9 Best Hotels in Madagascar

Not at all like the average beachside inn, this place is owned by a husband-and-wife team who are designers, and it shows. Working with natural and recycled materials, they have created a complex that seems to grow up from the ground without being arts-and-crafts. Curved walls, warm tones, a sunken living area, and distinctive furnishings appoint the premises. Getting here is an adventure on a rough road, but expect to be treated like royalty once you arrive. Three meals a day are available, and the menu varies from day to day; special diets are accommodated. The owners also sell some of their art work.

A globetrotting film producer created a paradise here between the mountains and the sea, and adorned it with treasures that he'd collected on his worldwide travels. While shooting a movie in Madagascar, producer Charles Gassot fell in love with the country, and when establishing this resort, he tried to endow it with the best from his stays at hotels around the world. Cushy rooms feature wide beds, reading nooks and seaview terraces. Staff sees to it that your laundry is ironed, mosquito nets are drawn, and you choice of excursions—from village tours to deep-sea fishing trips to custom birthday parties—are well planned.

“Tropical paradise” is no cliché at this resort spread across a white-sand beach and overlooking the bluest-of-blue sea—it's made for romance, even for couples with kids. Special activities are available for little ones or for the whole family. Walk the beach, laze by the enormous pool, book a trek into Ankarana National Park, or compete in football or tennis tournaments on the property. Room are clean and nicely furnished, ho-hum, but in any case the best place to be is outside and each has a balcony or veranda.

Under thatched roofs, and with simple wooden furniture, this inn’s cozy huts have their own porch with a wide, unobstructed view of the ocean, just steps away. Even the dining room sits on the sand, serving French and Malagasy dishes made with some organic produce from the local market. Amazingly, there’s also a business center, but the better amenity is surely the free massage.

A stunning beach, amazing food, and a social conscience make this off-the-beaten path resort worth seeking out. The eco-tourism experience mainly employs residents of the neighboring village of Antsanitia and the local Sakalava tribe—mostly fishers and farmers—have a say in the complex’s programs. You can stroll the village with a local, join one for a fishing trip, or learn about medicinal plants from another. Rooms, bungalows, suites, and villas are airy and quiet with lovely redwood furnishings. The restaurant serves organic food for every meal.

Here you get the feel of an inn with the modern benefits of a hotel, and it's on the beach. Rooms are spacious with elegant dark wood features, and the bathrooms are well-appointed and clean. Big windows and lovely terraces, as well as a good-size pool, offer lovely views. A restaurant and lounge are on site. Staff is also available to help plan activities and excursions, including diving, rental car trips, scooter tours, and horseback riding.

Billed as a “gourmet resort,” Coco Lodge boasts one the area’s best restaurants, and everything you need is here, whether you want to relax by the pool or rent an all-terrain vehicle for fun on the beach. Staff will help plan tours, fishing trips, and other excursions. Rooms are somewhat humble in style, but are clean and comfortable.

Humble yet cozy, this is an inn with a conscience—sheets are made from 100 percent organic cotton, dry toilets operate with recycled sawdust, wastewater is used for irrigation, and solar panels supply energy. The management asks that guests only bring in items that can be recycled or composted. Rooms include compost buckets for paper and organic waste, but also showers with hot and cold water. The style is nothing fancy but it's comfortable and in good taste. Breads, fruits, tea, coffee, and juices are served for breakfast.

This friendly inn is homey and quaint, but not overly so. Accommodations are clean, modern, and inexpensive and the beach is right in the backyard. White and royal blue lends some nautical kitsch, striped cushions cover chairs, and a mounted sailfish greets guests. The restaurant serves local cuisine and fresh seafood, and there’s a bar on site too. Various activities, including fishing, canoeing, walking tours and massages, can be arranged by the staff.