With its name meaning ‘blue gecko’, this white-walled, turquoise-roofed spot is more like a beautiful house, with a fabulous art collection hung throughout the property and sculptures in the gardens. After a day’s sightseeing around the island, this Relais & Chateaux hotel is the perfect place to unwind. Relax around the central pool and soak up the sea views, and in the afternoon pick a dish from the snack cart. At sunset, the chef suggests pre-dinner aperitifs to accompany cocktails on the terrace overlooking the bay of Saint-Leu. Then take a seat at a candlelit table for dinner with innovative fresh produce and local flavours, together with a bottle from the excellent wine list. Finish the evening with a coffee or a home-made ‘rhum arrangé’. With just 14 rooms, we recommend that you book this hotel early. Each room is classic in style and has a private terrace or balcony. To make the most of the space in the Grand Large Room, the lovely bathrooms – with a freestanding bath and separate shower – are open-plan on a raised platform in the room, sectioned off with voile curtains (there’s a separate toilet). If you’re staying longer, opt for one of the two Creole Suite in Villa & Spa in the gardens below the pool, which have a bedroom and living room, plus an outdoor shower and private Jacuzzi on the sea view terrace.
This is the only luxury resort to have direct access to the beautiful L’Hermitage beach with its calm coral-sheltered lagoon that’s perfectly safe for swimming. Little extra features include the retro-style ‘ici’ icecream hut with fresh local flavours and home-made waffle cones baked as you wait. And if you’re willing to explore, this is a resort full of fun surprises – you could even spot a message in a bottle on the path to your room that might contain a gift. In the evening, pull up a beanbag and watch a cinema screening under the stars. LUX* is also one of the best resorts for whale watching (June to October). Dining here is authentic, and there are sensory dining experiences to enjoy throughout the resort. La Cuisine is the main restaurant, offering international cuisine alongside local dishes. Orangine, the signature restaurant, is a more intimate venue with modern décor, serving up gourmet dishes accompanied by the finest of South African and French wines. For traditional Creole dining that can be washed down by vanilla-flavoured rum on a lagoonside deck, there’s La Plage. Elegant, contemporary rooms face the lagoon in white-washed buildings dotted throughout the fragrant gardens. Superior Rooms occupy the ground floor and have a terrace while Deluxe Rooms are on the first floor with a balcony. For that extra indulgence, Junior Suites have a separate lounge area and a spacious bathroom with oversized bathtub, perfect for relaxing in after a day exploring the island. Two interconnecting Superior Rooms can also be combined to form a Family Deluxe Room.
Beautifully designed with respect paid to the local environment and lots of Creole charm, this is a beautiful hotel that makes the most of its elevated position. The first thing you’ll notice on arrival is the hotel’s outlook. Views of the ocean are common in this part of the world; however the panoramic, birds-eye vista from the Palm Hotel & Spa is quite spectacular. On clear days, the blues of the sea and sky meet at the horizon, while on other days dramatic cloudscapes fill the sky. And then there are the sunsets… pure bliss. As the nearest beach, Grand Anse, is a hilly 15-minute walk away, they have brought the ‘beach’ up to the hotel itself at the unique KAH Beach. This sand-floored, al fresco spot not only has uninterrupted views of the ocean, it features day beds, bean bags, a hot tub and steamroom. Between June and October, this is a great place to watch whales and hear about their habitats and behaviours from the hotel’s eco-volunteers. Nearby are the hotel’s two pools, including one heated pool, and there’s a beautifully secluded spa, AKÉA, with a tropical garden, seven treatment rooms (two for couples), Turkish bath and a Jacuzzi. As well as the restaurant at KAH Beach, there’s Le MAKASSAR, the main restaurant that is open at breakfast and dinner, and a centrally-located bar and lounge known as KOKOA where refreshing cocktails are served alongside tapas dishes. Scattered around the hotel’s tropical gardens are the villas which house the tastefully decorated rooms and suites with modern amenities such as smart televisions and a Nespresso machine. Superior Rooms are on the ground and first floors of the two-storey villas as are the more spacious Deluxe Rooms. We particularly recommend the beautiful Suites which are situated in one-storey villas that are shared with just one other suite, and feature a veranda with a sun deck and whirlpool. If you're travelling with your kids, opt for the Family Suites which have a second children's bedroom in the place of the Suite's dressing room.
Blue Margouillat
LUX* Saint Gilles
Palm Hotel & Spa
