Long Beach Mauritius

With a wealth of facilities catering to a varied clientele, the Long Beach Mauritius suits both families and couples. This is due in part to the large size of the property, which offers dedicated kids' areas as well as adult-only features. The quiet, coastal resort encompasses a few hundred acres that sometimes require the help of golf cart to get around. Its size, combined with its handful of restaurants, pools, barrage of activities, and large garden grounds, makes it feel like a small village in the otherwise natural area of Belle Mare. 

While most of the hotel has a contemporary beach house look to it, the lobby is slightly more polished, with Art Deco-inspired hanging glass light fixtures, polished tile floors, and minimalist decor. Families can often be found around the pool area, while couples take advantage of the dining options, slightly removed spa, or a free game of tennis. Despite its luxury status, some guests feel that the hotel is visibly understaffed and overstretched, and that things generally lack the glitz and glam factor many visitors to the area's luxury hotels expect.

Long Beach Mauritius is located in the quiet, eastern coastal suburb of Belle Mare. The surrounding area is home to green sugar plantation fields and large, high-end resorts -- though there are no buildings directly surrounding the hotel The area is famous for its variety of hotels and a favorite for water sports fans, deep sea fishing, and divers (there are several dive sites about 10 minutes from the hotel). The hotel is located near a few restaurants and bars off the beach, though there really isn't much within an easy walk. It will take between five and 10 minutes to drive to the town's center, which is home to luxury stores like Hugo Boss. SSR International Airport is about an hour south by car, and the popular tourist town of Grand Baie is a 45-minute drive from the hotel.

Long Beach Mauritius has 255 rooms, inclusive of two suites and a handful of family rooms. Rooms are simple and contemporary, with a subdued color palette of white, gray, coral, and lime hues, as well as satin-finished slate tile floors and white walls. Tropical leaf patterns are sparingly used in accent panels and upholstered headboards over the beds soften the look, but on the whole the minimalist decor verges on underdecorated. There's little in the way of wall art, and not much to look at beyond the subtle patterns in the soft furnishings. 

Bathrooms are beautiful and contemporary, with separate tubs, glass showers, robes and slippers, and Long Beach branded toiletries. All rooms have king-size beds (or set of twin beds), large 42-inch flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, iHome dock stereo systems, minibars, coffee and tea facilities, and bottled drinking water; upper-category rooms add espresso pod machines. 

All rooms are spacious, and start at 60 square meters (646 square feet) with some suites maxing out at 132 square meters (1,421 square feet). Family Rooms offer more space and can sleep up to two adults and three kids -- kids get their own room with two sofa beds, a TV, and a full bathroom. Deluxe Beach Front Suites are the largest option and separate living rooms with TVs and couches. Each category has a furnished balcony or terrace with views of the hotel's gardens or the ocean.

Long Beach Mauritius has a large white sand beach that leads to turquoise water, which, depending on the day and the tide, may be clear or cloudy. Chic all-white lounge chairs line the sand, and there are a few hanging cabana beds with thick cushions -- but they go fast. While there are a few trees and thatched umbrellas here and there, the majority of the beach is uncovered. The beach area is technically public, so there is a chance of being approached by locals selling goods. There's also a coral reef just off shore for those looking to snorkel.

The hotel offers a free breakfast and a half-board or a full-board option that's honored at all but one of its five restaurants. The free breakfast buffet, which includes items like fresh fruit and made-to-order omelets, is served by the beach in Le Marché, the hotel's main buffet restaurant. This spot has live cooking stations and features international fare -- and by all accounts, including our own, can be quite crowded. Chopsticks and Tides are the only two spots open for lunch, the former serving up westernized versions of China's Sichuan, Cantonese, and Hunan dishes. Tides is the spot to go for a casual beachside setting and taste of local flavor. Seating for both Chopsticks and Tides is outdoors on a covered terrace. Sapori is the indoor/outdoor Italian restaurant created with help from Michelin-starred Chef Moreno Cedroni (though despite the hotel's somewhat misleading claim, the chef does not actually work at the hotel -- he consulted on the menu). He also had a hand in creating the menu over at the only non-inclusive restaurant, Hasu. This Japanese-Italian spot has traditional yakitori-style grilled dishes, sushi, and an a la carte menu. Additionally, light beach service is available during the day, while room service can be ordered 24/7. 

Long Beach has two big bars serving up everything from inspired cocktails and local rum to afternoon tea service. Tides Bar is a part of Tides restaurant and features an extensive drinks menu and views of the pool and beach. There are bright padded bar stool or comfy sets of tables and chairs right by the edge of the main pool. Shores Bar is set further back on the garden grounds with a view of the courtyard, and features live music, DJs, and cocktails made from local rum. 

One of the standout features of the Long Beach Mauritius is its European-style Sea Spa and garden. Treatments at the spa are inspired by French-based marine cosmetology and  thalassotherapy. The massive and modern spa complex is set away from the main action of the resort in order to eliminate exterior noises or disruptions. Guests have their choice of a full range of spa and beauty treatments, 12 rooms, and a large Turkish hammam. Outside, the leafy garden has romantic views of the pond and is frequented by singing birds. 

Long Beach has three pools -- a large, main pool lined with cushioned loungers, an adult-only pool, and a lap pool found in the fitness center. The main pool is massive, wrapping around the Tides restaurant and bar terrace and clocking in at over 4,500 square feet (418 square meters). This is where most of the guests can be found during the day, either catching sun, playing volleyball, or grabbing drinks. The adult-only infinity pool is about a tenth of the size of the main pool and does not allow kids (kids have their own pool in the kids' club). There's also a three-lane lap pool at the fitness center. 

The fitness center at Long Beach is state-of-the-art, stocked full of the latest TechnoGym equipment. Both the tennis courts and the gym are available for free, though tennis lessons or a personal trainer session will cost extra. The hotel also has some group exercise and yoga classes available daily, bocce courts, badminton courts, and a jogging track. Other resort activities include an assortment of free water sports like kayaking, paddle boating, snorkeling, waterskiing, and glass-bottom boat tours. Scuba diving, parasailing, PADI dive lessons, under-sea walks, and fishing will all cost extra.  

Families are catered to with a kids' club and a teen club. Angel's Kids Club is for children ages 2 to 11 and features its own small pool, daily activities, indoor and outdoor space, and multi-lingual staff. Waves teen club, located near the sports center, is for kids ages 12 to 17 and keeps teens busy with planned activities and get-togethers, DJ nights, water sports, and a game room with table games like foosball, ping-pong, and pool. 

The hotel offers free transfers to the leisure island Ile aux Cerfs, where there are three restaurants, white sand beaches, two bars, and an 18-hole golf course. Golfers get free greens fees and free transportation to and from the island -- everyone else has to pay. The hotel also has free Wi-Fi and a golf cart shuttle service to get around the property.