One&Only Le Saint Géran

Le Saint Géran, to put it as simply as possible, is the top-shelf luxury island experience in its purest possible expression. Don’t think you’ll be roughing it in Mauritius—despite the pristine white sands and the unspoiled palm stands, this is the most civilized of places, with an astonishing ratio of impossibly luxurious hotels per square kilometer, and Le Saint Géran quite near the top of the heap.

This is the sort of place where butlers and valets scramble to meet your arrival, and even an afternoon at the beach is accompanied by a flurry of activity, staffers laying out towels and spritzing guests with cool rose water. No wonder the average guest (if indeed there could be said to be such a thing as an average Saint Géran guest) barely ventures off the resort’s picturesque grounds during the course of a stay.

Sure, you could venture into town to take advantage of Mauritius’s multi-ethnic cuisine, but how often can you dine in a place like Rasoi by Vineet? The food is by Vineet Bhatia, a Michelin-starred chef whose London operation is a contender for the best Indian restaurants in the city — only here in Mauritius you enjoy it next to a breezy lagoon, with the green sugarcane-clad mountains as a backdrop.

In fact it’s tempting just to remain in the suites, each tended to by butler service and staff so keen to tidy up that you’ll need to be quick with a Do Not Disturb tag to avoid any interruptions. The look is classic luxe and the functionality is five-star all the way, with Charlotte Rhys amenities and Egyptian cottons on the sprawling beds. With a lavish One&Only spa, a golf course, and a stunning expanse of private beach, it’s hard to imagine what one could possibly be missing elsewhere.

How to get there:
One & Only Le Saint Geran is 1 hour from Mauritius-Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport and 40 minutes from the capital of Port Louis.