Isalo Rock Lodge

Really very beautifully landscaped. Nice pool where you can relax and take a dip after a day of hot day in the park. The tent rooms and showers very nicely done. There’s hot water for a nice shower after hiking. Food was excellent, but menu somewhat limited. If you don’t have your own transportation, it’s impractical really to eat anywhere else. I saw another lodger pay with credit card! Very, very nice if you’re short on cash. You can pay for the room and meals with EURs but expect an unfavorable exchange rate compared to the ATM. I came by taxi-brousse. Call or text the reception to pick you up at the entrance, otherwise it’s a long walk (especially in the dark!) to the lodge. If you’re not with your own vehicle, consider the disadvantages/costs of staying far outside of town, Ranohira. To get a seat on a taxi-brousse to the hotel (e.g. from Ihosy), you probably have to catch one on its way to Toliara/Tuléar, and so you may have to pay full fare for the entire destination even if you’re getting off much earlier. Second, to pay for Isalo park entrance fee at the park’s “MNP”office, to enter the park, and return back to the lodge, you’d likely have to hire a driver from the hotel, which adds up to 200 000 Aviary's. To catch a taxi-brousse upon departure, again you need to pay for a driver to bring you to Ranohira in the early morning or else you could pray to the gods, wait and hope for an empty seat on a passing brousse. Reception was a bit strangely aloof, but professional.

Awesome site. Rooms are nice bit lacking maintenance. The main issue is the very poor quality of the meals. More comparable to cantine food !! This hotel is attracting mainly groups which is also bothering as groups are noisier in general. It is a pity as it would be an excellent alternative to Relais de la Reine and Jardin du Roy if the food would be nice and delicate.