Vanila Hotel & Spa is a beachfront resort on Nosy Be, the island off Madagascar's northwest coast that is the country's main beach destination. It has 56 rooms, two outdoor pools plus a children's pool, a spa with four treatment rooms offering massages, facials and body scrubs, and a hot tub, steam room and Turkish bath. Dining includes a buffet restaurant, a lounge and several bars and cafes, and a free buffet breakfast is served daily. A golf course sits next to the property, and beach loungers, towels and umbrellas are provided on the sand. It suits couples, honeymooners and families who want a polished base for boat days to Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely, and a quiet end to a long circuit.
Location and getting around
The hotel is beachfront on Nosy Be, with a beach about a two-minute walk away and Madirokely Beach roughly twelve minutes by car. Lokobe National Park is about a thirty-minute drive, and Nosy Be airport is around fifty minutes away by road, so allow time for the transfer; an airport shuttle is available for a surcharge. Most visitors rely on the hotel, taxis or an arranged driver for excursions, and boat trips to the neighbouring islands usually start from a pickup point on Nosy Be, so ask the hotel desk to help organise them.
Rooms and facilities
With only 56 rooms the resort feels relaxed and unhurried. Rooms are set among gardens and pools, and the property has free parking, free WiFi in public areas, bike rentals, a children's playground, a gift shop and a business center and meeting room. Note that the property has no elevator, which matters if stairs are a concern, so request a ground floor room when you reserve. Dining is on site at Le Fanjava buffet restaurant and the Infinity Lounge, with snacks available from a deli.
Who it suits and good to know: it works well for couples and honeymooners who want a spa and beach, and for families who will use the pools and playground. A buffet breakfast is served daily and shown as free, but check your rate for meal plans and what is charged extra. The rainy season begins around November in the north, so ask about weather and sea conditions before planning boat days. Keep some flexibility for activities, and compare rates and dates when you check availability.
Why stay here
- ✓Beachfront with loungers and towels
- ✓Two outdoor pools and a children’s pool
- ✓Spa with four treatment rooms
- ✓Hot tub, steam room and Turkish bath
- ✓Free buffet breakfast
- ✓Buffet restaurant and lounge bars
- ✓Golf course next door
- ✓Free parking and bike rentals
Good questions
Is Vanila Hotel & Spa on the beach?+
Yes, it is beachfront, with loungers, towels and umbrellas on the sand. Madirokely Beach is about twelve minutes away by car.
Does the hotel have a spa and pools?+
Yes, there is a full-service spa with four treatment rooms, a hot tub, a steam room and a Turkish bath, plus two outdoor pools and a children's pool.
How far is it from the airport?+
About fifty minutes by road, and an airport shuttle is available for a surcharge. Allow time for the transfer.
