Radisson Blu Hotel, Antananarivo Waterfront

Pros: Amazing staff! Everyone I dealt with directly was professional, helpful, and patient. They all spoke French, Malagasy (of course), and very good English. The breakfast is excellent with a range of premade and ready to be cooked foods. Rooftop pool is an amazing place to relax. Rooms are quiet, large, bed is very comfy, and the bathroom is actually really nice (but, see Cons below). Food and service at the Larder are both very good. All the local musicians playing in the lounges and restaurants were fantastic! Excellent drivers with clean cars can be hired for local trips by contacting the nice people at the concierge desk. The gym is small but the equipment is clean and in perfect working order (towels are provided). Cons: However, online communication and the actual state of the hotel itself, leaves something to be desired. After making my reservation, I tried to arrange a car to pick me up at the airport. Despite multiple emails over the course of many days, I only received an out of office response from one email address. I finally escalated this issue all the way up to international Radisson, and they responded quickly, apologizing and assuring me that they contacted the hotel directly and that I would soon hear from them. I never did. I finally had to alter my booking so that I could get airport pick up from a different hotel. The so-called Lake view is really just a view of a very large pond surrounded by dirt and grass (but, it’s fun to watch the football and rugby games). However, the other side of the hotel offers a view of slums and open sewage. Such is the sad state of this large city in such a poor country. Eventually, I had to move rooms because the HVAC system produced an incredible amount of noise, even when it was off. I also discovered that the window could not be fully closed or even locked, resulting in a remarkable amount of noise from wind-shear. The people at the check-in desk were really helpful sorting this out. Other thoughts: The Fire Lake is their rooftop, high end dining experience. The high costs of food and drink do not meet expectations. I enjoyed other, somewhat cheaper restaurants in ‘Tana. In fact, I much preferred the atmosphere and food in the Larder. TL;DR: The real question is whether or not I would stay here again? Definitively, yes. The staff are actually incredible and the few issues I had could happen at any hotel.

We had a wonderful stay at the Radisson Blu Waterfront in Madagascar. The room was clean and comfortable, the food was excellent, and the entire staff was incredibly helpful. A special thank-you to Mahandry, who was so friendly, personable, and attentive to our every need. His warm hospitality truly made our stay even more memorable!