St. Regis Mauritius Resort

Mauritius Island has a large selection of luxe resorts and I was truly spoilt for choice when deciding where to stay. My top choices included St. Regis,  Shangri-La, and the Lux Resorts. After lots of deliberation, I decided on the St.Regis.

The St. Regis is located in Le Morne, in the south-west of Mauritius and is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The St. Regis offers an idyllic setting for a stunning beachfront getaway – an ultimate luxury experience.

Let me set the scene, you arrive at the resort met with an infinity waterfall that leads to a blue Indian ocean with a refreshing welcome drink handed to you.

Your 24-hour Butler (yes you read correctly) drives you to your room on a buggy, gives an induction of your room and offers to unpack your suitcase.

The perfect setting for a trip of relaxation and recuperation.

The Room

We stayed in the Ocean Beach Junior Suite on the ground floor as it featured direct access to the beach – honestly, can you think of anything dreamier?

The room had a modern yet warm feel. With a large king-sized bed, sofa and TV with plug-in high tech features.

The bathroom was marble with double vanity sink areas, and a separate spray jet bathtub and walk-in shower. The only negative comment I have is that the shower was a little outdated and the amenities were not of the standard that I would expect from Marriott.

 

The room also featured a modest walk-in wardrobe dressing area – which was perfect for me as I always unpack my suitcase when on holiday.

Direct access to the beach enhanced my stay, it was lovely to wake up to a sea view and be able to stroll to the beach directly from my room.

Pools & The Beach

The hotel has two pools which I’d normally think isn’t enough for a resort, however coupled with the large private beach, it was perfect.

The main pool was situated in front of the Manor House – it was very large and also very quiet (no doubt due to guests enjoying the beach). The pool was surrounded by large Balinese beds to recline on.

I loved that the poolside butlers were on hand to assist and it was not a struggle to get their attention which can usually happen in larger resorts.

The second pool was a lot smaller and nestled in the centre of the resort, closer to the beach. Like the main pool, there were attentive staff and fresh fruit infused water on tap.

The hotel was situated on the Le Morne Beach with a private stretch for hotel guests only. The beach was so beautiful and tranquil, and was where I spent most of my time.

The Watersports Centre offered a selection of beach activities including boating, swimming with dolphins, scuba diving, kayaking, snorkelling and volleyball.

Restaurants

The food at the St. Regis is up there with the best hotel food I’ve experienced and was better food than any all-inclusive resort that I’ve stayed at. They absolutely outdid themselves in the food department – it was top two and it was not two.

The resort had five restaurants to choose from and in my seven-day stay, I dined four.

Le Manoir Dining Room

Le Manoir was a buffet restaurant which served breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And what a buffet it was! Waffles, pancakes, eggs cooked to your choice, I could go on and on. I sometimes find buffets in chain hotels substandard, but the buffet food quality was top notch.

I didn’t lunch at Le Manoir but the two evenings I had dinner were great. The seafood night was heavenly for a seafood lover. There were multiple choices of catch of the day, prawns, mussels, oysters, scallops… the list goes on. There was an outdoor grill serving grilled tiger prawns and lobster.

The Boathouse Grill

The Boathouse quickly became my favourite place to dine for breakfast and lunch. It offered the best views of the sea, even on the one rainy afternoon it was so serene.

The grill was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast was served al a carte (for Platinum and above Marriott Members only). The A la carte menu was perfect served alongside vintage champagne.

I have to add that the quality of the buffet breakfast was incredible, so choosing between the two was difficult.

Lunch at the Boathouse was mixed cuisine from pasta & pizzas, to king prawns, lobster and steak. The desserts on offer were also delicious. I think overall the Boathouse Grill was my favourite restaurant and was consistent whether you dined there for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Floating Market

Floating Market is a premium dining dinner restaurant serving Thai cuisine. The décor was the best out of all the dinner restaurants at the resort – with marble floors and surrounded by water and koi carp.

I was reluctant to visit as I’m not a big fan of Thai cuisine but this restaurant delivered great food which was not only limited to Thai but also Malay, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Singaporean.

Simply India

Simply India was another fine-dining dinner restaurant which serves Indian cuisine. I visited this restaurant twice and the food was cooked to perfection on both occasions.

There was also a Japanese restaurant called Atsuko which I didn’t get to try and the 1904 bar which is a drinks bar but serves food out of hours.

 Spa

The Iridium spa and gym facilities were clean and contemporary which is expected of a five-star hotel. There were several treatments on offer which you could have in the spa or in-room.

Other than treatments there was a large Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna room.

Grounds

The hotel was made so thoughtfully that you genuinely would not have to leave the grounds unless you wanted to.

Every day at breakfast we were handed a card which showed the activities happening on the day.

The beach bar and the beach front were kitted out with comfortable lounge sofas and bean bags overlooking the sea.

There was so much to do including outdoor tennis court, bike riding and table tennis.

The grounds were huge and included a large beautiful library where you could choose from a large selection of books. There was also a games room with a pool table, table tennis and a PlayStation.

One of my favourite things was the onsite private cinema which was big but personal with several film viewings a day. Guests were given complimentary warm popcorn, beverages and other light snacks. The cinema can also be reserved for private event viewings which is a lovely touch if you’re celebrating an event during your stay.

The St. Regis went above and beyond to make our stay perfect; the grounds, room and the food were all top-notch and I would stay there again in a second.

As always, please feel welcome to comment with any questions or suggestions.

Love Roberta

x

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Mauritius

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean which lies off the coast of Africa. The island is known for its stunning beaches and turquoise seas and is one of the world’s top luxury tourism destinations.

Need to know:

Local currency: Mauritius Rupee (MUR)

Language: English and French

Transport: Taxi

Fun fact: Mauritius is the only recorded home of the extinct dodo

 

How I booked:

I booked my flights and hotel with Emirates on a full board basis.

 

Where to stay:

Mauritius has a microclimate – it can be stifling hot in one area but be raining five minutes away.

  • North Coast is the tourism capital and has the most hotels, which means the beaches are busier, however, there are more tourist attractions.
  • East Coast is the most exclusive with the most luxurious hotels. The east boasts some of the most beautiful powder-white beaches on the island.
  • The south is rugged and full of wildlife. There are fewer hotels causing it to be quieter but it’s a great choice if you want a private and quiet getaway.
  • West Coast is most famous for its beautiful sunsets and stunning beaches. It is home to the UNESCO heritage site, Le Morne Mountain. The calm waters in the west make it popular for water activities.

Where to stay depends on you as an individual and what you want from your Mauritian experience, either way, any corner of the island will provide a slice of paradise.

I stayed in Le Morne, situated in the West, the location of the hotel was perfect. Read more about my stay here.

What to Eat:

Mauritian cuisine is a unique blend of Chinese, European and Indian influences.

As I stayed at the St. Regis on a full board basis, I wasn’t able to eat outside of the hotel as much as I would have liked. However during a day tour of the Island, I was able to try chicken roti from a local restaurant which was divine.

Mauritian dishes to try include:

  • Mauritian Biriyani – flavoured rice with spices, potato and usually with meat or seafood. Bol Renverse is a popular type of biriyani.
  • Dholl Puri – street food which is bread stuffed with peas and served with curry.
  • Roti – an Indian flatbread which is also served with curries, pickles and chutneys.
  • Boulettes – Chinese dumplings served with bouillon.

Many resorts offer the options to dine on the beach which is perfect for a romantic getaway.

 

What to do:

Island Hopping

Spend the day island-hopping by speed boat or luxury catamaran from mainland Mauritius. There are tours on offer which take you to several of the mini islands that surround Mauritius.

You can snorkel to see the coral and sea life and most tours offer lunch on one of the islands.

Swimming with Spinner Dolphins & Whale Watching

The Mauritian Spinner dolphins attract many tourists each year who come specifically to swim with them.

You’ll need to set out early morning; breakfast can be served on the boat that takes you. This is an amazing experience to swim with dolphins in their natural environment.

spinner dolphins mauritius

Casella

Casella is a nature park and one of the leading tourist attractions in Mauritius. The park offers Safari, Lion encounters, zip-lining, quad biking and more.

I did the Lion encounter as the ‘Walk with Lions’ experience was fully booked. It was amazing to interact with these majestic creatures.

Casela mauritius walk with lions lion encounter travel blog

 

Port Louis

Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius, and is where you can go to get a real feel of the island culture. There is shopping, markets, food tours, museums and more.

Island Day Tour

The half-day trip around the island saved us time by taking us to several activities in one day.

We visited Seven Coloured Earth which is a geological formation found in Chamarel. It is a fascinating sand dune made up of seven colours of sand (brown, violet, green, blue, yellow, red and purple). It’s best to visit on a sunny day when the colours really stand out.

seven coloured earth chamarel mauritius

Rum Tasting was the last stop on the tour… which was for the best. There are several breweries that offer a rum tasting tour, I went to the Rhumerie de Chamarel. The tour cost around £10 and involved trying 8 different types of fresh Mauritian rum.

We stopped off at the dormant volcano ‘Trou aux Cerfs’ which is in the CenterPoint of the Island and ended the tour at the Black River Gorges National Park which is a rainforest.

view point mauritius travel blog

Le Morne Brabant

Le Morne Brabant is a UNESCO Heritage site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius. The mountain holds a huge amount of history and is culturally significant as it once harboured runaway slaves.

Nature and fitness lovers can take professional guided hikes which last 3 to 4 hours.

Le Morne brabant travel blog Mauritius

Le Morne in the background

The Beach

Whatever you decide to do in Mauritius, make sure that visiting the beach is at the top of your list.

Mauritius beaches travel blog

The best beaches on the Island include:

  • Trou aux Biches
  • Ile aux Cerfs
  • Belle Mare Plage
  • Blue Bay
  • Le Morne (my personal favourite)

Mauritius beaches travel blog

Mauritius was a holiday to remember – it was quiet and relaxing and it gave me an opportunity to recuperate. I highly recommend a trip to this charming island, be it with friends, family or a baecation.

  1. Drop a comment if you’ve been to Mauritius or elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, or if you have any questions.

Love Roberta x

Mauritius travel blog

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