The Residence Mauritius, Belle Mare – Modern Luxury with a Nostalgic Touch

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Romance, elegance and luxury in a beach paradise

Lush tropical gardens, one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast, spacious, colonial-style suites – The Residence Mauritius is a romantic beach paradise, reminiscent of a bygone era, but where the spirit of Mauritius lives on today. It opened its doors in 1998 and with its classic, plantation style design, it has a sense of nostalgia, blended with modern, elegant design.

TURN BACK THE SANDS OF TIME

You already get to experience the warm-heartedness of the staff when you arrive at reception. The vast lobby is majestic and impressive. The design is inspired by the plantation houses that stood on the estates of the sugar barons at the turn of the century around the 1900s.

The 5-star resort belongs to the Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts – a Residence Collection. It is well known for creating warm hospitality and relaxing environments within its independent luxury hotels in some of the most desirable locations in the world while reflecting the charm of the particular country. So far, the collection includes five luxury hotels in Tunisia, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Maldives and Bintan.

Mauritius – untouched beaches, ancient jungles and rugged cliffs, blue lagoons and majestic volcanoes. Countless cultures with their colorful stories have become intertwined with the astonishing natural beauty of the island, to tell the story of its magnificent history.

At The Residence Mauritius you can enjoy delicious Creole cuisine in three restaurants, relax at the large pool, participate in the many activities on offer or spoil yourself in the Ylang-Ylang fragrant Sanctuary Spa.

Pool

The big lagoon-style pool with jacuzzi offers plenty of pace with a great view of the turquoise blue sea.

Reserving sunbeds is pointless. If they are not used for a while, you can just pick up your stuff at the concierge. Brilliant!

Beach

The beach is endless. You can go for a leisurely stroll, swim, ride and of course, just relax.

All the beaches in Mauritius are open to the public are, so you can also chat to some of the locals.

Rooms & Suites

The 135 rooms and 28 suites of The Residence all have private balconies or terraces with magnificent views of the tropical surroundings or the Indian Ocean.

Colonial Ocean Front Suite 

We stayed in a great suite with a fantastic ocean view. The suites radiate the romantic atmosphere of a bygone era with luxurious marble bathrooms, beautiful carpets, big sliding doors, vertical blinds and grand, colonial wooden furniture. The attention to detail is evident in every corner.

The Residence was the first hotel on the island to introduce a butler service and it is reminiscent of the service in the grand, colonial houses of yesteryear. It is always a bit awkward at first but having someone do the unpacking and packing for you, is such a spoil.

The luxurious marble bathroom with built-in wardrobe, nostalgic dressing table, bath and shower together with the large mirrors has a historical and modern effect at the same time. It has nostalgic fittings, candles, many useful items and even talc powder (for perspiration, I was told). All kinds of extras that add to that certain something.

For some romantic time, you can even have a bath prepared with different bath additives, for example, Frangipani. They also add a bath time snack!

example, Frangipani. They also add a bath time snack!

We always love to sleep with open doors! There are almost no mosquitoes in Mauritius and the bed has a mosquito net so we could sleep peacefully with the doors wide open!

Restaurants

Breakfast | The Dining Room

The lavish breakfast with western and local specialties is served the open-plan main restaurant The Dining Room overlooking the pool, and the ocean. It is marvelous to have breakfast here in the fresh air in the morning.

Lunch | The Verandah

Lunch is served in The Verandah restaurant. You can enjoy everything, from light snacks, salad, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches to down to ice cream, either in the restaurant or directly at the pool.

Afternoon Tea & Cocktails | The Bar

Colonial style is synonymous with afternoon tea. You can enjoy these sweet delicacies in the comfortable armchairs and sofas in The Bar. In the evening, you can have a yummy cocktail and listen to some live music.

Dinner & Lunch | The Plantation

We found the restaurant, The Plantation, at the other end of the beach stunning. It has open plan design and fantastic views of the sea.

Tip: On Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday there is a great pop-up bar right on the beach in front the restaurant. Unfortunately, when we were there, a cyclone passed over the island.

The Plantation serves fresh fish dishes and Creole cuisine. Really tasty!

In the evening, it is the perfect spot for a romantic dinner. For special events, they even set-up romantic lantern-lit tables on the beach. They often host special themed dinners with live music, for example, “Lobster Night.”

Dinner  | The Dining Room

After a delicious local rum, beer or cocktail, you can enjoy a variety of international and local dishes with Mauritian spices in a romantic atmosphere at the main restaurant in the evening. Buffet and menu options are available.

At the weekend we were so lucky to experience a great Sega dance show. It was extraordinary! Afterwards, there was an incredible live band!

Spa

The magnificent “The Sanctuary Spa” with its Zen style design provides pampering and therapeutic spa rituals and treatments inspired by the French luxury brand, CARITA.

The spa has eight treatment rooms and a treatment pavilion on the beach.

The treatments by the experienced therapists are tailored to your personal needs tailored and wonderfully relaxing. Here you get to experience your own, private Zen moment. The signature massage with fragrant Ylang-Ylang oil was extremely relaxing.

Activities

If you prefer to be more active, there are three tennis courts and a fitness center. Other activities on offer: Windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, paddling, kayaks, Hobie cats, water skiing, catamaran cruises, deep sea fishing, glass bottom boat rides and scuba diving with the PADI- diving center.

Catamaran Cruise

We can highly recommend the Catamaran day trip. After a chilled cruise to a waterfall, listening to some House music, snorkeling on the reef and lunch on board, we could relax on the beautiful Île aux Cerfs island. In the late afternoon, we made our way back to the hotel.

Unfortunately, as almost everywhere on earth, the beautiful coral reefs have almost been completely destroyed. Our movie tip: Chasing Coral – simultaneously tremendous and frightening!

The Île aux Cerfs seems very crowded at first – like we have never seen before. But if you walk a little further (merely go left and wade through the water), you get away from the crowds and discover one of the most beautiful spots on earth

Horse riding

Naturally, the endless beach is perfect for riding.

Honeymoon & Wedding

“The Residence” is also the perfect place to get married! The ceremony can either take place on the beach, in the tropical garden or in case of bad weather, in The Dining Room. The hotel staff goes out of their way to ensure the day is as perfect as possible and they do so with a lot of love! Quite often the pool boys will be the musicians and the kitchen girls the dancers!

Honeymoon Special
50% discount for honeymooners, for couples celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary and after that, every consecutive 5th anniversary. Additionally, a bottle of Champagne, a catamaran cruise, a fruit basket, a beach bag, a pareo and a T-shirt. This offer is valid for up to 9 months after the wedding date. A meal surcharge for the bride applies. Can only be combined with the Early Bird discount.  Children can stay with their parents. Wedding anniversaries: valid up to one month before or after the respective anniversary date.

Wedding proposal – Arrangement “Iceland Dreams Proposal” 
(from 380 EUR per couple)
Two glasses of sparkling house wine, chocolate dipped fruits and a celebration cake, 90-minute Ylang-Ylang couples massage, followed by a complimentary 30-minute hammam session, a romantic three-course meal for two (excluding beverages) on the beach overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Wedding proposal -Arrangement “Love’s Enchantment Proposal” 
(from 530 EUR per couple )
Welcome canapes and a bottle of sparkling wine on arrival, a bouquet of exotic tropical flowers, 90-minute Ylang-Ylang spa massage followed by a complimentary 30-minute hammam session, two glasses of sparkling wine, chocolate dipped fruits and oysters post spa, a delicious afternoon tea in The Bar, a romantic three-course meal (excluding beverages) on the beach and an exclusive chocolate cake

CONCLUSION

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at The Residence and not only because we love the colonial style. Whether you are in your beautiful suite, at the pool or on the beach – you just feel at home everywhere.  The sea is wonderful for swimming. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and the atmosphere relaxing, the ambiance romantic and the service loving and attentive. The employees do everything with so much love to ensure your holiday is just perfect. The small extras and loving attention to detail are exceptional. The Residence is everything you could wish for and more!

Room: 135 rooms and 28 suites
Flight duration: Nonstop from Germany (Frankfurt) with Condor in approximately  11 hours
Transfer: 48 km from Mauritius Airport, about a 50-minute taxi drive
Taxi: We can highly recommend Dany (Tel. Nr.: +230 5946-2899)
Vaccinations: Not necessary
Air Temperature: 15-36 degrees Celsius
Water Temperature: 23-30 degrees Celsius
Best Travel time: Summer: April – May & September – November. Wet: December – April Winter: May – November (cooler and drier).  Mauritius has a tropical climate with year-round heat. Thanks to the south-east trade winds, it never is too humid.
Time difference: CET + 4 hours
Price: From 243 EUR per night including breakfast and a 30-minute massage
Romance highlight: Romantic dinner in “The Plantation” restaurant
Special features: Great design, attentive, friendly service, loving details, beautiful suites, fantastic beach, great food
Resort Credit Special: from 5 nights 100 EUR Resort Credit per stay
Repeat Special: Repeat guests receive a complimentary lunch every day, a bottle of rum, 15%  discount on spa treatments, 10% discount on beverages/minibar and at the shops
Golf Special: From 7 nights one complimentary green fee per stay at the golf course
Perfect for: honeymooners, couples, people seeking peace and quiet, romantics, nature lovers, families and water sports enthusiasts

The Residence Mauritius
Coastal Road, Belle Mare, Mauritius
T 230 401 88 88
E info-mauritius@theresidence.com
www.cenizaro.com/theresidence

Top 10 hotels for romance in Mauritius – TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2016
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
13th best hotel in the Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean – Condé Nast Traveller Reader’s Travel Awards 2009
World Travel Awards – Mauritius’ Leading Resort 2005

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Please Note: Our stay was sponsored by The Residence Mauritius. Our heartfelt thanks! Nevertheless, the opinions expressed in this article are 100% our own!  

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Monique De Caro

Monique De Caro

Luxury Travel Blogger & (Wedding) Photographer at Monique De Caro | Photography & Design
Hallo, ich bin Monique #lebensfrohe Weltenbummlerin #Fotografin #Travel Bloggerin und die Schreiberin dieses Blogs. Da ich selbst Hochzeitsfotografin bin und ich meinen Mann Marcus am Strand Anse Source d´Argent auf den Seychellen geheiratet habe, möchten wir euch vor allem Tipps für wunderschöne Flitterwochen, die eigene Hochzeit am Strand, Luxusreisen, einzigartige Hotels oder die romantische Auszeit zu zweit geben.
Monique De Caro
- 3 years ago

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