#2001: Jacmel (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Ninaclara@aol.com


This may seem kind of twisted given my recent posting about the murder of the 
French family in Jacmel but I just want to note that I really think that 
Jacmel is basically very safe for people wanting to visit there. I would hate 
to discourage any potential visitors.  I note this especially for people who 
may have been thinking about going to Jacmel for Carnival this year. I went 
last year and had a wonderful time and have visited Jacmel a number of times 
since then. Every time I've gone I've seen many, many tourists and visitors 
in Jacmel and they seem to be doing very well. Unlike Port-au-Prince most 
businesses do not have armed security guards at the doors and aside from the 
recent murders I have not heard of any problems. The road from Kafou all the 
way to Jacmel is paved. It has even been separated by white lines and 
reflector lights. From Port-au-Prince to Jacmel the drive is not more than 
two hours and can easily by done by any fairly decent rental car. For more 
adventurous tourists I would note that I recently walked/rode horseback to 
Jacmel via Seguin, where there is a wonderful guest house (information about 
the guest house can be found in the Lonely Planet guidebook). In Jacmel there 
are so many visitors that several wonderful new businesses have opened. I 
would note two in particular:

Hotel Florita
Rue Du Commerce # 29
hotelflorita@globelsud.net
288-2805 tel
288-3182 fax

Hotel Florita is gorgeous; probably the most beautiful home I've seen in 
Haiti. It is a three story nineteenth century French home imported to Haiti 
once owned by Seldon Rodman and now turned into a guesthouse by an American 
investor, Joe Cross. The courtyard is stunning: faded pink brick, water 
fountain and towering almond and flower trees. For the moment I believe there 
are three individual bedrooms available and two suites (the other rooms are 
temporarily rented by a Danish film crew.) The rooms are all furnished with 
19th and 20th century antiques bought in Haiti and decorated with paintings 
and flags by local artists. Each room has an adjoining bathroom with hot 
water and there is 24 hr electricity. The hotel is also stocked with English 
language books, everything ranging from novels to historical works on Haiti, 
art books etc. The rooms are $50 U.S. a night. Meals can be cooked by the 
hotel staff at request of visitors but note that the hotel is located near La 
Crevette. The prices there have gone up but you can still get whole lobsters, 
rice and french fries for $35 Haitian. 

Baiser Sucre
Rue St. Anne (I don't remember the exact number but it is two doors down from 
the back entrance of Hotel Florita)

Baiser Sucre is a bakery that sells delicious croissants, pizza and various 
patisserie.