Princesse Bora Lodge & Spa

Spent a lovely week here although I would not class our room as luxury. It was the middle tier room. We found it dark and oppressive - in definite need of a regular maintenance programme - e.g. the old and rusty fixings in the bathroom, and the old bathroom basin surround (which was wood) was worn and grubby and years past it's prime. However we did not come all this way to spend the time in our room. The bed was very comfortable and the shower was powerful with plenty of hot water. It was very quiet and we had no problem getting off to sleep. We asked to be shown an Executive Suite and the difference in standard between the Luxury Villa and the Executive suite is huge. The staff were lovely, very friendly and helpful - they worked hard. We did a couple of really good trips and our drivers/guides from the hotel were great. The food was very good and the pizza's were a real hit. The location is stunning. Wifi is available at reception and by the lounge (near the restaurant). Evening meals were often served in the outside dining area on the beach - it was a treat to dine with the waves lapping the sandy shore. Our main dissatisfaction was that no complimentary water was available considering guests to Madagascar are advised not to use tap water (even to clean their teeth). Given that the hotel has its own water distilling/bottling plant this would be a straightforward offering for a facility that was sold to us as "luxury". All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable stay and we found Ile Sainte-Marie delightful.

Someone here wrote "best hotel of my life" and beforehand, we considered this quite hyperbolic. But after spending a couple nights at the Princesse Bora, we can understand where the thinking is coming from. The beach is beautiful, the food is lovely, the staff is nice, the rooms comfy. There was not a lot which we could criticize. Maybe the pricing is a bit inflated. But overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

This resort is quite an oasis, I had such a great two week holiday here and thoroughly recommend it. The resort is well kept, has a great pool, restaurant & bar with views of the beach, and an onsite shop. There is a fabulous onsite spa with a varied spa menu, skilled staff and excellent fragrant products made on the premises. There is also an onsite dive centre, where you can learn to dive, and who organise all aquatic trips. The onsite restaurant served excellent food, some of which they grow themselves and the bar/restaurant staff were friendly and attentive. There is a jetty out into the water, where you can sit and have a drink before heading to the beachside bar/restaurant, with tables inside or on the sand. The bar/restaurant vibe is relaxed and several nights there was great local live music in the bar/restaurant. I stayed in a family bungalow, which was large with a very comfortable bed, tastefully furnished, serviced daily by the lovely housekeeping ladies and spotless. It was a thirty second stroll to the beach and I could hear the waves at night. During the day there is plenty to do and I took a trip most days - you can snorkel on the beach in front of the resort, take a car trip with the resort drivers, take a boat trip with the resort boats or catch the local transport into the town. I took boat trips to the nearby very beautiful Isle Au Nattes (dont miss it) and to the sand islands off the coast in the Indian Ocean for snorkelling (dont miss it), took car trips to locations around the island (a couple of great places are owned by the resort), and took local transport into the town for shopping and restaurants. I felt safe the whole time and did not see any bad incidents during my time there - the locals were friendly and polite. Bring lots of sun protection (it's hard to buy locally) and bring lots of insect protection (I didn't need it at the resort, but I did on trips). The resort staff in all departments were excellent and when I had a medical issue, the staff recognised my need and the director of the island's hospital appeared out of nowhere, sorted me out and contacted me every day until I was better. There was a very visible and delightful customer liaison officer at the resort, who was constantly checking that things were going well for guests and addressing any guest queries/concerns. Special mention goes to the Resort Manager, Monsieur Francois, a super chilled, friendly and professional individual, for whom nothing was too much trouble, who attended to all issues/feedback immediately and who was everywhere, keeping the resort running to a high standard. Thank you all.

a highlight of my two weeks in madagascar. great staff that checked me in and accomadated my special requests to make my check in easier. i thought the room was great (the middle tier one), which is like a self contained villa, with easy access to the beach and restaurant. the dining bar area was great and well designed. food and service overall was good. the iced teas deserve special mention for presentation and taste. must have had 10 of them. the beach was beautiful. the pier is awesome , great for sunset and a drink walkable from airport overall i thought a good value. room includes dinner and breakfast. which i spent more time there to chill. thanks!!