Lakaz Chamarel Exclusive Lodge

As a place to unwind after a gruelling flight from London, Lakaz Chameral is as good as it gets. Spectacular location, wonderful staff, amazing wildlife, excellent food and wonderfully private accommodation all make for a truly memorable experience. We stayed for 4 nights before heading for the sea and will always remember it as one of the most extraordinary places we’ve ever stayed.

An exceptionally welcoming place in an exceptionally beautiful setting. A wonderful spot to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. We loved seeing so many birds and fruit bats up close. The staff were very kind and friendly, the food was delicious, the accommodation outstanding - and the massage with Kareshma was a real treat. I have been woken by shoulder pain every night for a long time, but after Kareshma’s massage I had an unbroken night’s sleep.

It is hard to describe just how beautiful this place is. Peaceful, tranquil, calm. For much of the stay, apart from at mealtimes, we were under the impression that we were the only people there, it is so totally quiet. Sitting on our veranda, next to our private swimming pool, we could just as easily have been in the midst of the jungle. Palm trees, bougainvillea, beautiful little birds, huge fruit bats and the occasional sound of ice clinking in a glass all add to the sense of utter tranquility. The staff are exceptional, kind, friendly and always helpful. Everything is done with a smile and every action is followed up with 'is there anything else I can do to help?' Food was very very good indeed, dinner in particular was of a very high standard. I had the best piece of seared Tuna I have ever eaten. Drinks are not cheap but the wine list was very good. A trip to the sunset bar at the top of the estate is a must - make sure you time it to get there 20 - 30 minutes before sunset as it gets busy but, boy, is it worth the walk up the hill to get there. The views are superb as the sun goes down behind the mountains and paints the sea a hundred shades of orange and red. Having a car could be quite useful as the place is quite remote and not very close to any amenities really. We borrowed bicycles from the hotel and cycled around the area, using them to visit the geopark and to get to the Chamarel waterfall, the seven coloured earths etc and that worked out very well. The rooms are well kitted out, the huge beds very comfortable indeed. The outdoor shower is delightful. We had a room with a private pool and that was just wonderful. If we had just one slightly negative point to make it would be that, despite the numerous fans available in the room, the lack of air-con in the rooms at night made sleeping a bit difficult at times. It got extremely hot in the room, once the doors and windows were closed against the threat of biting insects. However the bed is very well equipped with huge mosquito nets and so we could have probably risked leaving some windows open. Overall, I would highly recommend Lakaz Chamarel and we definitely hope to return there in the future.