Life is Too Short for Crap Holidays Series - Mauritius
By: tmhogirl (03 January 2009)
So we all know that the economic crisis is very much on most people's minds. Has that stopped you from going on holidays? Have you changed your hotel plans as a result of the credit crunch? Are you still a five star junkie or are you settling for less luxury? Do you think life is too short for crap holidays? What is your definition of crap holiday? What are your holiday recommendations?
In this series, we will look at holiday destinations with a particular emphasis on where to stay. The hotels in this series may not be the cheapest accommodations, but they are places where our personal experiences show that they will help with having a fabulous holiday.
Our thoughts are if we're going to spend money on holidays, we might as well make it a great one!
Mauritius
Mauritius is one of our favourite destinations. It is a romantic tropical island with its beautiful, friendly locals, for whom nothing is ever too much, beautiful blue sea ocean with pure white sand, forested mountains, glades and waterfalls.
The culture and food in Mauritius is a blend of diverse cultures and religion influenced by its Hindu, Creole, Chinese, Muslim and European population.
When to go
The weather in Mauritius is mild all year round with the temperature on the coastal areas between 22°C in winter and 31°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C.
It has two seasons, the warm rainy season (December to April) and the cool and dry season (May to November).
The best months to visit Mauritius are probably May to October.
Where to stay - One&Only Le Saint Géran
Our top place to stay in Mauritius is the multi award winning luxurious One&Only Le Saint Géran, nestling peacefully in the silver sands of the golden peninsula of Bella Mare on the north-east coast of the Island. The hotel is surrounded by 60 acres of tropical gardens and thousands of swaying coconut trees. It is located less than an hour from the airport and 40 minutes from the capital Port Louis.
If you are in search of pampering, prepare to be pampered at this wonderful hotel.
It is difficult to describe what is so special about Le Saint Géran, but vaguely, there is something about the combination of service, location and its general ambiance that makes it the most luxurious pampered experience.
You are made to feel like a celebrity the minute you walk into the hotel especially if like us, you are tired from a long flight. On arrival, you are greeted by the striking of the gong (yes, for real), and you will be greeted by the manager and other staff, who will greet you like the celebrity of the moment or better still, like a much loved and much missed family member returning home. Once on our second visit to the hotel, one of the staff, the fabulous Oliver, said "Welcome home." We remembered him from our first visit two years previously, but surely there was no way he would remember us?
In the lobby, you will probably breathe a sigh of relief at the first sight of the spectacularly blue sea and white sandy beach and feel somewhat reassured that the expensive trip would be worth every penny spent. The welcome party continues with welcome drinks, and you will be assigned your own personal unobtrusive butler who will see to your every need, and will even anticipate some of your needs before you even think of them!
Most impressive service
The service in this hotel is legendary. Nothing is ever too much. The beach boy that will clean your sun glasses as you lie on the beach, free bottled water, complimentary cool drinks and fruits as you laze on the beach.
Once, my partner and I left the impressive front gate to go for a short walk outside the hotel complex and a few minutes later, it started raining, nothing heavy, just some drizzle. Almost immediately, a car pulled up next to us. The security men had noticed we didn't have an umbrella and had sent one of the staff to give us an umbrella or even a ride back to the hotel!
Its facilities include the spa where I experienced the best body massage I have ever had. It was so good that I just wanted to ditch my partner and marry the masseur. It was truly divine.
Dining
Top tips: You should really book half board (breakfast and dinner inclusive) to take full advantage of this hotel and there is always a deal that includes complimentary half board for junior suites all year long.
The restaurants outside the hotel are poor and the costs will add up should you choose to eat in the hotel and pay for individual meals.
You can have the widest breakfast selection in the La Terrasse restaurant or for free, you can have the most expansive breakfast delivered to your room by your butler and up to two (!) assistants at a time of your choice.
From your breakfast selection which could include cold meat, fish, fruits, salad, bread rolls, you can always make a light lunch and avoid paying for lunch!
Evening meals in La Terrasse as part of your half board is also a must. The restaurant is simple and beautiful overlooking pool and the Indian Ocean. Forget crappy hotel buffet, the half board buffet, table d'hôte and themed dinner are full of choice and simply to die for, with the biggest salad selection ever. The four course buffet meal includes complimentary coffee and petite fours.
You also have a choice of a la carte as part of the half board deal but to be honest, the chef and the extremely friendly and helpful waiters would happily prepare anything you want.
This service in this hotel is out of this world. They will ask you for your name the first time you dine at the restaurant, and will greet you by name for the duration of your stay. I still haven't figured out how they do that. The same way I haven't quite figured out why they always had the discreet turn down service whenever we were having dinner, no matter what time we went!
In the evening, there is also live entertainment with a live band, cabaret, including the rather delicious Mauritius night.
If you fancy something else for dinner, there is also choice of Rasoi by Vineet, Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia has created a modern-Indian menu bursting with flavours and colours for the resort's romantic waterside restaurant. Or the Spoon des Îles where Michelin starred chef Alain Ducasse has created a fine restaurant offering some of the most innovative recipes on the island and a renowned wine list.
Rooms
All rooms now have free wifi and are all suites with balconies and terraces facing the Indian Ocean. The ground floor junior suites with superb sea view are fabulous and our timing showed a 30 seconds walk from our room to the sea!
What to do in the hotel complex
There is enough at Le Saint Géran to keep you entertained without venturing out of the hotel. In addition to the Givenchy Spa, there is a well equipped gym, unlimited complimentary water sports which include kayaks, laser sailing, water skiing, wind surfing, aqua aerobics in the pool, glass bottom and snorkelling boat trips available several times a day, and of course a swimming pool.
Le Saint Géran is also known for its beautiful 9 hole par 33 Gary Player designed golf course and if you want something more challenging, the One&Only Ile aux Cerfs 18 hole par 72 championship golf is only 20 minutes away via free shuttle service.
Other complimentary facilities include tennis, badminton, beach volleyball, table tennis and even cross country cycling. Horse riding, scuba diving, small game fishing, deep sea fishing, catamaran sailing and cruises are also available for a fee.
What to do outside the hotel complex
We are no expert at what to do outside the hotel because whilst we are always up for exploring local areas and experiencing different culture, we are ashamed to say that we have never been able to resist the charms of Le Saint Géran long enough to venture outside for too long.
Check out the following websites for things to do:
http://www.mauritius.net
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293816-Activities-Mauritius.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mauritius
If you have stayed in Mauritius, and have recommendations for things to do, please share with us.
Things that might cause mild annoyance and TMHO tips
• Although the beach on Le Saint Géran is private to guests, and has good security, the laws in Mauritius allow hawkers to sell on beaches. These guys are however quite friendly, non aggressive and if you stick your do-not-disturb flag, they will respect your privacy.
• Drinks are very expensive in the hotel and bizarrely, beer is half the price of soft drinks. If you order a bottle of wine in the restaurant and are not a great drinker, you can ask staff to keep the bottle for the next night!
• The hotel is far from snooty but be warned that some seriously rich people stay in this hotel. Now and again, you may run into the odd footballer, silly WAG and silly little spoilt rich brats. Luckily, their attention seeking antics are generally ignored, and they tend to move on to other hotels for wild partying. By the way, if wild partying is your thing, then look else where!
• The half board booking does not supplement bookings of the Michelle starred Rasoi by Vineet or the Spoon des Îles. But seriously who cares? Whilst these restaurants are great, there is so much choice on the half board restaurant, you won't get bored.
• From the UK, direct flights with British airways or Air Mauritius take 12 hours to Mauritius. If you are not a fan of long haul flights, you can divide your travel into two by flying Emirates to Mauritius via some fabulous duty free shopping in Dubai.
• The hotel is very different from the real Mauritius which is a poor country. Some may not be wowed by things to do in Mauritius but tourism is an important element of their economy and there is a hell of a lot to do in the resort complex.
• Le Saint Géran is not cheap and you probably need to shop around for the best deals. This is one of the few places where it would work out cheaper to buy a package holiday that includes flight and hotel, instead of paying separately. Do you have any recommendations for good deals? Some websites to explore for deals include:
www.itcclassics.co.uk
www.mauritius.com
Enjoy and have a great holiday!
Votes: 9 Log in to vote for this item, post a comment or report abuse.
Comments on this post:
"Awesome, thanks for this. This has been added to the my holiday shortlists!"
summer (03 January 2009)
Votes: 3 Log in to vote or report abuse
"I have been here (in the good old days) and completely agree with all your points and tips. I will recommend this hotel any day!"
bluesky (03 January 2009)
Votes: 2 Log in to vote or report abuse
"I completely agree with Bluesky. I went to this hotel with the Ex and absolutely adored everything about it."
tmhoblogger (03 January 2009)
Votes: 1 Log in to vote or report abuse
"I love the series title and really enjoyed this. Yes, times are hard but we only live once. I am all splashing out on holiday. We all work so hard and deserve some time out!"
london1 (03 January 2009)
Votes: 1 Log in to vote or report abuse
"Thank you all so much for your comments, hugely appreciated. Please feel free to write your own travel recommendations or even nightmares!"
tmhogirl (03 January 2009)
Votes: 1 Log in to vote or report abuse
"I enjoyed this thanks. Any tips 4 florida?"
Andys (12 January 2009)
Votes: 0 Log in to vote or report abuse
"AndyS, I should post something on Florida in the next couple of weeks. Do you need tips sooner?"
tmhogirl (14 January 2009)
Votes: 0 Log in to vote or report abuse
"Thank you. No hurry. i have a couple of months before I would need to book and Florida (away from the touristy areas)is top of the list"
andys (14 January 2009)
Votes: 0 Log in to vote or report abuse
"OK, I know just the place. Check back soon."
tmhogirl (14 January 2009)
Votes: 0 Log in to vote or report abuse
See all posts by tmhogirl | Back to main travel page