The place you choose to escape to is only as good as the hotels that let you get away from it all once you get there.

Fortunately, for travelers who love or have yet to explore Martinique, the island offers some very desirable accommodations.

For a small island, Martinique offers a wealth of varying landscapes, opportunities for adventure and romantic, intimate get-aways well situated to make the most of dramatic views.

With its excellent terrace restaurant overlooking the stunning aquamarine sea and the famous Diamond Rock, Diamant les Bains is one of the island's most popular hotels.

The charming hotel features access to the white-sand beach, a swimming pool, a glorious garden, air-conditioned bungalows and the first-rate restaurant, which serves Creole and French food.

For sports fans, windsurfing, diving, trailing, sea excursions, riding and tennis are only five minutes away.

For those who prize pampering, Maison d'Hotes Plein Soleil offers a warm welcome. The hotel has been described as intimate, cool and romantic, all the ingredients that a dream vacation is made of. The hotel's 16 breezy rooms in five villas are surrounded by lush vegetation. You'll sample Martinique's delicacies at the inviting terrace of the restaurant, which offers a breathtaking view of Le Fran?ois Bay.

If you prefer the amenities of an inn, the charming hilltop gingerbread-trimmed Fr'gate Bleue can provide an oasis of calm. The inn features seven spacious suites, each with a commanding view of the sea.

Part of the inn's charm is that each suite is uniquely decorated with antiques, Persian rugs and four-poster beds. Breakfast is served on your private terrace, by the pool or in the garden gazebo.

You can swim in the inn's pool, relax in the surrounding gardens or enjoy nearby restaurants, museums, boutiques, sand beaches and tennis courts. Guests can also take advantage of water sports such as windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sailing and yachting.

Martinique's distinctive architecture reveals much about the island's history and that charm is well captured in Domaine Saint Aubin, a beautifully restored, 19th century, Louisiana-style property. A breathtaking view begins at the hotel's front door, where you can admire the sea behind the mansion. The mansion's 12 rooms are decorated with mahogany furniture and the expansive grounds feature gardens "' la Fran?aise."

In the evenings, guests can savor exquisite meals served in the opulent dining room, cooled by sea breezes.