Haven Of Splendour

There is something about Mauritius and it’s just not the beautiful French-speaking black men, pristine beaches, snorkelling in crystal clear waters or parasailing, it is maybe the warmth, and love for Indians that makes it truly a paradise. What made it super delightful for the L’Officiel India team, which travelled with Bollywood star Parineeti Chopra, for our cover shoot was the hospitality at the sprawling Le Telfair hotel.

Owned by the VHL group, Heritage Le Telfair, part of Heritage Resorts, is located in the unspoilt South of Mauritius, on the Domaine de Bel Ombre and was started in 2004. Offering three types of luxury resorts, Heritage Le Telfair, Heritage Awali and Heritage-The Villas, the property has a discreet village design with 20 separate villas of six or eight rooms and has a total of 158 spacious rooms with beautiful sea or garden views.

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Communications Executive of the hotel, Guillaume Lefebure will tell you that the hotel symbolises no-fuss luxury and also boasts of an 18-hole golf course. “The 17th hole is considered one of the toughest in the European Tour, and we also host Rolex-affiliated events here,” he affirms. After studying business management and entrepreneurship, Guillaume, only 26, who has a French grandmother and is a seventh generation Mauritian, entered the hotel business. “Actually I didn’t want to get into tourism, but my brother and sister are both a part of it. Now that I am in it, it seems wonderful,” he smiles. The busiest season for the hotel begins towards September and lasts till February, but even now in May, the hotel was almost 80 per cent booked.

Heritage Le Telfair is part of the small luxury hotels of the world and is set within an exceptional domain of 2,500 hectares, offering a wide array of leisure experiences. “We value the privacy of our guests, and access to our hotels within the Domaine de Bel Ombre is controlled (gated access). Celebrities benefit from the intimacy of the hotel and full cooperation of the staff tending to their comfort and well-being,” he says. That’s why Nishant, the night manager made sure that Parineeti and us were fully entertained with Bollywood music in long car rides, shopping trips and the quick emergence of the luscious vanilla ice-cream (the best you can ever get, as Mauritius grows vanilla), with brownies on just a whim.

Parineeti, too, vouched for this as she went snorkelling, drove a golf cart, and moved around freely in the property without being disturbed as she enjoyed hearty meals at Annabella’s (the main restaurant). She also enjoyed Gin’ja, a pan-Asian restaurant set on the beach and overlooking the lagoon. “I don’t eat non-veg food, though I loved the salads and I must say that the seafood here is spectacular,” she laughs. Le Palmier pool and beach restaurant offers light meals, sandwiches, pizzas and salads as well as light drinks and cocktails which served as a perfect backdrop for our cover shoot.

Interestingly, the first film to be shot here was Amitabh Bachchan’s Agneepath, says Guillaume, who adds with a twinkle that his father is the biggest fan of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, specially after he saw the blockbuster Devdas with Shah Rukh Khan. “We have DVDs of the film at home and we watch re-runs of it as a family,” he confides.

For guests who want to enjoy a quiet relaxing session can head to the Seven Colours Spa started by Helen Cassan, which represents the Indian ideology of the seven chakras of the body corresponding with a special hue. Karishma the manager, of the spa, explained how by choosing a colour, like red, for example, the body is infused with strength and energy and the smell it emits is great for the elementary system. “Orange brings vitality and is great for the reproductive system, and yellow for the digestive tract and green for the heart. But what is our most loved spa is the coconut oil massage as our ancestors used it extensively on the hair and body. The 90 minute Coco Spa Ritual uses coconut oil, milk and powder moisturising your body and refreshing your mind,” she adds.

Besides this the hotel also offers various facilities for its guests like unlimited green fees on the best championship golf course of the Indian Ocean and only foot golf course on the island. For the pampered, spacious suites with a dedicated butler, heated pool, the Le Château de Bel Ombre, gourmet cuisine in an historic 19th century mansion and a luxury speedboat for intimate cruises.

Mauritius is also a great destination for golfers, who come here to tee off from all over the world. “The magnificent 18-hole course of the Heritage Golf Club stretches over 100 hectares of breath-taking scenery. Nestled between the sea and mountains, it is set in a landscape dotted with lakes, streams, tropical trees and incredible views. Ranking among the best courses on the island, it is both technically challenging and varied, thus providing exhilarating golfing moments and an exceptional game. In addition to a championship par 72 course, the Heritage Golf Club offers a Club House, a Pro Shop, a 9-hole par 3 short course, a putting green, a chipping green and a double driving range. Lessons can also be booked with a golf pro,” he concludes.