1 Relais de l’Hermitage Saint-Gilles
Saint-Gilles les Bains - 123 Avenue Leconte de Lisle
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With a distance of only 60 kilometres from north to south and from west to east, one would think that it would be easy to choose where to stay in Reunion. However, the intense volcanic features of the island, with mountain ranges in the heart of the territory, mean that travel times can be considerably longer to reach the various points.
Depending on your travel needs, it is important to carefully select where to stay in Reunion. Between beach resorts by the ocean, large cities, but also more remote inland areas, the possibilities are numerous and lead to very different stays.
In fact, one must remember that although the distances as the crow flies seem very short, travelling by car is very different: the island is often congested and the travel time to get around is not to be underestimated. An estimated 1 hour drive can quickly become 1.5 or even 2 hours if traffic jams have formed on the main roads.
Furthermore, although it is possible to visit Reunion all year round, some months are more popular than others and it is important to book your accommodation as early as possible. Peak seasons are the July/August school holidays, the dry season, and during the winter (December and January), when many holidaymakers escape the cold winter to enjoy pleasant weather by the ocean.
The west coast holds the most enchanting beach resorts, serving as an excellent base for holidaymakers seeking ocean-side sunshine and pleasant temperatures. It is particularly suitable for a longer trip, usually at the end of the stay after visiting the cirques and the rest of the island.
The most popular area for accommodation is in the far west, between Boucan-Canot and Saint-Leu, via Saint-Gilles les Bains, the largest and liveliest town, with several restaurants, especially on the waterfront. It is on this coast that most of Reunion’s five-star hotels are located. And the overall room prices are higher than on the rest of the island.
In this area, you can easily indulge in various activities: scuba diving, snorkelling, sea excursions to meet dolphins (or even whales depending on the season). But also quad biking, paragliding or mountain biking on the Piton Maido slope. It is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.
Lastly, it is home to a magnificent, wide beach of fine white sand: L’Ermitage beach, considered the most beautiful on the island. It stretches for several kilometres between Saint-Gilles and La Saline. Also pleasant are the beaches of Saint-Leu, but especially Boucan-Canot.
The south of the island, generally between Saint-Louis and Saint-Joseph, offers a few towns and places to sleep. With a few beaches, which are smaller and wilder than those in the west, and unmissable points of interest, it is worth considering when staying on Reunion.
Helicopters fly over the island from the Saint-Pierre heliport, which, despite its price, is a very popular and sought-after activity. Or the Langevin waterfall in Grand Galet, probably the most famous, where you can also go canyoning, and the beach at Grande Anse, a beautiful place to enjoy the sunset, or a visit to the Saga du Rhum, a museum dedicated to rum made in Reunion, in the heart of the famous Isautier distillery.
There is a wide range of accommodation on offer in this southern part of the country, but these are mainly rental flats and pensions. If you are looking for hotels in this area, you will find them mainly in Saint-Pierre, which is lively and full of restaurants, especially on the waterfront.
As part of a touring trip, 2 or 3 nights are usually allocated in the south, an area that allows you to be within a reasonable distance of some of the places to visit and see during your stay.
Accessible only from the east of Riunion, this area is an essential passage point for any traveller to the island to admire the beautiful green landscapes on the mountain slopes, where nature is omnipresent. Among the places not to be missed: the Bride’s Veil waterfall, the Trou de Fer or the panorama from the Bélouves lodge, the cirque of glacial origin that can be accessed from the D48, some 30 km from Saint-André (on the east coast).
It is also home to the village of Hell-Bourg, considered one of the most beautiful in France. It is known for its Creole huts of colonial architecture. Despite its size, it has a few restaurants as well as lodges and hotels where you can stay.
Although Hell-Bourg is the prettiest village to stay in, you can also find other accommodation options in Salazie, only 6 km by car from Hell-Bourg, and in Grand-Ilet, about fifteen kilometres west of the village of Salazie, often chosen by hikers intending to go to Mafate via the Col des Bœufs. It is in fact the last hamlet where it is possible to sleep before reaching it.
Cilaos is the capital of the cirque of the same name: in terms of its size, it can even be compared to a large village, but you should know that it is located in the mountains, at the bottom of a ‘cul de sac’, a good hour’s drive from Saint-Louis, the nearest coastal town, which can be reached by a single, very winding road, also known as the 420-curve road.
The advantage of sleeping in Cilaos during a stay at the Riunion is multiple. On the one hand, the cirque of Cilaos offers a multitude of things to do, including access to the Piton des Neiges hike, the highest peak on the island, which requires leaving at dawn, canyoning in the Bras Rouge or Fleur Jaune gorges and the possibility of easier, less demanding hikes to enjoy its mountain village atmosphere.
On the other hand, its remoteness requires spending one or more nights. In fact, it is an extremely popular base among hikers and it is necessary to book the various hotels and accommodations (gîtes and rentals) well in advance.
Among the hikes to be made in Riunion, climbing the Piton de la Fournaise is undoubtedly one of the best. This still active volcano reaches an altitude of over 2600 metres and offers superb views during the ascent and at the summit. The round trip takes about 5-6 hours.
It is located in the south-east of the island, accessed from the Pas de Bellecombe car park on the west side and is a few hours’ drive from the Plaine des Cafres, and a little more from Palmistes.
Choosing to sleep in one of these places allows you to be as close as possible to the start of the hike. The latter is in fact to be preferred early in the morning to increase the chances in terms of weather, since clouds often rise at the end of the morning.
Due to this extremely inconvenient geographical position, however, it is not advisable to stay in this area to explore the island if you are not planning to climb the volcano. Isolated from everything except the starting point of the volcano hike, the Cafres plain is mainly a place of passage.
For those who enjoy special activities, it is possible to discover lava tunnels formed by ancient eruptions of the volcano. This access is only possible accompanied by a professional guide and is located on the eastern side. Departures are from Sainte-Rose, about an hour’s drive away. This extraordinary activity alone can justify staying an extra night in the area.
Saint-Denis is the main town and capital of the island. Located in the north, it hosts the international airport through which you will arrive.
With its colonial past, it boasts some Creole houses that bear witness to this era. It is therefore interesting to come here to explore it on foot, immerse yourself in its atmosphere, visit its museums, markets, cathedral and Creole houses, but even so, only one day is enough to discover it.
It is therefore not necessary to sleep here, since it has no beach, not even nearby, and its location is not central, especially since it is subject to frequent traffic jams. However, it allows access in less than 1 hour to some points of interest in the East such as the Grand Hazier vanilla plantation and Takamaka.
We recommend sleeping in Saint-Denis, only as a night of service, on arrival or departure at inconvenient times, and then continuing on to other destinations on the island.
The eastern part of Reunion is the least touristy compared to the rest of the island. However, it holds some places to discover and activities to do, which justifies a short stay in the area. In fact, it is here that you will find the access points to Takamaka, a valley offering beautiful views, to the lava tunnels near Sainte-Rose (caving activity to be done with a guide) and to the Marsouins River, the only place in Reunion suitable for rafting.
The main towns to stay in are Sainte-Rose, Saint-Benoît and Saint-André, further north. As Saint-André is also the entry point of the road leading to the Cirque des Salazie, it is logically here that the greatest number of accommodations can be found and can be reached in less than an hour’s drive. However, the offer is relatively limited and with a few exceptions, it is only rental accommodation.
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