29 May 2012

Magical Mauritius-somehow Mauritius had never appealed to me as a holiday destination, UNTIL I got the chance to visit it for a long weekend because we had our annual conference there. I've changed my mind-the beauty of the island, even the smell of the island enchanted me completely! We stayed at Beachcomber’s 5 Star Shandrani Hotel, on the all inclusive package, which also includes French Champagne from 1830, and free drinks until 2330. The choice of food for meals is very extensive, and very tasty. Vegetarians would be well accommodated here too, with lots of yummy non-meat dishes to choose from. I tried their lentils, and it was divine. The rooms are very spacious with comfortable beds. The bathrooms are also huge, with a lovely showerhead. There are 3 beaches to choose from-one of them with magnificent rolling waves, the other 2 calm and serene, perfect for snorkelling, glass bottom boating, turtle spotting in Blue Bay, banana boats for kids and adults alike. There are loads of activities to enjoy, but if you just want to get away from it all, find a quiet spot to relax, this hotel offers that too. The resort it family friendly, and is a a great choice for couples too. We had a cocktail party on Thursday night when we arrived at their stunning Spa area, on Friday night we had a Gala Dinner at their Le Sirius Restaurant, and on Saturday night, we had a pirate’s party on the beach, which was very well catered for, and lots of fun. Their conference room was well equipped and seating arrangements very comfortable. The feel of the hotel is one of relaxation, nothing pretentious, but all your needs are catered for. On Saturday afternoon, I had the chance to visit LUX Belle Mare, on the east coast of Mauritius. Breathtakingly beautiful. My first thought when we arrived at the LUX Belle Mare, was "perfect", and during our visit, it didn't change. From the sumptuous seafood lunch to the spacious rooms, and generous hospitality of each and every staff member we came across, the afternoon was idyllic. LUX and Island Light Holidays are part of the same group. Their LUX hotel brands offer at least 50 reasons why one should stay at their resorts -from big screen movies on the beach, to finding a hidden "message in the bottle"- if one of the guests find the "hidden" bottle, they'll be pleasantly surprised with a Spa voucher, a free bottle of wine, or other small gifts. They also have a cart that gets moved every day to a different location, with juices and cold drinks for their guests to help themselves to, as well as a "pirate’s chest”. Guests who are curious enough to open the chest will find an honesty bar, offering wines and beers, all chilled on ice. The beach was expansive, with a grassy area just above, where hammocks and bean bags are set out for their guests to kick back and read, sleep, relax. The hotel group flew in an Italian chef to teach their chefs how to make the perfect pizza, Italian ice-creams and breads. The LUX Belle Mare also has a coffee barista, who blends and grinds fresh coffee beans (imported from all over the world, including Ethiopia) for all of their hotels dotted throughout the island, including their properties on Reunion Island. My mind has done a complete 180, and I would simply love the chance to go and visit Mauritius again-in a heartbeat! If you would like more information then please don’t hesitate to contact me.