Talk to me about Mauritius

[RomeoRivers]

I’m looking for an 4/5* all inclusive resort in Mauritius suitable for a young family (4,2, baby).

We usually get a swim up room for convenience but Mauritius doesn’t seem to have them and the villas appear to be 20k+.

I’ve seen that it’s around 25 degrees all year round so worried it won’t be warm enough, is that the case?

If you’ve been, would to recommend it/ go back again?

My DH is quite fussy about food, how did you find it?

TIA

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MNHQ update: If you’re short on time, here’s a summary of the best hotels Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

😎Long Beach

😎Sugar Beach

😎Shangri-La Le Touessrok

😎Lux Grande Gaube

😎Heritage Awali

😎Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Resort

For more inspo, check out our guide to the best family hotels in Mauritius, featuring more recommendations from Mumsnetters.

It was ok, we went to an adults only place so wont be good for you. Very picturesque, it is early 20s in our summer and warmer in our winter, check when you want to go for trade winds.

It was nice but not super amazing imo, good for an after safari break but i wouldnt chose to specifically go there.

Thanks, do you know how it compares with the Maldives?

I went last June, again adults only so can't help with the hotel, and like pp thought it was ok. The island is beautiful but just came away feeling a bit 'meh' about our trip. The weather was warm, nice enough to sunbathe not really warm enough to swim. The pools were absolutely freezing and barely used by anyone. We had a couple of very hot days but as its tropical it just really ramped up the humidity which was unpleasant. For the length of the flight and the cost I personally think there are better places to visit in Europe, especially if you like a lazy holiday. We did do some sightseeing but everywhere seemed to be an hour or more away in a car so it felt like a lot of effort. I'm glad we went but I wouldn't return.

To add, I wasn't a fan of the food. Its heavily influenced by Indian and French dishes. It felt like a lot of stew type food, rice etc. This is fine but I'm not a huge fan of spicey food and the alternative was incredibly bland and boring so I found it a struggle. This could be entirely down to our hotel though and the island as a whole. Chatting to people at the airport many did seem to say similar things unless they'd stayed in a hotel with a huge western influence.

Sadly i havent been to the maldives but i think for e.g. the thai islands are just as beautiful and are more enjoyable

I think they seychelles and maldives are probably better if you want that sort of area (but seychelles have trade winds too).

I found that the tourists were quite separated from the locals, tbf the sea/reef was great, as were the mangroves. Part of the issue was i had just done a safari which was epic so Mauritius was always going to struggle to compete. I found the pools fine temp wise.

DD and I went last August and was around 26C and sunny every day - had 30 mins rain whole holiday though its their winter. We did 2 hotels Long Beach and Sugar Beach, both had amazing food and cocktails /mocktails and a wide variety of restaurants some on the beach - we took AI but can take any board basis you like. Under 12s I think were free so great value for them. Excellent beaches, pool and sea were quite warm enough for swimming and tropical fish in the sea. Glass bottom boat rides and things like kayaking included. I would go back to both places though tend to go to new destinations. I have also been to Maldives and preferred Mauritius but it depends what you are after. The snorkelling had a wider range of fish in Maldives. Maldives was longer journey with plane ride, then sea plane then boat, though tbf it maybe the hotel we chose in Maldives (Rui) was quite chain like. Maldives is very resort based, Mauritius can explore the island as well and meet locals more though both are swimming, snorkelling, watersports, beach and lovely food and drink relaxing type holidays. Maldives was in October and we had more rain there and there it limited what you could do more though we still went in sea in rain.

Food I remember was all excellent I had a lot of fish or salads but there was anything you could want. This isn't the best photo as it was taken on a disposable instant camera so looks like taken in 1983 but is the beach at Sugar Beach, room was about a 1 minute walk away.

Maldives had rooms over the sea and the regular rooms were on the beach but it was like 1 min walk in Mauritius at Sugar Beach, longer at long beach but depends on what room you take. Both those hotels have things for kids.

Late reply but I really like Mauritius as a winter sun destination with kids, direct overnight flights and no jetlag. The Beachcomber chain of resorts are perfect as they all do 2 bedroom apartments and kids clubs. We have also stayed at Long Beach (not Beachcomber) also child friendly although felt a bit more overcrowded than the Beachcombers, might have been due to different dates though.

Not sure I would bother in our summer (Their winter) though as you can get better weather closer to home.

To compare with Maldives - we found the travel much harder work going to the Maldives with kids, non direct flight (unless you want to pay £££ for the few direct options) and then a seaplane/speedboat too. And jetlag. I wouldn’t take under 4s there personally due to the travel and limited access to medical care.

Diving and snorkelling are better in the Maldives but hard to do much of that with very little ones anyway unless you are willing to tag team. Beaches are a little more stunning in the Maldives but only if I’m being picky, they are very lovely in both places. Food better in Mauritius IME and kids clubs and pools better too.

You will pay considerably more for the same standard in Maldives vs Mauritius.

Like pp, I wouldn't go such long way in our summer, where the weather is the coolest over there. We went in Feb-March and weather was great and certainly hot enough.
We enjoyed the holiday a lot, but not sure I will necessarily go back again - nothing wrong with the island, very pleasant. But as we travelled around quite a bit on the island, it feels like we've seen most there is to see. Perfectly fine for a beach holiday in winter though, if you don't want to deal with jet lag due to several hours of time difference.

Oh @minipie what have you done !

I always dreamed of visiting Mauritius for a big birthday or wedding anniversary celebration but because of the murder of Michaela Mc Areavy on her honeymoon and the fact her murderer is still at large I decided on principle never to go there. The whole investigation and court case was dreadful. It's my little protest.
But you make it sound so lovely I'm wavering and I would love to visit.
But I won't.

I hadn’t heard of that case, how sad. Unfortunately there are many countries where tourists (and locals) have been murdered without a satisfactory investigation.

We loved it there. Adults hotel so wouldn't suit but was 25-30 every day and still warm in evening. Sea and pools were lovely and warm.

I think Mauritius is a great winter destination for guaranteed sun, warm sea etc. It’s not that big an
island but the weather can be very different
depending on what coast you’re on. We’ve always stayed on the East coast as the West coast is meant to be quite windy (although some people regard that as a positive to get some relief from the heat). Accommodation tends to be blocks of rooms rather than beach/over sea villas.

We were in Mauritius this February at Sugar Beach and had a lovely time but it didn’t compare to the Maldives which is where we’d been the previous February but we didn’t expect it to TBH - it was third of the price to go to Mauritius. I think the Maldives has an air of ‘other worldliness’ that Mauritius doesn’t have but it still makes for a great holiday.

We’ve always stayed on the East coast as the West coast is meant to be quite windy

the other way around. (But Sugar Beach is also West coast) If going with small DC, I would certainly recommend staying on West coast - when we were there, the water on East coast was definitely not as calm as on West. Not rough or anything, perfectly fine for adults, but toddlers would find West easier.

Which side of Mauritius is windiest?
The east coast catches the wind, so in summer (about November to April) you have a welcoming sea breeze but in winter (about May to October) it can be a bit windy.

Its the West coast that is supposed to be less windy though when we stayed at Long Beach then Sugar Beach we didn't find much difference. Neither was that busy in our summer. I personally would not want very hot temperatures with very young children and we prefer the slightly cooler temperatures but it is personal preference. I think Mauritius was much better value for money than the Maldives, we paid similar in both but the Mauritius one was far superior. If you have a very high budget though I think there are some superb ones in the Maldives though its Mauritius I would go back to, not Maldives.

Sorry yes, got my East and West mixed up there! We’ve stayed Sugar Beach on the West Coast and a Beachcomber on the North West tip of the island and weather was perfect. However I’ve got a friend who goes The Residence on the East coast every year and says she’s never found the wind to be an issue.

Thank you all, really helpful advice- I didn’t know about the lack of jet lag so that is a definite plus!

The resorts I’ve been considering are actually Long Beach, Sugar Beach and Heritage Awali.

I've been to Shangri-La Le Touessrok. Amazing, for families, we flew via Paris (can't remember why we chose that route, perhaps flight times). I was disappointed by the evening menus, all a bit stew ish looking and didn't want to pay for A La Carte

In our summer the south is cooler than the north and the west is supposed to be less windy than the east so best for weather out of those in our summer would be Sugar Beach. Though we did twin centre Sugar Beach and Long Beach in August and weather was pretty identical but was a bit worse further south. Sugar Beach is connected to La Pirogue which you can walk along the beach to and the glass bottom boats, kayaks, snorkelling etc go from in front of La Pirogue, you can eat at restaurants at both and was a lovely restaurant on the beach. Food was very good. With the snorkelling etc best to book first day. We took AI but actually half board plus paying for drinks would have worked out cheaper but no under 12s. Loved the food and a good variety and the mocktails and cocktails were great, all presented with flowers on. Long Beach and Sugar Beach would say were fairly similar - I preferred Sugar Beach marginally, daughter preferred Long Beach marginally. Similar for food and drink at both. Long Beach we were further away from the beach. Sugar Beach we were a 1 minute walk though depends what room you choose at each. Long Beach had the bigger rooms for us but I preferred being closer to things. Amazing pools, beach and sea and included activities at both.

We stayed at the Lux Grande Gaube last Sept and it was perfect. Food was amazing-buffet was lovely but 4-5 additional restaurants as well where the food was amazing. Watersports included. We went without kids but saw a couple of family’s with young kids and they seemed to have an excellent kids club tucked away. Did a day trip to swim with wild dolphins-one of the best experiences ever, would very much recommend!

I would really recommend heritage Awali - PM me if you have any questions but we've been twice (in August) with children they were ages 5/3 first trip

We’re currently at beachcomber Trou aux biches Mauritius. Lovely hotel, quite a few families here, some with young kids some teenagers. Great selection of restaurants. Apparently they are at 90% capacity but it doesn’t feel busy. Weathers a bit mixed but generally sunny and warm enough to swim in ocean. It’s on north west coast. It’s lovely here. Flight is 12 hours from uk which is prob the only thing that would have put me off with our kids when they were young. No jet lag as only 3 hours ahead of uk at the mo.