Luxury Mauritius

Andre Bedford 08 August 2018
*Updated March 2022* - The Anantara Iko Mauritius is a new hotel opened in September 2021. Anantara’s is the first Mauritius resort located near Blue Bay. Blue Bay hosts the best snorkelling and diving in Mauritius with a vibrant coral reef*

Mauritius is a fabulously upmarket destination. White sandy beaches are the order of the day and really good food with lots of the hotels offering numerous restaurant choices in their all-inclusive packages. I’ve been lucky to travel to Mauritius twice over the years and view numerous hotels. Once in a work trip and the second when I returned for my Honeymoon. I enjoyed both trips so much.

Mauritius is super for a honeymoon as many of the hotels offer a bride a 50% discount on their stay. It’s the only country I know that does this. It’s also a great combination with South Africa for a Safari or the city of Dubai. It’s a relatively compact island. You can get to most areas within 1 hour. The hotels are located in clusters on the North, South, East and West coasts.

It is said that the West Coast is less windy as the mountain range which runs down the centre of the island therefore shields this coast somewhat form the Easterly winds. Having said that I have stayed on both coasts and I found very little difference to be very honest.

The best time to visit is from May- December avoiding the typhoon season that runs from January - April. With many hotel choices here are the details on the hotels I viewed and stayed in to help you choose. Meridian I’ll Maurice - for wow ocean views on arrival. Their Deluxe Garden Ocean View rooms offer great value being on the ground floor overlooking the ocean. They allow you walk straight out your terrace to the white sandy beach.

Heritage Awali - I stayed here on my Honeymoon. It’s a fabulous 5-star resort built low rise with thatched roves for a real Mauritian feel. The amazing spa village is a must for anyone staying here. A spa day out will never be the same. They also offer the bride a 50 % discount on her stay at different times of the year which is a fantastic help to any honeymoon couples’ budget. The beach front rooms offer an outside terrace that face the ocean and are as little as 10 steps to the sea.

There’s a choice of fabulous restaurants too on their all-inclusive plus option. The food was amazing, the beach white and sandy and goes on for miles. Great kite surfing from the beach and if you’re a pool person you will not feel left out as the pool sits right on the beach.

Lux Grand Gaube -I also stayed here on my Honeymoon. I had stayed here before and loved it so much I had to come back. I also liked that the location allows you to visit Grand Baie, a small resort type town with a few shops and restaurants. Keep in mind it’s highly recommended to stay on an all-inclusive based in Mauritius so you really only venture out for shopping or sightseeing. The hotel has recently been refurbished by Kelly Hopper. The property was fabulous before but now offers modern chic at its best. With 2 cove beaches and 3 pools there’s plenty of sun bathing options. Rooms are chic and all sea facing and there’s great live music in the evening that gives the resort a lively feel.

Lux Belle Mar - On the East coast this property has the most amazing white sandy beach. The best in Mauritius in my opinion and one of the best in the world. The waves seem to wander in and out in a U shape and the water is clear and so blue it’s just dreamy. Again, recently refurbished it is looking it’s best. As before the food is amazing. The pool overlooks the beach and they have an outdoor cinema! Really cool. Don’t forget to take a day trip to Ile aux Cerfs.

I’ve also visited the One & Only - Le St Gerain. The Maritim. The Belle Mar Plage, Tamassa and the Merville beach.

So let me know if Mauritius is on your bucket list and I’ll help you pick the best hotel for your holiday needs.