See Mauritius in a new way with C Mauritius island escape
‘We want our guests to be curious,’ says Olivier de Guardia, GM of C Mauritius. ‘We don’t really want our guests to stay in the resort all the time’
When it comes to fly-and-flop holidays in paradise, Mauritius rarely disappoints. White beaches, waving palms and azure water — little wonder many travellers rarely leave the sun lounger, let alone the resort.
But a new brand on the east coast of the island is trying to change that.
“We want our guests to be curious,” says Olivier de Guardia, GM of C Mauritius. “We don’t really want our guests to stay in the resort all the time. You can go to a beach anywhere in the world. If you’re going to spend a week here on the island we want you to discover the country a little bit. A lot of hotel brands simply focus on a week at the hotel, but we encourage people to get out and have fun outside the hotel; discover the local culture and environment.”
In truth, C Mauritius isn’t entirely new. It’s been on the coast of Palmar, close to the town of Flacq, for some time, but was entirely revamped, refurbished and — crucially — reimagined just as Covid-19 hit the island. Cue two lost years, before the world really got to find out about it late in 2022.
C Mauritius is a sister brand to the five-star-focused Constance Hotels & Resorts, but aimed squarely at Generation X. “C Mauritius is a younger brand. It’s more active. It’s more funky,” says De Guardia.
Topping out at 814m above sea level, Le Pouce — “the thumb” — is the third-highest peak on the island and one of the most popular climbs in Mauritius. There’s a clear path for most of the way up, but you’ll be glad for a guide on the final section, where the exposed and eroded path requires sturdy legs and a head for heights. It’s a stiff climb, but well worth it for the panoramic views of Port Louis and the glorious island coastline. Up on the summit, I realised Olivier was right. You can’t see Mauritius without getting off the lounger and heading out the resort gates. From my rocky mountain high, I found a true taste of the island.
• Holmes was a guest of C Mauritius.