Plaine des Cafres and Le Tampon: where to stay, from town to the volcano

Opened in late 2023, this eco-lodge sets its local-wood-and-metal lodges in a 6,000 m² park of medicinal and native plants, fifty metres from the forest. It's a tribute to Madame Grondin, who came from Mafate, and is run by her daughter and granddaughter.

The suites have an outdoor bathtub, which guests enjoy even in the cool highland drizzle, plus heating. Massages, a yoga studio and an included breakfast round things off. Reviewers mention a host who thinks of everything, stylish decor and a delicious breakfast.

The district's only 3-star hotel reopened in 2023 after a full renovation. It has 23 rooms, fifteen of them with a terrace and two accessible to wheelchair users, and looks out to Piton des Neiges, the Dimitile and Bois Court.

A heated pool open all year, a sauna or hot tub, a gym and a pool table fill the evenings before dinner in the panoramic restaurant. Reviews praise friendly staff and spacious rooms that keep the cold out, with extra blankets on request. The Cité du Volcan museum is 2.5 km away.

At Alain's place on the volcano road, five rooms, three of them family rooms, sleep up to fourteen. Each has its own terrace looking out to Piton des Neiges, and the house has heating, a spa area with a sauna and a lounge.

In the evening, the hosts serve a Creole dinner that guests describe as generous: starters, soup, curries, dessert, with rum punch and wine included. Children get games and a small farmyard to explore, and there's baby equipment for the little ones.

Two units classified 4-star, one for four people and one for two, on chemin de la Grande Ferme. You reach it via the volcano forest road, which makes it one of the handiest places on our list for an early drive up to Pas de Bellecombe.

The units have a corner whirlpool bath ( the link books the one for two ), a fitted kitchen, heating and a veranda looking over the plains and Piton des Neiges. Reviewers rave about the hot tub after a day's hiking, the peace and quiet, and the owner's tips on trails and restaurants.

The chalet sits at Notre-Dame de la Paix, around 1,700 metres, above the Plaine des Cafres. Two bedrooms and a big private terrace face Piton des Neiges, Grand Bénare, the Dimitile and the south-west coast.

By the owner's count, it's five minutes to the Notre-Dame de la Paix botanical trail, seven to the Cité du Volcan, ten to the Grand Bassin trailhead and thirty-five to Pas de Bellecombe. At our last check, a night cost €83.

Three double rooms with private bathrooms at Pont d'Yves, on the slopes of Le Tampon. The big draw is a private sauna and spa you can use at any hour, which is why the house is adults only.

Breakfast is included and comes up again and again in reviews: local specialities and fruit, served with mountain views. Meals can be booked on site, and the hosts' welcome is described as outstanding. From Pierrefonds, you drive up via Ravine des Cabris and Bras de Pontho.

A 262 m² villa split into three units named after the cirques: Mafate on the ground floor ( two bedrooms, sleeps four ), Cilaos and Salazie upstairs with sea views. David and Murielle, who have lived on the island for nearly fifteen years and love trail running, are happy to share their tips.

The pool is heated and the rooftop hot tub looks out to sea and the sunset, all powered by solar panels. Massages can be booked. A bakery, a pharmacy and a bus stop are close by.

A recently built 95 m² house, classified 4-star, in Bras-Creux opposite the local town hall annex. Three double bedrooms with queen beds, a fitted kitchen, a living room, a garden with a barbecue and a terrace sleep six.

At around 850 metres, the area is quiet and cooler than the coast. The owner puts Saint-Pierre's beach 15 km away and the volcano 35 km away, two easy directions to alternate over a week of day trips.

Aliette and Edmond host guests in two nicely decorated rooms on chemin Mazeau, between the 14th and 17th km. There's a garden, a terrace, a barbecue, parking and views all the way down to Saint-Pierre and the sea. According to Booking, some units also have a kitchen.

The first breakfast is on the house, and the hosts cook homemade dishes on request: their food comes up often in reviews, along with the quiet, the cleanliness and the owners' discretion. At our last check, a night cost €51.