This was published 7 years ago
Lux Belle Mare, Mauritius review: Luxury stay in a beautiful location
By Craig Platt
Lux Belle Mare's swimming pool is reportedly the largest in the country.
The location
On the north-east coast of the Indian Ocean island, a place of black volcanic rocks and clear blue waters. The resort sits on a stretch of white sand protected by a lagoon, with a small island separated from the main beach only at high tide.
Lux Belle Mare resort, Mauritius, sits on a stretch of white sand protected by a lagoon.
The space
The Lux Belle Mare is a gorgeous property, apparent from the moment you check in, where you're invited to sit under the high, thatched roofs of the reception and lounge area as the evening breeze rolls through.
The large resort offers 174 suites and 12 private villas (the latter with butler service). The property is split into two wings, with families to one side and couples to the other. Originally opened in 2000, it was bought by Mauritius' Lux brand in 2011 and refurbished in 2014.
Beach Rouge is a fine spot for resort guests to take lunch.
There are 10 different food and drink options across the resort, several of them based around the central swimming pool – reportedly the largest in the country.
For families with tween and teenage children, there's the "Studio 17" area, a playground and supervised playroom with video games, movies, toys and board games, even a children's spa and massage.
Lux has several properties across Mauritius and is expanding into other areas such as Asia and the Middle East. The brand offers its own products such as coffee and craft beer – even its own chillout mix CDs.
A junior suite at Lux Belle Mare resort, Mauritius.
The room
The room is large with a walk in robe, king size bed, couch, poof, desk, entryway and large bathroom with separate toilet. Though our private balcony does not offer an ocean view we still have a pleasant outlook over the palm trees and lagoon of the resort.
There are more power outlets than you could ever need and in a particularly nice touch, most of them are universal.
With its extensive program of activities there is little reason to leave the resort.
A tablet in the room offers details of the resort facilities, weather forecasts and activity programs for the coming days, along with restaurant menus and room service ordering facilities.
The food
Room rates can include full or half board (breakfast and dinner) at the resort's main restaurant, Mixe, offering an extensive buffet but there are many other options (there's even a food truck by the beach). The Chinese restaurant Duck Laundry is a beautiful space with excellent food, where we opt for fried dumplings followed by roast duck, steamed grouper and mushrooms in oyster sauce.
However, the jewel of the resort's dining options is the Indian restaurant Amari by Vineet, from Michelin-starred, London-based chef Vineet Bhatia. The dishes are authentically Indian, but modern. Sharing options for mains allow guests to try a variety of different curry flavours along with other dishes such as grilled prawns with crab chutney or salmon tikka.
It would be remiss not to mention the resort's extensive drinking options. Along with brewing its own craft beer, the resort also roasts its own coffee and offers daily tastings of both. The Mari Kontan, a tiki-bar still hut next to the pool offers more than 100 types of rum, from some of Mauritius famous brands through to unusual infused versions such as chili.
Stepping out
The resort offers a range of daily activities to guests, including horse riding along the beach, various watersports, sunrise yoga or lessons in cocktail making and cooking.
There's little reason to leave the resort, given its size and extensive program of activities, but we take a guided bicycle ride along the coast into the local fishing village as an opportunity to get beyond the walls of the resort and get a taste of local life.
The verdict
Staying at a resort such as Lux Belle Mare does not come cheap, which is why for many guests it's the place for a special occasion – honeymooners and weddings abound here. It's a beautiful location but with the excellent food and drinking options, it offers more than just lazing by the pool or on the beach.
The essentials
A junior suite at Lux Belle Mare starts from $1213 per night. See luxresorts.com/en/hotel-mauritius/luxbellemare
The writer stayed as a guest of Lux Belle Mare.
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