Three Mauritian resorts to know now
From the newest kid on the block to a firm favourite, these 4-star Mauritian resorts cater to all – the beach bum, the romantic, the party animal, and more. Best of all, each offers something special for the young at heart.
VICTORIA BEACHCOMBER
In a sentence This all-inclusive escape feels almost 5-star, and is perfect for romantics; we say leave the kids at home.
Location Victoria Beachcomber, in Pointe aux Piments on Mauritius’s northwest coast, is roughly an hour from the airport and is well positioned for excursions to both nearby Port Louis and party town Grand Baie.
Ambience Much activity centres around the pitched roof of the resort’s reception area, which leads out to an enormous pool surrounded by restaurants and bars. Given the resort’s linear flow, rooms – on three storeys – lead off this central hub. A favourite with South Africans, Victoria Beachcomber will, by September, have undergone a thorough soft-furnishings refurb of its rooms. Already underway, this has left rooms feeling fresher and more contemporary. Crescents of accommodation offer views of lawns and out to the ocean. In the dappled shade of palm trees, oversized beanbags and hammocks are perfect garden hangout zones.
Rooms The almost 300 rooms, suites and apartments at Victoria Beachcomber are truly spacious, the smallest being a generous 52m2. We particularly like the New Superior room with its ample storage, bathroom with bath and shower, gorgeous wallpaper and deep balcony. The look is modern, the feel barefoot luxury. For a guaranteed ocean view, book rooms on the first floor (palm tree foliage may partially obstruct ocean views from the second floor).
Drinking and dining Additional to Le Superbe, the main restaurant that looks particularly inviting after dark, Victoria Beachcomber offers three others. We recommend La Casa, the resort’s upmarket (that means no pizzas!) Italian offering, with its enchanting nighttime views of Port Louis, perfect for romantic dining. L’Horizon specialises in seafood, and is great for feet-in-the-sand lunches or dinners. Morris Beef rounds up the trio, and is an adults-only steakhouse.
Beach In a word, glorious! The soft white sands of the resort’s beach not only stretch the property’s length, but at its midpoint (the pool) are sufficiently deep to allow ample space for loungers, an outdoor kids club and for ball sports. The beach and its Sunset, Parrot and Pinky bars, is an ideal vantage point for copper-toned sunsets.
For the kids Cleverly located on the beach, a Kids Club caters to those from 3 to 11 in age. Indoors, a Teens’ Club offers suitably themed entertainment. There’s also a fully-equipped baby care room.
Lifestyling loves The swim-up rooms at Victoria For 2, the resort’s adults-only enclave. Think swim-up bar, but instead of submerged bar stools picture semi-submerged sun loungers, that step from a snaking adults-only pool onto individual patios and into peaceful and private rooms. It’s right here that you’ll find us on our next stay!
www.beachcomber.co.za
C MAURITIUS
In a sentence With amusement at its core, the all-inclusive C Mauritius is a treat for the fun at heart.
Location Positioned midway along the island’s eastern coast. Travel time to the airport is approximately an hour. The ferry to Ile aux Cerfs departs nearby.
Ambience Publicised as ‘nature’s playground’, C Mauritius is the playful offering from Constance Hotels & Resorts, and does all it can to ensure that any stay – be it for adult or child – is as fun-filled and evocative of childhood as possible. It begins with a welcome drink served from a steampunk contraption, extends to oversized boardgames, swings, an outdoor jellyfish shower and offshore trampoline, and includes a whale skeleton sculpture in the restaurant (where guests are encouraged to begin their meals with dessert). The fun continues in one of three hotel pools, home to the resort’s wine-tasting sessions.
Rooms C Mauritius has 116 rooms – either Prestige or Deluxe, with the larger 48m2. Housed over two storeys, sixteen of the rooms run along the beachfront, while the others are in crescents. In the Deluxe rooms, sliding shutters separate the bathrooms from the living spaces and, if left open, enhance the proportions. The décor is colourful, as it is elsewhere in the resort, with turquoise a much repeated colour.
Drinking and dining Main dining room aside, C Mauritius is home to a beach bistro, the easy-breezy (occasionally more breezy!) Cpicerie, a deli-style eatery that allows guests to grab prepared meals for enjoyment outdoors, in one’s room, or on the beach, and Wok ‘N Roll, our pick of the lot. The Asian fusion and sushi restaurant is both sultry in design and lighting, and makes for a welcome alternative to themed buffet nights.
Beach The beach from resort’s edge to ocean is fairly narrow, but what it lacks in depth the beach makes up for in length. Do as we did, and walk the coastline in a northerly direction; it’s a great way to live the tropical life (and to sneak a peek at neighbouring resorts!). Widely considered the windier coastline, Mauritius’s eastern side is great for wind-driven water sports, and the resort offers several.
For the kids While C Mauritius doesn’t have a dedicated Kids Club, consider the resort one oversized kids’ club. Daily activities for kids are offered, and take place around the resort. The resort’s overriding atmosphere is one that’s child-friendly, and nothing brings the cheerful staff greater joy than to spot parents and children having fun together.
Lifestyling loves Playful elements aside, we particularly enjoyed the thatched Asian-inspired architecture of C Mauritius’s common buildings, including the spa, and the bar, the latter with uninterrupted sea views. That the hotel has three pools also appealed, meaning that none is overly crowded or noisy.
www.c-resorts.com/cmauritius/
OCEAN’S CREEK
In a sentence Ideal for those who like to party under the stars to the sounds of a nightly DJ.
Location Situated in Balaclava on the island’s northwest coast, Ocean’s Creek is about an hour’s drive from the airport, and an equidistant 15 – 20 minute drive from both Port Louis and Grand Baie. The resort is positioned alongside the small estuary of a lagoon that flows into Tombeau Bay.
Ambience The most recent resort to be built in Mauritius and also the last, Ocean’s Creek’s most desirable rooms face either the lagoon or the ocean (heads up, without ocean views), with others forest facing. The reception, restaurants and other shared spaces including a spa and kids’ club are all on the ground floor, and given the very open architecture, most enjoy a welcome indoors-out breezy feel, with many leading out to the hotel’s pool, swim-up bar and water slides. The atmosphere throughout is relaxed and festive, with a DJ performing alongside the pool both in the afternoons and again nightly.
Rooms The resort has 136 rooms; these include everything from comfort rooms to suites. The Family Room has a very compact second bedroom with a bunkbed for young children. All rooms have balconies, but only the suites have baths. The décor is casual, with a palette comprising blues, warm tones and light wood.
Drinking and dining Ocean’s Creek’s main restaurant, Le Jardin, is where breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets are served, with ample seating both indoors and out. For a more intimate alternative, consider The Rum Shed. With views across the gardens towards the lagoon, this restaurant offers distinctly Mauritian cuisine, including tasty seafood. The Tam Tam bar closes daily at 11pm, and it’s where mixologists create the resort’s speciality cocktails.
Beach Surrounded on all sides by trees, Ocean’s Creek is set back from the beach. But walk through a dense planting of trees, and you’ll discover only a minute away a curving stretch of largely unpopulated soft brown sands. Because it’s a west-facing beach, it’s great for sunsets.
For the kids An indoor Kids Club caters to children from 3 to 12 years of age, offering everything from toys to games and books. There’s also a colourful kids’ pool nearby.
Lifestyling loves Two water slides (for both children and adults) offer something not easily found elsewhere in Mauritius. We thought the outdoor climbing wall, with tiers for beginners and the more experienced, was a fun addition.
www.oceanscreekmauritius.com
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Keen to venture beyond your resort and discover all that Mauritius has to offer, from red pineapples to historic homesteads, and from its nearby islands to its bustling produce market? Check out our Explorer’s Guide to Mauritius.
