About Us
Nothing predestined the Payet family to become hoteliers... And yet, six decades later, this family business is celebrating the anniversary of the Sud Hôtel. Let’s take a look back at 60 years of remarkable history, at the heart of a Réunion family from Le Tampon.
Grandmother Payet, better known as "Madame Payet" (pictured here), used to cultivate geraniums in her younger years, which she distilled with her siblings. The Payet family has always worked together. During this period, "Madame Payet" acquired a heifer that was in poor condition and that the owner wanted to get rid of. She took great care of it, nursed it back to health, and some time later, the sick heifer turned into a magnificent cow. That’s when "Madame Payet" decided to trade it for a plot of land, and thus began the adventure of Sud Hôtel.
"Grandfather Payet," meanwhile, was a musician in the army band during the war and also worked in construction. Later, he created his own orchestra and played at many popular events, weddings, and other gatherings.
After acquiring the land, Grandfather began building the first wooden house, with a... bakery in the basement?! Both of them, as you can see, were full of resources... They made traditional sweets there, which "Madame Payet" sold to nearby shops. Thanks to this, they were able to expand, and soon a second house was built, this time out of stone, while the wooden one was rented out.
Hard-working as they were, their various activities flourished, and thus a third house was built, which eventually became the Saturday night dance hall. The dances, as you might have guessed, were animated by Mr. Payet, while his wife managed the entrance and the bar.
The popular dances, which are still appreciated today, allowed them to add a floor to the house. They opened a guesthouse: the Métro Hôtel. The name was chosen for two reasons: many metropolitan French people stayed at the guesthouse, including teachers from the first high school in Le Tampon, as well as workers from construction sites in the south of the island. Additionally, "Madame Payet" hired a cook whose last name was Métro (a common name on Reunion Island).
"Madame Payet," well known among the locals for her fiery personality, was very involved in construction and even participated in major works. The anecdotes about this extraordinary woman are as original as she was. These quirky stories – one even involving a bear! – can be told to you by her grandson if you ask him...
It wasn’t until many years later, in 1997, that their son Anick took over the hotel and changed its name to what you know today: Sud Hôtel.
He developed the hotel business into a true family enterprise. With the support of his wife and children, they structured the services in line with the growing tourism sector and opened the hotel’s current restaurant. In 2012, they handed over the business to their son Patrick, leaving him with a family business of 20 employees in the south of La Réunion, in Le Tampon.
Driven by the same desire to continue this wonderful family and professional adventure, Patrick began renovations in 2015 to improve the comfort and accessibility of the hotel. Thanks to its new reception area, bar, and seminar room, the Sud Hôtel proudly earned its 2-star classification.
The Payet family wishes you a pleasant stay at their family-run hotel.
Until your visit, you can keep up with the Sud Hôtel, its team, and its news on social media!
Facebook & Instagram.