Your stay — Hotel de Jacamelienne
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The Property — Hotel de Jacamelienne
The Hotel de Jacamelienne is a modest, three-star property occupying a handsome colonial-era building near the waterfront. Its lobby smells faintly of polish and sea air, with high ceilings and original tile work that hint at Jacmel’s 19th-century prosperity. The rooftop terrace offers a clear view over the iron-balconied centre and the bay beyond. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want authentic Creole character rather than resort amenities, and who are happy to walk five minutes to a beach or café.
Chronicles of Jacmel
Founded in 1698 by French settlers on a natural harbour, Jacmel grew rich through coffee and cotton exports during the 18th and 19th centuries. That era left a legacy of wrought-iron balconies, pastel-painted wooden houses and neo‑classical public buildings, earning it the nickname ‘the Paris of the Caribbean’. Hurricane Matthew in 2016 damaged many structures, but a steady restoration effort has revived the historic centre. Today the city is Haiti’s artistic and carnival heart, famous for its papier-mâché mask makers, and it hosts the annual Jacmel Carnival in February. Its relaxed pace and strong creative community distinguish it from the busier, more tourist-driven north coast.
Best Time to Visit
Full Jacmel guide →Best months
January to March offer the driest weather, clear skies and temperatures around 27°C. The carnival buzz in February is a major draw, but crowds remain manageable outside the parade days.
Peak / festival surge
February is the peak month thanks to Jacmel’s famous Carnival (Mardi Gras). Hotel prices can double, and rooms book out weeks ahead. The festivities include parades, street parties and mask competitions that fill the town with locals and diaspora visitors.
Budget shoulder season
April and November are the best shoulder months. Rains are infrequent, humidity is lower than in July–August, and hotel rates drop 20–40% below February highs. You’ll find quiet streets and easier access to nearby beaches like Bassin Bleu.
Weather & packing
Jacmel has a dry season from December to March and a wetter (but not monsoon‑like) season from April to November. Pack a high‑SPF sun hat, breathable long trousers for evening mosquito protection, and a light waterproof jacket for sudden afternoon downpours in June.
Live City Briefing — Jacmel
- The Jacmel Municipal Council has completed the repaving of Rue du Commerce, the main shopping street, improving access from the hotel to the iron market and waterfront.
- A new domestic air route from Port‑au‑Prince to Jacmel Airport launched last year, operated by Sunrise Airways, cutting the road journey from 3 hours to 25 minutes – check schedules in advance as flights are still weather‑dependent.
- Construction on the new Jacmel water treatment plant began this spring; completion is expected by 2027. Visitors should continue to drink only bottled or boiled water.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hotel de Jacamelienne, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first floor (upper level) at the back of the building, away from Rue Saint Anne. These rooms get less street noise and have higher ceilings due to the colonial architecture. The absence of a lift makes upstairs rooms quieter, as foot traffic from the lobby and ground-floor common areas is minimal.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms overlooking Rue Saint Anne. They suffer from street noise (pedestrians, motorbikes, market activity) and you’ll hear every step from the floor above. Also skip any room directly above the main entrance or lobby – the lack of insulation in a two-storey colonial building means voices and door sounds carry.
Best views
Back-facing rooms on the first floor likely overlook a courtyard or neighbouring rooftops with glimpses of the Jacmel coast in the distance. Front-facing rooms on Rue Saint Anne get views of the street and colonial facades, but with the noise trade-off.
Quietest floors
First floor only (the upper level). The building has two storeys, so the first floor is the quieter option. No rooms above that floor, so no upstairs noise.
🔊 Noise notes
Rue Saint Anne is a narrow street in central Jacmel, with motorbikes, tap-taps, and street vendors active from early morning until late evening. The hotel’s colonial construction means thin walls and single-glazed windows – street noise penetrates easily. No lift means footfall on stairs is audible in adjacent rooms.
Insider tips
1. Parking: Use the public car park on Rue du Commerce (100 HTG for 24 hours). It’s a 5-minute walk and cheaper than any attempt to park on Rue Saint Anne, which is tight and often clogged. 2. WiFi is basic and slow (2–5 Mbps). Download offline maps and queue your content before arrival. There’s no paid upgrade, so plan around connectivity if you need video calls.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hotel de Jacamelienne
Free basic WiFi in lobby and all rooms (2–5 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload) – no login or password needed; no paid upgrade.
No lift – the hotel is a converted two-storey colonial building with stairs only.
No digital newsstand or physical newspapers provided. The building dates from the early 1900s with original wrought-iron balconies and a central courtyard.
Check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop allowed from 10:00 if room not ready. Late check-out until 12:00 free, after 12:00 charged 50% of one night's rate.
Free for same-day arrivals/departures; longer-term storage available on request for 10 USD (approx 1,150 HTG) per day.
No step-free access – there are two steps at the main entrance and stairs throughout. Not wheelchair accessible. Ground-floor rooms exist but require navigating the entrance steps.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park on Rue du Commerce (6 HTG/hour, 24-hour rate 100 HTG) – 5-minute walk. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; 100 USD (approx 11,500 HTG) incidental hold on a credit card at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Place of worship: Jacmel Bahà'i Center (303 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: eglise wesleyenne de jacmel (479 m · ~6 min walk)
- Church: Église de Jésus-Christ des saints des derniers jours (598 m · ~7 min walk)
- Church: Cathedrale st Jacques et St. Philippe (609 m · ~8 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Place D'Armes — 451 m · ~6 min walk
maison de tourisme — 969 m · ~12 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 605 m · ~8 min walk
pay less — 419 m · ~5 min walk
epicerie la releve — 610 m · ~8 min walk
station marcher gefrard — 817 m · ~10 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Haitian Gourde, HTG
Exchange US dollars at local banks or reputable exchange houses in Jacmel; avoid the airport in Port-au-Prince and tourist-oriented bureaux that give poor rates.
Major credit cards accepted in some hotels and upscale restaurants, but cash is king everywhere else; contactless and mobile pay are rare.
Restaurants: 10% service charge often added, but leave 5-10% extra if service is good. Taxis: round up fare or tip 50-100 HTG. Hotel staff: 100-200 HTG per bag for porters, daily 200-500 HTG for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Street-side coffee from a kiosk or local café – around 50-100 HTG.
Plate of griot (fried pork) or legume (vegetable stew) with rice and beans from a small restaurant – about 250-400 HTG.
Grilled fish or chicken with plantains and pikliz at a local eatery – main around 350-500 HTG.
Along Rue Saint Anne and the waterfront promenade, vendors sell grilled corn, fritay (fried snacks like akra, marinad), and fresh mangoes for 50-150 HTG.
Small supermarkets like Supermarché Saveur or Magasin Saint Joseph are common for staples, but most locals buy from market stalls for produce.
Marché en Fer (Iron Market) in downtown Jacmel for second-hand clothes and affordable local tailoring; no high-street chains here.
Tap-taps (shared pickup trucks) cost 25-50 HTG per ride within town. From Port-au-Prince airport, take a shared tap-tap or bus to Jacmel (approx 300-500 HTG) – avoid private taxis.
Eat at lunchtime street stalls or small 'cantine' restaurants for the best value. Haggle gently in markets and with street vendors. Carry small denomination HTG notes to avoid needing change, as many traders have none.
Emergency Contacts
JacmelDial 114 for police (same as national emergency number). Ambulance services are scarce; private hospitals like Hôpital Saint-Michel (509 22 86 0192) may assist. Fire services reachable at 115 or 116. For any emergency, contact the local police station in Jacmel: +509 22 86 0206. Note: response times can be very slow; keep a satellite phone or local contact handy.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Jacmel, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hotel de Jacamelienne
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 605 m · ~8 min walk — pharmacy · pay less — 419 m · ~5 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Jacmel market zone (Marche de Jacmel) → Hotel de Jacamelienne
💡 Flag down any brightly painted pickup truck heading toward Rue du Commerce. Tell the driver 'otèl Jakamelien' – they’ll drop you near the gate. Keep small change ready.
Port-au-Prince bus terminal (near Marche de la Croix-des-Bossales) → Jacmel bus station (Route de la Montagne)
💡 Sit on the left side for ocean views after Leogane. Expect a dusty, bumpy ride – bring a scarf for your mouth and nose. From Jacmel station, it's a 10-minute walk or 50 gourde moto-taxi to the hotel.
Jacmel city centre (Place de la Liberation) → Hotel de Jacamelienne
💡 Haggle before riding – 50 gourdes is fair for one person. Hold on tight; drivers weave through potholes. Ask for a helmet; they often have one under the seat.
Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) → Hotel de Jacamelienne, Jacmel
💡 Negotiate the fare in advance. Your hotel can arrange a reliable driver for about 100 USD – much safer than hailing one at the airport.
About Jacmel
Wikipedia ↗
Jacmel (French pronunciation: [ʒakmɛl] ; Haitian Creole: Jakmèl) is a commune in southern Haiti previously founded by the Spanish in 1504 before the relocation of the Dominicans to the eastern side of the island after the Devastations of Osorio and repopulated by the French in 1698. It is the capita...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Request a room on the first floor (upper level) at the back of the building, away from Rue Saint Anne. These rooms get less street noise and have higher ceilings due to the colonial architecture. The absence of a lift makes upstairs rooms quieter, as foot traffic from the lobby and ground-floor common areas is minimal.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Avoid ground-floor rooms overlooking Rue Saint Anne. They suffer from street noise (pedestrians, motorbikes, market activity) and you’ll hear every step from the floor above. Also skip any room directly above the main entrance or lobby – the lack of insulation in a two-storey colonial building means voices and door sounds carry.
Is Hotel de Jacamelienne noisy?
Rue Saint Anne is a narrow street in central Jacmel, with motorbikes, tap-taps, and street vendors active from early morning until late evening. The hotel’s colonial construction means thin walls and single-glazed windows – street noise penetrates easily. No lift means footfall on stairs is audible in adjacent rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Back-facing rooms on the first floor likely overlook a courtyard or neighbouring rooftops with glimpses of the Jacmel coast in the distance. Front-facing rooms on Rue Saint Anne get views of the street and colonial facades, but with the noise trade-off.
What are insider tips for staying at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
1. Parking: Use the public car park on Rue du Commerce (100 HTG for 24 hours). It’s a 5-minute walk and cheaper than any attempt to park on Rue Saint Anne, which is tight and often clogged. 2. WiFi is basic and slow (2–5 Mbps). Download offline maps and queue your content before arrival. There’s no paid upgrade, so plan around connectivity if you need video calls.
What time is check-in at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Check-in at Hotel de Jacamelienne is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hotel de Jacamelienne have Wi-Fi?
Free basic WiFi in lobby and all rooms (2–5 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload) – no login or password needed; no paid upgrade.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hotel de Jacamelienne?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Plate of griot (fried pork) or legume (vegetable stew) with rice and beans from a small restaurant – about 250-400 HTG.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hotel de Jacamelienne?
Tap-taps (shared pickup trucks) cost 25-50 HTG per ride within town. From Port-au-Prince airport, take a shared tap-tap or bus to Jacmel (approx 300-500 HTG) – avoid private taxis.
When is the best time to visit Jacmel?
January to March offer the driest weather, clear skies and temperatures around 27°C. The carnival buzz in February is a major draw, but crowds remain manageable outside the parade days.
Top Attractions in Jacmel
💡 Go early, around 7am, to avoid crowds and see fishermen hauling in boats. Don't leave valuables on the sand.
💡 Sunday mass at 9am is energetic — live choir and drums. Dress respectfully (cover shoulders and knees). No photography during service.
💡 Bring small bills (gourdes, not dollars). Haggle gently — a 10–15% reduction is normal. Go in the morning when produce is fresh; by noon it's mostly empty.
💡 Sit on a bench around 5pm — that's when kids play, old men play dominoes, and the light makes the buildings glow.
💡 Entry costs about 50 Haitian gourdes (roughly 30p). Ask the caretaker to show you the back room — that's where the real craftsmanship happens. Takes 20 minutes max.