The small tropical island nation of Mauritius feels familiar as well as exotic – they drive on the left and English is spoken, yet you’re surrounded by swaying palm trees and clear, turquoise waters. Lying 500 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, and about the size of Buckinghamshire, Mauritius was named by the Dutch in 1598 after the governor, Maurice of Orange. Since then, it has been colonised by the French and English, before gaining independence in 1968 – and traces of its diverse history are still apparent today. READ MORE: ‘I found the perfect Christmas holiday in a country you wouldn’t expect – it was like a movie’ READ MORE: ‘I visited Dubai on a budget this winter and this £10 experience took my breath away’
We discovered paradise in Mauritius
(Image: Elliott Y.)
Constance Belle Mare Plage hotel We stayed at the Constance Belle Mare Plage on the east coast, which is great for families and multi-generational holidays. With 277 rooms and suites, when full there can be 550 adults and up to 200 kids staying, but with eight restaurants and bars, four pools and 2km of sandy beach, you’d never know. Most buildings have thatched roofs – made from sugar cane fronds – which lend a relaxed, rustic vibe, but this resort has all the state-of-the- art facilities you could wish for. We stayed in a spacious Junior Suite Beach Front, with a walk-in wardrobe and a huge balcony overlooking the bay – great for enjoying a sundowner. What to do at Constance Belle Mare Plage If lying under palm trees sipping cocktails on soft, white sand is your thing, there are few places better. But Mauritius is not merely a fly-and-flop destination – there is lots to do for all ages. Many come to Constance Belle Mare for the golf. There are two 18-hole championship courses – Legend and Links – but there’s also tennis, cycling and watersports, plus a spa and a gym with a variety of machines and classes. We were up early for circuit training, followed – after catching our breath – by aqua aerobics, which we’d wrongly thought would be easier. But if all that sounds like too much hard work, you could happily spend your days at the spa. We were treated to a one-hour full-body massage with essential oils, which was just the right combination of relaxing and invigorating to ensure we didn’t fall asleep.
Do as much or as little as you like
(Image: Adam Bruzzone 2014)
The food at Constance Belle Mare Plage Fresh fish is a must, and available in many ways. At the beachside Mediterranean restaurant, La Spiaggia, we had crab remoulade, followed by rosemary salt-crusted sea bass – our favourite meal of the week. At Blu Sushi Lounge, we tried a tasty selection of maki rolls, sashimi, tuna and salmon tartare, washed down with a surprisingly refreshing pina colada white beer, exclusive to the resort, made at local brewery Thirsty Fox. The Blue Penny Cellar offers wine tasting and a tour of the cellar, which houses 30,000 bottles – including one worth €25,000. In the restaurant, meat lovers can choose their own cut of steak from the resident butcher, but we plumped for the grilled turbot with red wine jus. You might not think fish would go well with red wine, but it absolutely does. Vanilla caviar – in authentic caviar pots – was a genius and delicious dessert.
Some of the delicious food at Constance Belle Mare
(Image: Constance Belle Mare Plage hotel)
Constance Prince Maurice The second half of our trip was spent at sister hotel Constance Prince Maurice, which is more suited to couples. It’s a peaceful hideaway a 10-minute drive north, with the same thatched roofs and five-star service, plus three restaurants and four bars. We stayed in a Junior Suite, with wooden blinds and a large dressing room-come-bathroom. Just a short stroll from our garden terrace, across manicured lawns, was a pool, beyond which was the ocean, protected by a coral reef. Sunbeds with bright orange towels (a nod to the Dutch Prince Maurice), are spread out rather than crammed in side by side so you feel like you are in your own private paradise. You can press a button for waiter service if you’re thirsty.
The rooms at the Constance Prince Maurice
(Image: Constance Prince Maurice hotel)
What do to at Constance Prince Maurice Part of Prince Maurice sits on a natural fish reserve, so it’s great for fishing. It has two pools (one for laps) and offers the same activities as Belle Mare Plage. Both have kids’ clubs and can provide catamaran cruises, parasailing, kite surfing, diving, kayaking, sailing, water skiing and windsurfing, plus a free shuttle bus will drive you to the sister resort’s golf courses. Here, we tried paddle boarding. We did manage to stay upright on our boards, but although there’s no real current in the lagoon, the breeze can send you into the mangroves if you’re not careful.
The Constance Prince Maurice hotel has two pools
(Image: Constance Prince Maurice hotel,)
The food at Constance Prince Maurice Floating seafood restaurant Le Barachois is a short stroll through mangrove trees over a lantern-lit pontoon. We enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail at the floating bar, before tucking into authentic Indian Ocean dishes on one of five decks on the water. The stunning scenery is matched by the food – we enjoyed the crabmeat dome and the catch of the day, finding just enough room for the melt-in-the-mouth baked Alaska and the coconut milk rice pudding. Such magical surroundings were certainly hard to leave. How much does it cost? Stay at Constance Belle Mare Plage for three nights in a Prestige Room, half board, followed by three nights at Constance Prince Maurice in a Garden Junior Suite, half board, from £1,999 per person through Turquoise Holidays. This is based on travel in May 2025 and includes return flights, private transfers and a booking discount, saving £950. Fancy Dubai instead? We’ve visited and love the Hilton-owned Al Seef Heritage Hotel and the breathtaking Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. Or like the though of a cruise holiday? Read what our writer thought about going on one for the first time, on board Holland America Line’s seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise. Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
