REUNION: New Hotels Opened

A ten percent increase in bed capacity is a development worth talking about and that is what happened in 2015 as four new properties, one 5star and three 3star hotels have opened their doors on Reunion island.

This comes on the back of not only sustained demand for holidays on the island but of growing visitor numbers, giving the investors the confidence that they will reach viable occupancies very quickly.

The first of the new resorts is the Akoya Hotel & Spa, located on the beach side of the island from where it overlooks the Water Hole Lagoon. The hotel, which has 104 rooms, including 8 suites, positions itself as a third five-star resort of the island.

As for the three star properties which opened during the year, three new hotels have entered the market:

The Beating of Blades, located at the entrance of the city of Saint-Pierre and a few steps from the beach, offers 58 rooms and 2 suites;

Le Saint Pierre, is ideally located in the city center of Saint-Pierre, offers 55 rooms, including 38 suites with an own kitchenette;

The Dina Morgabine dominates the seaside resort of the Hermitage on the west coast of the island with 72 rooms including 37 of them furnished with kitchenettes.

These additional offerings have given Reunion tourism a boost and providing the capacity increases needed to cater for a rising inflow of tourists.

The lifting of Visa requirements via a waiver for South Africans, Chinese and Indian visitors, certain terms and conditions do exist to take advantage of it, have driven arrivals sharply up and the prevailing security on this French Indian Ocean island provides a perfect location for adventure but also conventional beach vacations.