Maritim Mauritius, Terre Rouge, Mauritius

Located on the island’s north west coast, one hour from the airport, the Maritim at Turtle Bay is not only sheltered in the sunniest region of the country, it’s also rampant with underwater life being home to the first National Marine Park in Mauritius -- ideal for snorkelling, diving and glass bottom boating. Having done the whole island by car or motorbike (national limit is 125 c, so best of all are the latest off-road Suzuki 125’s from Mike’s Bikes at Grand Baie) I can safely say that the north west coast is the only area I would want to be in. Rival south western, eastern, and north eastern coastal points simply cut you off, in more desolate surrounding, from the island’s major attractions. Many of Mauritius’ best sights, shops, museums, casinos, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and tourist services are in the north west from the capital, Port Louis, up to Grand Baie. The Maritim between the two, is about 15 minutes form each.

Despite offering 25 acres of endless facilities for everyone the Maritim Hotel, to its credit, still comes across as a cosy, friendly, relaxing and intimate place to be. This is no modern block strung in a row along miles of beach. Quite the contrary. You are cosseted within the walled grounds of the C18th private estate which roams charmingly through fields, farms (including one for 200 year-old giant turtles), landscaped tropical gardens right down to some jungle by the shore only partially covering authentic historical ruins of a French arsenal, foundry, hospital and gunpowder factory -- which gave rise to the whole effect by accidentally exploding in 1774. Nor does the beachfront afford vistas up and down the coast: Turtle Bay is a secluded inlet which makes your activities feel personal. In the evening the delightful Quarter Deck Bar, set at the end of a pier in the bay, only enhances this feeling.

Notice, too, how the cut of the clientele -- English, German with other Europeans and Asians as evidence -- actively promotes a sociable atmosphere. Not the super rich who seem to resent other people also being in the hotel and keep themselves accordingly in isolated clusters, the Maritim’s guests, whatever, deal they’re on, know it has cost them far more to come to Mauritius than, say, Goa, Sri Lanka or the Caribbean. They’re positively expecting, and will help to create, a much better holiday for themselves in return. The ambience at New Year’s Eve, complete with singers, exotic dancers, fabulous food and fireworks was one of the best I’ve experienced. What, more than anything else, makes the hotel so welcoming is the Maritim’s greatest asset: its staff. Not so much for the 1/1 staff/guest ratio as the training they’ve obviously all had to be extra helpful and genuinely friendly. A job at the Maritim is economically and socially prized by the locals. You feel the staff as a result really value their employment rather than being trapped by it.

Opened in 1990 but refurbished in 2000, this 5 star hotel is in rustic/colonial style with good-sized rooms in soothing pastels, fabrics and wood. All 221 are elevated to look over the bay with sea-facing balcony, bath, shower, air-conditioning, satellite TV, phone, minibar, safe and hairdryer as standard. Prices ascend with size and luxury from the majority 28 sq.m. Comfort Rooms (£175 nt/dble) through Deluxe ($225) and Prestige Rooms (£280), 10 Junior Suites (£350), 4 Suites (£450) right through to a couple of Presidential Suites (£560). Everyone can enjoy the large swimming pool, Jacuzzi, beauty/fitness centre, all watersports (except jet skis, unmissed), horse riding, tennis and a 9 hole par 29 golf course. There’s also a supervised children’s play area a minimum stay of 10 nights apply, I did find that the timing and duration of Dec23-Jan4 suites me at least very well.

Cavils would be that the swimming, as in every Mauritian resort, is bedevilled by over-long shallows with too many clumps of sharp coral. After dinners, unless out to a casino or nightclub, mean watching the hotel’s evening entertainment. The Indian, Creole and Chinese evening work well enough but the other nights feature middle-of-the road pop quartets -- background music at best. Finally, a word on British Tour Operators. Why do they stand alone in not offering the wiser and considerable cheaper option of half-board, insisting instead on selling only All-Inclusive packages into the British market? ‘All-inclusive’ may sound seductively generous, even assist budgetary planning, but maximising the tour operator’s profit margin is what it’s really about. I didn’t need lunch everyday, nor the perpetual siren call of fully-stocked free-for-me bars. I over-ate; and drank enough rum to join the Navy. I’m thinking of sending them my liver bill.