As there are only a limited number of hotels on Réunion, accommodation should preferably be booked well in advance, particularly if you are travelling during peak season (November–January, March and April, July–October). Try to book at least six weeks prior to departure.
Accommodation in Réunion is divided into ‘classified’ and ‘unclassified’, with a star rating system applied to the classified hotels. It is this star system, devised by the French Government, which is reflected in this guide. Star ratings are allocated by the préfet.
Price brackets have been supplied as a guide only – rates do change regularly, according to season and demand. It is therefore better to judge a hotel by its description than by the price. In any case, if the hotel is booked as part of a package holiday including flights, the public rate is never what you, the guest, actually pay. Even for those who make their own hotel bookings direct, there could be significant discounts on the public rates at luxury, upmarket and mid-range properties. The vast majority of hotels offer considerable discounts for children and infants are often accommodated free of charge. It is worth visiting the websites of hotels as many, particularly the larger ones, publish special offers on the internet.
The price brackets are based on the hotels’ public rates for a standard double room, per room per night during high season on half board, based on two people sharing. However, budget and shoestring properties are likely to be sold on a bed and breakfast or self-catering (room only) basis.
A tax (taxe de séjour), calculated on the room rate and the duration of your stay, is payable when you settle your account. As in Mauritius, the board basis is indicated, either all-inclusive (AI), full board (FB), half board (HB), bed and breakfast (BB) or room only (RO).
There is only one five-star hotel on Réunion and the service does not compare to that in Mauritius, but accommodation with plenty of character is easy to find. As well as hotels there are guesthouses (gîtes de France), self-catering holiday rentals (meublés de tourisme, also known as furnished flats), rural farm inns (fermes auberges), mountain huts/lodges (gîtes de montagne), guesthouses/huts on hiking trails (gîtes d’étape), ‘VVF’ holiday villages and youth hostels (auberges de jeunesse).
ACCOMMODATION PRICE CODES
Double room per night on hb:
Luxury $$$$$ £450; US$711; €549
Upmarket $$$$ £200–450; US$316–711; €244–549
Mid range $$$ £100–200; US$158–316; €122–244
Budget $$ £50–100; US$80–158; €62–122
Shoestring $ up to £50; US$80; €62
GITES DE FRANCE Classified guesthouses of reasonable standard, found throughout Réunion. Can be booked as per gîtes ruraux (see below).
GITES RURAUX (For bookings, contact Centrale Régionale de Réservation de la Réunion, 5 Rue Rontaunay, 97400 St-Denis; % 0810 160 000; f 0262 418429; e resa[at]reunion-nature.com; reunion-nature.com, gitesdefrance.re; ( 09.00–17.00 Mon–Fri, 09.00–16.00 Sat) Self-catering accommodation, with owners living on the property but not in the house itself. They carry the ‘Gîtes de France’ label. Prices are typically between €230 and €1,200 per gîte per week for between two and 14 people.
CHAMBRES D’HOTE Bed and breakfast-style accommodation. These are not self-catering and the owner lives in the house; some also offer table d’hôte meals. Staying in such accommodation can be a marvellous experience as the owner and guests usually all dine together. Double rooms cost from €25 per night on BB. Table d’hôte meals start at around €18 (very worthwhile). Can be booked as per gîtes ruraux (see above).
MEUBLES DE TOURISME There are 189 furnished flats and villas, classified from one to four stars. Guides to these self-catering holiday rentals, published annually, are available at tourist offices. Those that are categorised Clé Vacances are regularly inspected and have been awarded an additional mark of quality. The Réunion Island tourism website (reunion-nature.com) contains a list of meublés de tourisme under Où dormir/types hébergement (Where to sleep/types of accommodation). Most owners insist on a minimum stay of at least two nights. Rates often depend on length of stay. No meals are provided. You can book directly with the owners.
GITES DE MONTAGNE AND REFUGES DE RANDONNEE (For bookings, contact Centrale Régionale de Réservation de la Réunion, 5 Rue Rontaunay, 97400 St-Denis; % 0810 160 000; f 0262 418429; e resa[at]reunion-nature.com; reunion-nature.com; ( 09.00–17.00 Mon–Fri, 09.00–16.00 Sat) There are 31 of these, mostly on hiking trails. Expect to pay from €14.50 per person per night.
GITES D’ETAPE Often in small villages; those with the Gîtes de France label are usually better in quality. Dinners and breakfasts prepared by hosts. No self-catering. Can be booked as per gîtes de montagne, see above.
REFUGES (rest huts) Basic. No self-catering, as meals (dinners, breakfasts) are prepared by host.
CAMPSITES There are very few campsites in Réunion and camping in state forests (just about all forests) is frowned upon.
VVF VILLAGES VACANCES FAMILLES (family holiday villages) Village de Corail, 80 Av de Bourbon, 97434 St-Gilles-les-Bains; % 0262 242939; f 0262 244102; e contact[at]villages-des-australes.com; villages-des-australes.com) There is one in St-Gilles- les-Bains offering 129 fairly basic self-catering flats. You need to become a member of the VVF organisation to stay here but you can arrange this at the time of booking. Reservations are made direct with the VVF. Self-catering studio flats cost from €51 RO.
AUBERGES DE JEUNESSE There are three youth hostels on the island, in Hell-Bourg (% 0262 474131), Entre-Deux (% 0262 395920) and Bernica, above St-Gilles-les-Bains (% 0262 228975). To use these you need to buy a membership card, which can be done at the hostel or by contacting Auberges de Jeunesse Ocean Indien, 2 Place Etienne Regnault, 97400 St-Denis (% 0262 411534; f 0262 417217; e ajoi[at]wanadoo.fr; auberge-jeunesse-reunion.com). Expect to pay around €15 for a dormitory bed.
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