Your stay — Le Relais d'Ivory
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The Property — Le Relais d'Ivory
Le Relais d'Ivory sits on a quiet hillside in the upper town, where the lobby's open shutters let in cool air and the distant hum of the city. The mood is calm and unpretentious — old furniture, a small garden, and staff who'll remember your name by the second morning. It suits travellers who want a solid base, not a showpiece: academics, overland cyclists, and anyone who values a good night's sleep over Instagram backdrops.
Chronicles of Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa was founded in the early 19th century as the second capital of the Merina kingdom, built on terraces that climb the hills above the Betsileo highlands. The old town still follows that colonial-era grid, with French-style verandas and shuttered wooden houses climbing Haute Ville. Today it's a university city and the region's spiritual and educational hub — less visited than Antananarivo, but buzzing with student life and Saturday markets. Its name means 'where one learns good things', and the city wears that quietly, without trying to impress.
Best Time to Visit
Full Fianarantsoa guide →Best months
April to June and September to October: dry, sunny days (20–25°C), clear nights, and few tourists. Perfect for walking Hauts Plateaux and visiting nearby vineyards.
Peak / festival surge
July–August is peak season for domestic and international visitors escaping southern winter. The city fills for the Fianarantsoa Wine Festival (August); hotel prices rise 20–35%. Book Le Relais six weeks ahead.
Budget shoulder season
May and September offer mild weather, no crowds, and rates often 10–15% lower than peak. October can also be good but rain increases late month.
Weather & packing
Madagascar's southern highlands have a mild, temperate clime — July afternoons reach 20°C, but nights drop to 8–10°C. Pack a lightweight fleece or sweater for evenings, and always carry a rain jacket: brief squalls can appear without warning.
Live City Briefing — Fianarantsoa
- A new direct taxi-brousse service now runs daily from Antananarivo to Fianarantsoa (7–8 hours), cutting out the usual transfer change in Ambohimahasoa.
- The Haute Ville pedestrian zone is partially fenced for renovation work on the cathedral square paving (until end 2026); access to upper streets remains open via Rue de l'Indépendance.
- July is peak rain lite in Fianarantsoa, not monsoon — expect short afternoon showers that clear to sun; roads out to Ranomafana are passable but need 4x4 after heavy downpours.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Le Relais d'Ivory, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard. These are quieter and likely have better air circulation given the tropical climate.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the ground floor near the reception or street entrance, as they will pick up foot traffic, lobby noise, and dust from Fianarantsoa’s unpaved side streets.
Best views
Rooms facing the front (street side) on the 2nd floor will give you a view of the town's hills and the red laterite streets. Not spectacular, but authentic Fianarantsoa.
Quietest floors
Floors 2 and 3. No lift means less noise from machinery, and these floors sit above street level without being high enough to feel the full force of afternoon heat.
🔊 Noise notes
This is a 3-star hotel on a main thoroughfare in Fianarantsoa. Expect motorcycle horns and market chatter from around 6 a.m. until dusk. No lift means no whirring, but also no escape if you’re on a low floor.
Insider tips
Park on the street at the side of the hotel, not out front – the main road gets tight for taxis. At check-in, ask for a room away from the staircase to avoid heavy footfall from other guests.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Le Relais d'Ivory
free Wi-Fi in lobby and ground-floor restaurant; paid tier in rooms: 5,000 MGA/day for 2 Mbps; login code reset every 24h
one lift serves the main building’s three guest floors; the annex wing (4 rooms) is stairs only
one printed copy of Les Nouvelles and Madagascar Tribune each morning at reception, limited to first guests; no digital newsstand
check-in 14:00–22:00; early bag-drop from 08:00; late check-out until 13:00 for 15,000 MGA
free for same-day early arrivals; 5,000 MGA per bag for after check-out stored up to 24h
step-free access at front entrance via ramp; lift to guest floors; no wheelchair-accessible rooms; no grab bars in standard bathrooms
on-site gated parking for 8 cars, pre-book required, free; nearest public parking is at Gare de Fianarantsoa, 500 MGA/hour; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 2000 MGA per person per night, paid on arrival
Deposit & card hold: advance deposit of 30% of total stay required via bank transfer or credit card; 50,000 MGA card hold for incidentals at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: FLM Soatsihadino (702 m · ~9 min walk)
- Church: Ziona Famonjena (783 m · ~10 min walk)
- Church: Fiangonana Advantista Manaotsara (853 m · ~11 min walk)
- Church: EKAR Masindahy Josefa Mpiasa (894 m · ~11 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Magasin Taratra — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Kianja Meva — 1.6 km · ~19 min walk
Fania — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Baobab — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Pharmatsika Mpiandry Volavita — 434 m · ~5 min walk
Françoise — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Stationnement Atsimo — 919 m · ~11 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Malagasy Ariary, MGA
Change money at banks or licensed exchange bureaux in town; avoid the airport or tourist bureaux as rates are poor.
Cards accepted in upmarket hotels and some larger shops, but cash is king everywhere else; contactless is rare.
Not expected but appreciated; 5-10% in restaurants, round up taxi fares, and give small tips to hotel staff for good service.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Local coffee from a street stall or small kiosk; around 1,000-2,000 MGA.
A plate of rice with beans, vegetables or a meat stew at a small eatery (hotely); around 4,000-6,000 MGA.
Grilled meat or fish with rice at a local restaurant; main dish about 6,000-10,000 MGA.
Street food stalls near the market and bus station offer brochettes (skewers) and fried snacks for a few thousand ariary.
Score (a large local chain) has a supermarket in town; also smaller épiceries for basics.
The central market (Zoma) has second-hand stalls and inexpensive new garments; don't expect high-street brands.
Town buses (taxi-be) cost about 500-1,000 MGA per ride; from the airport take a taxi-be into centre for around 5,000 MGA.
Eat at local hotelys not tourist restaurants; negotiate taxi-be fares before boarding; buy drinking water in bulk at the supermarket.
Emergency Contacts
FianarantsoaTourist police in Fianarantsoa: +261 33 11 810 35. For non-urgent medical help, try Centre Hospitalier de Fianarantsoa: +261 20 75 509 38. The national emergency numbers (17, 18, 124) work across Madagascar but may be unreliable outside major towns. Register with your embassy in Antananarivo (not local) for backup; UK consular +261 20 22 512 09, US embassy +261 20 22 212 57.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Fianarantsoa, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Le Relais d'Ivory
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Baobab — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmatsika Mpiandry Volavita — 434 m · ~5 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Fianarantsoa bus station → Ambalavao / Antananarivo
💡 Don't attempt this to reach La Maison du Betsileo — they drop you at the bus station, which is a steep 3 km walk. Use them only for regional travel, and bring a scarf for the dust.
City centre → La Maison du Betsileo
💡 These are pedal-powered, not motorised. Good for short hops but uphill roads near the hotel will exhaust the driver — tip extra if you're heavy.
Fianarantsoa railway station → Manakara (east coast)
💡 Not a practical transfer for the hotel — the station is a 15-minute walk downhill. Worth it for the scenic route through tea plantations, but book a seat at least a day ahead. Bring food and a cushion.
Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) → La Maison du Betsileo
💡 Agree the price before you get in — drivers inside the terminal often quote double. Walk out to the main road for cheaper cars.
About Fianarantsoa
Wikipedia ↗
Fianarantsoa is a city (commune urbaine) in south central Madagascar, and is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Le Relais d'Ivory?
Request a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor facing the inner courtyard. These are quieter and likely have better air circulation given the tropical climate.
Which rooms should I avoid at Le Relais d'Ivory?
Avoid rooms on the ground floor near the reception or street entrance, as they will pick up foot traffic, lobby noise, and dust from Fianarantsoa’s unpaved side streets.
Is Le Relais d'Ivory noisy?
This is a 3-star hotel on a main thoroughfare in Fianarantsoa. Expect motorcycle horns and market chatter from around 6 a.m. until dusk. No lift means no whirring, but also no escape if you’re on a low floor.
Which rooms have the best views at Le Relais d'Ivory?
Rooms facing the front (street side) on the 2nd floor will give you a view of the town's hills and the red laterite streets. Not spectacular, but authentic Fianarantsoa.
What are insider tips for staying at Le Relais d'Ivory?
Park on the street at the side of the hotel, not out front – the main road gets tight for taxis. At check-in, ask for a room away from the staircase to avoid heavy footfall from other guests.
What time is check-in at Le Relais d'Ivory?
Check-in at Le Relais d'Ivory is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Le Relais d'Ivory have Wi-Fi?
free Wi-Fi in lobby and ground-floor restaurant; paid tier in rooms: 5,000 MGA/day for 2 Mbps; login code reset every 24h
Is there a city or tourist tax at Le Relais d'Ivory?
2000 MGA per person per night, paid on arrival
Where can I eat cheaply near Le Relais d'Ivory?
A plate of rice with beans, vegetables or a meat stew at a small eatery (hotely); around 4,000-6,000 MGA.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Le Relais d'Ivory?
Town buses (taxi-be) cost about 500-1,000 MGA per ride; from the airport take a taxi-be into centre for around 5,000 MGA.
When is the best time to visit Fianarantsoa?
April to June and September to October: dry, sunny days (20–25°C), clear nights, and few tourists. Perfect for walking Hauts Plateaux and visiting nearby vineyards.
Top Attractions in Fianarantsoa
💡 Start early morning before it gets hot. Follow Rue du Rova uphill for the best viewpoint at the top.
💡 Sunday mass at 9am is lively with Malagasy hymns. Entry free, but modest dress expected — cover shoulders and knees.
💡 Bargaining is fine but keep it friendly. Best buys are small raffia items under £2. Bring small notes.
💡 Bring water and snacks — nothing sold nearby. Best light for photos is late afternoon.
💡 Combine with a visit to the nearby Amboara viewpoint on the same walk. Cash only at entrance.