Longoza Ecolodge

The location inside the reserve was a real highlight, with lemurs wandering around, a magical atmosphere, and a safe feeling. It's ideal for rainforest hikes, and the restaurant fireplace made dinner cozy. Breakfast was good, and there were plenty of vegetarian choices. We came for two nights that weren't back to back, so we tried both the glamping tent and the cabin. The tent was modern, clean, and great, though the sounds of nature made sleep a bit difficult. The cabin was freezing and had a smelly bathroom. WiFi barely reached the rooms and was only really available at the restaurant. Service was good, but for Madagascar and what you get, the stay felt quite expensive.

You can't beat the location for getting to the national Park. We had breakfast at the small terrace restaurant, then ate the other meals at the great restaurant next door, La Table de Longoza. The window screens were great, since we could leave the windows open at night. The mattress, though, was the hardest we've ever slept on. I know mattresses in Madagascar are hard, but this one felt like sleeping right on boards. The toilet started leaking. It seemed to be fixed and cleaned quickly, but the leak came back later, and nobody could repair it until the next day. We turned down the offer of another room and just stepped carefully around the bathroom.

The nature around this lodge is priceless. Brown lemurs sometimes hang around, and you can clearly hear the Indri lemur's territorial calls. It's less than a five-minute drive from the park entrances, and the rooms are a decent size for two, with larger ones available. If you visit Andasibe, it gives you that quintessential Malagasy village experience. The lodge has its eco lodge quirks, but the WiFi was decent for Andasibe, and there was no TV. If you're lucky, Starlink satellites pass overhead at night and the internet gets even better. The food ranged from decent to good. Breakfast was limited, with cold bread and an egg station for protein. At the outdoor restaurant, ask them to light a fire for warmth, fewer mosquitoes, and a cozier feel. The rainforest chill gets through the poor insulation. Cold, damp air seeped into my clothes, and pulling them on in the morning was a real brrr moment. There's an extra duvet folded in the corner, and doubling up the covers is essential for a warm bed. At least there's hot water, if you can work up the nerve to strip off for a shower. Power cuts can happen. I spent three nights there, and one blackout came while I was ordering dinner. They cooked my dishes by phone light, which was tragicomic. The rental bikes were in rough shape, especially for 30k Ar. My first one rattled loose at the pedals on the cobbled road to Andasibe village and became unsteady. On the next, the chain wouldn't stay on the gears. The third was okay for riding toward the RN2 junction, but the derailers weren't synced with the shifters, so the bike kept shifting with every second pedal turn. I managed, but having to fiddle with it the whole way made for a poor experience. On my second day, the room lock ran out of batteries, and I think a staff member shattered my shower door, so they moved me to another room.

Being right in the rainforest is what I loved most. The bungalows were clean, brown lemurs played nearby, and we even saw chameleons. I'd absolutely recommend it, and I definitely want to come back.