Best hotels in Cilaos: 8 top places to stay in the cirque

A guesthouse rated 9.5/10 across 288 Agoda reviews, a rare score on that many reviews. Four rooms, each with its own bathroom, in a timber house on chemin du Matarum, a few minutes' walk from the Mare à Joncs lake and the village centre.

Breakfast, made with fresh local produce, is included. The raised terrace looks out over the cirque's mountains, and the decor leans romantic, as the name suggests. The hosts can cook dinner on request.

A family-run estate in the heart of the village, with Creole-style buildings set around a large garden. Its 47 rooms range from Otentik to Privilege Suite, and some have been renovated ( the Otentik Plus category ).

After a day on the trails, the heated pool and Les 3 Salazes spa ( hot tub, hammam, sauna ) are hard to beat. L'Isabelle restaurant, holder of the Qualité Tourisme mark, cooks with the famous Cilaos lentils and is one of the best tables in the village.

A former Creole family home turned boutique hotel on Cilaos's main street. Rated 4 stars, it has 22 rooms that all have a balcony or terrace, heating and air conditioning.

The spa offers a hot tub and massages, and you can book a rooftop hot tub facing the Piton des Neiges. The Carnotzet cellar restaurant serves raclette, fondue and Cilaos wines, just what you want on a cool mountain evening.

The go-to hotel for hikers and families, near the Mare à Joncs lake. Its 29 rooms range from standards to triples and quads, all heated, which matters when winter nights drop below 10 °C.

Two heated pools, a sauna, a hot tub and a games room ( pool table, table football, table tennis ) keep children busy. The restaurant has an open fire and serves breakfast from 7 am, handy for early starts on the trails.

Just two places to stay, including a 76 m² quirky cabin with one bedroom and a bathroom with a hot tub. Set against the cirque walls, it's made for couples who want something different from a standard hotel.

There's also a 90 m² contemporary villa for groups. Garden and parking on site, and the village centre is a few minutes away.

A four-bedroom house, each room with its own shower room, right in the centre on rue Victorine Séry. The fully equipped kitchen lets you make your own meals, which is handy for families or friends, and parking is free.

Guests rate it very highly, especially for cleanliness and location: you can walk everywhere in the village, shops and restaurants included.

A white Creole house surrounded by greenery in Bras-Sec, a farming hamlet about 2 kilometres from Cilaos village. People come for the peace and the mountain views, away from the bustle of the centre.

Breakfast and the owners' tips are what reviewers mention most, and several find it handy for the start of the Piton des Neiges climb.

A hikers' lodge at 1,200 metres, facing the Col du Taïbit, the historic pass to Marla and the Mafate cirque. It has two dorms and two private rooms with their own shower room and terrace.

Dinner and breakfast are served on site as half board, exactly what you need the night before a big day's walking. Guests rate it very highly.