Eventually I will be able to shake that Island feeling off, but in the meantime, I thought that I should just share some images and information on some of the 5 Star Resort accommodations that I encountered while in Mauritius.

The Island of Mauritius is not big at all.  In fact we drove from the north to the south and back in about 8 hours. But the coastline all around the island is littered with hotels and resorts. They come in all shapes and sizes, from your every day club type resort, to the luxury hotels. I could not even begin to go into all the activities that these resorts offer as it is vast, suffice to say – plenty-  all water sports (ski-ing, parachute surfing, tube riding, yachting, snorkelling and more) to kids activities, spa treatments and golfing.

We decided to do the budget style (self-catering) and despite the fact that this did not include ‘on tap’ water sports and all, our accommodation was superb.

However, just a spit away from our villa, fabulous 5 star resorts were to be found – two of the best in the north of the island. I managed to pop into the Le Cardinal Luxury Hotel and was ushered around their public areas, penthouse and deluxe rooms. It is only two years old and still in sparkling condition.

The penthouse is spacious and very well decorated – very 5 star indeed. The finishes and features are dark wood – very luxury island style. There is of course the added bonus of having your own Jacuzzi and outdoor deck. The bathroom is totally oversized and fitted with dark marble – total sense of opulence, although a bit on the masculine side for me.

The Hotel has been built in a tiered structure to facilitate the view of the ocean for each and every room. Naturally they are right on the beach (as is about 90% of them I think). But that has not stopped them from building a stunning swimming pool, which each room also looks down on. As I said – luxury.

I must admit that I did find their public areas design and décor a little toned down for the luxury experience that they offer in the bedrooms and elsewhere, which is often the case in luxury accommodation. I feel that as you step in, you should be fully aware of the fact that this is a luxurious space – you are paying for that kinda treatment after all.

The other 5 star Resort and Spa is the ‘Trou Aux Biche Hotel and Spa Resort’. This is a very big resort, stretching for what seems forever along the beach. They have in the last year or so, added into their accommodation, the most awesome freestanding ‘bungalows’ (for want of a better description) – right on the beachfront.

Although the interiors are top class in terms of the quality of the finishes used, the furnishings are kept to a minimum – very contemporary island style. The luxury is translated to you the guest, by way of these top quality finishes and a sense of exclusivity. Solid wood found throughout. In fact, the coffee table bases are solid wooden tree trunks – extremely heavy to carry. While on the beach one day, we saw 6 men slowly but surely moving this ‘tree trunk table base’ from one bungalow to the next. Get the picture now!

This resort caters a great deal for families. If you have kiddies, believe me they will have the facilities to help keep the kids busy whether in the water or on land.

I must admit that I had a bit of a ‘negative’ experience with the staff of this resort when I tried to approach them for a ‘site inspection’. I wanted to interview either the PR person or a Manager just to get the load down on the hotel, especially since I heard that South African interior designers had been involved with the recent re-furbishing. Unlike Le Cardinal where the management were accessible, open, welcoming and informative, here at Trou Aux Biche Hotel I could not even get close to the Duty Manager. Or even get a call returned by whomever.  They adopted a cautious corporate approach and eventually I just gave up on it.  Such a pity. What if I was Donald Trump or Sol Kerzner (because of The One and Only Hotel, they all know of him) – do you think I would have had the same treatment? I wonder?

Hope you enjoyed a sneak peek into the luxury resorts. If you have had a trip to the island, tell us a little of your experience.

For more info and gorgeous images check out the Le Cardinal Resort’s website: here and Trou Aux Biches Resort’s website: here.

All images sourced from the establishments’ respective websites.

Related articles

• Get This Look: Chic Mauritian Island Style (thedesigntabloid.com)
• Mauritius – Land of Sun and Sea (thedesigntabloid.com)