Magical Mauritius

Having been to Mauritius several times before, I had the opportunity to once again travel back to the beautiful island to attend our annual Travel Counsellors Conference which was held at the lovely Shandrani Resort & Spa. Shandrani is one of Beachcomber’s 5 Star Hotels and is located in the South of the island approximately 10 minutes from the airport and is an All Inclusive resort. It is has 327 rooms which are all sea facing – Deluxe rooms, Superior rooms, Beachfront Superior rooms, Family Apartments, Senior and Family Suites. It has 5 restaurants, a beautiful wellness centre called La Source Spa, two swimming pools and 3 separate beaches – one of which is called “The Wild Beach” where ocean waves reach the beach through a break in the protective coral reef surrounding the island. The two other beaches overlook the calm turquoise lagoon. Shandrani is a fully inclusive hotel which is an added bonus as drinks and meals can be quite expensive, especially when travelling on the SA Rand. You can take advantage of a la carte dining and choose from a huge selection of wines and drinks - including champagne by the glass. Enjoy one free massage (for stays 4 nights or longer), free bicycle hire and take advantage of numerous other free land and water-sports. As part of our Conference program, we had to opportunity to visit to other Mauritian hotels. I chose to visit Astroea Beach Hotel and Le Preskil Resort which are both located in the South approximately 15 minutes from the airport. Astroea is a little gem! For travellers who are on a budget and who do not want the crowds of people that the resorts draw this is a stunning option. Astroea sits in a tropical garden overlooking a stunning stretch of powdery white sandy beach and a glistening turquoise lagoon. It has only 16 rooms which are beautifully decorated in white, taupe and turquoise. All rooms lead onto a terrace or balcony and are equipped with air-con, flat screen TV, mini bar, electronic safe, hair dryer, tea and coffee making facilities. Their Restaurant and Bar are located directly on the beach front. It also has two massage rooms and offers free non-motorized water sports like Canoes, Pedal boats and Snorkelling equipment. Le Preskil is the sister resort to Astroea and is only 2km away – Astroea guests have the option of using the facilities of Le Preskil Resort for a nominal charge. Le Preskil is a good budget 4 Star resort and is great for first time travellers to Mauritius. It is set on a natural private peninsular and has 156 rooms comprising of Lagoon rooms, Prestige Cottage and Deluxe Penthouse rooms. Its facilities include 4 restaurants, 2 swimming pools, Fitness Centre, Aqua gym, a Wellness Centre, a Kids Club and a wide range of complimentary non-motorised land and water sports. Additional services like Catamaran Cruises, Dolphin Watching, Diving, Deep Sea Fishing etc. carry a supplement. Prior to the start of our Conference I extended my Mauritius trip and managed to do my own little reconnaissance mission by visiting a few more hotels in the South West of the island, namely The Heritage Le Telfair, The Heritage Awali and LUX Tamassa Resort. These are all 4 Star hotels and great for families, honeymooners, golfers etc. The Heritage Awali and LUX Tamassa resorts offer an All Inclusive package whilst the Le Telfair offers Half Board and Full Board only. All have their own Spa, Kiddies clubs and have beautiful locations for weddings should you want get married in Mauritius. Each hotel has their own unique selling point but one thing is for sure – they all offer great value for money! Mauritius is an all-year-round destination but like anywhere in the world they do have recommended travel times. They have a sub-tropical oceanic climate with fairly high temperatures and humidity all year round. Rain falls at all times of the year however the wettest months are from Jan-Mar where they can experience tropical cyclones. Overall, Mauritius is a fabulous destination for both the seasoned and first time travellers. It's a short 4 hour flight, no visas are required for SA passport holders and most hotels will accept SA Rands. I would highly recommend Mauritius as a destination for families, incentive & conferencing groups, honeymooners, friends or couples wanting an enjoyable break!