Eight Rooms, No Kids Club: Is The Champs Right for Your Family?

Eight rooms, no kids club, and a hillside perch above Prince Rupert Bay: The Champs is a boutique property in Portsmouth that suits active families who plan to spend most of their time out exploring Dominica — not poolside at a resort. At approximately $386/night for a family of four during peak season (December–April), it positions itself as a base for adventure rather than an all-in-one family resort, and that framing matters when deciding whether it’s the right fit.

Key Highlights

• Star rating: 3-star boutique hotel
• Price: $$$ — from approximately $386/night for a family of 4 during peak season (December–April), including taxes and service charges
• Family rooms: Yes — Superior XL Rooms sleep up to four with king or twin XL beds plus a pull-out sofa
• Complimentary breakfast: Cooked-to-order, included daily
• Outdoor pool: Two pool areas, including one with a panoramic bay view
• Water sports on-site: Snorkeling and scuba available
• Kids club: None
• All-inclusive: No
• Beachfront: No

A Small Hotel Built Around Getting Outside

The Champs has no waterslide, no kids club, and no structured children’s programming — and that’s not a flaw if your family travels to explore rather than to be entertained in-house. The hotel can arrange guided island tours directly, and on-site you have access to snorkeling and scuba, which gives school-age children and teenagers a tangible activity without leaving the property. Horseback riding is also available through the hotel.

The Superior XL Rooms are practical for families: a king or twin XL configuration plus a pull-out sofa accommodates four without doubling up on rooms. In-room refrigerators and coffee makers add everyday convenience, particularly relevant given that there’s no grocery store nearby — having fridge space for drinks and snacks picked up elsewhere matters on a non-all-inclusive stay. Bay-view terraces, flat-screen TVs, and air conditioning round out the room setup.

On-site dining covers a restaurant, a pizzeria with a panoramic terrace, and room service, so evening meals are manageable without leaving the property. Beyond breakfast — which is included — all meals are charged separately.

The hotel also provides loaner cell phones and a local area shuttle, both genuinely useful in a destination like Dominica where independent navigation can be less straightforward for visitors unfamiliar with the island.

For families who enjoy active holidays, browse family-friendly tours and activities to plan excursions around Dominica’s national parks, rivers, and coastline in advance.

Getting There and What’s Around You

The hotel sits on Banana Trail, Blanca Heights, Portsmouth — a hillside address that delivers the bay views but does involve some walking across uneven terrain. Families travelling with pushchairs or anyone with limited mobility should factor that in before booking.

Coconut Beach is an 8-minute walk, making it the most accessible beach option. Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley, Indian River, and Purple Turtle Beach are all within a 5–10-minute drive — a realistic day-trip radius for families who use the hotel’s shuttle or hire a car. Batibou Beach, widely considered one of Dominica’s most attractive stretches of sand, is a 30–35-minute drive, doable as a half-day excursion. There is no grocery store nearby, so plan food and supplies accordingly.

What Recent Guests Say

• The hotel’s location is a consistent highlight across guest feedback, with many reviewers noting it is within easy walking distance of major attractions, shops, restaurants, and the Champs-Élysées.
• Staff quality receives sharply divided reviews — several guests describe the team as friendly and attentive, while multiple others report dismissive, rude, or unprofessional behavior from certain staff members.
• Breakfast is a repeated point of dissatisfaction, with several guests citing disorganization, unclear ordering processes, and tables left uncleared as notable shortcomings.
• The limited size of the elevator is mentioned by more than one reviewer, with guests noting it struggles to accommodate more than one person with luggage at a time.
• Room cleanliness and comfort are positively noted across multiple reviews, with guests generally finding the rooms well-maintained and pleasant.

Who This Hotel Suits — and Who Might Want to Look Elsewhere

The Champs works well for families with school-age children and teenagers who are self-directed travellers: kids who will engage with snorkeling, hiking in Cabrits National Park, or an Indian River boat tour without needing a resort-style activity schedule to keep them occupied. The intimate scale — eight rooms — means a quieter, less chaotic environment than a large resort, which some families will value.

It is less suited to families with toddlers or younger children who rely on structured programming, splash features, or dedicated kids’ spaces. The hillside layout and absence of a nearby grocery store are also practical considerations. Guest reviews flag inconsistency in staff interactions and breakfast service as genuine variables — not deal-breakers for everyone, but worth knowing before arrival.

Families expecting an all-inclusive experience will need to look elsewhere. Meals beyond breakfast are an additional cost, and with no grocery nearby, food budgeting requires some planning.

For the full amenities breakdown and Family Fit rating details, see our full Resort Finder profile for The Champs.

Check Prices