The Best Hotels in Comoros for Every Traveller

Ideal for a quiet family stay, this little blue-and-white seaside hotel is set a little outside the centre of Mutsamudu, the capital of Anjouan island. Like many of the hotels on Comoros, the rooms are simple, but you can’t beat the great location for relaxing on the beach, wandering narrow streets lined with shops, restaurants and eager raft sellers, and exploring the deep-water port and ancient citadel built by Abdallah Ben Mohamed El Masseli in the 1780s.

For an authentic island experience, look no further than one of these 14 simple thatch-and-eucalyptus-wood bungalows fringed by palms and the nearby small restaurant big on local fare. You’re a short walk from Plage Itsandra, one of the prettiest beaches on Grande Comore, plus the charms of the island’s capital, Moroni, with its early French and Islamic buildings and friendly traders, are just a short drive away.

The Moheli Laka Lodge is one for the adventurous; reaching the 10 rustic bungalows will take a boat or plane ride, followed by a two-hour drive through the jungle. However, the journey is worth it, as friendly staff set everything up for you and welcome you with great warmth to their isolated slice of paradise bordering a marine nature reserve. Snorkel with turtles and manta rays off a colourful reef, and feast on local fish and ice cream made fresh each day. Also, fellow hotel guests include Mohelian lemurs so tame that they’ll eat from your hand.

For those after a simple, no-frills place to taste life in Moroni, there’s Jardin de la Paix. The water is hot, and the beds are clean. The friendly staff will give you a choice between creative Comorian, European or Asian dishes. They’ll also help set you up with activities, including fishing, diving, pub crawls, walking tours and classes in local culture or cooking.

These five rustic bungalows lie deep in the forest below the extinct volcano of Mount Combani, which makes for a great hike. However, you can spend happy days just hanging out in a hammock among the trees, interacting with the woolly brown lemurs the locals call maki and joining the French-born owner in a yoga class. Her home-baked bread and papaya jam are sensational.

For those wanting a home from home in a dream setting, the owners of Les Baobabs, Lise and Yannis, make you feel part of the family in their four comfortable, refurbished rooms overlooking a translucent lagoon and Mount Choungui on Mayotte island. They will lay on activities, such as a day with a fisherman, who will take you to secluded small isles and beaches. When you get back, they’ll whip up a planter’s punch on the terrace.

The Retaj Moroni makes for an ideal stay in Comoros’ capital. The 55 comfortable rooms and suites in this hotel in Comoros has everything from high-speed internet to satellite TV (not always guaranteed on these far-flung islands off Mozambique). The pool, overlooking the sea beside tangled mangroves, is even more of a surprise. The hotel also has a lobby lounge serving coffee, tea and juices and the Moroni Restaurant, specialising in local and international fare.