Published
Updated September 2026

Cheap Accommodation in Reunion Island: 10 options from €0

From free wild camping to budget hotels, via couchsurfing, wwoofing and mountain gîtes (hikers' guesthouses): 10 ways to cut your accommodation costs and keep more for activities.

10solutions€5-60for the paid onesThe appSLE974

Accommodation is often the single biggest expense of a trip to Reunion Island, especially in high season. The good news is that the island offers far more than a choice between Airbnb and a hotel.

Here are 10 options, based on traveller feedback and local know-how, ranked from 100% free to cheap private rooms. For each: the real price, the pros, the cons, and a practical tip.

Getting around is worth planning at the same time as where you sleep. There are two ways to play it: a campervan (covered further down), which rolls your bed and your transport into one, or a hire car to link campsites, gîtes and trailheads. If you go for the car, check prices across rental firms before booking: on a tight budget, the gap between two companies soon adds up.

Contents

10 options ranked by budget

  1. 1
    Wild camping
    Free
    Free
  2. 2
    House-sitting
    Free
    Free
  3. 3
    Couchsurfing
    Free
    Free
  4. 4
    Wwoofing
    Free (in exchange for work)
    Free
  5. 5
    Campsites
    €5 to €30 / night
    Very low
  6. 6
    Youth hostels
    €15-30 dorm / €40-60 private room
    Very low
  7. 7
    Mountain gîtes
    €20 dorm / €40+ room / €50-60 half-board
    Low
  8. 8
    Budget hotels
    €50-60 double room
    Low
  9. 9
    Short-term rentals
    €30-60 / night (studios)
    Low
  10. 10
    Subletting
    Pro rata (around €150-300 a month)
    Low
The details

The 10 options: prices and tips

A wild-camping tent in the Salazie cirque facing the mountains
Solution 01100% free
FreeFree

Wild camping

Sleep in some of the island's most beautiful spots for €0, at authorised wild-camping sites: by the sea, up near the volcano, on the summit of Maïdo, in the cirques. The ‘Sous les Étoiles 974’ app lists checked spots. Tents must come down at daybreak.

Pros
  • +Completely free
  • +A different view every morning
  • +Plenty of authorised spots
Cons
  • -Weather-dependent
  • -You have to keep moving
  • -Gear to carry
Tip

Pick flat ground, grassy if possible, and higher ground if rain is forecast. Bring an extra tarp, and always a bin bag to take your rubbish home.

See the 31 wild-camping spots
A set of keys being handed over, the house-sitting concept in Reunion Island
Solution 02
FreeFree

House-sitting

Stay in the home of a local family while they spend a few weeks in mainland France, in exchange for looking after the garden, the pets and the house. Listings appear on LeBonCoin (the French classified-ads site) and local Facebook groups (‘Annexe D.R.I.M.’, ‘Garde Kaz 974’, kaz being Creole for house), mostly in French.

Pros
  • +A whole home, free
  • +The comfort of a real house
  • +Local immersion
Cons
  • -Daily chores expected
  • -Few listings available
  • -Need to respond fast
Tip

Join the Facebook groups 2 months before your trip, and reply within the hour to any promising listing. In the cool season (July-August, the French summer holidays), more islanders travel to mainland France, so more listings appear.

A group of travellers and hosts around a table, the couchsurfing spirit
Solution 03
FreeFree

Couchsurfing

The long-running platform that puts travellers in touch with locals who have a sofa or a spare room. Sign up at couchsurfing.com, build a profile with references, then send personal requests to hosts on the island.

Pros
  • +Free
  • +Genuine cultural encounters
  • +Direct local advice
Cons
  • -It all depends on the host
  • -Hard to book far ahead
  • -An unspoken expectation that you give back
Tip

Read other travellers' reviews before sending a request. Bring a small gift from home, and offer to cook a meal together rather than just treating it as a free bed.

A woman in a vegetable garden, the wwoofing concept in Reunion Island
Solution 04
FreeFree (in exchange for work)

Wwoofing

Work 4 to 6 hours a day on an organic farm or with a craftsperson in exchange for accommodation and meals. The Wwoof France network (wwoof.fr) has around 20 hosts in Reunion Island. Hands-on farm work and total immersion, more structured than couchsurfing.

Pros
  • +Free accommodation and meals
  • +Hands-on learning
  • +A real connection with nature
Cons
  • -15-25 hours of work a week
  • -Less freedom to explore
  • -1-week minimum stay
Tip

Pick a host for the type of farming that interests you (vanilla in Saint-Philippe, geranium in the Hauts, tropical fruit in Saint-Joseph). Allow €60 for the annual Wwoof France membership before contacting hosts.

A 'Beach access' sign at the Ermitage campsite in La Saline-les-Bains
Solution 05
Very low€5 to €30 / night

Campsites

Halfway between wild camping and conventional accommodation. Around 20 campsites on the island, mostly by the coast (Ermitage, Sainte-Anne, Saint-Leu) and up in the mountains (Cilaos, Mafate, Hell-Bourg). Toilets and showers, sometimes a snack bar and shaded pitches.

Pros
  • +Very affordable (often under €15)
  • +More comfortable than wild camping
  • +Toilets, showers and drinking water
Cons
  • -Camping gear required
  • -Booking essential in high season
  • -Can get noisy at weekends
Tip

Camping de l'Ermitage, facing the lagoon, is one of the most popular; Camping Bois Joli Cœur in Sainte-Anne covers the east coast. In high season (July-August), book a month ahead.

See all the campsites in Reunion Island
The Ô PasSage Kaz Auberge youth hostel in Terre Sainte, Saint-Pierre
Solution 06
Very low€15-30 dorm / €40-60 private room

Youth hostels

Around 10 hostels on the island, mostly in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Denis and Saint-Gilles. Dorms with 4-8 beds, sometimes private rooms. Shared kitchen, communal areas, a backpacker vibe, and some organise group activities.

Pros
  • +Cheap
  • +Meet fellow travellers
  • +Ideal for solo travellers
Cons
  • -Little privacy in dorms
  • -Can be noisy at night
  • -Kitchen sometimes crowded
Tip

Ô PasSage Kaz Auberge in Saint-Pierre is a safe bet in the south, KazHotel in Saint-Denis in the north, and Les Baroudeurs for a backpacker stay in Saint-Pierre. As a couple, go for a private room: barely more expensive and far more restful.

See budget hostels and hotels
The dining area of the Chez Tatie Jo gîte in Aurère, in the Mafate cirque
Solution 07Top pick
Low€20 dorm / €40+ room / €50-60 half-board

Mountain gîtes

Rustic hikers' lodges in the mountains, usually along the GR R1 and GR R2 long-distance trails or in Mafate. Dorms with 4-12 beds, sometimes double rooms. Half-board (Creole dinner, bed and breakfast) is the most practical option for hikers.

Pros
  • +An exceptional setting
  • +Home-cooked Creole meals
  • +Meeting people who live remotely
Cons
  • -Often reachable only on foot
  • -Basic comfort
  • -Lights out around 10pm
Tip

Book the bed AND the meal together: if you haven't booked a meal, the host doesn't have to cook for you. Chez Tatie Jo in Aurère (Mafate) is still one of the best tables in the cirque. Allow an extra €8-10 for the next day's packed lunch.

See all the gîtes in Reunion Island
A basic hotel room in Reunion Island, double bed and simple décor
Solution 08
Low€50-60 double room

Budget hotels

1 and 2-star hotels in town centres: Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre, Saint-Gilles. Simple rooms, usually with air conditioning and a shower, sometimes with breakfast. No pool or spa, but total privacy and shops nearby.

Pros
  • +Total privacy
  • +Town-centre location
  • +Basic comfort guaranteed
Cons
  • -No frills
  • -Some rooms can be noisy
  • -Breakfast can be a pricey extra
Tip

Hôtel de la Plage in Saint-Gilles (around €75 a night, perfectly located) or Annexe 66 in Saint-Denis for a genuinely cheap stay. Book 2-3 weeks ahead in high season to get the normal rate.

See budget hotels in Reunion Island
A yellow and pink Creole house, a typical short-term rental in Reunion Island
Solution 09
Low€30-60 / night (studios)

Short-term rentals

Studios or 1-bed flats rented directly or through Airbnb or Booking.com, mostly in Saint-Gilles, Saint-Pierre and L'Étang-Salé. A fully equipped kitchen, total independence and good value for a week. Ideal for a family or couple who want to cook for themselves.

Pros
  • +Total independence
  • +A kitchen (a big budget saver)
  • +Private space
Cons
  • -Often a 3-7 night minimum stay
  • -Cleaning fees sometimes added
  • -Book up fast
Tip

Book 2-3 months ahead for the French school holidays (Easter, summer) and the dry season (July-October). Compare Airbnb, Booking.com and owners' own websites: prices can differ by 5-15%.

Handing over keys for a sublet, temporary accommodation at a local rate
Solution 10
LowPro rata (around €150-300 a month)

Subletting

Take over the room or home of a local heading to mainland France for a few weeks, at a local rate well below tourist prices. Listings on Facebook (‘Annexe D.R.I.M.’, ‘Coloc-Location 974’) and LeBonCoin, mostly in French. There are most offers around the French school holidays.

Pros
  • +Local rates (around 50% cheaper)
  • +A fully equipped home
  • +Often a friendly house-share
Cons
  • -You need to look well ahead
  • -1-2 week minimum
  • -Arrangements are sometimes informal
Tip

Negotiate if the tenant is leaving soon: they'd rather let it cheaply than not at all. Ask for photos before sending any money, and favour platforms with public reviews.

The mobile option

The campervan: transport and accommodation in one

From €50 a day, a campervan replaces both the hire car and the accommodation: ideal for a flexible road trip, with nights at the island's wild-camping spots and campsites. Available from local hire companies and peer-to-peer platforms.

See the campervan hire guide
Frequently asked questions

Cheap accommodation in Reunion Island: your questions answered

What is the cheapest way to stay in Reunion Island?
Wild camping, which is completely free. The island has several dozen authorised spots, listed on the ‘Sous les Étoiles 974’ app, and tents must come down at daybreak. Couchsurfing and house-sitting are also free, and even better value for two.
Is wild camping really legal everywhere in Reunion Island?
No. Wild camping is only tolerated in certain areas: ONF (French forestry office) land outside protected zones, some marked council land, and public beaches with the local council's permission. It's banned in the core of the National Park outside official areas, on private land without permission, and at listed heritage sites (by order of the prefect). Check the Sous les Étoiles 974 app or the ONF map before pitching up.
When is the best time of year for wild camping in Reunion Island?
May to November (the dry season). Cool temperatures at altitude (10-15°C at night in the cirques and at the volcano), no cyclones, dry trails. Avoid December-April (the wet season, cyclone risk, waterlogged ground).
What gear do I need for wild camping in Reunion Island?
A lightweight 2-person tent (1.8-2.5 kg), a sleeping bag rated to at least 0°C comfort for altitude, a self-inflating mat, a portable gas stove, a head torch, cooking kit, a 1.5 L water bottle, waterproofs and a fleece. Several local outfitters hire out gear (around €20-30 a day for the full kit).
How can I find cheap accommodation in high season?
(1) Look for a sublet in the local Facebook groups, where local rates are well below tourist prices; (2) go for a private room in a youth hostel (around €50 a night, the same as a budget hotel but friendlier); (3) mix hikers' gîtes with seaside campsites; (4) book holiday rentals 3-4 months ahead for the school holidays.
Is couchsurfing safe in Reunion Island?
As safe as anywhere else, if you stick to the basic rules: choose hosts with several verified reviews, chat properly before you go, share your itinerary with someone back home, and have a back-up (a nearby youth hostel). The island is a small place, and word about hosts travels fast.
Which gîtes are best for hiking in Mafate?
Mafate has plenty of gîtes: Chez Tatie Jo in Aurère, Chez Jonny in l'Îlet à Bourse, Chez Jimmy in Marla, the Mafate postman's gîte in l'Îlet des Orangers, Chez Paule et Jo in La Possession (a base before setting off). See the dedicated guide to the 2-day Mafate hike for more detail.
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Article updated on 19 September 2026.