The Ft. Young Hotel worked out very well for us, as we went to Dominica mainly for scuba diving. The hotel is nestled into a very old fort, and you are always having to go over the walls, or around the walls, etc. It adds to the spirit of adventure that's everywhere in Dominica.
There's a dive shop connected to the hotel, and Dive Dominica picks you up in their boat every day.
The marine environment is rated among the best in the world, and based on my experience, I believe it. The sea conditions were a bit rough the week we were there, and we got banged up a little getting on and off the boats, but it was worth it to see the world underneath the waves.
All in all the hotel was clean, the view from our waterfront room was nice, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the Waterfront Restaurant is very nice indeed! I would certainly stay in the Ft. Young Hotel if I went back to Dominica.

I traveled to Dominica with a large group; about 40 people. We stayed at the Fort Young and were VERY pleased. The food at their restaurant was good; location was fantastic (right on the Caribbean Sea); and I loved waking up every morning to the sound of the waves. If you go to Dominica, make sure you take time to do the Boiling Lake hike (if you're in shape!!!); and definitely Middleham Falls hike - it is breath-taking.

It does take some time to travel for any excursions from the Fort Young; but everything takes time there. And brace yourselves for the driving there - but their drivers are excellent; precision driving there! LOVED the staff at the Fort Young who planned all of the excursions. They were beyone helpful in arranging excursions and getting us reliable transportation. (If you can, get Clem to be your driver!!!)

And everything happens "just now" in Dominica - you're on the Caribbean time table, so be patient! It takes a while to get your check, etc, but that's just the way it is there!! :)

I hate to have to say this, but unfortunately it's true - ladies don't go out alone at night. Make sure you're with a group or at least a couple men.

Dominica was a great place and the Fort Young made it better! My only complaint (not really a complaint at all, just a comment) - for anyone who loves pools, they only have a very small pool about 3 or 4 feet deep.

We just returned from a six day stay at the Fort Young and definitely plan to return. The hotel is a great choice for business and leisure travelers. The hotel is well located in Roseau and on the water. It is a one minute walk to shops and restaurants. We stayed in a deluxe oceanfront room and thought it was great. The room was spacious enough, the bed very nice, and the bathroom was very large and well appointed. (We snooped in a suite that was being cleaned, and it looked very nice also). Additionally, the a/c worked very well and quietly (which hasn't often been our experience in the Caribbean). We needed Internet access, and the room has complimentary high speed access, so that was a real plus. The balcony overlooking the ocean was great for relaxing and reading a book. Overall the hotel is well maintained and very pretty. It even has a small gym with good equipment. We ate quite a few meals at the Fort Young - the food is good (not great - definitely worth also checking out some of the other local options), and the service is very friendly. Like most other places in the Caribbean, service is at a tropical speed, but not unpleasantly so. Although there is no beach on the property, there is a dock for access to the ocean, and a lovely pool. There is security, although we always felt safe, and it is always easy to get a cab or tour guide. We wanted to be centrally located and after seeing other properties that we had considered, we were very happy that we stayed at the Fort Young.

Dominica is not easy to get to, as the airport is too small for large, international planes. This means that to visit you either need to be on a cruise ship or arrive on a local flight from one of the other Caribbean islands. When you arrive, be prepared for a bouncy hour-long drive from the airport to Roseau, like riding a roller coaster in a van. Many people will be put off by these difficulties, which is a good thing because Dominica is far less crowded with tourists than the bigger, more accessible islands. We came from Barbados, and went back there afterwards, and the differences are very stark.

We loved the Fort Young, which was almot empty when we visited in early Dec. We had a large, comfortable deluxe ocean front room, which is definitely recommended. For US$150 you get a palatial bathroom, huge bedroom with a/c and ceiling fan, and a private balcony right on the water. The place was perfectly clean, the only sign of wear being stains in the shower ceiling. We can't comment on what the service is like when the hotel is full, but for our stay everything was very quick and efficient. Room service arrived within 15 mins and the food was hot - which has often not been the case in large hotels in the US. Check-in was a breeze, front desk staff were helpful. When we needed to find a pharmacy, the security guard did not direct us - he escorted us to the shop itself and waited to make sure that they had what we needed!

The food in the hotel was adequate but not as good on the more developed islands, and almost as expensive. The main menu was the same every night except for a few specials which changed. We didn't venture to other restaurants, but we will next time. Breakfast was the best meal, with a large and varied buffet. We also enjoyed the Friday night party on the boardwalk, where the food was served outside under the stars. The local beer, and the cocktails were both delicious.

We've read complaints about the cruise ships blocking the view, but our room was closest to the dock, and there was a ship there most days. Not only did it not spoil the view, when it was lit up at night it was really beautiful.

You see more of the real Dominica when you wander around Roseau. Away from the waterfront, the buildings are more primitive, with many of the houses just tin shacks. Goats and chickens wander the narrow streets. Tourists are still a novelty, and you should not expect people to respond as they do on the more travelled islands. Everyone we met, both in and out of the hotel, was very concerned that visitors enjoy their stay and spread a good word.

We organised various excursions through the tour company Khatts based in the hotel, and they were both efficient and very flexible when we kept changing our minds. We went to Dominica for the scuba diving, which was just incredible. We saw 10 turtles on 1 dive, then came up to find the boat surrounded by 100 dolphins. We also went on a whale-watching boat and saw 10 sperm whales, and did the trip to Trafalgar Falls and the Titou Gorge, which was great fun. Be prepared for the water in the gorge to be cold!

The old part of the hotel looked far less nice than the new part where we stayed, so it's definitely worth the extra money to get an ocean front room. We hope that the ceiling stains are not an indication that the new part will be left unmaintained, because that would be a real shame. It's a lovely hotel in a beautiful spot.

One final point: the island's rainy season lasts for 9 months, and it rained every day we were there. Just showers, which quickly passed, and didn't ruin any of our plans because we were mostly under the water anyway. But if you plan to spend much time in the interior of the island, rain gear is a good idea. Also a good idea to book your airport transfers through the hotel.