LAC Hotel
The LAC Hotel offers comfortable, charming bungalows, on boasting stilts to give you idyllic views of the tropical garden and Lake Sahambavy. The hotel is in a prime location bursting with enriched history, next to the only tea plantation in Madagascar. The hotel’s calm and attentive staff add to the serene ambiance, and are also filled with knowledge of the surrounding tourist spots where you can discover the charm of “Betsileo”.
Lac Hotel Sahambavy, Ambatomalama, Madagascar
The Lac Hotel is magnificently located on the edge of Lake Sahambavy and nestled at the foot of the hill where the only plantation of island tea, halfway between the North and the South of Madagascar.
By train, you can access the hotel in 2 minutes from Sahambavy Station (train connecting Fianarantsoa and Manakara), by road, it is 45 minutes from downtown Fianarantsoa, and also accessible by National Highway 7 Tananarive by turning left in the village of Ambalakely.
- Bar/Restaurant
- Room Service Available
- Free Wifi
- Shuttle Service Available
- Organic Soap Shop
The history of Madagascar’s first tea plantation begins in 1969 with the arrival of the French Institute of Coffee and Cocoa where they first began with scientific research of the different qualities of tea that can be grown in Madagascar.
The Sahambavy tea plantation is the only one in Madagascar, so there is no competition. For years to come, they are working on both the development of green tea, known for its health benefits and currently in demand in Western markets, and a project for organic tea.
April to October are, in general, the best months to visit Madagascar. This dry, cool season is what naturalists refer to as the austral winter. Overall, this is a good time to travel; days are bright and usually warm to very warm and nights mild.
Overlooking Lake Sahambavy, these rooms offer up close spectacular views of Lake Sahambavy, all while guaranteeing the comfort and serenity of our guests. These double king sized rooms are beautifully decorated with local materials and hand crafted wood carvings made by local Malagasy craftsmen. These rooms were especially designed for honeymooners and are all equipped with Canal+ Satellite TV and a private terrace.
For train lovers and/or historians looking to be transported back to the 1930s this is a unique experience. This Honeymoon Wagon will be essential to get the full antique train experience. This wagon has been created and renovated with a bathroom, equipped with a shower and toilet. The wagon measures 30 metres long and comes with a private garden at your disposal.
Recently constructed, overlooking the lake and the garden, the Superior Lake View rooms offer top quality European comfort. These modern rooms (double + twin) are all equipped with Canal+ Satellite TV and a private terrace. The rooms are a 3 minutes walk from the restaurant. Room service is available to these rooms upon request.
Located about 800 metres from the restaurant, our standard room (12 metres square) was inspired by life in the countryside in Madagascar. Those rooms were especially designed for guests looking for an authentic and secure Malagasy experience at an affordable price.
For those who want an authentic Malagasy culinary experience, the hotel menu offers Traditional Malagasy dishes as well as European dishes and grills. The specialty dish is the wild duck hunted by the LAC Hotel founder Kim, and irresistible ginger lake tilapia. You can enjoy these dishes in the panoramic restaurant or on the shady terraces by the lake. All of the hotel’s dishes are prepared from locally grown, fresh quality organic products.
The half-day trip, situated a 10 minute drive from the hotel, consists of an excursion within reach of all to discover the stages of tea production. Upon arrival a guide will welcome you and walk you through the tea factory. The guide will explain to you the different stages of tea production and how tea is manufactured here in Madagascar. You will see the machinery and the different processes of tea production starting from the tea fields through the dehydration process, all the way to the final process of bagging the tea and getting it ready for exportation.
To end your tour you will have the opportunity to taste the different qualities of teas produced. Then you will enjoy a walk through the huge and beautiful plantation.
All food products (cheese, bread, vegetable, salad, yoghurt) are homemade and grown on site. All salads and vegetables are washed with permanganate to ensure cleanliness. In respect of the local environment and ecology, the choice in meals is limited to fresh products available within season in the Sahambavy region.
The LAC Hotel welcomes children of all ages with cot beds available upon request.