On first impressions (that is once you get over the treacherous drive up and over the mountain), Hotel Tsilaosa appears to be a humble B&B-style accommodation, however it turned out to be quite a surprise packet. We decided to stay in Cilaos and at the Tsilaosa based on Tripadvisor reviews and we were not disappointed.

We were greeted by some very friendly staff who spoke some English (which was appreciated, as we do struggle with our French) and the staff members were amazingly helpful throughout our trip.

Breakfast at the hotel was quite different to what one might normally expect. The range of food was quite limited, BUT each and every part of the meal was unbelievable. There were some local made conserves so fresh they still had the stones of the fruit in them, the ham was a deep, red colour and was still in the whole piece so you could carve some off yourself, there was beautiful crusty baguettes and fresh croissants and some delicious ementel cheese.

The room was quite spacious and comfortable and we had a beautiful balcony area on the corner of the 2nd floor (room 15 - worth requesting this one!). There was a stunning view of the surrounding mountains for 270 degrees around our room.

The location was also very good, with a couple of very good restaurants nearby. Chez Noe directly across the road had a very nice vibe, with some very fresh authentic local cuisine (and a generous owner who treated us to some of his own Rhum Arranje) and the pizzeria a few doors down (where the owner also treated us to some of his own Rhum Arranje). There are some stunning sites around the hotel, including a drive to nearby villages with beautiful winding roads as well as the lake at the bottom end of town.

All in all, we loved our stay at Hotel Tsilaosa and Cilaos!