One&Only Le Saint Géran Resort review: Portia Freeman checks in and chills out in Mauritius

On the northern tip of the renowned Belle Mare coastline in Mauritius, One&Only Le Saint Géran combines resort comfort with the feeling you’re on your own private island.

With almost 2km of white, pristine sands bejewelled with tiny shells and a crystal clear Indian Ocean pooling into a lagoon, it’s the perfect spot whether you’re looking for a week packed with water sports or a quiet romantic break.

The lowdown

The resort has a very cool, laidback feel to it, bright and airy with large open spaces. Even the reception desk is open to the elements – a ground floor balcony hovering above the water with views of the lush gardens either side. I later find that this is also the perfect spot to feed the resident ducks and fish. Who knew they had Mallards in Mauritius?

With the lush undergrowth of banana trees and sugar cane, little lizards dashing across paths and a chorus of ‘singing’ frogs at night, wherever you are in the resort you never feel far from nature.

The rooms

There are a number of suites and rooms to book. My Lagoon room had a balcony with sliding doors I could open to enjoy the ocean breeze (or hear the frogs singing at night). There’s a marble bathroom with a free-standing tub, wooden floors and upholstery in shades of taupe and pale blue to complement the blue sea and sand beyond.

You can also book an Ocean Room, which has access to the garden, or a Beachfront Balcony Room, where you can keep a close eye on that pristine sand. If you’re travelling with kids there are also spacious family suites.

Waiting for me when I arrived in my room and kicked off my shoes was an exotic fruit basket and a famous Mauritian tipple: rum. Just in case the hotel didn’t make me feel laid-back enough.

Eating and drinking

If you want a real treat, head to La Terrasse. The restaurant itself is chic, with locally-sourced teak furnishings and cool grey touches.

Though the restaurant décor is neutral the food is a riot of colour with flavours from all over the world. The restaurant is also flexible enough to cater for different diets, whether you’re vegan, veggie or love meat and fish.

You can perch on a stool as the chefs work their culinary magic in the open kitchen and absorb the energy whilst you sip on a thirst quenching, rum-based aperitif. There’s also a great wine selection.