ONYX TRAVEL
Réunion

excursions               suggested itineraries               prices

Réunion is a truly remarkable island. Although situated in the Indian Ocean just next door to Mauritius, it is actually an overseas département of France. There are some excellent beaches and the scenery inland is staggeringly beautiful. There is an active volcano to explore, mountains which often disappear into the clouds as the day progresses and some amazing waterfalls. The three mountain ‘cirques’ of Salazie, Cilaos and Mafate are absolute musts.  No photograph can really do justice to Réunion as the scale of the scenery is simply too vast.
A self-drive itinerary is the best way to explore although some of the mountain roads are particularly challenging. Nervous drivers are strongly recommended to stay at a beach resort and take organised tours into the mountains (all of which may be pre-booked).
For fit, experienced walkers, we can also arrange mountain trekking, staying overnight in mountain gites (dormitory-style accommodation). Please ask for details.

Accommodation

We feature below just a small selection of properties which we can personally recommend. All rooms have bath/WC or shower/WC - only additional facilities are listed. We have added our own impressions to help give you a feel of the accommodation.

Saint-Gilles-les-BainsxxxxxxCilaosxxxxxxBourg-MuratxxxxxxSaint-Denis

Saint-Gilles-les-Bains area
Most visitors to Réunion spend time here, many making this their base from which to visit the rest of the island. Some of the best beaches are to be found in this area and many of the hotels are directly adjacent to them. Saint-Gilles itself is a small but busy little town, well worth a visit. To the South of the town lies Hermitage beach where the reef lies a distance away from the beach, forming the calmer waters of the lagoon. Sometimes spectacular waves can be seen crashing onto the reef.

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Le Saint-Alexis - 4 star - Boucan Canot

Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning and fan, jacuzzi, minibar
Hotel: lounge, bar, restaurant, swimming pool with giant jacuzzi, fitness centre with sauna and steam bath, watersports available nearby
Special Offers: Reductions for honeymooners (half board basis only) and free nights at certain times of the year. Please ask for details.
This hotel of 60 rooms and suites has the unique feature of a swimming pool which links the centre of the hotel with the restaurant at the edge of the beach by means of wide channels. Several of the ground floor rooms have direct access to the pool. From the lounge you can see underwater in the swimming pool. Le Saint-Alexis is elegant and the rooms spacious. It is one of the very best hotels on Réunion and situated on one of the best beaches.

Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar, balcony or terrace
Hotel: bar, 3 restaurants, swimming pool, fitness centre, shops, tennis courts, table tennis, volley ball, bike rental, watersport club (kayaking, snorkelling)
Special Offers: Reductions for honeymooners (half board basis only) and free nights at certain times of the year.  Please ask for details.  Free green fees at ‘Golf du Bassin Bleu’ (18 holes) at Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts, except week ends and bank holidays.  Free shuttle.
One of the best hotels on Réunion, Les Villas du Lagon has 174 rooms in 23 villas, spread over a vast area of lush estate beside the Hermitage beach and lagoon. It has an enormous swimming pool.

Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar, balcony or terrace
Hotel: lounge, bar, restaurant, swimming pool
Special Offers: Reductions for honeymooners (half board basis only) and reductions for half board for all clients at certain times of the year. Please ask for details.
Le Nautile is situated directly on Hermitage beach with its white coral sand, beside the lagoon in the quiet and residential village of La Saline-les-Bains, a short drive away from the main centre of Saint-Gilles-les-Bains.  All 43 rooms are housed in two charming Créole style buildings, which are divided by a good sized swimming pool.

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Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar. All rooms face mountains or gardens, most having balcony or terrace.
Hotel: bar, snack bar, restaurant, two swimming pools, hairdresser, shops, tennis courts, table tennis, volley ball, archery. A variety of watersports is available.
Special Offers: Free nights at certain times of the year. Reductions for honeymooners at certain times of the year. Please ask for details.
Situated on the beach beside the Hermitage lagoon, the Novotel Coralia has 173 comfortable rooms set within seven acres of pleasant gardens. The hotel has more of an international feel to it than some of the smaller properties, but offers a wide range of facilities.

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Rooms: telephone, air conditioning
Hotel: bar, restaurant, swimming pool, shop
Special Offers: Reductions for honeymooners. Please ask for details.
An excellent value for money hotel with 58 rooms. The rooms are small but nicely decorated. The whole hotel has a friendly, cosy atmosphere. Hermitage beach is just a short walk from the hotel. Other nearby attractions include tennis, cinema, casino and discotheque.

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Cilaos
This is a quite unique town, situated high in the mountains and surrounded by them on all sides. It is hard to imagine how such an isolated spot ever became inhabited. This is partly explained by it being a spa town, to which visitors originally flocked to take the waters. The scenery is spectacular throughout the drive from the coast and it is an essential place to visit for anyone spending a holiday on Réunion.  Be warned however, the drive is not for the faint-hearted. It is said that there are over 400 bends in the road, many of them hairpins which are both tight and steep. If you are at all a nervous driver, take an organised tour to Cilaos!

Rooms: telephone, TV, hairdryer, minibar
Hotel: lounge/library, bar, restaurant, swimming pool, sauna
Les Chenets is the most upmarket hotel in Cilaos. It is situated a little further from the main shopping area than the other hotels but still within easy walking distance. The 47 rooms are beautifully decorated, some in bright colours.

Rooms: telephone, TV, terrace or balcony
Hotel: bar, restaurant, breakfast room, swimming pool, sauna, bicycle hire
Most of the 44 rooms have a splendid view of the surrounding mountains. The hotel is situated in the heart of Cilaos, close to the shops.

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Rooms: telephone, TV
This charming little hotel of just 10 rooms has a very cosy atmosphere. It operates on a bed and breakfast basis, breakfast being taken on the 1^st floor balcony area, weather permitting.

Bourg-Murat
This is the place to stay if you want to see the volcano. The Volcano Museum (Maison du Volcan) is in the centre of the village, but it is a further 45 minute scenic drive to reach the volcano itself, travelling on the way across the lunar landscape of the Plaine des Sables. It is possible to walk to the summit of the volcano, which is a 5/6 hour return trip from the car park, best undertaken in the early morning before the clouds descend.

Rooms: telephone, TV
Hotel: lounge, bar, restaurant
This small hotel of just 25 rooms is well-known locally for the quality of its food. From the restaurant and some of the rooms there is a wonderful panoramic view of the mountains, including the Piton des Neiges, the highest point on the island.

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Rooms: telephone, TV
Hotel: bar, restaurant, sauna, gym
This hotel offers just 13 rooms. It is 150 metres from the Maison du Volcan. The mountains can be seen from the grounds. The restaurant serves both French and Créole cuisine.

Rooms: telephone, TV
Hotel: bar and restaurant at Auberge du Volcan across the road.
Situated just a short walk from the Maison du Volcan, the hotel has 9 rooms, furnished simply but comfortably.

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Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis is the capital city of Réunion. Many buildings and Créole houses date back to colonial times and the shops which line the city-centre streets reflect the customs and traditions of three continents. At the Western end of the waterfront lies Le Barachois, where, in the early evening, the crowds gather to eat, drink or simply watch the sunset.

Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar
Hotel: lounge, bar, two restaurants, swimming pool, sauna, hairdresser
Situated across a road from the Barachois, the historical heart of Saint-Denis, this is a large hotel with an international feel. All 118 rooms are spacious and sound proofed. Probably the most comfortable hotel in the city centre and certainly the best positioned.

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Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar
Hotel: lounge, bar, breakfast room/small restaurant, small swimming pool
This Créole style house, the birthplace of the French heroine Juliette Dodu, dates from the time of the East India Company. The building has been tastefully renovated and each of the 43 cosy rooms has pleasantly colourful decor.

Rooms: telephone, TV, air conditioning
Hotel: bar, snack bar
This tourist class hotel has 57 rooms and is situated in the centre of the shopping area. Short walk to the Barachois. For those on a budget it provides excellent value.

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PRE-BOOKABLE EXCURSIONS

There are many excursions available on Réunion, most of which may be booked in advance. Excursions may only operate on one day per week. If there is a tour which you particularly want to book, you are advised to confirm the day of operation when booking your holiday. The following are a selection of the more popular tours. Prices on request.

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SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

R1

Overnight flights London-Paris-Réunion and return with Air France (or London-Mauritius-Réunion and return with Air Mauritius at a supplement). Airport transfers included.

Overnight flights London-Paris-Réunion and return with Air France (or London-Mauritius-Réunion and return with Air Mauritius at a supplement).  Car hire for 6 days (Renault Clio or similar) including unlimited mileage. Airport transfers included.

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Overnight flights London-Paris-Réunion and return with Air France (or London-Mauritius-Réunion and return with Air Mauritius at a supplement).  Car hire for 9 days (Renault Clio or similar) including unlimited mileage. Airport transfers included.

The number of nights shown excludes nights on flights to and from the UK.

Economy class scheduled flights on Air France (Air Mauritius at a supplement), airport taxes, passenger service charges, 20 kgs baggage allowance, accommodation sharing a twin room in hotels.  Meals, transfers and car hire as per itineraries.

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PRICES

Charges may apply for some activities/watersports. Additional charges may apply for the period over Christmas and New Year. Price bands relate to low and high season. For coding key, see below. 

Réunion

Low

High

Low 

High

Le Saint-Alexis

BB

F

F

Les Aloès

BB

A

A

Les Villas du Lagon

BB

D

F

Les Géraniums

BB

B

B

Le Nautile

BB

C

D

L’Ecrin

BB

B

B

Novotel Coralia

BB

D

E

Le Volcan

BB

A

A

Alamanda

BB

B

B

Le Saint Denis

BB

D

D

Les Chenets

BB

B

B

Le Juliette Dodu

BB

C

C

Le Vieux Cep

BB

B

B

Central

BB

A

A