Setting the Scene
In a city that feels like a lost kingdom of fragrant chaos, La Varangue sits slightly above it all, quite literally. Propped up on a rise in Antananarivo, just far enough from the diesel-scented streets and market hum to feel removed – it’s your calm, collected answer to Tana’s beautiful bustle.
A neat line of old-fashioned cars, polished to blinding perfection, greets you at the entrance – your breadcrumb trail to the world within. La Varangue fronts itself as a boutique hotel, but really, it’s an unapologetic ode to the past, and Madagascar’s most beloved restaurant.
The walls gleam with enough polished metal to single-handedly keep Brasso in business. Trumpets, saxophones, gramophones, oil lamps, antique telephones, clocks, typewriters, and, quite possibly, the kitchen sink too. It’s eccentric without trying too hard.
Nests for the Night
After a long-haul flight and your first enthusiastic handshake with Tana’s beautiful disorder, La Varangue’s rooms feel like a reward. Not flashy. Not try hard. Just exactly what you were quietly hoping for. Cool. Calm. Crisp. Collected.Think old parquet floors underfoot and stone walls that have seen a thing or two. Taupe and cream tones to zen out in, and the occasional splash of colour to remind you where you are. There is air conditioning when you need it, fast WiFi if you insist, and small, thoughtful details that let you know it’s time to chillax. Ahhhhhhhh, take a deep breath before the true adventure begins!
Food Philosophy
If you consider yourself even remotely food inclined, you’ve landed very well indeed. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, take your pick. Others cross the city just to eat here.The restaurant at La Varangue is one of Tana’s worst-kept secrets, widely whispered to be among the best in the capital. It’s intimate, a little theatrical, faintly speakeasy-esque, and entirely charming. As for the food? The menu is built around local, seasonal produce, organic local ingredients, and fragrant island spices. And you can sleep peacefully knowing you’ve got a fabulous cup of coffee and the best croissants this side of the equator to wake up to.
Also
When you’re not lost in La Varangue’s kitchen or contemplating the bottom of a very persuasive glass of infused rum, Tana is waiting. Markets hum. History stares down at you from the hilltops, and art galleries and craft boutiques reward the curious who are willing to wander. And of course, if you’re here for longer than a stopover, lemur day trips are just outside the city!
