Djamandjary accommodation from NZ$136

I highly recommend the Royal Andilana and the entire staff led by Antonio. The hotel is absolutely stunning and spotless which was something we needed by that point in our trip. We had traveled throughout Madagascar and had to deal with our share of lizards and bugs occupying our room in other hotels however at the Royal Andilana we were able to sleep peacefully without fear of any unwelcomed guests. The food is much higher end than a standard all inclusive and has something for everyone. Our vacation in Madagascar was supposed to be ending in Nosy be with only a two night stay at the Royal Andilana however air Madagascar lost our bags upon arrival to Nosy Be and we didn’t even have a toothbrush. We were so stressed but Antonio and his staff stepped up and anticipated every possible need we had. We felt so taken care of during the four days without luggage and extended our stay because of the baggage issue. When booking our holiday we really wanted to stay at a clean and up to date hotel however we ended up with so much more. It truly felt like home and every employee made us feel welcomed. This is definitely the only place to stay and the most luxurious on the island but the service is more than I could have ever asked for.

The resort was beautiful. The beach, the pool were fantastic and the rooms were good. They offered some good excursions and the kids club team were great with our daughter. On the negative side, Andilana Beach Resort targets a very specific demographic, Italians. This should have been highlighted as everything was in Italian, including all the entertainment, which limited our enjoyment. The language barrier was also a bit of a challenge, as we spoke very little Italian and most of the staff spoke limited English. The food was also specific to the demographic with more pasta and pizza on offer than we could handle. There were a few other options, but the quality was average. The resort could benefit from incorporating more local cuisine more regularly. We did get local options on the excursions, which was really good. Overall, the resort was great, the staff were great, but we struggled with the fact that everything was in Italian, which we did not expect from a French speaking territory.

I must admit that I was a little concerned that staying at a resort so isolated we might be “ prisoner “ to over priced food and drinks. My fears could not be further from the truth. The food and drink here is very reasonably priced, and very good. The chef comes to you, yes he comes and finds you, then you order your meal, and arrange the time you would like to eat and you sit down, the meal arrives. Everything here is done with the guest in mind. The day trips offered cover everything you would want to see, the resort has its own boat, so it’s easy to arrange whatever you would like to do. Phillip is always available to answer your questions. He’s been doing this a long time, there are loads of staff on the property. If you would like to spoil yourself in an unspoiled paradise book book book