2018 was a big year for Mauritius as the Indian Ocean nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence, inspiring a number of hotels to invest in some pretty serious renovations. We check out some of the best makeovers, plus a hip newcomer on the Mauritius hotel scene…

Lux Grande Gaube
This luxury resort reopened last March after a £24m renovation, which saw celebrity British interior designer Kelly Hoppen work her magic. The chic white bedrooms boast plenty of natural light, with home-from-home touches such as succulents in ceramic pots, handwoven African baskets and wicker tables. All rooms, suites and villas open to sea views and airy verandas, some with outdoor baths or sundecks edged by the resort’s private cove. The hotel features six restaurants and seven bars including INTI, which claims to be the first Argentinian-Peruvian restaurant in Mauritius, where guests can feast on ceviche while sipping on Pisco Sours to the sound of Latin American beats.

One&Only Le Saint Geran
The island’s grande dame was closed for much of 2017 for a £41m makeover, including new culinary experiences, new pools with cabanas, reimagined public spaces and a new spa, Club One. The iconic property’s much-loved colonial-style architecture has been preserved whilst a cool, contemporary beach inspired design celebrating Mauritian lifestyle and culture has been introduced to the 143 rooms and suites. New features include the island’s first Padel Courts at the new Club One, and a contemporary Pan-Asian tapas restaurant, Tapasake, perched on stilts over the lagoon.

La Pirogue Resort & Spa
The four-star property, which claims to be Mauritius’ oldest hotel, also underwent a complete refurbishment of all the bungalows and pavilions, restaurants and communal areas in 2017, to bring to life its “unique laid back, boho chic charm”. The hotel features 248 rooms tucked away in thatched cottages, including 46 Beach Pavilions and two Senior Suite Pavilions. Perfect for budding stars, La Pirogue is home to its own music studio, offering guests the opportunity to record tracks, albums and learn about the full music production process. There is also range of dining options, bars and free activities for guests including glass bottom boat rides, windsurfing, badminton and yoga, as well as a spa featuring Hammam treatments.

SALT of Palmar, Mauritius
The first resort from new brand SALT (right and main image), made its debut on the island in November, promising to “introduce culturally curious, style savvy, modern travellers to the real, unvarnished Mauritius”. With sustainability at its heart, the colourful 59-room boutique hotel was designed, built, furnished, and now managed and run by locals. There are no buffets, fixed TV screens, or single-use plastics. SALT guests have the opportunity to bond with locals via the Skill Swap programme, exchanging their time and talent with local producers, designers and artisans such as fisherman, potters and basket weavers. The food philosophy at the restaurant is fresh, local, homemade, home‐grown, seasonal and zero‐waste, with the majority of the produce coming from the SALT Farm that cultivates hydroponic fruit and vegetables (opening end of first quarter 2019) and local bio‐farms.

For more inspiration, check out our online destination spotlights or contact these micebook partners:

• Emotions DMC

Our global supplier members are busy building their content and creating stunning profile pages, so please bear with us while in our soft launch (beta) phase. Your feedback is important to us as we roll out new features, so please share, get on board and help us make this the definitive inspiration hub for #eventprofs

If you’re not already registered, and you’re an event planner/buyer, be sure to register your details and join the micebook community. We’ll keep you updated with latest news and insights with our micebook Departure Lounge bulletin plus keep you informed on exclusive micebook events.