‘Lighter.Brighter.’ It took just these two highly uplifting words to make Mr Husband and I dream of the effervescent essence behind the beauty of LUX* resorts – well before we even arrived at our Mauritian destination.
There are three properties to choose from in the LUX* league: Le Morne, Belle Mare and Grand Gaube. We were invited to stay at the latter, Grand Gaube, which is nestled close to a quiet fishing village near the northern tip of the island’s coastline.
We settled into our newly refurbished junior suite, complete with all the expected mod-con in-room amenities and a stunning sea view. The most unique offering we discovered when taking respite in our room is the soap service, where a selection of natural locally made cocoa and other scented bars are presented at your front door and then scraped into a muslin cloth bag for you. We let the soft creamy soap melt into our skin whilst enjoying the whirlpool – a perfect post sun, sea and sand bath-time treat.
For those who like to stay digitally switched on, a major hotel highlight has got to be the unfaltering and ultra-speedy Wi-Fi connection. The Internet access stretches out of the confines of your room and right across the entire resort (even when lounging at the beach) and is by far the best that we have ever experienced on our worldwide travels.
On to the dining facilities where, in short, there’s definitely a dish here for everyone: local boats bring in their fresh ocean bounty, so the chefs can serve various catches of the day at Abalone – the lagoon-facing fish shack. Meanwhile, grilled lobster and other culinary skills are showcased at the resort’s romantic The Beach restaurant that sits on its very own pontoon facing out to the deep blue sea. For those who prefer a changing daily cuisine theme, there’s a well-presented buffet available at The Kitchen – the upmarket canteen area. We especially enjoyed the steadfast Indian feast, where the resort’s highly skilled Punjabi chef rustles up authentic dahl, curry and naan bread baked in a tandoor.
To wash down such delicious dishes, LUX* does not believe in importing drinking water but instead pours out its own bottles using local, natural sources to create ‘Earth’ (still) and ‘Dance’ (sparkling). It has also introduced Scrucap and Popcap – a fine selection of cork-less wines and champagne. Tastefully, LUX* also boasts its own coffee by blending certified green organic beans that are roasted on the island and prepared by baristas down at its very own Café in the resort lobby. The best bit is that coffee here is complimentary until 10.30am as part of your morning wake-up fix.
As well as swimming in the four crystal-clear pools, there’s also the chance to water-ski, wind-surf and snorkel in the warm temperatures of the Indian Ocean, as well as an abundance of other outdoor activities to choose from, including a comprehensive and coolly conditioned fitness centre.
Down at the LUX* Me spa, it’s all about you. The ‘Me Time’ spa menu tailors to the areas you want addressed against the number of minutes you want to spend focusing on it. LUX* ME also has its own range of organic face and body aromatherapy oils expertly mixed using essences of flowers, fruits and spices from Mauritius and other local islands.
www.luxresorts.com