Le Palmiste Resort & Spa

Though Le Palmiste is across the road from the beach, the mid-range hotel is nonetheless a solid pick for a beachy getaway. Features-wise, the hotel ticks nearly all of the boxes for a traditional Mauritian resort (pools, spa, restaurant, bar, kids' club, event space), but its two-courtyard layout gives it an intimate feel. The property's room buildings and common areas enclose a hot tub and four pools with different vibes: two peppy with music and kids splashing about, and two quiet and meant for guests wanting to take it easy.

Le Palmiste first opened in 2004 and has built several room buildings since its opening; the newest section, the 19-room Anthurium, was built in 2016. (All room blocks are named after tropical flowers.) Families are attracted to Le Palmiste for its kids' pool, large rooms, and mini club with activities, and couples come here for the peaceful, pleasant atmosphere (found just about everywhere but the main pool) and private outdoor space attached to every room. 

Le Palmiste is separated from the beach by B38 (Royal Route), but it is within easy walking distance of the water (the public beach is a three-minute walk to the north) and the hustle of Trou aux Biches. A pharmacy is on the corner of the hotel's entrance side street and the main road, and a supermarket is a three-minute walk to the south. The lively beach resort of Trou aux Biches is well-positioned for seeing some of the best sights in the northern part of Mauritius: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden and the red chapel at Cap Malheureux are both 18-minute drives away, and the tourist center of Grand Baie takes about 15 minutes to get to by car. The drive to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport takes a little more than an hour.

The hotel's 100 air-conditioned rooms are laid out across five three-story buildings, each one named for a tropical flower: Anthurium (this is the most recent addition to the room wings, built in 2016), Bougainvillea, Frangipani, Ravenala, and Hibiscus. All rooms have furnished terraces or balconies that can be completely enclosed by bamboo blinds. The 19 Standard Rooms in the Anthurium section are 334 square feet and are the newest; the 41 Standard Rooms in other sections are older, but also bigger, with 453 square feet of space. The largest room options are the dozen 592-square-foot Family Rooms. 

Decor varies from wing to wing (the Family Room we saw in 2017 had Asian decor, with crushed velvet couch with silk pillows), and all rooms feature mini-fridges, tea- and coffee-making facilities, flat-screen TVs, and free-to-use safes. A stay in one of the 28 Superior Rooms adds iPod docks, bathrobes and slippers, turndown service, and free Wi-Fi. Superior Rooms have larger beds and TVs than other room types (king-size and 42-inches, respectively, as opposed to the double beds and 32-inches found elsewhere). Note that all bathrooms have walk-in showers; there are no bathtubs.

For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Le Palmiste has a large open buffet restaurant, plus two bars that are open all day (the poolside bar serves some light food options in the afternoon and early evening). After dinner, live shows such as sega dancing and music performances are put on a few nights a week. Half-board, full-board, and all-inclusive packages are available.

Guests at Le Palmiste have a whirlpool tucked into a quiet corner and a number of pools to choose from -- a main pool with music and an attached shallow section for kids, and two pools more geared for peaceful dips and relaxing. In addition to frolicking in the main pool, kids can participate in mini club activities, like painting, drawing, bracelet- and flower-making, and playing games. The free indoor kids' cub is for ages 4 to 12, and babysitting is available for a fee.

The resort's spa doesn't seem quite large enough to be a namesake feature; it has just two rooms, one of which has a private shower. A sauna and steam room are available for a fee (even for spa guests). Massages, facials, body scrubs, and mani/pedis utilize Mauritius-made Mantra beauty products. There is a small gym and game room located near reception, and a ballroom can be booked for weddings and events. Bikes are available to rent, and Wi-Fi is available in the lobby and common areas. Above the check-in area is a large departure room with separate shower/bathroom facilities for men and women.