Réunion - Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles - page 543

Gîtes ruraux and meublés de tourisme are private houses and lodges that families and
groups can rent for self-catering holidays, normally by the week or weekend. There are
dozens of gîtes ruraux scattered all over the island.
Most offer lodging for four or more people, with facilities of varying standards. Costs
vary from around €300 to €600 per week and from €100 to €250 for a weekend (note that
not all offer bookings for just a weekend). If you average out the per-person, per-week
price and factor in cooking several meals in the house, gîte stays can actually be quite eco-
nomical. Plus, the gîte owner often lives nearby and can be a mine of local information.
Contact Gîtes de France, local tourist offices or check out the websites www.reunion.fr
and www.iha.fr . Gîtes ruraux and Meublés de Tourisme can be booked by phoning the
owners directly. A deposit of some sort is usually required in advance.
Hotels
If you're after serious cosseting and ultraposh digs, you might be looking at the wrong
place. Most hotels on the island are rated as one-, two- or three-star, and lots are unclassi-
fied. There is only a sprinkling of four- and five-star hotels.
Hotels are found in St-Denis and around the beach resorts of the west coast, though
you'll also find some scattered in the interior.
SLEEPING PRICE RANGES
Throughout this chapter, the order of accommodation listings is by price, from the least to the most expensive.
Each place to stay is accompanied by one of the following symbols (the price relates to a double room with
private bathroom). Prices include all government taxes.
€ less than €50
€€ €50-100
€€€ more than €100
CHILDREN
Réunion is an eminently suitable destination if you're travelling with the kids in tow. With
its abundance of beaches, picnic spots and outdoor activities, plus its healthy food, it of-
fers plenty to do for travellers of all ages in a generally hazard-free setting.
Most locals have a number of children themselves and will not be troubled by a screaming
child at the next table.
Few hotels offer kids' clubs but many places provide cots for free and additional beds for
children at a small extra cost. Most chambres d'hôtes welcome children.