The Best Luxury Hotels in Mauritius

Located in the island’s southeast, a 10-minute drive from the airport, the four-star Preskil Island resort in Mauritius is a great option for families. Children up to the age of twelve can join activities organised by the “Tikoulou Kids Club”, named after a fictional Mauritian boy who has all sorts of mischievous adventures. Adults, meanwhile, can start the day with breakfast on a bobbing canoe, before going paddling, snorkelling, biking or kite-surfing. Dine at the 1810 and Mosaic restaurants, offering Mauritian and pan-Mediterranean fare respectively, and grab a drink at Bar Medley, which serves twelve beers from twelve different countries.

The Address’s key draw is it’s all-in-one location: situated on the banks of the Tombeau River in the north. This boutique hotel in Mauritius is just a five-minute drive from secluded Le Goulet Beach and a ten minute drive from the capital of Port Louis. New Japanese restaurant Izumi – one of two on-site eateries, the other being a specialist in Mediterranean fare – is also drawing foodies from all over the island and beyond, lured both by the food and the theatrical live cooking of its two expert chefs. Gather around the red piano every Friday evening from 5pm to 8pm for live music and discounted drinks.

Nature-lovers will find the perfect base at La Mariposa, a cosy boutique on Mauritius’ west coast, just a 35-minute drive from the Black River Gorges National Park. This vast blanket of hills and forests is home to 300 species of flowering plants and nine native bird species, three of which are endangered. Simple, contemporary rooms face either the mountains, the sea or the tropical gardens, and almost all have their own terraces. Relaxation spaces are provided by an infinity pool, the Deck cocktail bar and French-and-Mauritian restaurant Korail Rouge.

Constance’s five-star Belle Mare Plage resort sits on a secluded bay just back from a pristine, 2km-long beach on Mauritius’ east coast. It’s light, airy accommodations are split over rooms, suites and palatial villas, all of which have furnished terraces with either Indian Ocean or garden views. There’s simply everything you could possibly need or want on site: seven restaurants serving everything from Mauritian cuisine to pizza, six bars, four swimming pools, boutique shops and a menu of experiences ranging from deep-sea fishing to helicopter rides. Oh, and there are two pro-level golf courses to play on, too.

Zilwa Attitude is the first hotel in Mauritius to use a Creole word in its name, which tells you just how proud of its local heritage and culture this place is (“zilwa” means “islander” in Creole). Located on the northern shores, near the quaint fishing village of Grand Gaube, it offers accommodations inspired by Mauritian coastal dwellings, with their colourful walls and roofs made of tin, shingle or thatch. Once a week, guests have the opportunity to join one of the owners in their home for dinner, learning traditional cooking techniques, sipping rum and dancing the sega.

Eco-friendly accommodation doesn’t come much more inventive than at south Mauritius’ Bubble Lodge, where rooms are contained in transparent pods that enable you to blend with nature and to count the stars as you fall asleep. The idyllic village of Bois Cheri is the largest tea maker on the island, and guests can visit the factory and taste the different types produced there. Try the tea-leaf chutney at Le Bois Cheri Restaurant, which also offers unbroken views of the tea plantations and the south of the island.

Mauritius’ east coast has its fair share of luxury resorts, but the One&Only Le Saint Géran stands out for its private peninsula location, superb food, and upscale atmosphere, catering to both couples and families. Honourable mentions go to the exceptional spa and palapa-dotted lagoon beach with free water sports. All suites (which span direct-beach-access rooms through to a super-secluded villa with private infinity pool) have views of the water. Lots of wildlife call One&Only’s tropical gardens home, including a resident crowned crane.

A popular choice for honeymooners, 20 Degres Sud sits behind a coconut grove near Grand Baie, on Mauritius’ northern tip. The beach-facing accommodations at this luxury hotel are stylishly decorated by Belgian designer Flamant and range in size from the Charm Rooms, with their own outdoor showers, to the Austral Suites, which have their own plunge pools or hot tubs. All provide access to two pools, one on the main terrace, one in the world-class spa, a games room with billiards, a library with over a thousand books in several languages, and a programme of water-based and inland activities.

This small luxury resort in Mauritius rambles along a beautiful stretch of northwestern coast. Its 71 pavilion-style rooms and villas (most with private pools) are framed with pitched ceilings and glass walls, and hooked up with Nespresso machines, private terraces, and daily fresh fruit. Of the food options, try the barbecued lobster and seafood at On The Rocks restaurant, just steps from the water; the four-course meal in the herb garden, prepared in an underground fire pit and smokehouse; and the classic Creole or omakase Japanese fare served in an 18th-century stone gunpowder room.

Maradiva offers a unique experience in Mauritius – every one of its 65 units is a standalone villa with a private infinity pool and outdoor garden shower. There’s also a lovely communal infinity pool, with views of the dramatic Le Morne Brabant to the south, as well as a restaurant and bars for guests who want to mingle. In-villa dining is also an option, courtesy of the 24-hour butler service. Take your book and towel down to Maradiva’s Tamarin Bay beach, with reef-sheltered waters and white coral sand.

An abundance of hotel facilities makes Long Beach Mauritius an attractive option for both families and couples. This Mauritius resort’s large footprint helps with this too, as many areas are dedicated for either kids’ activities or adult-only serenity. With more than 250 rooms, Long Beach is among the east coast’s bigger properties. Expect king-sized beds, Smart TVs and lagoon views. Seven bars and restaurants, and nightly entertainment, keep dinners fun and varied. Kayaking, parasailing, paddle-boating and other water sports are available at the beach, while back on land, there are bike rentals, rock climbing, putt-putt, and a daily-changing itinerary of activities.

Royal Palm Beachcomber is the most opulent property in the Mauritius-based Beachcomber hotel portfolio – and one of the most dazzling resorts in Mauritius. Sitting on the Indian Ocean in the heart of vibrant Grand Baie, Royal Palm offers raved-about dining options (including a fabulous breakfast buffet and romantic beach bar, tucked beneath palm trees), an upscale spa, and free water sports – water skiing, wakeboarding and stand-up paddleboarding, plus sailing – in the sparkling lagoon.

For nature lovers wanting to stay on Ile aux Cerfs – a lovely island known for its beaches and golf courses, floating in the aquamarine lagoon off Mauritius’ east coast – Bubble Lodge is the only overnight option. Good thing it is a truly extraordinary experience. The three “rooms” are eco-friendly, bubble-like glamping sites, set up on wooden platforms in a grove of banyans. The innovative structures come with seating areas, open-air hot-water showers, and butler service. Green fees to the Bernhard Lange-designed course are included in the rates, and private dinners on the idyllic beach with lights and music can be arranged.

This boutique golf and beach hotel on Mauritius’s Tamarin Bay has a lot going for it. Its crescent beach combines soft sand and gently sloping shallows, while its three eateries include a beach bistro and an à la carte spot by the 18th hole. Nearly half of the 50 rooms are within eye and earshot of the waves, and all units have furnished patios or balconies alongside separate tubs and showers. The hotel is under a 10-minute drive from Casela Nature Parks, a popular family attraction for quad-biking, zip-lining, and walking with lions.

Set on Mauritius’ sheltered west coast, Sugar Beach is a huge Flic-en-Flac luxury resort that’s equal parts romantic and kid-friendly. For honeymooner types, there’s an à la carte restaurant with panoramic ocean views and a fire pit, plus an adult-only pool and the 10,000sqft (930sqm) Cinq Mondes spa with a hammam. Families will appreciate the monster lagoon pool, kids’ club, and a lavish buffet restaurant. Many rooms have direct access onto the white coral beach, where a boat house stands ready to equip you for kayaking, surfing, and other aquatic adventures.