Where to stay in Mauritius, near which beach, and in which hotel? These are the questions we ask ourselves when we want to travel to this island in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius combines relaxation with nature and culture. The question of accommodation is therefore essential in determining where to stay and how to make the most of your stay. Both in terms of seaside experience and activities and visits.
This guide to accommodation in Mauritius will help you to understand this destination, as well as the areas to target for accommodation.
Key information
Before describing the areas to focus on when selecting accommodation in Mauritius, here’s what you need to know about the destination.
Our favorite places to stay
If you’re in a hurry, here are our favorite places to stay in Mauritius:
- $ this guest house in Grand Baie, in the north, one of the most popular getaways in Mauritius.
- $$ this hotel, in Mont Choisy, in the same area but slightly to the south.
- $$$ this upscale establishment on the east coast. It’s one of the best 5-star places to stay in Mauritius.
Map of different areas to stay in Mauritius
The map below shows our recommended accommodation and hotels in Mauritius. We’ve used the following color code: green for budget hotels, blue for standard hotels and red for luxury hotels.
We also recommend that you use this map to locate the places and beaches we’ll be introducing in this guide.
The essentials for accommodation in Mauritius
Places to stay in Mauritius
Let’s get to the heart of the matter, with a review of the places and beaches where we recommend staying during a stay in Mauritius.
Accommodation in Grand Baie for its dynamic, festive atmosphere
In the north-west of the island, Grand Baie is one of Mauritius's main bays. It is also a popular holiday resort. As well as its magnificent fine sandy beaches, such as Pereybere Beach and La Cuvette Beach, boat owners appreciate its marina for its well-exposed anchorage. Fabulous sunsets can be contemplated from the bay, while being well sheltered from the wind.
The main advantage of staying in Grand Baie is that it's a pretty little fishing village that has become a must-see seaside resort. It's as much about relaxation as it is about water sports, such as diving. For those who like excursions, you can go out to sea to observe whales and dolphins.
A renowned coastal village, the accommodation on offer is extensive and above all varied. You'll even find a number of hotels committed to green tourism. Staying here means you can explore the north of Mauritius:
- less than 10 minutes by car from Cap Malheureux and its characteristic white church with a red roof
- around 20 minutes from the Pamplemousse botanical garden, famous for its giant water lilies
- about 30 minutes from Port Louis
Grand Baie is also known for its festive atmosphere in the evenings. Numerous Chinese, Indian and European restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisine to delight travelers' tastes. Its bars and nightclubs attract a lively nightlife crowd.
This proximity and its activities make Grand Bay a dynamic little town, relatively well situated for exploring the north.
Our recommended accommodations
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Just a 5-minute walk from the ocean, this guest house has all the facilities you need for a pleasant stay. Its garden and outdoor swimming pool welcome travelers who wish to relax, making this guest house a calm and warm place to stay in Mauritius.
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Ideally located in Grand Baie, this apartment offers two beautiful, comfortable bedrooms. The penthouse terrace offers a magnificent view of the bay. The ocean is just a few minutes' walk away. A small supermarket is available on site.
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Conveniently located at the entrance to the bay, this hotel offers elegant, luxurious accommodation in rooms and suites. It's on the waterfront with a private beach. Two restaurants (one on a sailboat), heated pools with views, a spa and fitness center, allow travelers to fully recharge their batteries. An excellent place to stay in Grand Bay.
Accommodation on the east coast: for relaxation
The east coast of Mauritius is the perfect place to stay if you're looking for a relaxing, luxurious vacation. Its idyllic setting is perfect for taking your time and enjoying water sports.
Trou d'Eau Douce is a picturesque village with turquoise waters, coconut palms and white sandy beaches, where you can watch the sunrise. Formerly a fishing village, it is now a seaside resort offering a wide range of water sports, particularly glass-bottomed boat trips. It's a rallying point for excursions. Staying here means staying close to some of the world's best beaches, such as :
- Île aux Cerfs, one of the most beautiful in the world
- Belle Mare, wild and romantic
Staying in Trou d'Eau Douce means spending an idyllic vacation in one of Mauritius's paradise spots. Here, you'll find a majority of luxury hotels where you can relax and unwind. It's also not uncommon to find less expensive accommodation. Some are close to the seafront, but you need to book well in advance of your arrival in Mauritius to be sure of getting a room.
Île aux Cerfs, also known for its golf and water sports, is uninhabited. However, it is possible to stay in a lodge on the eastern side of the island. A superb setting for enjoying the sunrise.
The disadvantage of staying in a hotel in this part of Mauritius is that you find yourself a little out of touch with the rest of the island. It takes around 1 hour by car to reach the north of the island (near Grand Baie). And allow a quarter of an hour more to get to Flic en Flac, in the far west.
Our recommended accommodations
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Located in Trou d'Eau Douce, this accommodation offers a relaxing stopover in all simplicity. Its rooms offer an immersion in the Mauritian atmosphere. It has its own private white sandy beach. It's a good hotel at a reasonable, if not inexpensive, price in Mauritius.
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The only lodge on the famous island paradise, this establishment is one of the most unique on Île aux Cerfs. Eco-friendly and environmentally conscious, staying here is a unique experience, with panoramic views and the sensation of sleeping under the stars.
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This hotel enjoys an exceptional location on the east coast. It offers an exclusive experience thanks to its lagoon view and 26-hectare estate, including 4 hectares of private beach on Île aux Cerfs (accessible by boat). Restaurants, a top-of-the-range spa and access to a golf course are among its many assets. In short, this is a very good 5-star hotel in Mauritius.
Trou-aux-Biches and Mont Choisy: two beautiful beaches to stay on in Mauritius
Located in the north-west between Grand Baie and Port Louis, the villages of Trou-aux-Biches and Mont Choisy boast two of the island's most beautiful beaches. So it's only natural to seek accommodation here.
Trou-aux-Biches, with its blue lagoon lined with coconut palms , is a must. With its crystal-clear waters, it's one of the best diving and snorkeling spots on Mauritius. Many come here for its fabulous aquatic flora and fauna, which even snorkelers can spot.
Mont Choisy is the largest beach in Mauritius. It's fine sand, calm and sheltered from the wind. It's also a little further away from the tourists. Alongside the locals, who often come to organize big barbecues at weekends, you can stretch out on the sand and sunbathe with your family.
Both villages offer a wide range of restaurants and shops. Accommodation is varied and to suit all budgets. However, there are more tourist rentals than hotels.
A twenty-minute drive will take you to Pamplemousse Gardens, Cap Malheureux and Port-Louis. This makes them two interesting places to stay and visit in the north of Mauritius.
The ease with which you can get to Trou aux Biches and Choisy, combined with their unmissable beaches, make them two pleasant places to stay in Mauritius. In addition to their tranquil setting, they are well situated for discovering the places of interest in the north.
Our recommended accommodations
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The quiet, oceanfront location of this aparthotel makes it a popular place to stay in Mont Choisy. It offers a commanding view of the lagoon. The rooms are spacious and fully equipped.
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Located in Trou-aux-Biches, this perfectly situated accommodation offers fully-equipped apartments and luxury penthouses. You can relax on the private beach or take a dip in the pool.
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Set amidst 35 hectares of idyllic greenery and on a private beach by the lagoon, this 5-star hotel offers luxury suites and villas. Staying here allows you to stay in a romantic setting and enjoy Trou-aux-Biches at your own pace. Restaurants, infinity pool, sauna, hammam and access to a wide range of aquatic activities make this a great place to stay in Mauritius.
Staying in Flic en Flac: between beautiful beaches and inland access
The west coast of Mauritius is the sunniest of all. At its center is Flic en Flac, one of the most popular tourist villages. Here, you can observe a wealth of marine life in the turquoise waters, and enjoy a palm-fringed beach with a view of the Morne Brabant mountain.
To stay here is to be close to one of the most beautiful beaches in Mauritius! There's plenty of accommodation to suit all budgets. Beachfront establishments are often luxury hotels.
This 1 km-long stretch of sand offers a diving site with wrecks and underwater caves. Snacks and fresh fruit are available during the day. And in the evening, you can relax in one of the small restaurants where you canwatch the sunset.
What's more, Flic en Flac is centrally located on the entire west coast. This means that you'll be staying close to many places of interest inland. For example, you're just a
- 30 minutes from Tamarin Falls
- 45 minutes from Grand Bassin, a Hindu pilgrimage site
- 40 minutes from Chamarel, famous for its rum factory, which can be visited, and the “Land of 7 colors” tourist site.
- 40 minutes from Rivière Noire National Park, with its thick forest and superb waterfalls.
In short, Flic en Flac's location on the west coast makes it both a change of scenery and a convenient place to stay in Mauritius.
Our recommended accommodations
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The main attraction of this apart'hotel is its terrace with views over the whole bay of Flic-en-Flac. You can also relax by the pool or in the jacuzzi. Just 1.5 km from the beach, it's a convenient and inexpensive place to stay in Flic-en-Flac.
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Set on the shores of the Indian Ocean, this hotel offers large, comfortable rooms. Lodging here offers a full range of wellness and catering services in a quest for peace and quiet. Diving courses are also available on site.
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The hotel is located on the beach at Flic-en-Flac. This 5-star hotel in Mauritius boasts incredible views over the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Rooms are spacious and offer all the comforts you'd expect from a top-of-the-range establishment. With rooms and suites, restaurants and a wellness center, this is a peaceful place to stay in Flic-en-Flac.
Accommodation on the south coast of Mauritius
The most authentic coast of Mauritius, with its beautiful stretches of sand, dense vegetation and mountains that are a reminder of the island's colonial period. Many slaves fled and found refuge in the forests and mountains of the south.
Staying in this tourist mecca means being close to some of Mauritius's must-do hikes and climbs. People come here to climb Le Morne, a 550-metre mountain listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In other words, you can't miss the climb. Choosing accommodation in this area means being:
- less than 30 minutes from Chamarel and the Land of 7 Colors, one of the island's main attractions
- less than 1 hour from the 7 waterfalls: magnificent scenery
- in no more than 30 minutes to the Gorges de la Rivière Noire national park, for hiking in the heart of the jungle
- in around 40 minutes, to the Grand Bassin: a natural lake, a place of worship for the Hindus, who make up 70% of the island's population.
Beyond these points of interest, staying on the south coast of Mauritius means being close to beautiful beaches. More exposed to the wind, they are ideal spots for water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing.
There is a good choice of accommodation in the south of the island. On the whole, the hotels are less luxurious than in Flic en Flac or Trou d'Eau Douce, but there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. This makes the area a pleasant place to stay in Mauritius.
Our recommended accommodations
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Nestled on a farm in Chamarel , this lodge offers tastefully equipped, rustic accommodation. Lodging here offers views of the mountain ranges and the possibility of horseback riding. Staying here also facilitates access to the Rivière Noire Gorges National Park, some ten kilometers away.
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In authentic Mauritius, this resort is located in a nature reserve. It offers the opportunity to stay in a verdant setting on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Rooms are luxurious, and some are just a stone's throw from a private beach. The spa and restaurants add a seductive touch that makes this establishment a haven of peace in which to stay.
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Located at the foot of Morne Brabant and on the edge of a sandy beach, this luxury hotel offers comfortable, restful accommodation close to Mont. Beautiful outdoor pools, spa, wellness center, restaurants and a variety of sports activities directly on site make this 5-star establishment a good place to stay in Mauritius.
Port Louis: a good plan for choosing accommodation in Mauritius?
Far from the natural landscapes and heavenly beaches that make Mauritius such a popular destination, Port Louis, the capital, is a bustling city.
Staying here means getting up close and personal with Mauritians and their daily lives. On Queen Street, you'll find the city's must-see bazaar: the Port Louis Central Market. A colorful showcase for the city, its stalls of fruit and vegetables, spices and street vendors allow you to discover Mauritian culinary specialties and street food.
However, Port Louis is not the city to stay in. You come here to stroll around, to see the market, the Aapeavasi Ghat museum, the citadel and other museums. But there's little point in staying in Port Louis, as it can all be done in a single day. Especially as there's so much to do in the rest of the island.
If you want to spend more time in the city and visit Port Louis in greater depth, then you're better off staying in Trou aux Biches or Flic en Flac. These two areas of Mauritius provide access to Port Louis in around 40 minutes by car.
Summary
As you will have gathered from this guide, Mauritius is essentially a beach destination. Even if it does offer the chance to discover and enjoy other treasures, accommodation is generally selected close to the ocean.
As the island isn’t very big, it’s easy to connect its various corners in less than 2 hours by car. So, unless you really have to, it’s not necessarily necessary to stay in several different accommodations during your stay in Mauritius. You can choose just one, and radiate from this base if you wish to visit the island.
Selecting 2 or more different hotels near different beaches, however, offers a variety of experiences during your trip. Tourists who change accommodation during their stay in Mauritius generally do so for this reason.