Villas Caroline

Villas Caroline has been a Flic en Flac mainstay for decades, a fact that's not always apparent as many common areas and rooms have been continuously refurbished. The latest modernization push was in 2015, when the lobby, restaurant, dance floor, pool, and Superior Rooms all underwent renovation. The effort was worth it, especially in the open-air main area, which makes a nice first impression with its cheery tangerine-and-white color scheme. This sea-facing area is where many Villas Caroline guests hang out -- when they're not on the enormous beach, that is. Adults may spend the afternoon drinking Cuba Libres or grinding through an upbeat aerobics class, while kids shoot hoops in the pool. At night, the house band, karaoke events, or sega shows dial up the already lively vibe.

The mid-range hotel attracts families first and foremost, and also couples and wedding parties (the hotel can accommodate weddings with up to 115 guests). Most guests come from France, and others from Italy, Germany, South Africa, Reunion Island, China, and India. The average stay is about two weeks and the hotel sees a good many repeat guests. A variety of meal plains is available, the most popular of which is all-inclusive. 

Villas Caroline is located at the end of a long residential street in Flic en Flac, a small and laid-back beach town on Mauritius' west coast. It's a fantastic spot, with a very big beach and gorgeous sunsets. There are restaurants and bars throughout the village (plus a post office and bus service) and water-sports vendors and food trucks along its beach -- all within easy walking distance of the hotel. A seven-minute drive to the east is Casela World of Adventures, an animal and nature park popular for quad-biking, zip-lining, and walking with lions. The village of Chameral, famous for its rum distillery and Seven Coloured Earth attraction, is a 40-minute drive to the south. Le Morne Peninsula is roughly the same distance. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport is about 50 minutes away by car. 

There are 75 rooms at Villas Caroline, all of them facing the sea. Rooms are housed in two-story, plantation-style buildings with pointed red-tin roofs, sunny yellow facades, and white trim. The 20 Standard Rooms are pretty snug; for more space, try for one of the 48 Superior Rooms, which are large enough to accommodate an additional bed and were renovated in 2015. There are also six Bungalows (four with kitchenettes) with separate bedrooms, and one suite with an in-room hot tub. The two-room Bungalows are especially popular with families. Note that rooms closer to the heart of the resort can pick up some noise from the animation team activities.

All rooms are air-conditioned and come with mini-fridges, key-lock safes, kettles, plasma flat-screen TVs, and furnished balconies or patios. Open closet have lots of shelves, extra blankets, and mosquito repellant. Bathrooms come with either a tiled rainfall shower or bathtub, plus basic toiletries and a hairdryer. Housekeeping visits daily and Wi-Fi is free (but sometimes patchy). 

Let's start with Villas Caroline's remarkably large beachfront. It's not perfect -- the beach is rocky and the sand can be rough with broken shells and coral -- but it is one of the widest hotel beaches we saw in Mauritius. Far-out rocks keep the water extremely shallow and calm, which is great for kids, though not ideal for those wanting to really swim. Palapa umbrellas with loungers are well spread out across the large beach, and food and drink service is available. Non-motorized water-sports equipment (kayaks, snorkel gear, and pedal boats) are free, and the hotel can arrange deep-sea fishing trips, half- or full-day cruises, or swimming-with-dolphin trips for extra charges. Activities through the on-site diving center on-site also cost extra.

The hotel's medium-sized pool has a drop edge and faces the ocean. It has an attached kids' area, as well as basketball hoops and soccer goals for water games. A free kids' club offers lots of daily activities (including cooking classes) as well as toys, a swing set, and an enclosed trampoline. There is no fitness center, but the entertainment staff hosts aquagym, as well as dance (like salsa and merengue) and fitness classes (like yoga, stretching, and abs) on the beachfront dance floor by the bar. The animation team also puts on cooking classes, bocce ball and ping-pong tournaments, water polo, and dance contests, with the winner getting a bottle of sparkling wine. At night, the entertainment shifts to karaoke, comedy, and cabaret shows. The hotel band plays music five nights a week and sega shows are performed every Saturday.

The hotel offers all-inclusive, full-board, half-board, and bed-and-breakfast packages, with all-inclusive being the most popular. Laundry service is for a fee and Wi-Fi is free throughout.

Villas Caroline's spa consists of a single thatch-roof cabin with bamboo blinds and a garden with outdoor shower and steam room. (The steam room costs a fee, even for guests who get spa treatments.) Despite the spa's small size, it offers a good range of treatments, like massages (available in 30- or 60-minute sessions), reflexology, facials, mani/pedis, body wraps, and sea salt scrubs. The spa makes its own signature massage oil with a coconut base, ylang ylang essential oil, and vanilla essence. Honeymooners receive spa credit for two 30-minute massages.

Villas Caroline has one main restaurant serving buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as afternoon tea for all-inclusive guests. The kitchen churns out an impressive range of homemade baked goods, like croissants, pies, cakes, breads, and tarts, and presents themed dinners, like Chinese or Mauritian, each night. The restaurant is in the main part of the resort, with a dining area that opens to the main bar, dance floor, pool terrace, and beach. Once a week, dinner is held on the beach.

There are two bars, one located by the buffet restaurant and another on the beach. All-inclusive drinks include sodas, juice, draft beer, wine by the glass, and sweet tropical cocktails like mojitos, Caribes, and "Belle Carolines," a blend of coconut liquor and pineapple juice.