadfruit, and place it on a lighted burner of the stove.
Ensure that the burner is turned down onto the lowest, in other words small flames. By doing this the breadfruit will have enough time to be roasted properly from the inside out.
The kitchen may become a bit smoky while the scent of burning will be in the air, but dont worry this is all part of roasting a breadfruit.
Allow the breadfruit to become black while roasting. When one side is black then use a towel to hold and turn the breadfruit to be roasted on the other sides. The image to the right shows how the breadfruit should be placed on the fire for roasting.
This can be a slow process but one which you will not regret and enjoy to the fullest in the end.
When your breadfruit looks like the image on the right side it is fully roasted. Turn of the stove, and give the hot breadfruit a chance to cool.
After it is cooled for about fifteen minutes, use a towel to hold and start peeling off the dark roasted skin with a knife. The food under the dark skin should be light yellow in color. Ensure that the black or outer roasted skin does not soil the yellow inside as you peel so that you can have a tidy and edible peeled breadfruit.
Now you should have a rounded peeled breadfruit ready for slicing. Cut the breadfruit into two halves. At this point you will see two different layers in the inside of the breadfruit. Slice the halves and get rid of the inner parts of the breadfruit. Now you can use the sliced breadfruits to make breadfruit salad, or lots of other fancy breadfruit recipes.
We can also share with you the best places near our place to have an enjoyable morning walk, full of relaxation and renewed energy.
Staying with us will entail a fusion of local flare and extraordinary local comfort. We have been living in Dominica for the past ten years and know all the best places to go, and enjoyable things to do and so we would love to share these with you.
Our main aim is always to ensure that our guests enjoy their time with us, so that they may have long lasting and exciting memories of life in Dominica
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