The Residence Mauritius

The Residence Mauritius cultivates an atmosphere that recalls the Mauritius of the early 20th century. The effort succeeds, with architecture, decor, and service all working together to channel an ideal version of refined plantation life. The Old World ambience is evident from the get-go: Sharply vaulted ceilings soar above the airy three-story lobby -- sedate with white columns, stone walls, and intricate Asian antiques. Wood, wicker, and white-cushioned furnishings are set amid neatly trimmed potted plants and flower arrangements, and staff clad in white offer cold towels and sugary iced tea. Down the hall in the hotel bar and verandah is where the turn-of-the-last-century feel really takes off. An exquisite U-shaped bar anchors the open space, which overlooks the pool and is decorated with black-and-white photographs depicting 1920s Mauritius (including Air France's first flight to the island) and antiques, like a vintage acoustic gramophone with trumpet horn. Though this is the Indian Ocean and not Long Island's north shore, Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker wouldn't look out of place lounging on the oversize white linen chairs under a ceiling fan. The calm and quiet vibe doesn't mean kids aren't accommodated at The Residence; in fact, they're well catered to with three big pools, a kids' club, and gentle lagoon.Built in 1998 and renovated in 2007, the hotel underwent a soft refurbishment in 2017. It sees primarily British travelers, as well as French, German, and Chinese guests. Increasingly, the hotel is receiving North and South American travelers combining South African safaris with some time in Mauritius. Clientele is a mix of couples (including brides and grooms) and families, though families are more common during the school holidays. The Singapore-based Residence group has hotels in Tunisia, Zanzibar, and the Maldives.

The Residence is right on the beach in Belle Mare, a tiny fishing village on the east coast. Aside from Belle Mare's small center, there is little nearby -- just emerald sugar fields, wild wooded beaches, and big resorts. You'll need a rental car, taxi service, or organized excursion to see more of the island. The closest attraction is the twice-a-week local market in central Flacq -- about a 12-minute drive away. Everything else is a bigger trip: Grand Baie and Port Louis are both nearly an hour away, while Flic en Flac and Casela World of Adventure, both on the opposite coast, are closer to an hour and 15 minutes away. The hotel is an hour's drive from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport.

Decoratively, The Residence's 163 rooms and suites are in line with the rest of the property, with elegant and traditional style conveyed through framed vintage-style prints of palm trees, seashells, and butterflies, and solid wood furniture, like two- or four-poster beds, lift-top writing desks, and Balinese sofas. Doors with wooden louvre shutters lead to private furnished balconies or terraces -- most with ocean views. All rooms feature living rooms with sofas and 32-inch flat-screen LCD TVs with DVD players (there is a lending library on site), as well as wood walk-in closets, air-conditioning, and ceilings fans. Two free bottles of water are provided daily, and minibars come with coffee, tea, and snacks. Marble bathrooms are spacious and polished; each one has separate bathtub and rainfall shower, plus slippers, waffle robes, a hairdryer, wicker hamper, and toiletries. The hotel's 135 rooms and 28 suites are divided into Garden View, Ocean View, and Ocean Front categories. Suites have larger balconies, Nespresso machines, dining tables, and additional flat-screen TVs and DVD players. The two Colonial Ocean View Suites are the biggest units on the property, at 1,776 square feet. Interconnecting rooms and suites are available. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, and mosquito nets are provided on request. During the winter season, the hotel offers special discounts, like free bed-and-breakfast for up to two kids when two adults book a room. Housekeeping and turndown service are provided daily. By-request butler service includes perks like introducing the hotel's facilities, unpacking, and drawing baths with rose petals and candles.

Even managers at nearby hotels praise the beach at The Residence Mauritius. It's long and sandy (less coral-strewn than other beaches, though you may still want swim shoes), and the far-out reef makes the water safe and calm. The beach is very wide at its center, where there are fiber-cane sun loungers with tables and white umbrellas set among coconut trees. Kayaks, pedal boats, canoes, Hobie-cats, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkel gear are all free at the boathouse. Water skiing, windsurfing, and glass-bottom boat and snorkeling trips are also free. Catamaran cruises, deep-sea fishing trips, and scuba diving all cost extra. Families love the beach because of its calm waters and many free activities, but there is also a dedicated area for adults only.Free bottled water and food and drink service are available at the beach and in the pool area, which is a series of connected heated pools, one with an in-pool hot tub. The multi-level pool complex is surrounded by a wide stone veranda with cushioned loungers, umbrellas, and palm trees.The Residence's kids' club is free and provides activities -- fashion shows, sega dance lessons, tie-dying, baking, crab hunting -- depending on children's age group (3 to 6 and 7 to 12). Inside there are board games, dolls, beds, cribs, and TVs, and outside is a mini soccer field and a playground with a sandpit, slide, trampoline, climbing equipment, and swings. The club is open late so that kids can have dinner there (already included in room rate). Babysitting is available for a fee.The free, L-shaped fitness center is one of the biggest we saw in Mauritius; it features all manner of machines, free weights, and equipment (including yoga mats) as well as towels. Use of the three floodlit tennis courts is free, though lessons cost extra. A boutique off the lobby sells clothing, jewelry, toys, and essentials like sunscreen. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort, even on the beach. All rates are half-board with breakfast and dinner included, with the option of upgrading to all-inclusive.

The Residence's cathedral-ceilinged The Dining Room serves breakfast and dinner (all rates include both meals), and the decor changes daily to match the food's theme. (For example, banana leaves and endemic flowers will festoon the buffets and live cooking stations on nights when Mauritian cuisine is served.) Dinner themes -- like seafood, Chinese, Indian, and international -- are also accompanied by a live show three or four nights a week. The Dining Room occasionally serves dinner table d'hote (as a set menu).Lunch is served daily at the poolside Verandah, and afternoon tea with waffles and pancakes is available from a poolside kiosk. The Plantation restaurant, separate from The Residence's main building, serves seafood and Creole cuisine for lunch and dinner (either a la carte or table d'hote). The hotel's weekly sega show is staged at The Plantation. The main bar is open all day, with a live band or piano music at night. Guests can also order room service 24 hours a day.

The Residence's underground spa, The Sanctuary, is one of its showpieces. Guests can detect the signature ylang-ylang scent at the spa's reception, before they even enter the dim and cushy spa lounge, which is framed by dark hardwood floors and mosaic tile columns and outfitted with white curtains, beanbag chairs, and lit-from-within tables. The Sanctuary has a salon for hair and nail services (popular with the hotel's many wedding parties); 11 treatment rooms, including one on the beach and four double rooms; and a yoga room for group and individual classes. Its changing rooms feature lockers, showers, and towels, plus a sauna and steam room that are free for hotel guests. The spa uses Carita products for its facials, body treatments, and massages (its signature treatment is the 75-minute The Sanctuary, a full-body massage that incorporates Reiki), and Kerastase hair care in the salon.