Review of Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita

The Republic of Mauritius – is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It has had a dizzying history. Discovered by Arab sailors around 975, the Portuguese then confirmed discovery in 1507 before the Dutch took possession in 1598.  France then took control in 1715 before the British seized control in 1810. The country remained a colony before independence in 1968 – this tangled legacy means a highly diverse population speaking a number of languages, the official ones being English and French but pre-eminent being a French-based Mauritian Creole.

The nation includes a main island (also called Mauritius and where the capital Port Louis is located along with most of the population) as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga and St Brandon. The Islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues along with nearby Réunion (a French overseas department) are part of the Mascarene Islands. Volcanic in origin, the island is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. 

Situated on the very tip of Mauritius’ eastern coast, the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius is bordered by the Ile aux Cerfs lagoon and the Indian Ocean. Port Louis and the popular seaside village of Grand-Baie can both be reached in under an hour.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) is around 45 minutes away by limousine, a distance of 35 kilometres. The resort offers the use of the luxury Yu Lounge, a state-of-the-art private terminal located away from public terminals for hassle free arrivals and departures. Helicopter transfers can also be arranged.

The resort is home to 136 villas at the resort, breaking down into 90 guest rooms, one Presidential Suite and 45 Private Residence Rentals. All the villas and residences feature their own gardens, outside showers and pools and are built in a contemporary Mauritian style of open-air architecture that embraces the natural surroundings: thatched roofs, wooden decks and stone walls amid palm trees and tropical gardens. Room features include alarm clocks, bedside outlets for recharging mobiles, connections for MP3 players, in-room safe suitable for laptops, Nespresso machines and tea makers, plasma / LCD televisions with DVD players and satellite television and an all-news cable network. 

The six categories of guest rooms at the resort are all located in stand-alone villas that come with private pools and al fresco showers with outdoor terraces that look out over either the gardens, mangrove, ocean or onto the pristine beach. 

The Residence Villas have ten different types and offer indoor and outdoor living for families and groups of friends. Each is centred around an open-concept lounge and dining area and open out onto a terrace and large heated infinity pools with private kitchens for entertaining “at home”. They range from one-, two- and three-bedroom garden, partial ocean view and ocean residences moving up to the top two categories - the Five Bedroom Grand Residence Villa situated on the edges of the secluded peninsula and the Five-Bedroom Royal Residence Villa, an expansive villa offering panoramic lagoon and ocean views. Stays can be customised with in-villa barbecues, firework displays, and private Sega (dance) shows. 

With 450 square metres of living space, the Three Bedroom Presidential Suite Sanctuary is the premier accommodation, located at the tip of the resort’s private island, just steps from Bambou Beach. With an open-air opulence and a fresh, bright neutral palette, the suite’s interior design brings the destination inside with features including a white reed ceiling, mother of pearl detailing and coral and shell artworks. The generous interior living spaces are centred around an open-plan lounge and dining room with a table for up to ten, an exclusive wine and Champagne fridge and a 75-inch plasma television, all leading out onto the private terrace. The patio offers a heated swimming pool with panoramic lagoon views, whirlpool and a day bed pavilion. In the master bedroom with its signature Mauritius Nuit wall print from Parisian luxury design house, Pierre Frey - the room opens out onto a stunning 180-degree view of the Indian Ocean. The space includes a spacious dressing area and closet linking to the bathroom with an outdoor shower area, double vanity and 1.5-metre natural sandstone bathtub that sits beneath an ornate glass link chandelier. There are two other en suite bedrooms plus a fully equipped kitchen. 

For total flexibility, the Presidential Suite can link to the adjacent One Bedroom Villa via a private outdoor corridor to increase sleep space.

Just a short boat ride away, Four Seasons’ guests can enjoy a day of castaway enjoyment at their picturesque beach on the private island, Ile aux Cerfs – or indeed spend time on two other beaches at the resort. Ile aux Cerfs is famous for its stretches of white-sand shorelines and turquoise lagoon waters that are ideal for swimming and the Four Seasons staff will direct guests to loungers, on call when required. The resort also operates a Beach Bar and Grill on the island, set in the sand below overhanging shelters lending welcome shade, offering lunch and all-day refreshments for hotel guests. There is a wide menu of fresh seafood brought daily by local fishermen with salads and sharing platters or snacks. 

There are unrivalled recreational activities with four outdoor swimming pools (including the lap-pool at the Fitness Centre) and complimentary access watersports ranging from stand-up paddle boarding to waterskiing; plus two tennis courts with a tennis pro and lessons available plus complimentary bike hire. The WiseOceans Marine Educators are based at the Coral Cabana on Bambou Beach to learn more about the marine life in the surrounding lagoon waters and it is possible to head out on a guided snorkel and to find out more about the resort’s Reef Restoration Project. Mauritius’ waters are home to an extraordinary range of tropical fish and marine life, easily explored even for beginner level divers. More experienced divers can go on discovery dives to shipwrecks and caves outside of the coral reef. 

The extensive overwater Spa offers the most relaxing of environments with exclusive rejuvenating and restorative body and facial treatments, rituals and massages devised by the resort and drawing inspiration from the island and around the world. Aloe Vera, lemongrass and coconut used in many of the treatments is cut fresh daily from the resort’s Spa Garden. The 12 overwater treatment suites feature a private sauna, changing rooms, an outdoor shower and a treatment room. The lagoon-edge outdoor relaxation area is set on wooden pillars over the Indian Ocean lagoon and surround by lush tropical vegetation.

There is a full-service beauty salon, an extensive spa boutique and a kid’s corner for gentle facials, massages and nail treatments. A wide-ranging yoga programme is available for flexibility, mobility and balance either on the terrace or on the beachfront.

The Fitness Centre is immersed in the serenity of the lush, tropical gardens offering a calm space for an effective workout. Facilities include a 25-metre outdoor semi-Olympic lap pool, a variety of aerobic equipment, Powerplate and a boxing area. There are boxing sessions, personal training, swimming lessons and a range of group fitness classes available.

The resort offers complimentary golf for every guest with two championship golf courses – the Ernie-Els designed 18-hole course and the Bernhard Langer Signature Course at Ile aux Cerfs, including lessons for beginners. The Anahita Golf Club – a five-minute drive away - was built to USGA standards and the Ernie-Els-designed course makes the most of its tropical setting. Backed by lush mountains and fringed by the crystal-clear lagoon, its large fairways and six stunning oceanfront holes culminate in a final shot that it among the most spectacular in the world.

The Ile aux Cerfs Golf Club with a course designed by Bernhard Langer is accessible to players of all levels. The course covers 38 hectares on the southern half of the Ile aux Cerfs island with the holes snaking up and down the length of the island. Guests enjoy boat transfers over to the island throughout the day with private boat shuttles available.

Perfect for families, entertainment for junior VIPs is found at the Hobbit Village Kids’ Club and Karokan Young Adult Centre. Kids for all Seasons’ activities range from boat trips and golf lessons to private barbeques and horseback riding. The Kids’ Club is aimed at children aged from four to nine years of age and features a swimming/paddling pool, an amphitheatre, a bakery, a quiet room, a playroom and a sandpit. Kids and teens can head over to Karokan, a chilled-out clubhouse for kids aged ten and upwards. There is table tennis, a home cinema, table football, a supervised pool and the latest in computer games. Other offerings include sailing lessons, A DVD film library, board games, line fishing and crab hunting, family golf, complimentary bicycles, snorkelling trips, kayaking, tropical treasure hunts and babysitting services. 

Off-site, activities include biking, birdwatching, boating, catamaran cruises, deep sea fishing, helicopter tours, hiking, horseback riding, jungle trekking, kite surfing, quad biking, local excursions, sailing, Segway safaris, skydiving, surfing, underwater walking and ziplining.

As with all the resorts operated by Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, the pristine and exceptional environments where their properties are located are matched only by the efficient and friendly service offered by staff, many of whom in this instance have been with the resort for years. 

With this Mauritian property, the secluded location and the lush, mature gardens surrounding the contemporary locally-inspired architecture sets the tone, lending a sophisticated serene atmosphere, the perfect retreat from the chaos of the world outside. 

Along with the care of the resident guests, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita also care deeply for their local environment and community. This stewardship and understanding of the environment is becoming ever more commonplace with high end resorts such as this, as is evidenced by their involvement with WiseOceans and the Marine Discovery Programme. 

It is also showcased with the care shown to their three resort residents – two giant Aldabra tortoises and one smaller Radiate tortoise. Living close to the spa and seen from the footbridge up to the lobby, these three resort VIPs enjoy nothing more than nibbling on leaves, grass, fruit and vegetable peelings whilst interacting with guests.

There are a range of dining options at the resort including Beau Champ, a modern French bistro serving classic French cuisine either inside the restaurant or at the tables on the water’s edge. It also features a Chef’s Table for an interactive dinner for up to four diners set in front of the open kitchen.

On the sheltered Bambou Beach, the aptly named Bambou offers casual dining – breakfast, lunch and dinner - under a thatched roof close to the pool and the beach - featuring Lebanese, Spanish and Mauritian specialities. There is an all-day pool menu (pizza, sandwiches and ice lollies) one for children and wine & cocktail lists. 

For fine contemporary Italian dining, there is Acquapazza set at the water’s edge, a chic open-air restaurant serving handcrafted Italian specialities which incorporate freshly caught seafood, paired perfectly with an extensive wine list. Sit on the swinging bar stools at La Plaz Beach Grill meanwhile to enjoy local beers, fresh seafood dishes and delicious light bites looking out over the sea’s horizon.

A new addition to the resort is Umi.Zaka (Umi - Japanese - Sea and Zaka - African - pure) which is open for dinner and offers superb cocktails and delicious Japanese fare.

Blu'Zil is a coffee bar in the morning, serves light lunch, evening supper and late drinks. 

The food and beverage team also organise Herb Garden Cooking Classes – a voyage of discovery, accompanied by snacks and wine or special dinners in the resort’s private wine cellar with wine pairings chosen by the sommelier.

WiseOceans and Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita work together to protect coral reefs and mangroves in Mauritius while raising awareness of the importance of local marine life. The resort’s Marine Discovery Programme incorporates environmental education into the guest experience, enhancing guest knowledge and understanding of the beautiful coral reefs and lush mangroves surrounding the resort. The resident WiseOceans Marine Educator leads resort guests and staff on snorkel expeditions around the incredible mangroves and on nearby coral reefs. 

The resort’s scholarship programme gives youths one to three years on the job training leading to full time employment with Four Seasons. They also support various local primary schools and the Eastern Welfare Association for the Disabled.