With more than 100 mostly luxurious resort hotels on its 330km coast, Mauritius might seem to have as many as it could ever hope to fill. But despite the proliferation and quality of what’s already there, lots of new resorts are in the pipeline. The first to open this year is the Anahita Residences (anahita.mu) at L’Adamante, a development of villas and apartments that form a purpose-built village, with shops, market, restaurants, bars, beauty centre and Ernie Els golf course, fronted by a 6km beach facing the Ile aux Cerfs. Doubles from £569. Later in the year, it will be joined by the new Four Seasons Resort Mauritius (fourseasons.com), which will have its own ‘private wilderness sanctuary’. Villas from £375 a night. Then in July, Starwood will unveil its 193-room Grand Mauritian Resort & Spa (luxurycollection.com), from its Luxury Collection, close to Balaclava, overlooking the Baie de l’Arsenal (Turtle Bay) on the northwest coast. Doubles from £300 per night. In the meantime, here are other resort hotels you might not want to leave.
Shanti Ananda Maurice
The latest hotel to open on Mauritius is a sister property to the fabled Himalayan spa, and offers treatments from Ayurveda to thalassotherapy. Located on the south coast of the island, it’s well-placed for visiting the national parks. But most of the guests in its 55 Asian-themed villas and suites come to this, the island’s only destination spa, for the wellness packages it offers. Doubles from £485. +91 11 2656 8888, shantiananda.com
The Royal Palm
Largely hidden from view by the towering palms that shade the ivory sand beach on one of the island’s loveliest stretches of coast, the Mauritian-owned grande dame of hotels here exudes class, hauteur and stateliness. Palatial rooms overlook formal gardens to the turquoise ocean. And you’re likely to spot at least one French film star. If it feels out of your league, it’s worth remembering that Royal Palm is the flagship of the Beachcomber group, which has eight hotels on Mauritius, the rest of which charge less exalted rates. From £165 per person for a junior suite. +230 209 8300, royalpalm-hotel.com
The Oberoi
Well-placed for the island capital Port Louis, site of a bustling market, opera house, racecourse and myriad restaurants if you tire of dining in, the Oberoi is nevertheless the place for privacy and pampering. All the accommodation is in secluded, exquisitely decorated pavilions and villas, 16 of which have 8½m slate-lined private swimming pools. And even if you do decide to venture out, it’s all too easy to find yourself alone in its 20 acres of luxuriant gardens, or by one of its two cobalt-tiled pools. From £597 for a luxury pavilion for two. +230 204 3600, oberoihotels.com
Taj Exotica
Another addition to the burgeoning hotel scene in Mauritius, this discreet all-villa complex, each with a private pool, has been designed to reflect the island’s many cultures, incorporating European colonial, Indian, African and Arabic design. (Before the Dutch settled, the island had been known to Arab traders as Dina Arobi and to the Portuguese, who called it Cerne, after the swan-like dodos they found there.) Its setting, overlooking Tamarin Bay, means the sunsets are one of its great glories. A luxury villa for two costs from £783 a night. +230 403 1500, tajhotels.com
Le Prince Maurice
Not merely by the water, but over it, this is the only hotel on the island to have suites built on stilts above a lagoon and a seafood restaurant that floats on pontoons. Its position and architecture of its lobby, is breathtaking. A granite floor gives way to mirrored pools, which lead to an infinity pool and then the ocean, all in subtle tones of greyish-blue. Heaven – the service is angelic too. Junior suites from £163 per person. +230 413 9100, princemaurice.com
