I (a white Brooklynite who's been traveling to Haiti to visit friends since the 90s) stayed here with my husband, my five year old stepson, and my husband's stepbrother (all born and raised in Port au Prince).

Knowing what you get in Haiti, this place is pretty good. Front desk service is very slow but pleasant, the guys at the bar are annoying but manageable and the food is buffet style and not bad by either blanc or Haitian standards. Food and drink are available until 10pm on weekends. The beach is man-made and rocky, but the water is warm and clean. The pool is really dirty, but it's laid out lagoon-style and it's perfect for kids (there were a LOT of families there)- water depth ranges from a 1-foot wading area to 4 feet at its deepest point. My stepson LOVED it so much that he got over his fear of water and learned how to swim. My husband and his stepbrother LOVED the basketball court. You can bring your own ball or leave a $20 (u.s.) deposit at the front desk and they'll lend you one. Although the beach area was decently stocked with deck chairs, a volleyball net and soccer goals, I preferred the pool area. It had several different levels to lounge around by and they played really good music over the loudspeakers. WiFi works in the reception and dining areas. We used my iPhone to check our email.

Accommodations are, as to be expected, overpriced for what you get, but that's just Haiti. If you can afford to splash out, I recommend getting the Deluxe cottage- the units are spread out decently, so noise wasn't really an issue, the hot water worked, our cottage was clean and it was nice to get American cable on the flatscreen tv.

One thing that I really liked about Kaliko Beach Club was that I'd say about 90 percent of the guests (both day visitors and hotel guests) were Haitians on a local getaway- a good mix of low-key middle- and upper-class folks, which was a nice change from the creepy blanc missionaries and ridiculous rich people I usually encounter when not just kicking it in my husband's 'hood. We chatted with several really nice couples and the stepson had a blast playing with a bunch of kids his age. It really did feel like a nice getaway for all of us.

We stayed several times at the Kaliko and enjoyed very much the friendly, calm atmosphere of the club. Although there is no sandy beach, it's all little stones, we enjoyed the beach. We had to get used to the souvenir dealers and boat trip sellers who are always around but are very friendly. The cuisine is a whole catastrophe and finally the reason why we will not come back very soon. The hotel is also visited regularly by large groups of religious fundamentalists and catastrophy tourists, which is either a laugh or really disturbing.

I stayed at this hotel as part of a Christian missionary group. There were a few others there, as well. This hotel is about an hour or an hour and a half away from Port-au-Prince, depending on how you drive. (Driving in Haiti is an extended game of chicken.) This hotel is very nice - GREAT for Haiti. It’s right on the beach, although it is a pebble beach - there is no sand and I had to wear my flip-flops into the water. There is a security guard at night (although he’s not particularly threatening). There is a very nice pool (although it could use a bit more skimming). There is a magnificent view of Ile la Gonave from the beach.

This hotel is a series of cabins. My own cabin was huge and had its own TV (not all of them do and they receive the New York cable feed). There is WiFi here, but I only noticed it working in a small area by the pool.

Now, this is Haiti so you’ll have to put up with some small inconveniences. When I first turned on the water, a substance resembling Coca Cola came out. Electricity goes off during the day. My shower only ran cold (but it was summer so even cold was warm). When I checked in, they neglected to give me towels. I asked and they said they’d put some in my room, but they didn’t. I later went up to the front desk and they were out. As I said, it’s Haiti and all this is minor stuff - I just dried myself with the bath mat.

Being in Haiti, it will do nothing to be raving about. The front desk staff is the worst I have seen from any where in the world I have visited or lived. If the management could train the front desk staff like the dining area staff when it comes to customer satisfaction, that would be a plus. The bar staff is as irritating and useless as the front desk staff.