20 Degrés Sud Boutique Hotel ★★★★★

Landing on Mauritius is something of a spiritual experience. After a long flight, the first things you see are the blues and greens of the ocean. Then the white sand and lagoons come into view, followed by an island landscape that’s bright, green, and especially inviting. As my partner and I sat looking out the window, we couldn’t wait to explore everything the island had to offer. The first order of business, however, was the hotel. For our trip, we decided to avoid a big resort and instead settled on the 20 Degrés Sud, a cosy boutique hotel in a tranquil beachfront setting.

As we made our way to the hotel, I could see that the description I had read online was perfectly accurate. We wound through private estates and arrived at a coconut grove on the waterfront, and as I got out of the car I could just make out a part of the sheltered private beach behind the trees. The hotel is elegantly styled, featuring white and creamy colours for a real beach vibe. The Belgian owners put their own personal touches into the exterior décor to create an utterly intimate and authentic feel.

Inside, we were greeted by friendly staff who took extra care to ensure we had all we needed. We went for a beachfront room, a choice we did not regret. Our quarters had been finished with individualised décor and antiques which made us feel right at home. Done in a mid-colonial style, we settled very nicely into the dark wood and leather, white walls, and veiled four-poster bed which made us feel like Belgian royalty! A beautiful terrace opened out onto the coconut grove and promised moments of tranquillity and relaxation. On the practical side, our room was modernized with air conditioning, a flat plasma screen TV with DVD player, and tea and coffee service. Its chic design extended into the bathroom, where two wash basins are built into dazzling wood furnishings and an old style bath finishes off the vintage look.

Staying at the 20 Degrés Sud is a comprehensive holiday experience. Although not a massive hotel, it has everything you could want while on holiday, including top-notch restaurants like The Governor’s House for the freshest in seafood and lobster with its few tables and magical beach setting on nearby Flat Island (the hotel whisks you over by catamaran), or the Lady Lisbeth, a restaurant floating aboard the hotel’s vintage 1920s motorboat for a fabulous gastronomical cruise. The hotel is also home to a mini spa, where you can unwind with a hot stone massage or mother-of-pearl body scrub. The spa is the home to two small swimming pools, one of which is heated. Expert therapists are on hand to pamper you or you can simply enjoy a relaxing Turkish bath or hot tub.

But perhaps the best part about being in this tropical paradise is the chance to partake in all of the wonderful island activities. 20 Degrés Sud offers a variety of free water sports ranging from windsurfing, snorkelling, kayaking, and glass-bottom boat rides. Also available at an additional cost are scuba diving, water skiing, private boat and submarine excursions, and even parasailing and big game fishing. There are shuttles to take you to watch the dolphins, and a golf club just five minutes away if you’d rather keep your feet dry. And after days spent enjoying the warm outdoors, there’s no better place to return to than your own private spot of heaven, a VeryChic and indeed extremely classy hotel by the name of 20 Degrés Sud…