1. Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa
Discreet luxury is Maradiva’s calling card, with the all-villa resort encapsulating privacy, romance and relaxation all wrapped up in quiet opulence. There’s an award-winning Holistic Spa, private pools in the grounds of each villa and haute Mauritian cuisine at the resort’s four restaurants.
The 345sqm Presidential Suite Pool Villa creates a chic and peaceful cocoon in which to hole up, with unrivalled views of the ocean sheltered in a lush exotic garden. Beyond the walls of Maradiva’s five-star rustic luxury, there’s much to explore. The hotel’s sightseeing tour of the island in a Rolls-Royce Phantom pips most experiences to the post, during which you can embark on an exclusive day out in the lap of luxury.
The four-hour chauffeured drive will let you soak up the beauty of Mauritius, weaving around the coastal roads flanking the ocean, before stopping for lunch, served by your butler, from a Rolls-Royce picnic hamper. Surely the epitome of five-star pastimes.
2. The St. Regis Mauritius Resort
Renowned for the colonial Manor House, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, The St. Regis Mauritius Resort is a beautiful beachfront getaway located on the legendary Le Morne Peninsula on the south-west coast of Mauritius. Here, it’s all about old-world elegance where butler service is de rigeur, and leaves no wish ungranted. The former sugar baron’s plantation house is elegant but not stuffy, contemporary yet traditional... The perfect island hideaway for luxury lovers wanting to bask a little in history on their holiday.
Surrounded by a turquoise lagoon overlooking the Indian Ocean, the resort is home to 172 rooms, with its beach villas just steps from the waves. The St. Regis Villa holds all the aces, with its 1,659 square metre dedicated to pure, unadulterated pleasure. Sleeping up to eight adults and four children (under 12 years old), it’s located directly at the world-famous ‘One Eye’ kite surfing spot, and is literally a ‘resort within a resort’, with its own private entrance, four (yes, four) heated swimming pools, a dining area, bar, lounge, office, private gym, steam room and beach access.
There are also two staff quarters for anyone travelling with an entourage. The Manor House Spa Suite is elegance on another level - all wood-panels, wicker doors, lanterns and handcrafted wooden bed frames, rattan furniture. They feel homely yet refined. The hotel also features Iridium Spa, a private cinema and five fine-dining restaurants. Luxury without compromise, you’ve found your spot in paradise.
3. Constance Prince Maurice
A remote resort that distances you from the buzz of the island, Constance Prince Maurice is a spacious and intimate haven on the east coast of Mauritius. Known for its romance and seclusion, it’s the perfect destination for those seeking privacy. Taking its cues from the environment, the resort is nestled amidst lush tropical greenery, giving it all-natural vibes, while its infinity pool and natural reserves add to the décor by instilling a sense of tranquillity.
Peaceful by day and harmonious by night, when the cicadas come out to chatter, it won’t be long before you’re in tune with your habitat. Inspired by Feng Shui principles, the rooms, suites and villas create a perfect sense of harmony with all beds standing high above the floor to help the circulation of Qi.
There’s a kids’ club and two 18-hole championship golf courses, alongside a Constance Spa and dive centre. As rooms go, a Villa On Stilts offers intimacy and comfort with a hint of cosiness, but for all-out splendour, the Princely Villa, with its three bedrooms, private strip of beach, swimming pool, personal villa master and three terraces, each facing a different part of the ocean, is ideal for those social-distancing in quintessential style.
4. Île Des Deux Cocos
The one-villa-island of Île des Deux Cocos is a little piece of paradise in the Indian Ocean and is the epitome of ultimate castaway fantasies, where you can maroon yourself on your own private desert island. There’s only one place to stay, The Villa, which was built in the 1920s by the British Governor of Mauritius, Sir Hesketh Bell, and has been completely restored to its original glory blending British and Moorish architecture with Mauritian design.
The 252sqm villa includes a shaded Moroccan-style courtyard, a fragrant garden laden with bougainvillea, a swimming pool and, of course, your very own speedboat. Oh, and you also have your own solarium, housekeeper, valet and chef. The food is fresh, the herbs plucked straight from the island’s herb garden and the backdrop views absolutely spectacular. While away your days scuba diving, snorkelling, island hopping or simply lounging by the pool under a verdant canopy and relinquish yourself to laid-back island life.