A SPECK IN the Indian Ocean, way east of Madagascar and 1,000 miles south of the Seychelles, Mauritius has always been a classy destination: charming people, outstanding food, gorgeous beaches and clear, calm seas. There are no charter flights and the emphasis is firmly on upmarket tourism.
Perhaps surprisingly, Mauritius is also the ideal family destination. Whilst it may be a 12-hour flight away, many of the services are overnight, so you can get some sleep on the way: it’s also due south, so jetlag is minimised. The island may feel laid-back and sleepy, but the service is superb and the locals are genuinely friendly – something that stems from being a melting pot of Indian, Chinese, African and French cultures. Most of the top hotels have very good children’s clubs and all of them have beautiful white sandy beaches and offer every watersport under the sun.
The whole island is encircled by a coral reef but the West coast tends to be more protected, and it’s here that you’ll find long stretches of sandy beaches. To the east, the hotels are built on lagoons, or have exquisite private beaches on pretty islands – like Le Touessrok’s Ile aux Cerfs. There are golf courses all over the island, and practically every hotel has an amazing spa.
Eating in Mauritius is a real pleasure, particularly if you love seafood and spices. There are Chinese, Indian and Creole influences in the cuisine and everything is fresh, including game from the hills of the island’s interior. Take a trip inland to the Domaine des Grand Bois hunting reserve and watch wild kestrels being fed, or eat a fabulous curry served on a banana leaf at the restaurant. There is a range of beautiful locations to visit: the Black River Gorges, the coloured sands and waterfalls of Chamarel, the lovely botanical gardens at Port Louis, or a working sugar mill. But essentially, Mauritius offers a lazy, pampering beach holiday.
And with the array of upscale hotels available here, you can sit back and relax whilst your children develop their outdoor sporting skills. The most famous of the hotels is the discreet and luxurious One&Only Le Saint Geran on the east coast, set in 60 acres with direct beach access. One&Only operate children’s clubs for four- to 11-year-olds; at this one, there’s a special pool, arts and crafts room, computer room, a children’s restaurant and activities including golf, tennis and windsurfing. And a foot treatment from foot-god and pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez at the Givenchy spa is not to be missed.
One&Only also operates Le Touessrok, which is 20 minutes from Le Saint Geran. They offer a reciprocal arrangement for watersports and dining. Rooms here are beautiful and three exquisite and private, three-bedroomed villas are available for families with a big budget. A KidsOnly club operates here too, and there are four beaches and two islands on which to play.
The biggest hotel group on the island is the family-friendly Beachcomber, which offers a Bob Marlin Miniclub in each of its eight hotels. These cater for three- to 12-year-olds. The all-suite Dinarobin in the south west is one of the best for active families, as it’s located on a huge stretch of sandy beach and you can use all the facilities of Le Paradis (the next-door sister hotel), which means you have seven restaurants from which to choose!
The Residence is another hotel that manages to be family-friendly yet extremely romantic at the same time, with a Zen-inspired spa and an excellent Planters Kids’ club for three- to 12-year-olds. A holiday here, like so many places on this enchanting island, will feel like a second honeymoon – you just happen to have the children along, too
Resources
Useful websites
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One&Only Hotels: Le Touessrok and Le Saint Geran. For more information, call Carrier, tel: 0161 491 7610, www.carrier.co.uk
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The Residence: For more information, call Elegant Resorts, tel: 01244 897 888, www.elegantresorts.co.uk
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Dinarobin: For more information, call ITC Classics, tel: 01244 355 320, www.itcclassics.co.uk
Le Méridien Il Maurice Hotel
A 12-hour flight with three under-fours and a pregnant wife could be asking for trouble, but with the perfect holiday in store, it’s worth it, says Jeremy Salsby
MY WIFE, ANTONIA, had been nagging me for ages about booking a half-term holiday. Any holiday plans need careful consideration when you have three children under five years old and a wife who is seven months pregnant... Yet, I decided to throw caution to the wind and book eight nights in Mauritius. The party consisted of two adults and our three children, Liberty four, and
two-year-old twins Theo and Mimi.
Antonia’s condition prevented her from carrying anything heavier than a boarding pass so I assumed the role of husband, father and mule. I managed to get the whole family onto the plane together with 16 Barbies (one for each day for each daughter), a large plastic Triceratops that my son insisted on introducing to each passenger personally, and several pieces of heavy hand luggage that caught too many aisle passengers as I struggled past. But the overnight flight, much to our relief, turned out to be perfect for the children as they managed to sleep for the majority of the time.
Arriving at the Le Méridien Il Maurice Hotel, any doubts over our choice of destination vanished on the welcome sea breeze that was wafting into the lobby from the Indian Ocean. Between slurps of a delicious fruit punch that was presented to us on check-in, we were briefed on children’s activities by the super-efficient Magda, who was in charge of The Penguin Club for children aged four to 14. (Anyone under four needed to be accompanied by a responsible adult, so we’d have to enlist the help of a
full-time nanny for the twins.
Our rooms were spacious, fully
air-conditioned and interconnecting, with balconies over looking the splendid beach. The hotel even provided food in the room
for our arrival. It was lunchtime and we had three hungry children in tow – it proved a
very thoughtful touch.
For our children, whose food preferences change on an hourly basis, the evening buffet at the hotel was the perfect way to keep everyone happy at dinner. With a range of dishes to suit every age and taste it made meal times fun – Liberty and Theo particularly enjoyed the helping of ice cream with their deep fried calamari.
The tropical climate can be tricky: children can get sunburnt in seconds, so it’s essential to apply high-factor sun block and ensure they drink plenty of fluids. It also helps if you practise what you preach. After three days, Liberty asked why my nose was bright red and peeling. I explained it was a result of sunburn. Liberty replied that I looked like The Gruffalo. Six-thousand miles, a 12-hour flight and a considerable amount of planning just so I can look like a big hairy monster with a blistered nose.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Le Méridien Il Maurice Hotel www.lemeridien.com or tel: 08000 282840.
Kuoni Travel offers package deals. Tel: 01306 747008; www.kuoni.co.uk
