Description
Set in extensive private grounds, Relais de la Reine is conveniently located near Ranohira and the entrance to Parc National d’Isalo.
The hotel has a variety of twin and double rooms, each simply and tastefully decorated with wooden floors and en-suite facilities. Rooms are arranged at ground level around a shaded garden next to the outdoor pool. All the buildings are made of local stone, blending attractively with their natural surroundings.
Meals are served in the attractive dining room, which centres around an open fire and is ideal for cooler mornings in winter. There is also a bar in which to relax with a pre-dinner drink and chat about the day’s events.
Parc National d’Isalo is one of Madagascar’s most visited national parks due to both its stunning natural beauty and its relative ease of access. Walks with local guides are an excellent way to explore and can last from two hours to a full day and include bathing in the park’s ’piscines naturelles’, should you wish! Isalo is not renowned for its wildlife viewing but you can spot ring-tailed, brown and grey mouse lemurs as well as Verreaux’s sifaka.
Accommodation
20 twin and double rooms, each simply and tastefully decorated with wooden floors and en-suite facilities. Rooms are arranged at ground level around a shaded garden next to the outdoor pool. All the buildings are made of local stone, blending attractively with their natural surroundings.
Childcare
Although there are no specific child care facilities children are most welcome at Relais de la Reine. Food and meal times can easily be adjusted to suit younger guests and babysitting can be arranged if required.
Facilities
The hotel has a swimming pool and tennis court for guests to enjoy as well as a massage room offering a range of relaxing treatments.
Activities
An equestrian centre offers both experienced and beginner riders the chance to ride out and discover the vast areas surrounding the hotel.
For those not keen on riding it's possible to arrange guided walks and treks in Parc National d’Isalo.
When to travel
Any time of year is fine for a visit except from January to March, when heavy rainfall in many areas can make some roads all but impassable, and when there’s a high risk of cyclones in the east and northeast. In general, the best time to travel in most areas is April and October/November. The coolest time to travel anywhere is during the dry season (May to October).
Average maximum temperatures vary from about 30°C in coastal areas (higher in summer) to around 25°C on the hauts plateaux. In Antananarivo and other highland areas, temperatures during winter can drop to 10°C and even lower during the night.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Parc National d’Isalo, Southern Madagascar
Relais de la Reine is cleverly hidden among amazing rocks on the southern boundary of Isalo National Park near the village of Ranohira, Madagascar. It is 240km from Tamatave in the south west of the island.
How to get there
13-hour international flight (one stop) to Antananarivo Airport, with Kenya Airways flight. From Antananarivo, it's a 1-hour 30-minute flight to Tulear. Relais de la Reine is a 3-hour drive from the airstrip.
