A passion that becomes a family project
The first plot of Souimanga Hotel was bare land. In 2010, the development work on the first 6000 m² plot began. Initially, the property was not intended to become a hotel but a property with a high diversity of plants. The goal was to live in great autonomy (farm and cultivation) and in close contact with the villagers.
Then, following several factors:
• The failure to create an essential oil plantation in Ambositra.
• The observation that a large number of Malagasy farmers and breeders resort to the massive use of pesticides, fertilizers, and chemical products, etc...
• The awareness that the disappearance of the last remnants of forest in the highlands of Madagascar is accelerating. We are witnessing in our lifetime the extinction of hundreds of species of shrubs, bushes, trees whose wood is useful for Malagasy arts, cabinetmaking, medicinal plants…
We decided to refocus on this plot around their house and to start a triple project, namely the creation of a hotel, a garden and farm, and above all a conservatory and experimental park (cultivation of a maximum of endemic plant species outside their original environment to determine which would be suitable for quality reforestation projects).
8 years of experimentation and adjustments
Between 2012 and 2018, the property expanded to reach 1.2 hectares around the hotel. Through experience and hard work, the vegetation eventually created a favorable microclimate and great biodiversity was introduced. Souimanga is also the scientific name of a bird from Madagascar that feeds mainly on flower nectar. This bird species came to settle on the land which was initially empty, devoid of any fauna or flora. It is now present in large numbers in the hotel park. The addition of honey-producing or fruit trees has allowed the arrival of many other birds and insects.
It took 8 years for the Souimanga Hotel concept to become operational and for the hotel to open its doors. Currently, Souimanga Hotel is one of the few hotels in Madagascar to have its own farm and garden, its conservatory park, and to produce 70% of the products it offers its customers (poultry, rabbits, milk, fruits, jams, honey, vegetables, bread…).