Shaped like a little gemstone drop in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is the well-loved paradise island, celebrated for its multicultural heritage, turquoise lagoons, volcanic peaks and whitewashed beaches. But it’s so much more than just a fly and flop destination. Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels is the longest-running and most luxurious hotel group in Mauritius, established in 1952. With eight blissful properties, you’re invited to resort hop between them, with each hotel offering a completely different island experience to the next. However don’t worry – sun-soaked skin, lazy waves kissing the shoreline and the sound of tropical birdsong are consistent at each and every resort.
Discovering diverse microclimates, distinct coastal regions and mountainscapes are possible all at once, while in the timeless care of Beachcomber. Transiting between their resorts is part of the adventure itself, with tales of the island told as you and your luggage are whisked down jungle tracks to the next hidden hotel.
A Luxury Spa Escape:
Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury is world famous and the most prestigious address of the Indian Ocean. Sunken into the sheltered north-west coast near the vibrant coastal village of Grand Baie, guests land here for privacy, a world-class spa and an unimaginable level of service. Upon arrival the sparkling ocean view is framed only by the silhouette of thatched roofs and swaying palm trees.
The Rooms
The sleek check-in service is completed inside one of the 69 spacious and elegantly decorated suites – definitely no waiting in line at reception. The Tropical Suite is an interior dream, with buttery-soft furnishing, a stand-alone oval bathtub, touches of green and gold and a balcony staircase that leads directly down to the beach. At Royal Palm, in-room dining is considered a restaurant in itself, and for good reason. White cloth table service can be set up on your terrace, offering caramelised french toast, perfectly poached eggs and sizzling bacon in uninterrupted peace. All whilst vibrantly feathered birds flutter past you, venturing out to the glassy ocean.
A few steps from your room is the white sand beach, where a dedicated powder blue sun-lounger and cashmere-like beach towel is yours to relax with, while taking in the view or indulging in a post-dip nap. Here, fresh fruit platters are passed around in the morning, followed by refreshing sorbets in the leisurely afternoon. For any beachy skincare needs, a tray of SPF, face mist and aloe vera circulates, plus a sunglasses polishing service on demand. Come nightfall, your chosen scent of room spray is spritzed over your pillow in the most thought-through turndown service to date.
Spa and Wellness
The spa at Royal Palm is in a class all of its own. A shaded oasis of pure elegance and luxury, it’s a destination that once you enter, you won’t want to leave. Built into the jungle, the expansive thatched spa pavilion houses a yoga studio, leading out onto a courtyard of white cabana beds and layered waterfall plunge pools. From here, you can explore wet and dry steam baths, the Leonor Greyl hairdressing salon, a beauty parlour, barber and a choice of six curated wellness retreats, all bookable during your stay. The palm-lined pathways lead to twelve treatment cabins where an extensive pampering menu is on offer. Partnering with Valmont, (the leader in Swiss skincare) a must-try is the Valmont Facial. After a ceremonial cleanse of your feet to ground you, a luxurious cocktail of rich cleansers, masks, moisturisers and glow-activating serums are massaged in dutiful layers into your skin, shifting you into a dreamlike state and leaving you with a golden-hour glow.
For those in search of a relaxing adventure, three tempered swimming pools around the property offer the perfect place to cool off in the hazy afternoon heat. The watersports hut is home to the chicest white kayaks and a roster of other water activities to enjoy, from windsurfing, sailing and stand up paddle, to snorkelling through shoals of colour on the home reef. Back on dry land, squash, tennis courts, table tennis and volleyball are all ready and waiting, should you fancy an athletic activity or two.
The Dining Experience
When dining at Royal Palm, unforgettable meals are served. Goélette, open for breakfast and dinner, is run by Executive Chef, William Girard and offers contemporary French cuisine fused with Mauritian flavour and a side of endless sea views. Guests can also dine at Asiya, the hotel’s latest seafront pan-Asian restaurant, where waves lap at the rocks under your feet and subtle lights are softly clipped to menus, so that you can ponder the dishes of the night without disturbing the candlelit atmosphere. Lunch is a light affair at Restaurant La Plage, set under a magnificent Badamier tree on the beachfront. It offers a cooling refresh from the parched sun and the perfect setting to enjoy watermelon carpaccio, fresh griddled prawns and local black ice tea with sugar cane syrup. Come dusk, the Royal Palm Bar is the number one place to gather for scenic sunsets, where suave mixologists shake up juicy cocktails and live jazz fills the evening air.
Before you resort hop to your next Beachcomber home, stop in transit at Beautiful Localhands. An island project supported by Beachcomber which advocates for local artisans to perfect and sell their crafts, including woven bags, coconut bowls and colourful cypaye seed earrings.
An Adventurous Hideaway:
There are few hotel settings more spectacular than Dinarobin Beachcomber. Set against the foot of UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Le Morne Brabant Mountain, this elegant 5-star resort is the perfect tropical Mauritian escape on the west coast. It has been built around the jungle to respect the island and keep it truly private, calling adventure seekers from far and wide.
The Rooms
Dinarobin is unique in the fact that it hosts all-suite and villa accommodation. The sea-facing suites blend harmoniously into gardens of coconut, frangipani and lush palm trees, while the golden sand from the 7km long beach calls to you, just meters from your balcony. The interiors are warm yet stylish, as tropical embossments adorn the headboards of the cloud-like beds. Glossy wood furniture and walk-in wardrobes are attached to spacious bathrooms that offer the perfect sanctuary to return to each day. The suites have been built in purposefully designed clusters, each situated around a deep green pool with poolside service and cushioned loungers, perfect to while away an afternoon under the warm sun.
Sports and Leisure
The hotel’s magical outdoor setting naturally gives a sporty feel to your stay, creating a haven of wellbeing for those looking to keep fit and explore. It offers a dedicated yoga studio, high-performance gym, adults-only pool, bocce ball, zumba classes, table tennis, mountain biking and jogging tracks. You can also book an evening match on one of the floodlit tennis courts, or lock in a game of volleyball on the pure white beach.
Dinarobin shares the same peninsula with neighbouring resort Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, where guests can resort hop to enjoy the interchangeable facilities. Just a short buggy ride to Paradis, and you are treated to a magnificent 18-hole Par 72 golf course. For the adventurous, the boathouse at Paradis hosts pedal boats, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, sailing, scuba diving and snorkelling trips aboard glass bottom boats.
Two magical must-trys: the morning boat tour, where you are served hot coffee and buttery pastries whilst whipping over the waves in search of turtles. That once found, you can swim alongside within their natural habitat as they float and munch on bright seagrass. Come dusk, you must take a glow in the dark paddleboard out onto the ocean under the stars. Watch as your board colourfully lights up the sea beneath you and your eyes latch onto an unforgettable view of the Le Morne Mountain, peeking through the orange-tinted clouds as you float by.
The Dining Experience
Dinarobin is a foodie’s dream, with four world-class restaurants to refuel at after an active day. L’Harmonie offers mouth-watering morning buffets for breakfast amongst the palm trees. Lunch is served at Le Morne Plage, a casual beach restaurant where you can dig your feet into the sand while enjoying salads of fresh mango and crab, where both the wine and ocean sparkle.
Come dinner, head to Umami, where the best flavours of Asia are dished up between the coconut trees. Or perhaps take a table at Rangoli, where Chef Rajiv Dhama pours his heart into contemporary Indian cuisine with refined flavours. His tropical seabass with curry leaves and lemon rice is not to be missed. Golden hour takes place at Butik Bar; the stylish kiosk that shakes up boozy sundowner drinks, enjoyed as the sun melts into the water and lights the sky pink.
As you pry yourself away from the Dinarobin paradise, be sure to stop in Port Louis for a local market tour with Taste Buddies. You’ll be guided between traditional street food vendors to give you a taste of Mauritian Dal Puri, pumpkin roti and a local favourite, banana pie with fresh vanilla.
A Family-Filled Paradise
Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa is a four-star resort and Mauritius’ only Beachcomber property on the south coast. A short ten-minute drive from the airport, and you’re immediately lost in paradise. Set on a sweeping private peninsula, the hotel is lapped by the Blue Bay Marine Park, home to some of the island’s most pristine underwater scenery and offering a water playground to keep multi-generational families entertained. The welcoming lobby is a vast sunken lounge that overlooks the sprawling pool, where paths meander along mango trees and down a mangrove-fringed shoreline, straight to the beach.
The Rooms
The 327 rooms available at Shandrani are all styled for comfort, yet still hold a sense of tropical charm. From spacious bedrooms with cosy lounge areas and terraces that welcome the sea breeze, to 2-bedroom family apartments that offer a home away from home.
The hotel has also introduced ‘Shandrani for 2’, an adults-only wing designed for couples and friends seeking a touch more privacy. With 27 revamped beach rooms and 42 bay view rooms with access to a private beach and floating hammocks. Along with a dedicated restaurant and chilled beachfront bar, both ready and waiting for you to indulge in.
Adventure and Play
Shandrani has three widespread beaches to explore: the Blue Bay Marine Park houses the perfect protected cove for watersports. Family days are spent on land in competitive games of table tennis and pickleball or exploring on a group bike ride. Practice your swing on the 50-hectare pitch-and-putt golf course, then book a tee time on the 18-hole course at the Avalon Golf Estate.
For the water babies, water skiing lessons, aqua gym classes, hobie cat wave sailing and excursions out at sea on the Shandrani speedboat are all waiting to be enjoyed. Child-friendly everything has always been within the hotel’s bones. A dedicated kids club is complimentary for children aged three to eleven years old, along with a ‘Petit Club’ for children aged two to three. Both offer special programmes to keep younger guests entertained in paradise.
The Dining Experience
Going hungry at Shandrani is never an option, with six restaurants and two bars giving a whole new meaning to the word ‘variety’. Highlights include Le Grand Port, a sweeping buffet that overlooks the main pool and bay. Here, families gather as every international food imaginable is plated up and enjoyed, again and again, until you are full and happy.
For those looking for something a little more intimate, Teak Elephant welcomes up to seventy guests for dinner. It is resort-renowned for its curated set menu littered with fragrant noodles, rich curries and spicy sides, all enjoyed on a beautiful wooden deck overlooking the peaceful garden. With the young ones off to bed, Purple Bar for 2 is the adults-only beach bar, where sunset cocktails become a nightly tradition and are best sipped under coconut trees as the sounds of light beachy jazz waft through the air. It’s true, resort hopping with Beachcomber really does open up a world where there is something suited to every traveller.
Royal Palm Beachcomber – Nightly rates start from £738 for two adults
Royal Road, Grand Baie 30512, Mauritius, (+230) 209 8300
Dinarobin Beachcomber – Nightly rates start from £366 for 2 adults sharing on a half board basis
Le Morne Peninsula, Case Noyale 91202, Mauritius, (+230) 401 4900
Shandrani Beachcomber – Nightly rates start from £219 for 2 adults sharing on a half board basis
Blue Bay, Le Chaland 51510, Mauritius, (+230) 603 4100
