Zara Village

Checkout was a two-hour ordeal. Two staff members stood over me looking at my phone and banking information while pressuring me to prove I’d paid by bank transfer, and they still couldn’t confirm the payment. The hotel has no credit card terminal, so you’re left with inconvenient and insecure ways to pay. I’ve visited over 170 countries, and this may be the worst hotel I’ve stayed in. The five-star reviews seem fake to me. Nobody at the hotel speaks English, there’s no air conditioning, and our room had bugs and dirty sheets. The Lokobe tour we booked through the hotel was a complete mess. The guide arrived unprepared, brought no bananas to feed the lemurs like the other guides do, and refused to provide water. “Lunch included” meant a trip to a village where locals surrounded us asking for money, while we were served cold potatoes. When I asked for water, they told me to exchange money at a terrible rate to buy a bottle. The hotel is extremely isolated. There are no roads to the airport, so you have to pay €20 each way for the hotel transfer, which includes a small boat and walking through dirty water. The only restaurant around belongs to the hotel, leaving you with overpriced meals, about €19 for fish, and no nearby alternatives. There’s a small village about ten minutes away, but people there also ask for money. The stay was disappointing and felt unsafe and unprofessional. I’d strongly advise against it.

Jolie & Gerard are wonderful hosts who do everything they can to make your stay enjoyable. The cuisine is delicious, and the place has very good WiFi for remote work. It’s in a private area beside the Lokobe Reserve. Bring cash, since cards aren’t accepted. Highly recommend.

The staff are kind, and the internet is very fast. It’s a fantastic, secluded place with a good restaurant, and you can book day visits to the Lokobe Nature Reserve directly from the nearby village.

The garden is sublime, with animals adding to the harmony of the place, and the cuisine is refined, full of flavor, simply divine. Zara Village felt like a real haven of peace, above all for its deeply peaceful atmosphere. We were made incredibly welcome. The team was efficient and kind, and our hosts, Pierre and Hélène, were generous, passionate, and attentive to their guests’ well-being. Special mention to Joël, Yvonette, and the chef for their excellent service. We’ll be back, that’s a promise! 😉👌